|
Hoyte Nelson's Poems/ Reflections & Biblical Essays
|
| Home |
Essay When Faith Shall Be Sight The Apostle Paul, in Romans 8: 25 says, “But if we
hope for that we see not, we do with patience wait for it.” Again he said,
“for we walk by faith and not by sight” (Romans 5: 7). The purpose of this article is to focus upon that for
which we now possess, by faith in Christ Jesus; who now sits as our intercessor
at the Father’s right hand; henceforth fulfilling all the promises of the
Davidic Covenant as recorded in Acts 2: 29-36. An old church hymn expresses it
this way: “And Lord haste the day when the faith shall be sight, the clouds be
rolled back as a scroll, the trumpet shall re-sound and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.” The focus of that which I want to convey in this
article is not some fantasy, for “Faith” is the assurance of things hoped
for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11: 1). It is that for which
we hold dear concerning the promises of God based upon the promises given in His
Word. Jesus himself said, “…blessed are those who have not seen and yet
believe” (John 20: 29b). Again, “So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by
the Word of God” (Romans 10: 17). As a youth, I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my
Savior and Lord, and so today I wait to see Him: “When faith shall be
sight.” Although my faith is based upon God’s Word; even so I have the
confirmation of the promise given to the disciples just before Jesus ascended
back to the Father when He said, “I will not leave you comfortless, (or as
orphans); I will come to you” (John 14:18). This is what the Apostle meant
when he said in Galatians 4:6, “And because you are sons, God has sent forth
the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba!, Father.’ ” This was
of course in reference to Pentecost when God fulfilled the promise given to the
prophets of old concerning a new heart. Yet, we wait to see His face. With the above as a background, I want to try to help
us see some doctrinal truths; truths that we now possess by faith, based on
God’s word, as we wait for the fulfillment of these truths, “When Faith
Shall Be Sight.” I.
Justification: “The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:11b). Justification is a judicial word. It has to do with
the law. We often hear words like “our judicial system” wherein people seek
justice when accused of a crime. Now, it is so that each of us, under God’s
Holy Law, are said to be “condemned already” (John 3: 18). Because it is
written, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans
3:23. Many Christians go through life wondering if they
can make it; not understanding that as Christians they have been justified in
the sight of God by faith in the redeeming blood of Jesus, and that which is
“Faith” now will be reality then. We struggle in our humanity because the
old “Adam” nature remains with; yet, we have this assurance: “This mortal
will have put on immortality” (1 Corinthians15: 54). The Apostle Paul reminds us that, “although the
outward man perish, the inward man is renewed day by day by the Holy Spirit
which dwells within us” (2 Corinthians 4: 16). This is not based upon our
emotions, but is based upon God’s Word. Our rejoicing is not because of
feeling, but because of faith. This is true whether we feel good or not! The reason this is true is because the High Court of
heaven has already taken place and we were all found guilty. The good news is
this: Jesus took our place and offered Himself upon the cross for us, and as
Isaiah said, “He (God) shall see the travail of His (Jesus) soul and shall be
satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11). The penalty has forever been paid; we are now the
redeemed of our Lord, and thus we are justified in Him, and found “not
guilty1” II. The second doctrine that we need to understand is
“imputed righteousness” (Romans 4: 22-25). Only in perfect righteousness will we be able to
stand in the presence of a Holy God. How can it be; can we attain perfection in
this life? No! And that is what imputed righteousness is all about! This is good
news. (Gospel) There are three words found in the Scriptures that
describe our righteousness in Christ: “imputed,” “reckoned,” and
“accounted” (Romans 4: 22-25, and Galatians 3: 6; 5:13). These words are
bookkeeping words wherein His righteousness is accredited to our account in
heaven. We must all remember that God’s Law is righteous altogether. And it
requires perfection; every “i” must be dotted, and every “t” crossed, or
else one is condemned before God. There is no exception! But that’s not the
end of the story, oh no. This is one reason the Gospel is called “Good
News.” This
truth is better understood when we see the whole picture; it is not only our
Lord’s death and resurrection, but also the life that He lived. We often look
at the death and resurrection of Jesus as the only things that He did for our
salvation, and indeed He died and rose again for our justification, but again,
that’s not the whole story. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:10 “For if
while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son,
much more, having been reconciled, ‘we shall be saved by His life.’” Although we must keep our focus upon the cross and the
resurrected life of Jesus; we must also remember that His life, which he lived
while upon this earth, was the foundation of all that He did on our behalf. That
is, He fulfilled the demands of the law on our behalf in His life. He said,
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets; I did not come
to destroy, but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17,18). That is, He dotted every
“i” and crossed every “t” in order that we, in Him, could stand before a
Holy God as though we had never sinned. Therefore, our righteousness will then
be altogether holy when we stand in His presence. How could this be so? Only
when the righteousness of Jesus Christ is accredited to us “by faith” in His
finished work on our behalf. The Apostle Paul wrote, (“by the wisdom given
unto him” 2 Peter 3: 15b), “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His
love for mankind appeared; He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have
done in righteousness, but according to His mercy…” (Titus 3: 4,5a. Again.
the Apostle Paul, in Romans 4:1-5 gives us a wonderful explanation.
“But the one who does not work (that is, for his salvation), but
believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” Therefore, when
we stand before God, we will not be ashamed.
The Apostle Paul, speaking of the faith of Abraham, said, “ now it was
not written for his sake only that it (righteousness) was imputed to him, but
for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe in Him who raised Jesus
our Lord from the dead. He who was delivered up because of our transgression,
and was raised because of our justification.” Romans 4: 23-25. Often, as believers, we take our eyes off of that
which Christ has already accomplished for us, and focus our own sinful self with
great trepidation; fears fills our hearts and we ask, “how can it be? How can
I, who so often fail, ever stand before a Holy God? The answer is and forever will be “in Christ Jesus” our Lord and
Savior; this is the truth of the gospel wherein our old dirty rags are exchanged
for a “white” robe, made white by the blood of the Lamb. This is good news! III.
Sanctification: (While we wait) “When faith will be sight!”
The blessings that are ours by faith, established there in heaven “in
Christ Jesus,” will never change until they become a reality in the
resurrection. Sanctification, on the other hand, is the process that is taking
place in the Christian’s life, as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Our “justification,” and our “imputed
righteousness” is that for which Christ has accomplished for
us; whereas, our sanctification is the result of God’s gift at Pentecost
wherein He gave to all his children the gift of the Holy Spirit to prepare us
for our Christian walk and work. IV. Victory at Last: “when faith shall be sight!”
The
Apostle Paul has written: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the
dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Air, and thus
we shall ever be with the Lord” (1
Thessalonians 4: 13-17).
And again Paul said, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent,
is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5: 1).
The Apostle Peter gives us these words: “Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be
born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead. To obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not
fade away, reserved in heaven for you; who
are protected by the power of God through faith for salvation, ready to be
revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1: 3-6).
The Apostle John writes: “Let not your heart be
troubled; believe in God, believe also in me…for I go to prepare a place for you…”
(John 14: 1b).
“When Faith Shall Be Sight.” Amen! |