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Beginners Care Package
Faith For Salvation?
Fred R. Coulter
What kind of faith do you need for salvation? And what is faith in the
first place? And why do you need it? And how intense must you have faith?
And under what circumstances must you have faith? And how is it going to
work in your life? And what is it going to produce? And how is it going to
affect your salvation? Now there are a lot of “good-time Charlie’s” out
there that, sure, as long as everything is going nice, and smooth, and
wonderful, and good, and fine, and you have all the physical things,
everything is great. You can have faith.
Let’s go to Matthew 6 and let’s see what Jesus said. And let’s see what He
said about that kind of viewpoint, or attitude, or outlook, however you want
to phrase it. And especially in this world we have several things that we
need to consider, which come in and take away faith, which come in and rob
us of faith, or which give us a shallow faith, or a weak faith, or not
really comprehending what God wants us to have. So let’s begin here in
Matthew 6:24. Jesus said, “No [one] man can serve two masters:...” And that
is the whole key concerning faith. You can’t have faith whenever you want to
turn it on and off. You can’t have faith when you come to church, and then
you don’t need it the rest of the week. You can’t serve two masters. Now
either God is your master, as Jesus said, or you have the world and you have
Satan as your master. And even though there may be some, what you might call
“middle ground” in between, from the depths of Satan to the conversion of
Christ; however, in reality there is a sharp line of difference. Either you
belong to God or you don’t. It’s that simple.
So that’s why you can’t serve two masters. Now you think of this when
you’re on the job. How about if you had two bosses? And one would come along
and tell you, “Put the package on the table.” The other one comes along and
says, “I told you not to put it on the table. Put it on the floor.” So you
put it on the floor. And the other boss comes back and says, “What’s it
doing on the floor? I told you to take it off the floor and put it on the
table.” It’s an impossible thing. And likewise, when you get to marriage
too. That’s why God said that the man is the head of the wife. And he’s the
head of the family. You can’t have two bosses. You can’t serve two masters.
“...For either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
(Matt. 6:24). And mammon means material things, and so forth.
So then He said concerning the material things, so we would get the lesson,
He says, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought...” That means, don’t be
worried, or anxious concern for your life. Or that is, the things of living.
“...For your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for
your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than [food] meat, and
the body than [clothes] raiment?” So He says, “Now look. You go out and look
at the birds, the fowl of the air. And they don’t plant, they don’t sow,
they don’t hoe, they don’t dig.” They don’t do anything that we would do in
trying to raise a crop. “...Neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which
of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (vs. 25-27).
Or change one hair to another color? It’s an impossibility. You can’t do
this by thought. God has to provide it for you.
“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how
they grow; [they don’t work] they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I
say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field,...” And you go
out and look at it, there are beautiful flowers, and beautiful creation in
the grass, in the trees, in the land, and it’s magnificent. And if God made
that so beautiful, “...which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven,
shall He not much more clothe you,...” Notice this phrase: “...O
ye of little faith?” (vs. 28-30). Because when things are going good then
people can have faith. But when things are going bad… Now Jesus did not say
that we’re going to have it easy in this life. Because life is hard. Life is
difficult. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33,
paraphrased). So, in tribulation can you have faith?
Let’s go to John 6, and let’s see how everyone did when they were fed of
Jesus. Oh my, did they not want the food? This is the account of feeding the
5,000 in John 6. And this was a fantastic thing that was done. And so they
came running after Jesus and said, “Boy! Let’s make Him king!” So Jesus
slipped away, got in one of the boats, went across the Sea of Galilee, and
was on the other side. And then when they came to the other side looking for
Him, He had already gone by night back to the other side. And they came back
over and said, “Lord, how did You get here? Oh, we want You, Lord! Oh, we
desire You, Lord!” And so Jesus told them in verse 27, and this is the…
Let’s go back to verse 26. “Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye
did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” All they wanted to do was have
their belly filled. So Jesus said, “Labour not for the [food] meat which
perisheth, but for that [food] meat which endureth unto everlasting life,
which the Son of man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father
sealed” (vs. 26-27). So He’s talking about, that what you have to do is then
search after Christ.
So they were a little puzzled on this. So they said to Him, and this is a
good question. We could probably give fifty sermons starting from this as a
lead-out scripture. “Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we
might work the works of God?” Because, after all, “We’re good people, and
You fed us. And You gave us these things. Oh, now tell us what we may do to
do the works of God?” So, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the
work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent” (vs. 28-29). Now I
have a little bit more to say about the word “believe on,” because it has a
much more profound meaning as we really understand it in the Bible and as
the Greek reveals it to us.
Now let’s come on here, and I’ll just summarize much of the rest of the
chapter, where Jesus said He was the living bread, which came down from
heaven. He came down to do the will of the Father; and that no one could
come to Him except the Father draw him to Jesus; and none can go to the
Father unless they go through the Son. Then He told them, let’s go clear
down to verse 53. “Then Jesus said unto them,...” Now these are all the ones
who were there. “...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh
of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.” Now this is
kind of a crazy thing to say, isn’t it? Is God advocating that we become
cannibals, and we become blood drinkers? We become like vampires and
Dracula’s? Is that what Jesus is saying? It is kind of a little difficult
thing to understand, but that’s all encompassed in understanding about the
New Covenant. You see, the very body of Christ, and the very blood that He
shed for the crucifixion and the forgiveness of sin through His shed blood.
That’s what He’s talking about.
So He continues on, and He says, “Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My
blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My
flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh,
and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.” And oh, we’re going to
see this was really pounding in on the ears of these so-called disciples who
were following Him. It even says, “And they believed on Him.” But this was a
difficult thing to understand, even though Jesus explained it. He said here
in verse 57 , “As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father:
so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me” (vs. 54-57).
Now let’s stop here and think about this for a minute. In order to have
faith you’re going to have to live by Jesus Christ. And that faith is going
to have to be always active and in motion, and a living thing within your
life. So we might even entitle this, “What Kind of Faith Is Required For
Salvation?” And how do we get it? And where does it come from? And all of
these things are all involved in it. And once you have faith, then, is that
the final, final, final answer? Now that’s also something we need to
understand, which we’ll cover in this sermon.
Now continuing on in verse 58, “This is that bread which came down from
heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of
this bread shall live for ever.” And of course, that was kind of strange for
them to hear. “These things said He in the synagogue, as He taught in
Capernaum.” Now verse 60, a very key verse: “Many therefore of His disciples
[that is, followers, learners], when they had heard this, said, This
is an hard saying; who can [understand this] hear it?” Difficult. “When
Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, He said unto them,
Doth this offend you?” In other words, “This is so basic, and yet this
offends you?” The disciples were upset. “What and if ye shall see the
Son of man ascend up where He was before?” And that’s a very interesting
scripture too. “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing:...” (vs. 58-63). Now let me repeat that: “It is the spirit that
quickeneth;...” And that means, gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The
physical things profit nothing. They are all going to perish with the using.
They are all going to change with time. Every one of us are going to be
older.
How many of you have had the experience when you where a child - I know I
did. We lived out on a farm. And I had to walk a tenth of a mile to go to
the bus stop to catch the bus to go to school. And when I was in the third
grade that was the longest, it just was terrible to walk that tenth of a
mile. That seemed like forever. And everything was so big. We lived on
twenty acres. We thought, “Man. That’s a lot of land.” Well, I had the
experience of going back there when I was about 40. And that tenth of a mile
appeared to be nothing. And the house that we lived in was small. And the
twenty acres where the farm was looked teeny. And the highways were narrow.
You know, everything changes with time. The flesh profits nothing. Whatever
you may be as a person, without God, you’re nothing.
Notice what He says here: “It is the spirit that [gives life] quickeneth;
the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they
are spirit, and they are life” (vs. 63). And Jesus Himself was the
living Word that came down out of heaven. And He gave us His truth. He gave
us His word. He gave us what the Father taught Him to give us, and so forth.
Continuing on now in verse 64, “But there are some of you that believe
not.” Or that is, “You don’t have faith.” Just like in English, to have
“faith” is the noun of “believing.” So here, they were not having faith.
They weren’t believing. They believed not. “For Jesus knew from the
beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him.” And
of course, we see that from that time many of His disciples went and walked
no more with Him. Let’s continue on here, verse 65, “And He said, Therefore
said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him
of My Father. From that
time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him” (vs.
64-66).
Now, I want you to think about this scripture, and I want you to think
about this verse. Why didn’t they walk with Jesus anymore? And let’s ask it
from the point of view, what is it that you would allow to come between you
and God, that you would follow God no more? Is there something in the flesh
that would offend you? Is there a man who would offend you? Is there someone
you would be mad at? You know, that’s why Christ went through everything He
did. So that He would set us an example that there was nothing that turned
Him back from the Father. Not a thing. Not even the crucifixion. And all the
things that He endured - and right at the end, what did He say when He was
already nailed on the cross? He said, “Father, forgive them; they know not
what they do.”
But look at the disciples here. They couldn’t even take a little saying,
“You’ve got to eat My flesh, and you’ve got to drink My blood.” They became
all upset. And they left. And I’m sure some of them left in a huff, and
said, “Boy, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard! Boy! I can read in
the Bible that we’re not to have cannibalism and drink blood! This is
insane!” So what would it take for you to be offended, if you want to look
at it that way? Now let’s continue on, and see the rest of the account.
“Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? [Are you going to
leave too?] Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou
hast the words of eternal life. And we [know that you are from God, and
that]... “ (vs. 67-69). (Pause)
Ok. Let’s go on. Let’s go back over verse 69 again. “And we believe and are
sure that Thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered
them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a [demon] devil?” (vs.
69-70). Now that really says an awful lot. So the faith that we’re talking
about for salvation has got to obviously be greater faith than these
followers of Jesus who left Him. And even greater faith than the disciples
had at this time. Later when they received the Holy Spirit they had faith.
But at that particular time they didn’t.
Ok, let’s go on over here to Acts - not Acts, but John 8. And you go
through and read the whole account, where Jesus said, “If you follow the
truth, and obey the truth, and believe Me...” Now I’m just summarizing this,
“ ...the truth shall set you free.” And they said, “Well, we’re not in
slavery to anyone.” And then you know the whole account, how they went on,
and even those who believed Him then accused Him of being born of
fornication, accused Him that He was not of God. And then Jesus said, “You
are of your father the devil.” Now notice what they did. Let’s go to the
very last verse in John 8. And here’s how much faith they had. “Then took
they up stones to cast at Him: but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the
temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (John 8:59). You
know, even today we have temple stonings over there, don’t we, between the
Arabs and the Jews. No different now than it was then.
But here, these people, they were willing to be “good-time Charlie’s”; they
were willing to be fed with the bread, and fed with the fish, and, “Yes,
You’re of God.” And then He gives them something a little difficult to
understand, and they turn around and don’t follow Him anymore. And then it
comes to the point then when He really levels in with them and says, “If you
continue this way, you are of your father the devil.” And they get angry and
pick up stones and go after Him. Wonderful, isn’t it?
Now let’s go back to Matthew 21, and let’s see another occurrence and
another lesson. And here, then, Jesus begins to teach a little bit about
faith, and what kind of faith that we can have, and so forth. And here it is
in the example, as we find out, of the cursing of the fig tree. And we find,
beginning in verse 20, “And when the disciples saw it [that is, after
He cursed the fig tree], they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree
withered away!” And we find here, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily
I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not,...” (vs. 21). Now let me
repeat that: “...If ye have faith, and doubt not,...” (Matt. 21:20-21). Why
would He say, “And doubt not”? Because there are many times that, even
though you have faith, it’s not going to happen exactly as you thought it
would work out that way.
Now what do you do when you have a doubt? Do you sort of, “Oh well, I
shouldn’t doubt”, and bury it in the back of your mind? Is that how you
handle a doubt? Well if it is, I’ll guarantee you it’s going to pop up
again, and again. If you have another doubt you say, “Oh, well, I’m not to
have doubt.” So what do you do if you have a doubt? Just file it in the back
of your mind and store it up there? No, that’s not how to handle doubt. If
you have a doubt you pull it out of the back of your mind, you put it right
on the table, and you take the word of God and you examine the whole subject
and topic, and go through it, and make sure from the word of God. You
eliminate the doubt. You cannot let any doubts build up in your mind. And
we’re going to see one of the doubts that you cannot have, absolutely cannot
have, because you can’t have faith for salvation if you have this kind of
doubt. But let’s go on here.
So He said, “...If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this
which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this
mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.”
Now that’s qualified later on where Jesus said that we ask according to the
will of the Father. So if it is according to the will of the Father, and you
take and have the faith to cast it out into the sea, and it obeys you, then
that will happen. But I’ll tell you one thing that is harder, harder to do:
and that is let God convert you. To convert a mind from being carnal and
hostile and an enemy of God, into one who has faith in God, and loves God,
and serves God is far more profound than moving a mountain. Because the
physical things don’t count. Even though you may have the faith to do it.
And later on we’ll see that it’s even qualified one step further. Ok, verse
22, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing [having
that kind of faith], ye shall receive” (vs. 21-22).
Now let’s talk about how this kind of faith comes. Do you just kind of work
it up within you? Is it something that is there that you’ve just got to
kindle? Or how does it come? Let’s first of all begin with a very basic
thing that is absolutely true. Let’s go to Romans 2. Because before you can
have faith, the kind of faith that is required for salvation, you have to
have something else. You have to do something on your part toward God. And
that is what is called in the Bible “repentance”. And God grants you this.
It must be that God grants you the repentance.
And I don’t know how many of you have ever had the experience that, being a
Christian, you go along and you sin, and you really don’t think too much
about it. But God keeps working with you. And then there comes a time when
you come to the full understanding of what you have done, and the magnitude
of it in relationship to God and Christ, and the sacrifice of Christ, that
you come to your senses. Just like the prodigal son, when he was out there
in the hog field feeding the swine, he came to himself. And so, likewise,
God helps you come to yourself. And we find this here in Romans 2:4. It
says, “Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and
longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance?” And of course, we know the very first thing that was preached
by Peter was, “Repent and be baptized for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38,
paraphrased). So you’ve got to have that repentance. That repentance has to
come before anything else, and God has to give this to you. And when you
repent, you are granted repentance unto life.
Let’s go back to Acts 11 and let’s see how that is explained right here.
After the apostle Peter went to Cornelius’ house, and God gave the Holy
Spirit to those who are called in the New Testament “Gentiles,” and how that
Peter was taught through the vision that God is no respecter of persons, and
that those who believe, those who have faith, those who rely and trust in
God are going to be led to repentance and receive the Holy Spirit. And
that’s the whole purpose of the entire chapter 10 of the book of Acts.
Now let’s come to chapter 11, and we will see a summary of this which we
need to cover. Verse 15, and Peter is explaining, and he says, “And as I
began to speak, the Holy [Spirit] Ghost fell on them, as on us at the
beginning” (Acts 11:15). Now God had to do something very important. He had
to show those Jews, who were strict separatists through Judaism before, that
now that separation was going to be no longer. So in order to show that that
was going to be, then God gave the Holy Spirit, and gave it in the way that
is demonstrated in Acts 10. So they would know that the Holy Spirit was
going to be given to all people, for those that He called to repentance.
“Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy [Spirit] Ghost.
Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift [that is, of the Holy Spirit]
as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I,
that I could withstand God?” Now this is quite a confession on his part,
isn’t it? And it’s really quite a fantastic thing that occurred. Now, “When
they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying,
Then...” Now I want you to notice the rest of this: “…hath God also to the
Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (vs. 16-18).
So now we have repentance unto life, the receiving of the Holy Spirit. And
what else does God give? God gives that faith necessary for salvation. And
these things, then, we’re to grow in and develop from that time on. But it’s
not something for a person to come along and say, “Oh, I have faith!” We
find that in James 2. Some people say, “Well, I have faith.” And James said,
“Well that’s not doing too good. Even the demons believe in God and tremble.
So don’t go bragging on your faith” (James 2:19, paraphrased).
Let’s go to Ephesians 2 and let’s see what kind of faith that we are really
talking about. Just as God gave the gift of repentance to them, God also
gives you other gifts. And part of the gift, the free gift of God’s Holy
Spirit, also then, is that faith. Which then, makes you wise unto salvation;
which then helps draw you close to God. And that faith is going to be
tested. And that faith is going to be tried. And you’re going to have
experiences that you go through so that you can really have that faith in
God and believe. And what kind of faith is that going to be? We’ll see in
just a little bit.
Now let’s pick it up here in Ephesians 2:8. It says, “For by grace are ye
saved through faith;...” Now grace is another whole broad topic of God’s
great magnanimous gift. And grace includes everything which functions in a
Christian’s life through faith. “...And that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:…” And in the final analysis, though you have things you
have to do that God requires of you, that God requires of me, I cannot save
myself and you cannot save yourself. God must save you by faith. And it is
His gift. Just like the Holy Spirit, just like repentance, just like eternal
life.
So then comes the next sentence here that we read, verse 9, “…Not of
works,...” Not of something that you can do. What can you do to grant you
eternal life? What can you do to whip up your faith? Have a positive
attitude? I’ll tell you what, you confront some of the spiritual trials that
you will go through, and I’ll tell you how long your positive attitude is
going to last. Long enough just about to snap your fingers. Because that is
not a gift of God. That’s just “pump yourself up by your own ability, your
own vanity, and pull yourself up by your own bootstraps.” That’ll get you a
little ways. But how far is it going to go spiritually? Remember what Jesus
said: “The flesh profits nothing.” And this faith, then, has to develop. And
this faith has to grow, and it has to expand into, as we will see, the love
of God.
Let’s go to Romans 5. Romans 5, then, becomes very, very important. Romans
5:1, and let’s see how these things develop. And I’m sure you’ve experienced
some of these things. Now I just talked to a lady the other day, way back on
the East Coast in the northern part of the United States. And she’s back
there all alone. She’s wondering, “Boy, these trials I’m going through, and
these difficulties I’m going through.” And I assured her it wasn’t anything
different than other people are going through, because you can be guaranteed
one thing: the trial of your faith is going to come. And what are you going
to do when it comes? Are you going to exercise the faith as it comes from
God, as the gift of God? And what kind of faith does that have to be? We’ll
see in a little bit. Or are you going to let the trial drag you and pull you
down to nothing?
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 1. “Therefore being justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by Whom also we have
access by faith into this grace...” (Rom. 5:1-2). Which means, then, you
must believe that the only atoning sacrifice for your sins is the sacrifice
of Jesus Christ. And that one thing justifies you to God. And you must
believe that. And that being the case, you can’t add all kinds of things to
it that you are going to do, or that I’m going to do for God. Now in talking
with this lady back there, she said she went to visit some people at the
House of Yahweh. And she says, “Boy, what a confused, divided mess that is.”
That every word that has any connotation that doesn’t fit their little mold,
you mustn’t speak. Now I tell you, that is not faith. That is works. “Do
this. Do that. Don’t do this. Don’t do that.” See, we have access to this
grace by faith; that God is merciful, that God is kind, that God has called
you, that Jesus was sacrificed for you. Now what is this to do for us, once
we really know and understand and believe that to the very depths of our
being?
“...We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand,...” And
that’s where you need to stand. You have to have the conviction of mind, and
the determination of the Holy Spirit. Not by will. I heard a minister say,
“Well, brethren, now that we have this truth, we must set our will to obey
God.” You can set your will all you want. Unless you have the gift of faith,
which comes from God, unless you have the conviction of mind through the
Holy Spirit, setting your will isn’t going to do anything. That’s another
work that people would do, if you set your will. It works the other way. Let
God’s Spirit convict you. Let God’s Spirit give you that determination. Let
God’s Spirit work in your life. And then let God’s will be done in your
life. Not that you set your will. It isn’t going to happen. It may get you a
certain place. It may take you along the road a little bit, like the apostle
Paul said, “In will worship.” But that doesn’t get you any place. That won’t
bring you salvation. You must worship God, not your own will. You must have
the gift of faith, which comes from God, which is the fruit of the Holy
Spirit.
Continuing on, “...Wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of
God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations...” (vs. 2-3). Now
in difficulties. Now what kind of faith is that, that you glory in
difficulties? Now we’ve seen some good examples of that. We’ve had a member,
two members, in our little group die after they suffered terribly. But I
tell you one thing, their spiritual attitude and their spiritual faith in
God was greatly multiplied through what they experienced. So, will
tribulation separate you from God? Will a hard saying out of the Bible
separate you from God? And if that’s the case, do you have faith for
salvation? And how profound must this faith be? You have faith because you
want to remove a mountain? You have faith because you want to be healed? You
have faith because you want an increase in your job? Or do you have faith
unto salvation and eternal life, regardless of your circumstances? And the
apostle Paul can tell you, if you read what he went through - when Paul
ended up, every church he raised up turned away from him. Yet he kept the
faith of God. You think on that for a minute.
Let’s continue on here. “...Knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and
patience, experience;...” That’s why the trial of your faith, being more
precious than gold tried in the fire, it’s going to be tested. We’ll see
that in just a minute. “...And experience, hope: and hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
[Spirit] Ghost which is given unto us” (vs. 3-5). So we’ve got to have that
faith, we’ve got to have the experience, we’ve got to have the endurance.
And that brings hope. And then hope brings love. And we find, what are the
three main things? Faith, hope, and love. But they’ve all got to be tried.
Because we’re not talking about just living a comfortable life here, now.
We’re talking about eternal life forever.
Let’s go to 1 Peter 1, and we’ll see that this faith is being tried; that
it’s being tested. And God is going to test it. So like it says, “Beloved,
think it not strange concerning the fiery trial that is come upon you” (1
Peter 4:12, paraphrased). How are you going to show that you truly have
faith? How are you truly going to know that you have faith unless it’s
tried? Now he says, 1 Peter 1:5, it says, “…Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation...” So what kind of faith is required for
salvation? We’re about ready to begin to answer that. But I want to show
that this faith to salvation, which he says is “…ready to be revealed in the
last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice,...” And we rejoice in that. But,
“...though now for a season, if need be [if it’s necessary], ye are in
heaviness through manifold temptations:…” (vs. 5-6). Now let’s think on this
for a minute. Is faith going to make you happy and jumping up and down with
joy all the time? “Oh, clap hands! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Praise
the Lord! Let’s have faith! Let’s have faith!” And be like some silly
televangelists on TV, and see these people on there, “Oh! Oh! Wonderful
joy!” Never happen. That’s not true Christianity.
It says, “…though you be in heaviness...” There are going to be times when
you are discouraged. What do you think heaviness means? There are going to
be times when you are down. And there are going to be times when you’re
going to wonder, “God, what am I going through?” That’s what this means. And
maybe not just one trial. And how many of us have this in mind? We think,
“Oh, well, do you know what kind of trial will I go through?” Any kind of
trial you prepare your mind to go through, that’s not the one you’re going
to have.
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