Friends,
The Bible says that no one is justified by works that one can boast of (Eph. 2:8-9) or works of the law. We can only be justified by faith IN Christ (Gal. 2:16). However, the Bible also states that faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. (James 2:17). For as a body without spirit is dead, so faith without works is DEAD also (James 2:26).
Might it be that "faith in Christ" Biblically means much more than what most people have been made to believe? What does faith in Christ really mean? To fully understand the meaning of having "faith in Christ" we must search the scriptures and compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:13).
Let's start our search at Romans 5:1 where it says: "Therefore, having been justified by FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
From this verse we see that the people whom apostle Paul was writing to have been justified by FAITH and have made PEACE with God.
We continue our search to Rom. 5:8 where Paul is telling these people who have been justified by FAITH and who have made PEACE with God that Christ died FOR them. Did Christ die for ALL? The verse says Christ died ONLY for these people who have been justified by faith and have made peace with God.
And on to verse 9 which says that because Christ died for them, they are now justified by his BLOOD and will be saved from God's wrath.
Romans 5:10 tells us that these people used to be enemies of God but because they have been justified by Christ's BLOOD, they are now reconciled to God.
Lets now go to Galatians 4:4-5 and find out what becomes of those who are justified by Christs blood and reconciled to God. The verses say that Jesus redeemed them and they received adoption as sons of God.
To summarize, those who are justified by faith in Christ have made peace with God and because Christ died for them, they are also justified by his BLOOD and have been reconciled to God., they have been redeemed by Christ and have received adoption as sons of God.
But who are these people and where can we find them? Did Christ die for anyone else besides these people whom Paul was talking to?
Let's swing our search to Ephesians 5:25 and read: "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it." So there, Christ gave himself for the church.
What does this mean? It means that Christ died for the church. Acts 20:28 Lamsa says that Christ purchased the Church of Christ with his own blood. Apostle Peter explains the meaning of this in 1 Peter 1:18-19 thus: knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb, without spot or blemish.
Therefore, the people whom Paul was talking to were members of the church that Christ purchased with his own blood. Apostle Paul called these members Churches of Christ (Roms. 16:16). They have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Hence, they are the legitimate children of God.
What further Biblical proof is there to show that these people were indeed members of the church? Eph. 2:15-16 tells us that Christ created in himself one new man that he might reconcile them both in one body through the cross. That one body is the church of which Christ is the head (col. 1:1
.
How did these people become members of the Church of Christ? In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus commanded his apostles to preach the gospel and said that he who believes and is baptized will be saved. Apostle Peter exhorted the Jews to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:3 . Those who gladly received what Peter preached were baptized and were added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47).
Hence, "faith in Christ" actually means receiving the messengers sent by God, listening to messengers sent by God, believing what these messengers sent by God preach, repenting and being converted (turning away from false beliefs and making the decision to enter the fold - John 10:9) and getting baptized into the church of Christ.
This is what true "faith in Christ" is all about. Ignore one step and you have a faith that is dead.
What good fortune awaits those who have been justified by faith in Christ? They have made peace with God, they have been justified by Christs blood because Christ died for them, they have been reconciled to God, they have been redeemed by Christ and have received adoption as sons of God? The Bible says they are no longer slaves but sons and heir of God through Christ (Gal. 4:7) and joint-heirs of Christ (Rom. 8:17).
These are the people who are truly IN Christ.
Ed
The Bible says that no one is justified by works that one can boast of (Eph. 2:8-9) or works of the law. We can only be justified by faith IN Christ (Gal. 2:16). However, the Bible also states that faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. (James 2:17). For as a body without spirit is dead, so faith without works is DEAD also (James 2:26).
Might it be that "faith in Christ" Biblically means much more than what most people have been made to believe? What does faith in Christ really mean? To fully understand the meaning of having "faith in Christ" we must search the scriptures and compare spiritual things with spiritual (1 Cor. 2:13).
Let's start our search at Romans 5:1 where it says: "Therefore, having been justified by FAITH, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
From this verse we see that the people whom apostle Paul was writing to have been justified by FAITH and have made PEACE with God.
We continue our search to Rom. 5:8 where Paul is telling these people who have been justified by FAITH and who have made PEACE with God that Christ died FOR them. Did Christ die for ALL? The verse says Christ died ONLY for these people who have been justified by faith and have made peace with God.
And on to verse 9 which says that because Christ died for them, they are now justified by his BLOOD and will be saved from God's wrath.
Romans 5:10 tells us that these people used to be enemies of God but because they have been justified by Christ's BLOOD, they are now reconciled to God.
Lets now go to Galatians 4:4-5 and find out what becomes of those who are justified by Christs blood and reconciled to God. The verses say that Jesus redeemed them and they received adoption as sons of God.
To summarize, those who are justified by faith in Christ have made peace with God and because Christ died for them, they are also justified by his BLOOD and have been reconciled to God., they have been redeemed by Christ and have received adoption as sons of God.
But who are these people and where can we find them? Did Christ die for anyone else besides these people whom Paul was talking to?
Let's swing our search to Ephesians 5:25 and read: "Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it." So there, Christ gave himself for the church.
What does this mean? It means that Christ died for the church. Acts 20:28 Lamsa says that Christ purchased the Church of Christ with his own blood. Apostle Peter explains the meaning of this in 1 Peter 1:18-19 thus: knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb, without spot or blemish.
Therefore, the people whom Paul was talking to were members of the church that Christ purchased with his own blood. Apostle Paul called these members Churches of Christ (Roms. 16:16). They have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Hence, they are the legitimate children of God.
What further Biblical proof is there to show that these people were indeed members of the church? Eph. 2:15-16 tells us that Christ created in himself one new man that he might reconcile them both in one body through the cross. That one body is the church of which Christ is the head (col. 1:1
.How did these people become members of the Church of Christ? In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus commanded his apostles to preach the gospel and said that he who believes and is baptized will be saved. Apostle Peter exhorted the Jews to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:3
. Those who gladly received what Peter preached were baptized and were added to the church (Acts 2:41, 47).Hence, "faith in Christ" actually means receiving the messengers sent by God, listening to messengers sent by God, believing what these messengers sent by God preach, repenting and being converted (turning away from false beliefs and making the decision to enter the fold - John 10:9) and getting baptized into the church of Christ.
This is what true "faith in Christ" is all about. Ignore one step and you have a faith that is dead.
What good fortune awaits those who have been justified by faith in Christ? They have made peace with God, they have been justified by Christs blood because Christ died for them, they have been reconciled to God, they have been redeemed by Christ and have received adoption as sons of God? The Bible says they are no longer slaves but sons and heir of God through Christ (Gal. 4:7) and joint-heirs of Christ (Rom. 8:17).
These are the people who are truly IN Christ.
Ed
