A Lifestyle of Faith: Relationship with The Word
So many Christians today lack a proper understanding of Biblical faith. There are many imbalanced teachings concerning faith, which is why it is important for us to stay within the Word of God rather than drift into our own emotions. The subject of faith is so crucial for the believer, you cannot even receive Salvation of sins without faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8 (ESV), “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”. Some people think they can use faith for their own personal gain such as claiming a Bible verse to have a fancy sports car, that is NOT Biblical faith. Do not hear me wrong, God will provide the needs of His children, and you must keep in mind the difference between a want and a need.
Biblical faith is not someone exercising their big ego, Biblical faith is a relationship with the Word of God and is evidenced by the fruit in the believer’s life. Romans 10:17 (ESV) tells us, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”. This is why it is important that we get the Word of God into us on a daily basis. John 1:1 (ESV) tells us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”. Jesus is the Logos, the Word of God. There are many people who say they are Christians but have no relationship with the Word of God.
Let me say something, you do not grow your faith by reading a bunch of commentaries alone. When someone is born again and filled with the Holy Spirit you learn to rely upon the Living Water that is birthed inside of you. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth, He is our supreme teacher! Jesus said in John 4:14 (ESV), “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”. When you want to deepen your relationship with God, do not just rely upon commentaries alone to improve your head knowledge, rely primarily upon the Holy Spirit. Now do not hear me wrong, commentaries have their place, but it is important that the believer is led by the Holy Spirit when studying the Word of God.
As believers, we are to have faith in God alone, and fully trust Him. Everything that is written in His Word is true whether you like it or not. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”. We must live a life that is led by the Lord, we must live in God’s Will for our lives. How do you know the Will of God for your life? By getting the Word into you.
Now let me say something else along the lines of faith. Some people just want to have faith in God to have a healthy and happy life and get a hell insurance card. But Bible faith means that you walk in a relationship with the Word of God. This means that you act like the Word of God is so in your life, therefore you obey God’s commandments. It is not possible to be a strong person of faith and walk in a lifestyle of sin. If you think you can walk in faith for having a happy life and live in willful sin, then you have accepted a distorted gospel and are probably not genuinely saved. Jesus said in John 14:15 (ESV), “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”. It does not matter what the cultural trends say about it, if God’s Word condemns it then you should have no part in it. Being a person of faith might cost you everything to follow the Word of God. The world loves promoting sin, and it hates those who are against it. In fact, many colleges and employers and now trying to push the worlds sin agenda on people. Are you going to bow down to it, or are you going to stand firm for God’s Word, even if it cost you everything?