The Faith of Jesus
What is the "Faith of Jesus"? "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5.
Is the "faith of Jesus" part of your home life? Perhaps you have not given much thought to this aspect of the gospel message. Many, even among ministers, readily acknowledge that their understanding of this subject is rather limited, and yet, it is of equal importance to the commandments of God.
Look at the experience of Jesus. He knew that it was entirely possible for Him to yield to temptation. He knew that His life of continual obedience would be possible only if He continued to yield to His Father's will. Such was His understanding of the theological facts; but what was His faith? This was His faith: "I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." Psalms 16:8. Jesus lived by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. He put His faith in God's word expecting the Word to accomplish what it said. And according to His faith it was unto Him; He was never moved. A correct understanding of theological facts is important but, "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4. Jesus had faith in the written Word declaring with David, "I have inclined my heart to perform Thy statutes always, even unto the end." Psalms 119:112. "Constantly the words were on His lips, 'I will not fail nor be discouraged'." Signs of the Times, June 16, 1898. God's word has creative power, and Jesus' faith in the Word caused it to be true in His life. That Word also says, "O bless our God...which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved." Psalms 66:8,9. Jesus believed that His soul would be held in life and according to His faith it was unto Him.
Are you living by the faith of the Son of God? Paul testified, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God...". Galatians 2:20. Believe the promise found in 1 Corinthians 10:13: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." Since I first believed, He has been faithful and has kept me from being overcome by temptations to besetting sins, and "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ..." Philippians 1:6. By saying this, one is not saying that he is sinless. In spite of my sinfulness God has been faithful; and as He has promised, He has been providing a way of escape with every temptation.
If one casts away his faith and yields to a temptation to sin, what hope has he? The inspired Word says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:20. "...for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Genesis 2:17. We must never forget this fact, Jesus does exercise infinite pity toward those who fall into sin but the question is, how does one know whether or not he will respond to God's infinite pity? Cain did not, Saul did not, and the list could go on. And yet, on the other hand, David did, Moses did, and this list could go on as well. The point is, we have no way of knowing how we will respond to God's mercy if we should return to our sins. Thus the only thing for certain is that if we sin we shall surely die. We cannot say, "Oh, if I sin again I will just simply repent." We may not be able to repent. The experiences recorded in the Bible about the sin and repentance of David and Moses are there to encourage those who have fallen into sin. This is evidence that God will forgive the repentant sinner. For those who are standing, these experiences should serve as beacons of warning; we must not fail as they did.
When one testifies to be experiencing continual victory over temptations to sin, he is not claiming to be perfect. When we stand the test of God in the refining, purifying process; when the furnace fire consumes the dross and the true gold of a purified character appears, we may still say with Paul, "Not as though I have already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after...This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14. And yet, because we accept the faith of Jesus, it is the privilege of each to be able to say, "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 2 Timothy 4:18. He may boldly say, "I am dead to the world; the life I now live is by faith in the Son of God! My life is hid with Christ in God, and when He who is my life shall appear, then shall I also appear with Him in glory." Talk and act as if your faith was invincible.
God told Abraham that he would be a father of a great multitude. Abraham had no children at this time and yet, by faith he knew that this would be true. Even though he was childless, he had confidence to use his new name--Abraham, which means "father of a great multitude". His circumstances did not prevent him from declaring "those things that be not as though they were." Faith in the word of God was his evidence that he had a son and that he was indeed the father of a great multitude.
"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness." Isaiah 41:10. Jesus has promised to uphold you; therefore, believe that you will be upheld. He will fulfill this promise to you as verily as He fulfilled His promise to Abraham. You must believe in His promise and declare your confidence in Him, believing that He will continue to give you uninterrupted victory over all the power of the enemy forever. Just as Abraham's faith in the promise of God was imputed to him for righteousness, so will righteousness be imputed to you for your faith in the exceeding great and precious promises of God. To say that you do not know whether or not you will continue being upheld tomorrow or six months from now would be the same as Abraham saying that he did not know for sure whether he would be a father of a great multitude. However, "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Romans 4:20-22.
It is through faith that you know something is true even though you have not yet seen it. To be justified means to be given the righteous life of Christ. His life is everlasting. His life never sins. Even though you have not yet lived tomorrow, it is through faith that you know that, through the Holy Spirit, His everlasting, victorious life will be abiding in you tomorrow and forever. "...He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever." John 14:16. It is this faith in His word that allows the grace of God to cause this to be true. "According to your faith be it unto you." Matthew 9:29.
"And I will betroth thee unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know YAH." Hosea 2:19,20. When one marries, he intellectually knows that it is physically possible for him to go back to his old girlfriends. However, in the wedding ceremony he still publicly declares that he will be faithful "until death do us part." If he told his bride that he could not say or know for sure that he would still be abiding faithfully with her tomorrow or six months from now, she would have reason for concern. However, in his marriage vow he confidently declares that he will always remain faithful to her. Jesus has made a vow to us: "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5. And because "Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto Thee. For Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not Thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?" Psalms 56:12,13. Because of His vows or promises to us, we can, with assurance, declare with David, "I will dwell in the house of YAH forever." Psalms 23:6. "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matthew 19:6.
This is the faith of our fathers. Can we, upon whom the ends of the world are come, afford to have less faith than they? "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12.
