Living Faith: Modern Proverbs

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.
- Martin Luther

Living Faith
Modern Proverbs

Most believers understand the need for faith to please God. Many are aware following Christ on the path of a salvation requires more than simple belief. Others recognize this includes diligence in Bible study and prayer, repentance and radical discipleship in a effort to meet the greatest commandment. Loving God with all we possess.

A much smaller percentage of modern Christianity comprehend the importance of the second greatest commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. Yet countless Bible passages point out, the primary way genuine living faith expresses love for God is to love others.

The reason for this becomes clear once we realize that in His amazing mercy, God takes everything we do to each other extremely Personally. Christ even goes so far as to warn our very salvation hinges on understanding His identification with the needy. His love extends to the helpless so completely that whatever we do or fail to do to the least we've done or not done to Him!

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

- Hebrews 11:6 NJKV

Living Faith
Modern Proverbs
by Robert R. Pennington

When it comes to discerning between presumption and Biblical faith, some shrug and claim to trust in God. After all, assuming salvation is quick and easy, and thus become part of the new normal. Rather might we trust God by doing our duty? "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, Some people have faith; others have good deeds. But I say, How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds. You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?" James 2:14-20

Interestingly, James likens faith without works as the body without the spirit, not vice versa. Is faith merely the body that works expresses themselves through, did James invert his metaphor, or something more? "Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works." James 2:26

As Christians we often feel safe and to be applauded because we 'believe' in Christ and know his commands. But, who's more culpable? We who know the rules, yet neither seriously seek to understand nor keep them or those ignorant of what they even are?

Historically men trusted their eternal security to obeying God's laws, today it's widely held just to 'believe' the Lawgiver exists is enough. 'There is a way that seems right to a man but...' Sinners know their path is wrong. It's left then to the religious to have reason to be deceived.

When what is necessary is impossible, faith must arise.

Many interpret Romans 10 use of the word, "believe" to simply mean mental assent. This flies in the face of the whole of scripture as well as the example of Roman's author who was a walking scare and Romans 9's declaration of Paul's willingness to be damned to bring Israel to salvation.

Is it faith, presumption or blasphemy for our generation to quote biblical promises having merited its judgments; blessings having earned its curses?

Tossing out conditional salvation by grace in favor of unconditional love requires turning a blind eye to the Bible's 1,456 if's and the conditions they proceed. Unfortunately many of these deal with three of the greatest themes of our Faith; salvation, answered prayer and healing (see 2 Chr. 7:14).

Clearly we all should heed the demand for holiness communicated so clearly in the holy scriptures as given holy men of old by the Holy Spirit. Yet interestingly it is these that tell us, directly and by example, it is love that covers a multitude of sin. In the end it may be the "thou shalt's" rather than the "thou shalt not's" that ultimate accuse or excuse.

Telling that in Christ's story of the Good Samaritan, his most in depth answer to the great question of how to obtain eternal life, that a Priest and Levite are the religious who pass by. A Pharisee and/or Sadducee would have been more in keeping with the tenor of much of the Gospels. Yet these, unlike the Priest and Levite, were actually lessor foes, being constructs of human tradition. Christ applies the Divine scalpel to a deeper wound, the corruption of the genuine God ordained institutional offices that had elevated "the Law" above "the Mercy" it required. Unfortunately for 21st Century 1st World Christians, we have elevated momentary pleasure above both.

The purposes of God are reflected in the corporate "body of Christ" through individual Christians who like human cells may now know little or nothing of the body yet in performing their function both are served.
While Jesus never once commands Christians to tell God they love Him, either in word or song, His commands to show our love are many. Of these, the vast majority deal with our treatment of one another. Even in the more numerous New Testament Epistles direct commands concerning loving Him by serving our neighbor far outweigh merely making noise about it.

There is no need to fear injury to the Tri-Omni Godhead in stressing loving ones neighbor as the primary path to pleasing God. This is true for a myriad of reasons. Foremost is His greatness and need of nothing, except perhaps followers who obey his hundreds of commands to stop harming each other and start helping those in need, beginning first by rescuing the weakest among us.

Paul, like Christ before him, emphasizes the 2nd great commandment above the first when declaring that loving one's neighbor fulfills ALL the commandments, whatsoever they be. He could personally attest to the fervent identification of Christ with the least of His brother as he relived God's brilliant lightening knocking him to the ground and the Lord's thunderous demand, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?"

Politics cannot save but the saved must be political.

Even God has a “love bank.” One should be sure they’ve made large deposits before attempting large withdrawals.

Social inaction is often justified by elevating faith in and loving God above loving others. Yet in practice the Bible reverses this order. Even regarding faith James declares good deeds superior to words. And which good deeds? His constant admonition is loving the needy and a lifestyle of purity. Both in short supply in modern Churchianity.

In Christ's greatest parable, ""The Sheep and the Goats"" two words demand careful consideration. First, is Jesus' use of the harsh term, "cursed" describing "goats" who themselves seem ignorant of their grave mistake. Surely it would be unimaginable that such an indictment could be leveled against 21 century Western Christianity. We may not be perfect but "cursed?" What are we, heathen idolaters or serial murderers? Nonsense, why we're caring parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings and cousins. After all, we know how to give good gifts to our families, friends and the occasional stranger.

Such a defense might avail us if it were only true. Unfortunately, upon closer examination we find we are not only heathen idolaters, doing all they did and more in increasingly clever new ways , but "worse than an infidel" having denied the faith by failing to adequately provide for our own households those things necessary for godliness. We stand utterly condemned by the millions for everything from abandonment through runaway divorce rates to aborting our pre-born. And wouldn't aborting hundreds of millions make our society the greatest serial killer in human history?

Second is Christ's choice of the word, "inasmuch." Meaning, "in the same way" or "to the same degree" this term calls into question both to whom and to what extent we offer assistance. While provision for one’s family is essential, it is far from all that is required.

Even heathen are kind to those who can repay. But Christians are required to serve "the least of these," a theme Jesus develops in detail in His story of the "Good Samaritan" which deals in depth with the topic of salvation. Telling that in both instances Christ warns it is sins of omission, not merely commission, that possess the power to damn.

Loving God above and our neighbors around us makes a kind of cross with both a vertical and horizontal component. In the natural, should one be forced to choose which beam was central, the vertical seems the likely candidate. After all, "isn't God greater than man?" Indeed. Precisely why, in His graciousness, He would command those weaker and endangered be served first. "But without the vertical what would one attach the horizontal "cross beam" to?" Nothing, thus providing maximum mobility to carry ones love and service to multitudes so desperate for it."

Our 21st century difficulty in employing 1st century faith lay with the last of the first three pieces of God's armor. Having but meager assent (mind's-belt of truth) and double minded desire (heart's-breast plate of righteousness) still its in the arena of walking (wills-shoes of the gospel of peace) we fall shortest. As a point first becomes a line, then square, then cube... so true faith transcends mind and heart, to envelope will on its quantum journey towards providing a multi dimensional Shield of faith. Unfortunately most teach one or two dimensions are as good as the three or four scripture requires before yielding the Shield of faith (4th) and Helmet of Salvation (5th).

He who provides little expects little, Hasn't He who has provided all, even His very Son and Spirit, reason to expect ALL?

Is perfection a destination or way and course of journey? Might responding, "in part" to Christ, "the All" of God, though undeniably shameful, yet prove an acceptable offering when mingled with faith towards progressive perfection? 2 Timothy 2:11-13 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

Along the journey of discipleship, from the Valley of Some, the Trail of More leads to the Summit of All.

As darkness increases the least light becomes brilliant.

Something, not being everything, is nevertheless far from nothing. (Five loaves and two small fish...)

Eternal life's fullness awaits those living fully in the moment. "Be still and know that I am God."

Every Freedman is the Lord's prisoner.

Today's trend to set comfortably in padded pews and covet for ourselves God's promised blessings to the Biblical patriarchs who persevered in righteousness as their faith was refined and tested by various furnaces of afflictions may prove false comfort. Are not the Scriptures rich biographies meant to encourage us to take the path less traveled by daily taking up our cross, rather than a, "yellow pages" of divine promises through which we presumptuously, "let our fingers do the walking?"

The Gospel argues strongly for transubstantiation in the Eucharist, yet is it that a priest should turn Christian communion into Christ or that communion should turn Christians into Christ's' priests

In light of the Godhead's fullness of sacrifice on our behalf, mindful of our great commission to fill up what's lacking of the sufferings of Christ, might we do better to strive to be Wholly devoted to the need of our neighbor than our own personal Holiness, since this wholly fulfills God's Royal Law?

As Christians we often feel safe and to be applauded because we 'believe' in Christ and know his commands. But, who's more culpable? We who know the rules, yet neither seriously seek to understand nor keep them or those ignorant of what they even are?
Historically men trusted their eternal security to obeying God's laws, today it's widely held just to 'believe' the Lawgiver exists is enough. 'There is a way that seems right to a man but...' Sinners know their path is wrong. It's left then to the religious to have reason to be deceived.

Why pray, praise or do good deeds if God is omniscient & omnipotent? Why does the Musician send his breath through his instrument while sculpting its notes? That it should return to Him anew. So God breathes His Spirit into us, giving an impression, emotion or thought while touching our remembrance with scripture, prophecy or testimony moves us to prayer, praise or good deeds.

Most of Churchianity objects, through either rhetoric or inaction, to Christian activists demanding the Church take its place as salt and light within society. Often even more so when urging direct confrontation against the greatest atrocities such as abortion. Jealous that pulpit time and resources be used for their own agendas they consider such concerns beneath them, treating them as secondary or non issues. Yet Christianity is no more about costly facilities, doctrinal lectures or musical programs than war is about recruitment, boot camp and basic training.

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