Faith is Believing in Action.

Based on the teachings of: Pastors, Curry Blake & Dr. Fred K. Price.

“As it has been written: “How beautiful are the feet of those proclaiming good news of good things!” But not all heeded the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” So faith is from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.[ῥήματος rehma (the word) Χριστοῦ (of Christ).] Romans 10:15-17

Now, Paul makes this statement, after giving us an explanation on the righteousness of faith. “faith is from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” [Note] he purposely breaks the sentence into parts, when it was far easier to make one statement, “faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.” But he gives the first part, “Faith is from hearing,” and the second part, “and hearing through the word of Christ.” Then faith is not a direct product of the word of God, but a product of hearing. And [Hearing] is through the word of God. 

We can look at the operation of faith: illustrated through righteousness of faith. The righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “the word is near you and in your mouth and in your heart.” [that is the word of faith we preach] that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him out from the dead, you will be saved. That with the heart one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10

Then the process is, a preacher proclaims the good news, we having heard the good news believe it. And in believing we call out to Him and are saved. 

Now Paul adds to this and says, they have not all called out to Him. And the reason he gives for this is, Isaiah statement, “Lord, who has believed our report?” Then we can say they did not call out to Him, because they did not believe the good news. Then to this reasoning, Paul says, “[So], then faith comes from hearing” that is in terms of believing [“how then shall they call on Him whom they have not believed?”]. And “Hearing is through the word of Christ.” in terms of you cannot believe in something you do not know. [“how shall they believe on Him of whom they have not heard?”] 

I believe therefore I spoke.

Psalm 116:10      

The point he is making is it is not in the hearing, but in the response of having heard. Paul asks of Israel, have they not heard? to which he responds, “Yes indeed.” They having heard the word [the good news] yet it did not translate to be faith. We all hear what is spoken, the seperation is not all of us believe what is proclaimed. If we don’t believe it we do not act on it. Paul in Hebrews gives more clarity to this incident:

“And indeed we are those having had the gospel preached just as they did, but [ὁ (the) λόγος logos (message) τῆς (of their) ἀκοῆς (hearing)] did not profit them, not having been united with faith of those having heard. For those having believed enter into the rest,” Hebrews 4:2-3

Paul is using the example of Israel coming to the borders of the promised land, and the spies they sent out have returned with two sets of reports, one good [faith in God] and the other evil [unbelief toward God]. Israel choosing to believe the latter were in mourning and raised their voice to complain against God and made preparation to return back to Egypt. Therefore the word [the promise of God: “I will bring you into a land flowing with milk and honey.”] did not profit them, not having been united in the faith with those who heard. Joshua and Caleb believing God were willing to go into the land to take possession of it, regardless of the might of those who possessed the land.

Then when we say, faith comes by [hearing], it is not the same hearing as all others, since they also heard yet it benefited them not, because they did not believe the report. Then [hearing] is more than that, it is believing, and hearing [as being informed] is through the word of God. Then we can say, “faith comes by believing, and what you believe is the word of God, you hear.” You have to have information to believe in, and what you believe in you put to practice: which results in an active faith. Then faith is believing in action. Then we can make the following formula of faith, which we can apply to obtain the promises of God: 

• Active Faith = The word of God we hold in heart [we believe] AND we act on, [Confess, live by, do] as to be true.  
• Righteousness of Faith = Believe God has raised Jesus from the dead [And] Confess Him to be Lord and you shall be saved.  

Then [faith is] a product of trust in the promise of God and a corresponding action taken. We have the promises of God, just as they did, then either we decide to believe it and act accordingly or we don’t. But in most cases we believe it, yet we do not act on it [put it to practice], through lack of diligence or patience then our faith is not active it is dead. James says, “But be doers of the word [λόγου (of the word)] and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22

The point of note is, he tells us to do the word [logos] not the word [rhema]. Paul when speaking of how faith comes, he says faith comes by rhema (the word) of Christ. In association with those who believed the word and called out to Him. But when speaking of those who failed to obtain the promise of God, he says the word [logos] they heard did not profit them not being united with faith. Therefore, the word of God we do not believe, or act on will remain words [logos] on a page. James also teaches saying: “For just as the body apart from spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.” James 2:26

We can then say, faith is the body [the substance], and works is the spirit. To the same extent we can say, the word [logos], is the body, and we believing the word act upon it resulting in rhema [the word]. Which is the sword of the Spirit to bring about the promises of God in our lives to the glory of God. Sword is a weapon it has to be wielded, it does no good in scabbard. That is to say, faith is the word of God animated by works. [works: The word of God you live by, The word of God you practice, The word of God you speak]. 

Now, faith is the assurance [substance] of things hoped for, the conviction [evidence] of things not being seen. For in this the ancients were commended. By faith we understand the universe to have been formed by the word of God, so that the things being seen have not been made from the things being visible. Hebrews 11:1-3

Faith is more: it has [information: the word of God, the promises [which is the substance] the source of our hope], it must be united with believing, [the information is true: it has evidence, the testimony of those who had obtained the promises], the spies brought the fruit of the land with them, as evidence the land is truly flowing with milk and honey. Finally, it is acted on to give it life, [it is spoken, put to practice] with the aim of obtaining the promise.

When the weatherman tells us it is going to rain tomorrow, we believe it, we take his word for truth. We do not need to feel his prediction in order to believe it and act on it. We believe it, more times than not because they have got it right many times. And the evidence of our faith is, in the preparation we make on the account of it, it is in the manner of our speech.

Therefore, we do not wait for faith to compel us, we work to convince ourselves, [the word] we heard is true, and brush aside every negating thoughts, then we act in a manner that corresponds to [the word] and are not moved away from that fact. We maintain our confession and our pursuit no matter what and wait for it with patience. Abraham waited 25 years for his promise. “So after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” Hebrews 6:15

Therefore faith is like a seed which has a promise of life in it. And it is sowed in the ground, that it may produce crop in time. Likewise, the word of God has a promise of a blessing in it, which we sow in our hearts that is [we believe it], “with the heart one believes onto righteousness.” And if we believe it, we walk and talk in keeping with the promise, until we see its fruit in our lives. That is “we walk by faith and not by sight.” Then our conduct must precede our reality. “We are not looking at the things being seen, but the things not being seen.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 Another way to say is we walk by the promise [the word], as if it is true in the present until it becomes a reality in our life. [C.B]

“Before God whom he believed, the One giving life to the dead and calling into being the things not even existing, who against hope, in hope believed, for him to become the father of many nations, according to that having been spoken, “So shall your offspring be.” And not having become weak in the faith, he considered his body already having become dead being about a hundred years old, and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. Yet he did not waver through unbelief at the promise of God, but was strengthened in faith, having given glory to God, and having been fully assured that what He had promised, He is also able to do. Romans 4:17-21. 

Abraham’s reaction to the promise of God, was not to deny reality. But he considering his body, that is having an accurate estimation of the reality of his and Sarah’s situations; [Yet] he was not moved to unbelief [that their condition was not a factor in obtaining the promise of God.] So proceeded in faith [being fully convinced of the truth of God] gave glory to God. In contrast Israel, hearing of the strength of the inhabitants were moved to unbelief. Then it is not to say we have no trouble or opposition or pain or sickness or lack, but to say our present reality do not have a factor in obtaining the promise of God. Faith is in the face of opposition and not in the absence of it, which is translated to be works of faith.

We may also say, faith is like having a servant, ready and willing to serve, therefore it does not precede us but closely follows us. It is like the person in the mirror who responds to us, producing a corresponding result in the spiritual that mirrors our own. If we plant he plants if we by wrong confession and wrong action uproot he uproots. What you believe you confess with your mouth, and that is what your faith will brings to pass, if you believe a negative report and confess and walk in manner that confirms that report, your faith will produce a result which accord to that. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Provers 18:21 Therefore we ought to care  not to give contradicting instruction to our servant. [Note: If we do not give our servant work to do, he does not benefit us.]

We have said faith is based on the knowledge of the word of God and trust. But God does not force us to act, He only gives us the ability and reason to trust His word. A body is still a body, though it be alive or dead, then faith is still faith, whether we act on it or not. Therefore a christian may have faith to be saved, but lack to put his faith to work for all other aspects of the promises of God [healing, provision and so on], through lack of knowledge, diligence or patience. Then it is up to us to seek out the promises and pursue them. Therefore Paul encourages us saying, “Show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience obtain the promises.” Hebrews 6:11-12

God has held our hand and taken us across, He has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son, we have not worked for it. As He says, “in the acceptable times I have heard you and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 That is, we might believe in Him and confess Him and it was so; it was just for the crossing of the sea and the river. However, the goodness of the kingdom of God, the promises and privilege thereof, has to be fought for. The devil will not sit idly by, while his kingdom diminishes and the kingdom of the Lord is established. He will bring opposition, discouragement all manner of wickedness to prevent us form what God has so graciously has given to us. And we combat him, through the knowledge of the truth of God and faith. Israel, had to fight to take possession of the land God had given to them, a land that was occupied and created a nation. 

We have put the blame on God, as to make us exempt of our responsibility: to go to battle. The ball has always been in our court, we have to decide to believe the promises of God, and act on them. However, we have taken His sovereign acts of mercy, to demonstrate His present reality in our midst to be the rule, and have put our faith to bed and have become [benign].

“God’s best is we live by faith, and not by miracles.” [F.P] “Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a reward of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 And God can not say no to what He has already said yes to in Christ Jesus. “For all the promises of God are in Him “Yes” and in Him “Amen” to the glory of God through us.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 Jesus has fulfilled the requirements of the law in order to obtain the promises of God. So in Christ all the blessing of God are available to us and none of the curses of the law. And God has also given us of His Spirit, so “that we might know the things freely given to us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:12

• God has blessed as with all spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1:3
• “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and goodliness, through the knowledge of Him.” 2 Peter 1:3

Then we being in Christ have every right to claim these promises and put them to practice. However they remain just promises as long as they are contained in writing and not put to practice. [C.B] Joshua and Caleb said to the congregation of Israel, “If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and gives it to us. ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.'” Numbers 14:8 The Lord will always delight in us, because we are in Christ and He is in us. And we glorify Him when we take Him at His word, His promise and put them to practice in faith and bring them to reality.

Faith has nothing to do with our merit, [nor is it] some illusive wispy thing we just cannot seem to get hold off; it is just the word of God we trust and act on. Then faith is an assurance of the reality of the promises of God. It is the measure by which we walk and battle against the reality of our situation, being conformed to the truth of God’s word. 

• “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those thing which he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, [whatever things you ask] when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them.” Mark 11:22-24 

Faith is the space in between, it is what governs our present conduct until we come to the possession of the promise of our hope. It ceases to be faith when we are able to perceive it with our sense. 

The just shall live by faith.

Romans 1:17

the end.