The Faith of Jesus

[Gail]

I agree- GREAT discussion! AND the image of the meaning of the phrase grows larger with each post

Faith IN Jesus encompasses trusting and believing, and I believe, applying all that Christ has done for us in His life as well as His death. I'm sure we will need a great measure of that in the last days.

Throwing in a wrench-

I wonder if His living in us through the Comforter is more of a help than even the patriarchs and prophets had in their day... Jesus spoke as if it's a greater thing than having Him with us in person in a bodily form.

[skyblue888]

Strictly from the Testimonies,

"Faith is the condition upon which God has seen fit to promise pardon to sinners; not that there is any virtue in faith whereby salvation is merited but because faith can lay hold of the merits of Christ, the remedy provided for sin." F.W.100,101.

Not only does this faith bring pardon but light and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit as well for,

"Looking unto Jesus and trusting in His merits (and that is faith), we appropriate the blessings of light and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Testimonines, Vol.5,744.

This is the everlasting Gospel.

This was the lesson the Israelites were to learn and that we too must learn:

"The lifting up of the brazen serpent was to teach Israel an important lesson. They could not save themselves from the fatal effect of the poison in their wounds. God alone was able to heal them. Yet they were required to show their faith in the provision which He had made. They must look in order to live. It was their faith that was acceptable with God, and by looking upon the serpent their faith was shown. They knew that there was no virtue in the serpent itself, but it was a symbol of Christ; and the necessity of faith in His merits was thus presented to their minds... When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as a sin-pardoning Saviour, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.

If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement, but rely upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him. Though millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish." Patriarchs and Prophets, 430-432.

Not one who trusts in His merits (and that is faith) will be left to perish! Why? Because "The merits of Jesus blot out transgressions and clothe us with the robe of His righteousness woven in the loom of Heaven." Evngelism, p.186.

Being woven in the loom of Heaven it has in it not one thread of human devisings.

And "Christ's righteousnsss accomplishes everything," for "it is made manifest in obedience to all the comandments of God." T.M.92.

And this faith must be exercised daily.

"Unless he makes it his lifebusiness to behold the uplifted Saviour and to accept the merits which it is his privilege to claim, the sinner can no more be saved than Peter could walk upon the water unless he kept his eys fixed steadily upon Jesus." Testimonies to Ministers, p.93.

So, brother, sister, what is faith?

sky

[ClubV12]

I wonder if Stan's original question could/should be (also) viewed as:

The faith of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, isn't that the Adventist view on that text?

I like this part of Sister Whites counsel:

"If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement..."

To often I am over whelmed by the deeds of my past life, oh wretched man that I am.

[skyblue888]

I wonder if Stan's original question could/should be (also) viewed as:

The faith of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, isn't that the Adventist view on that text?

I like this part of Sister Whites counsel:

"If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement..."

To often I am over whelmed by the deeds of my past life, oh wretched man that I am.

The faith of Jesus is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of faith, and it is also the Spirit of prophecy. It is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit who was in the prophets. (1 Peter 1:11)

You said,

"I like this part of Sister Whites counsel: 'If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement...' 'Too often I am over whelmed by the deeds of my past life, oh wretched man that I am.'"

Club, I can identify with that too, and I am sure many do, but certainly the emphasis must not be on the first part of that statement but on the last: "If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not to yield to discouragement, but rely upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. Look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him. Though millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish."

sky

[skyblue888]

The same lesson is reiterated in the following statement from Acts of the Apostles, p.333:

"We see in the midst of the throne One bearing in hands and feet and side the marks of the suffering endured to reconcile man to God. We see a Father, infinite, dwelling in light unapproachable, yet receiving us to Himself through the merits of His Son. The cloud of vengeance that threatened only misery and despair, in the light reflected from the cross reveals the writing of God: Live, sinner, live! ye penitent, believing souls, live! I have paid a ransom."

So those who rely upon the merits of Jesus, the merits of His suffering, for their acceptance with God, hear the voice of Him who can renew the soul unto everlasting life: "Live, sinner, live!"

This command imparts power, it begets life, for it is the impartation of the Spirit, "And the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of eternal life." D.A.388.

sky

[Ron Amnsn]

Throwing in a wrench-

I wonder if His living in us through the Comforter is more of a help than even the patriarchs and prophets had in their day... Jesus spoke as if it's a greater thing than having Him with us in person in a bodily form.

Gail, when you read what the Scriptures of Jesus' day (the Old Testament) teaches about what happens when a person receives the Holy Spirit, it makes sense why it would be greater than having Jesus with us. (See the prophecies in Ezekiel.)

[skyblue888]

I wonder if His living in us through the Comforter is more of a help than even the patriarchs and prophets had in their day...

John

_____________

"During the patriarchal age the influence of the Holy Spirit had often been revealed in a marked manner, but never in its fullness. Now, in obedience to the word of the Saviour, the disciples offered their supplications for this gift, and in heaven Christ added His intercession. He claimed the gift of the Spirit, that He might pour it upon His people... The Spirit came upon the waiting, praying disciples with a fullness that reached every heart." AA 37,38.

sky

[Gail]

Thanks I was reminded of that thought recently from Louie Giglio, while previewing a sermon of his.

[Overaged]

Faith at it's base is unproven belief.

Heb_11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.