Seeking Jesus First Apr. 30, 2025

What is our faith without the written record that has passed it on to us? Faith in Christ Jesus does not stand alone. It is accompanied by faith in The Holy Bible.

We should not claim to have faith in Christ Jesus and reject The Word of God - The Holy Bible. We should not claim to have faith in Christ Jesus and practice disobedience to The Word of God.

“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:17–20, NKJV)

How do we obey the command to believe in Christ Jesus and love one another while practicing deceit, strife and bitter envy? Can a person come to Jesus and call Him GOD, LORD and KING, while actively rejecting His word? We “live by every word that comes from the mouth of God”. We are disciples if we “continue in His word”. Freedom is the result of keeping His word.

Or would we be like the one who willingly imprisons himself to all that the devil desires while blaming God’s sovereign will. My based argument is that if God’s sovereign will controls our will, why does He give us self-control as a spiritual attribute?

Righteousness is a gift resulting from faith in Christ Jesus, which is also a gift of God. The receiver of the gift then determines how to use the gift. Ex. “And the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet.” More examples: “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” (Romans 12:6–8, NKJV)

Let us use the gifts the way God intended for them to be used. Let us use our gift of faith the way God intends for it to be used. This means that we use our faith to produce obedience to God and good works. And we use our faith to receive the promises of God. “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” (Hebrews 10:36, NKJV)