From the ministry archive
Faith and the Nature of God
Let me see if I can say a few things, or really just one thing, a little more clearly; in regard to 'the' faith of Christ (Eph. 4:5). "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham... So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham" (Gal. 3:7,9). We know that Abraham is the father of the faithful, so let's think about what it means to actually be "of faith," and thereby blessed with him. Here is something from the same book that is in the context of what the apostle Paul was actually saying in our text passage, about being "of faith:" "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified" (Gal. 2:16). The Galatians had been subverted by Jewish 'apostles,' who were not really apostles, who told the Gentiles they had to do the ceremonial ordinances of the old covenant in addition to their faith in Christ, to be fully right with God (Acts 15:1,2; Gal. 5:4). The apostle Paul taught by the revelation of Jesus Christ that all of the ceremonial ordinances of the law were a 'shadow' of Christ and the work he would accomplish, and that all of those 'works' were and are fulfilled in Christ; and thereby they were done away with in their natural format (Rom. 10:4; Col. 2:16,17). Not only so, but he also taught that the inclusion of these natural ordinances in our worship and service of God takes away from our faith in Christ: "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing" (Gal. 5:2). Circumcision was the example he used here because it was the main issue of the day, being the actual sign of the covenant between God and Abraham, and Abraham's seed (Gen. 17:10-14). Of course the intimidation that the false apostles used on the Gentiles comes from that very passage that I referenced right there, where God said anyone of Abraham's seed that was not circumcised, would be cut off from the covenant. They could easily point to that passage and say, "See it's right there in the word." That sure sounds familiar. But in doing so they were crossing the work of Christ out of the minds and spirits of these believers, in effect making the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus of no regard.
Paul taught the Gentiles, who had never been under the law to begin with, that Christ himself embodies the entire law, and that whoever is 'in him' by means of the Spirit baptism; and follows after the Spirit instead of the flesh, fulfills the law (Col. 2:10-12; I Cor. 12:13; Rom. 8:1-4). What that means is that we are no longer subject to the symbolic carnal ordinances which merely pictured Christ, and led the way to him, but could never do anything for the heart and soul of those who partook of them (Col. 2:20-22; Gal. 3:21,24; Heb. 10:1-4). He in fact clearly stated that God's Spirit never leads anyone to do any of the ordinances of the law: "But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law" (Gal. 5:18). So here is what I'm getting at today, about being "of faith," and being "blessed with faithful Abraham." This statement of Paul makes the point for me sufficiently: "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith" (Gal. 3:11,12). My point is that the law, nor any of it's ordinances, were or are, Jesus Christ. They were a symbolic shadow type of Christ, but they were not Christ himself. The law was for the time that Christ had not yet been manifested and given for the sins of mankind, but now Christ IS manifest; and he HAS been given for the sins of all mankind. Not only so, but he has returned to heaven and sent back the result of all that he accomplished on earth, which is the baptism that HE baptizes with - The baptism of the holy Ghost which is signified by "speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance" (Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:4; I Cor. 14:21,22). That is the baptism that came "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," as well as the baptism whereby we literally "put on Christ" (I Pet. 3:21, Gal. 3:27). Any way you cut it, water baptism is NOT Christ himself. The baptism of the Spirit on the other hand IS Christ himself, as the scripture affirms: "Now the Lord IS that Spirit" (II Cor. 3:17). Jesus clearly stated that water baptism was of the law, meaning the old covenant, and that he was going to fulfill it (Mat. 3:18; Mat. 5:17). No 'day,' whether Sabbath or whatever else, is Christ himself. Christ himself however, is our rest, and that every day, not just one (Mat. 11:28-30). Whatever is not Christ himself is not worthy of our faith, nor is the observance of it "of faith.' In fact is a hindrance to our faith if we observe it as such.
The same goes for what is known as 'communion.' It simply is not Jesus Christ himself and is not worthy of any godly regard. Jesus Christ himself, however he did say that HE is our communion (Rev. 3:20). Not only so, but the scripture plainly says that "Christ [is] our Passover," which Passover Jesus and his apostles were having at "the last supper" (I Cor. 5:7,8; Mat. 27:18-20,26,27). On top of that Jesus told his disciples at the last supper that what they were doing was something that was going to be "fulfilled in the kingdom of God" (Mat. 26:28; Lk. 22:15,16). So when it's all said and done, there is nothing or nobody that is worthy of our faith other than the Lord Jesus Christ himself. If that doesn't make sense to you, then I suggest that you "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith" (II Cor. 13:5). Why would I say something like that? Because Jesus Christ himself, and he alone, IS the faith! To add to that, he IS the baptism, and he IS the communion. He is also the Sabbath and everything else that is or was anything! Water baptism did not hang on the cross of Calvary and die for my sins and yours! Neither did 'communion,' or the last supper raise from the dead for my justification and yours! The only thing or person that we can have faith in and thereby please God, is the SON of God who died and rose for us, whom the Father sent. So in the end we are either "COMPLETE [by being] in Christ," like the scripture says, or we are NOT COMPLETE thereby, like the false apostles said (Gal. 2:10). Either "Christ IS the END of the law for righteousness," like the Bible says, or he is NOT, like the false apostles said. Either "Christ in us, the hope of glory," is enough for us, or he is not (Col. 1:27). That's what it comes down to. I know this is controversial teaching. I've known that for the thirty plus years I've been teaching it, and have been seen as such. What the prophets taught old testament Israel was controversial as well, though it was only what God had given them for the covenant: "I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing" (Hos. 8:12). Yes, what I've taught for over thirty years has surely proven to be "a strange thing," but you can read this article over and over, along with the referenced scriptures; and you will see that all I am teaching is Jesus Christ, straight and pure. All I'm saying is that he is what it's all about, and it ain't about nothin else. I'm not sure how anyone can resist that without looking really foolish. Nonetheless I have seen great resistance through the years, but I know in the end Jesus Christ and his Father will uphold the Gospel that is about nothing other than "Jesus Christ, and him crucified [and risen]" (I Cor. 2:2). Amen and God bless.
