“The Promised Life Is By Faith”

Romans 9:9-14; Galatians 3:21-22

9) For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.

10) And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11) (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

12) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13) As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14) What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

21) Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

22) But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

I

t must finally come to be understood by the people of God that His promises are received by faith. So, what if one refuses to believe? Incontrovertibly, what God has said is not changed. Therefore, the unbelievers will go without benefit of His counsel or blessing.

It is vitally important to our spiritual welfare that we understand that God is under obligation to honor only His Word. If we have never understood anything else, we need have no question about what God thinks of our thoughts, wishes, desires or opinions. He has gone to great lengths to impress upon us that this is His “show” and His plan. He is calling for us to be wholly dedicated to Him and in no way tied to ourselves. The selflessness for which He is calling, HE has every right to, for He is the very definition of selflessness and therefore, salvation. How do we really think that we would be able to live any less selflessly than Jesus?

It was established in the time of the ancients that the “children of the flesh” were never called to be the “children of God.” If it was true then, it remains true now. One is transformed from a child of the flesh to a child of God through baptism in Jesus’ name and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Only one born according to His promise can be an heir of His kingdom.

The promise given to Abraham and Sarah, was by all accounts and purposes, impossible. Yet, God stands ready to back up whatever He says. For mortals to agree with God’s plan is not necessary for Him to manifest what He has said. His Word is its own bond and as such, binds Him to perform whatever He has said. Once the Lord has made a pronouncement, it will be performed as He has said when He has said.

The “principle of election” that God has established is an essential point of salvation. Contrary to what many may believe, it is not possible to conduct oneself as a “common” man and be pleasing to or chosen by God. Nothing connected with God can be common. For us to believe that a Holy God will “choose” unholy subjects is ridiculous. For us to believe that unrighteousness will be pleasing to the Righteous One, is laughable. Since the promise of election (salvation) is by faith, we must “believe” God. Just saying we believe God is not good enough. Believing holds with it a responsibility, for it is something that we must first choose to do, and then, execute.

The requirement of belief is what separates “the (spiritual) men from the boys” so to speak. If there was a law which could make us do what is necessary to be saved, we would not have to exert much effort? This of course, is not the way that it is. Our responsibility comes right back to us, and in the end we will be solely responsible for our final destination.

In that God “concluded all under sin,” He proved Himself the “Great Equalizer.” He views no skin colors, no national origin, and no socioeconomic group or any of its members as having any spiritual advantage. To Him, “a sinner is a sinner is a sinner.” Going to church alone, does not a sinner make. Reading the Bible or praying does not a saint make. Men are changed from sinners or overcomers through believing God for deliverance from sin and the flesh. Subsequently, man is filled with the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, submits to baptism and to all the precepts of God. He is, then, positioned to excel above all others.

The “seed” planted within one who believes that God’s (and his) “promise is by faith” is that of the Holy Ghost and the truth of God. Once that seed has been planted, any attempts to grow anything other than what has been planted will be fruitless, unsuccessful, and quite possibly, have “monstrous” results. On the “flip” side, all planted with that same seed have equal opportunity to germinate, flower and grow; “flourish,” as it is both amongst our brothers and sisters on earth and amongst the saints and angels in heaven.