DO WE HAVE THE FAITH THAT WILL BRING US SALVATION?

Just before our Lord ascended to heaven he told his apostles, “Go you into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be condemned.” [Mark 16:15, 16]. These words are as much God’s words as if He had spoken them Himself to the apostles, for Jesus said in John 12:49, 50: “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father who sent me, He gave me a commandment, what 1 should say, and what 1 should speak. And 1 know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”

From this, we discover that whatsoever Jesus said were the words of the Father. We may also state that all that the apostles preached were also the words of God, as shown in Messiah’s prayer recorded in John 17:6: “They (the apostles) have kept your word.” In the 8^th v., he said, “I have given unto them the words which you gave me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from you, and they have believed that you sent me.” The words which he gave his apostles were the same as were contained in his command for them to go into the world and preach the gospel.

Do we believe and have faith that Yehovah’s words are true

We read in Hebrews 6:18, that it is impossible for God to lie. That statement alone should give those who seek after God’s truth the fullest confidence that whatever God has promised will be done without fail. Any confidence we place upon His word can be relied upon implicitly. We need no demonstration of its truthfulness to cause us to pin our faith to His promises. It should inspire in our minds a confidence that can not be shaken or overthrown.

What are the most important words of Yehovah we are to grasp hold of?

In Mark 1:14, 15 we read: “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel [good news].’’

Notice: After Steven was martyred the members of the church were scattered, and everywhere they went they preached the word. Philip went down to Samaria and preached the Messiah unto them. Acts 8:12: "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Messiah, they were baptized, both men and women.”

This was also the subject of Paul’s gospel preaching. In Romans 1:16 we read, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” By this, we learn that the power which God exercises to save [deliver] people is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom.

Note: When Philip preached about the name of Jesus that would include everything that prophecy had proclaimed about Jesus returning to establish the kingdom [Kingship] of Yehovah on this earth when he takes his place on the throne of David at Zion.

By faith we submit meekly to the authority of Yehovah; we are united to the Messiah by faith; our conduct becomes acceptable to God through the Messiah by faith. When we look up to Yehovah through the Messiah, our faith says, “Yehovah is our God forever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.” [Psalm 48:14]

In .the eleventh of Hebrews Paul recites a long list of the elect ones who, because of their faith, endured all kinds of persecutions; many of them were put to death in the most horrifying manner rather than surrender their faith in Yehovah because they were fully assured of life and glory beyond the resurrection. Their faith in God was so firm, so strong, that nothing that evil men might inflict upon them could separate them from their total commitment to love Yehovah and walk-in covenant faithfulness before Him. They had that quality of faith that enabled them to produce good works by their living, active faith.

Living faith is always active and will make itself seen in active service, doing good works. It is that element of our lives that animates and inspires our whole being to walk in faith obedience before Yehovah. It may not always be as active or lively as it should be, but it is always alive to fulfill our duty, both to Yehovah and to our neighbors.

True faith changes a person’s entire mindset and unites him with the Messiah Jesus. It causes him to put aside the things of the world that get in the way of a total commitment to loving Yehovah; and gives him a vision and glorious hope of the world to come. Faith causes a believer to always be subject to and obey the Messiah’s words. Faith leads us to own him as a Prophet, Priest, and King, and submit to be taught of Him, and be wholly governed by Him.

Note: Jesus says in Luke 6:46: … why do you call me,, lord, lord, and do not the things which I say?

Matthew 7:21: Not every one that says unto me, lord, lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Faith works by love and puts love to work

Faith is the mainspring of a follower of the Messiah Jesus. It is to a believer what the spring is to a watch. Unless the spring works the watch is dead, so he whose faith does not move him to action is also dead [spiritually]. They both need winding: the clock by a key, the believer by the life-giving spirit of Yehovah’s word.