(Galatians 5:6 Amplified Bible)
Faith, simply defined, is believing God is Who He said He is
and that He will do what He said He will do. (Hebrews 11:6)
In Galatians 5:6 the Apostle Paul is correcting those who think that the Gentile believers have to be circumcised like the Jews in order to be saved. Paul corrects them and says that in Christ it's not about being circumcised or uncircumcised but about faith, activated and energized and expressed and working through love.
God revealed Himself to us through His Son Jesus so that we could be in relationship with Him. No longer is it all about religion and keeping a list of impossible rules and regulations. Father God created us and redeemed us for relationship, not religion. He sent His Son as the Way for us to be reconciled to Himself, to be in restored relationship with our Father God.
What does this have to do with faith and love? When the Bible says it takes faith to please God, I think too often we think of it as something we have to do. We try to have faith filled thoughts and words, then get frustrated with ourselves when we still struggle with doubt, fear and unbelief. What if we are going about it all wrong? What if our problem is that we are approaching faith like a religious requirement instead of relationally? What if our struggle is that we are focusing on working up faith, when we simply need to be getting more acquainted with Who our God is and the amazing things He does and promises to do and falling more in more in love with Him? Doesn't it make sense that the more we learn about Him, the more we grow in love with Him, that our trust and faith in Him would be activated, energized, expressed and working as a result? I really think so. I think we make things a lot more complicated than God intended them to be. Simply said, I think that the more we love God, the more we will be a person full of faith in Him.
still following,
Yes!!! It really is so simple! He knows when our brimming hearts are so full of love for him it shows the most faith in Him....Amen!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, who makes that sweet cup with the hearts on it? It's a beauty.
Addie
P.S. thanks for the comment on my name!!!
I found the cute heart cup at our grocery store, Winco, for 1.98!
DeleteSo very true! We do make it much more complicated than it needs to be. When we let go of "self" & allow ourselves to be in full relationship with Him, everything is so much simpler. Like you said :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd like you said, too! Love to you, Krista!
DeleteGreat reminder! Thank you for your commitment to sharing the truth.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pam. Love you!
DeleteBeautiful devotional, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Evelyn!
DeleteWonderfully written. I love: What if our problem is that we are approaching faith like a religious requirement instead of relationally?
ReplyDeleteFaith is a relationship with Jesus. From there we learn what He wants us to do, if anything.
Blessings,
Janis
I'm so thankful for the simplicity in Christ we can have if we just love, trust and obey Him!
DeleteThroughout Bible history, salvation has been through faith, not through works. We can force ourselves to obey, but not to believe or to love. We can be like the Prodigal Son's brother, who was lost even though he obeyed, or like the Prodigal Son who disobeyed but repented and trusted in the Father's love. Thanks for the beautiful post & God bless,
ReplyDeleteLaurie
Yes, way before Jesus, Abraham was made righteous by his faith. A faith/love relationship with man was always God's good plan.
Delete" What if our struggle is that we are focusing on working up faith, when we simply need to be getting more acquainted with Who our God is..." Oh, well said! We think we somehow have to come up with faith when it is a gift from God. And it's true that the more we focus on getting to know Him, the more our faith grows. Thank you for this encouraging post.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you came by Gayl! I love meeting other Jesus followers via blogging.
DeleteAmen, Elizabeth, we surely do make things more complicated than they need to be! My faith has grown most over these many years of being a child of God when I simply rest in Him. I can't manufacturer my faith, rather it is something produced by trusting Him. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteYes! So true! Bless you, friend.
DeleteWell, you got "thinkfulness" spread around and about again. You share very staightforwardly and, in our present-day world, that's very important and a huge blessing to be poured out to many. Thank you much, Elizabeth. Appreciate your way of sharing and thinking. Bless you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, friend. Love to you!
DeleteGreat questions! I especially love the question that asks us if we are thinking of religion as a requirement rather than rationally. Thank you for getting us to think and for linking up to The Weekend Brew.
ReplyDeleteAck, yes. just the confirmation I needed. This last year I have definitely been taught this lesson. So now when life piles high I just let it be and remind myself that, "everything, gonna be alright..." :-D as long as I do not make it complicated ;-).
ReplyDelete