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What God believes concerning us is our exclusive source of faith, He is the author
and conclusion of our faith, we are saved by grace through faith, and even our
faith is not from ourselves. Jesus gives definition to what God believes about us.
This takes our faith beyond mere presumption or wishful thinking.
In the mind of God Jesus was in fact the last Adam, the Adamic race died in His
death. One died for all therefore all have died. 2 Cor.5:14,16, 17-21. Mankind’s
co-inclusion also in His resurrection is the testimony of our new birth and
acquittal. “Can a people be born in one day, a nation be brought forth in a
moment?” Isaiah asks, Is 66:8. “After 2 days He will revive us on the 3rd day He
will raise us up, says Hosea in chapter 6:2, Paul sees this and writes Eph.2:5,
God made us alive together with Christ, while we were still dead in our sins,
before we heard or believed the truth something already happened to our utmost
advantage! Our sins resulted in His death; our innocence resulted in His
resurrection, Rom 4:25. Peter says that we were born anew into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, 1 Pet 1:3.
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your
sins. 1Cor 15:17
For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:21
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 1Co 15:22
While we live in ignorance and unbelief the veil remains, and the word profits us
nothing. 2Cor 4:4 Heb 4:2.
As representatives of this great announcement we are God’s ambassadors pleading
with urgent persuasion with all of mankind to be what God already qualified them
to be, reconciled. (Note, not to become reconciled but to be...)
In Rom 10 Paul emphasises the effect of the word of faith that he preaches, the
word that reveals the finished work of Christ in justifying the human race, brings
faith that resonates in the heart of the hearer and spontaneously echoes in his
conversation. The religious mindset of the Jew has snared and distracted him in
his own constant and clumsy efforts to justify himself through good works, rather
than believing that Jesus indeed was the Christ, and that in Him God has already
justified them; this has veiled the revelation of Christ from them. Already in
Rom.1:16,17 Paul sets the stage for the revelation of God’s righteousness which
is from faith to faith. What God believes about us persuades us. God believes that
through His one act of righteousness, the obedience of the one man Jesus Christ,
He redeemed the human race from their sins; the Lamb of God took away the sins of
the world. This is the very ingredient of the Good news of great joy that belongs
to the whole world.
To announce this news to everyone is our priority privilege; to let the world know
how forgiven, innocent, delivered and healed they already are.
We often reduce the conversion experience to a magic formula, “believe in your
heart and confess with your mouth...” I believe this scripture sums up the faith
response to the proclaimed word but was not written to become a recipe reference.
In Acts 14:1 Luke says that Paul preached in such a way that many believed!
Neither Jesus nor Paul used a sinner’s prayer method to lead people to faith. When
truth is proclaimed and understood, faith comes and faith bears witness in the
human heart and a new confession follows, one that spontaneously acknowledges the
supreme achievement of Jesus Christ on our behalf, Jesus is indeed the one who
masterfully heads up our reconciliation and union with our Maker!
The moment someone sees how fully represented and included in the good of the Good
news they already are, faith follows automatic. In our being we are the god-kind
and therefore faith compatible!