I live by faith in the Son of God …
Summary: Paul sets an example for us when he lives by faith in Jesus.
There are a lot of things we can choose to live by. Some people live for the moment. Others live for excitement or pleasure. Still others live for the acquisition of power and money, the things some call “success.”
Paul lives by faith in the Son of God.
Time, pleasure, power, and money have all fallen by the wayside in Paul’s world. They mean nothing to him (Philippians 3:7). Instead, Paul says, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).
What does it mean to “live by faith?”
Faith is a simple concept, but it seems complicated when we apply it to religious matters.
We all have faith, and we all use it every day. For example, when I get out of bed in the morning, I have faith that the floor under my feet will support my weight. As I walk to the bathroom to begin my day, I have faith that the bathroom will be where I left it the night before.
See what I mean? Faith is simple. It is a word that describes the actions that result from a particular belief.
When we talk about faith in Jesus, things get complicated. Jesus has an enemy, the devil, who loves nothing more than to spread lies about God. He confuses us by spewing a smoke screen of conflicting opinions around God’s Word. Because his lies are effective, the simple becomes complicated and faith becomes contentious.
Paul can live by faith because he knows Jesus personally (Acts 9). Everything Paul does in this life is based on his faith in Jesus. Everything.
If Paul can live by faith, can we?
Fortunately, we are saved by Jesus, not by our actions or “works,” as they are sometimes called. Yet, living by faith is still preferable to living in confusion. Short of meeting Jesus face to face as Paul did, there is only one way I know of cutting through the confusion and getting to know Jesus personally. We have to spend time with him by reading his Word.
When we read the Bible, it is best to read it like a little child (Matthew 18:3), without preconceptions. By sitting at the feet of Jesus and absorbing his story word for word, we develop our relationship with Jesus. Then, like Paul, we can live by faith in the Son of God.
Application: Read your Bible every day.
Food for Thought: What are some examples of living by faith in the Son of God?
02-28-2024, What are some examples of living by faith in the Son of God?
Our spiritual journey, life in faith begins the moment we in faith, receive Jesus as He is revealed to us by Holy Spirit of God.
John 16:13, 1 John 5:13
We see reality of two worlds, 2 Corinthians 5:17
We begin seeing our citizenship is in heaven, as we await the coming of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:20
We begin the process of separating ourselves from the physical life which is based upon the values established by this physical world around us. 1 John 2:15-16
We cease being conformed to this world as we are transformed by the renewal of our minds. Romans 12:2
We seek the company of other believers, life in the presence of God growing in faith as we study God’s Word. 2 Corinthians 6:17
We seek peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
We have each received a special gift with which we are to live in service to one another, and this world around us. Mark 10:45, 1 Peter 4:10
Links to verses cited (je)
Thank you, Ron.
Well thought out examples! I’ve linked all the verses you referenced at the end of your comment. 🙂
Great examples R2T2.
There are also many great examples in Hebrews 11, a chapter devoted to those who have gone before us who lived by faith. It is a chapter of OT saints, but they lived by faith. My favorite in that list is Abraham. According to John 8:56, Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing Jesus’ day. So he lived by faith in the Son of God even before seeing the Incarnate Christ.
In Hebrews 11, when Abraham was ready to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, he believed God would raise him from the dead if needed in order to fulfill His promise.
Hebrews 11: 17 – 19: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.
Rich,
I love this example because it demonstrates the razor’s edge of faith. God tested his heart by asking him to sacrifice what he had waited a century for, his son. In the end, God provided a substitute for Isaac.
Angela and I were talking about this last night and we were going to read Hebrews to you. Then we mentioned eachother to eachother, smiled and then started to list off a few in the Bible. Bleeding woman, Roman and his son, so many other healing by faith. The lady that made bread for Elisha.
Tim
It sounds like you two had a wonderful conversation! Knowing that is a blessing to me because in a way, that is what 3MB is all about.