FAITH FOUNDED UPON FACTS

     There is indeed a great advantage to living by faith for it contains the power of a true transformation. Faiths very nature calls for a living out the wisdom of God by believing in a "substance not seen" as the only means to please Him.

      The Father had the occasion of calling out of history a heavenly portion, a inheritance of His very nature, to be established on the earth: who while passing through on a path of predestined suffering as earth bound creatures would be established as His children by faith alone. "Have this mind in you which [oneness with the Father] was also in Christ Jesus" Phil.2:5.

     Faith provides something much more than mere experiences. Not just a hope for a heavenly residence in the by and by, but a portion of heaven in the here and now in our mortal bodies. By reckoning a heavenly union in His Son true by faith in His word, in our mind, by His Spirit: which is the acknowledgement of His promise to sanctify His Son's life into us by our new creation. We have come to know union with Christ Jesus as the definition of our Christian life by faith. "If we live in the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk in the[Holy]Spirit" Gal. 5:25.

     The Lord Himself is absent from the earthly scene of his future millennial glory. But He has secured to Himself a people who by faith alone have a hope; and despite their suffering and condition [Adam men] have a  higher place than that of heaven itself; sitting in union with Jesus Christ at the right hand of God. We may apprehend ourselves there in faith only, by knowing His word. "As He is [at God's right hand] so are we in this world". We have this, truths power, exclusively contained in us by faith alone.

      The following study is taken from and inspired by "The Complete Green Letters" by Miles Stanford. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write to us, "Examine yourself, whether you are in the faith" 2 Cor. 13:5a. The first thing we must do then by God's command is remember that "without faith it is imposable to please Him" Heb. 11:6a. The most important thing we can discover regarding faith is that true life transforming faith is based solely on scriptural facts, for "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" Rom. 10:17.

      If our faith is not based on facts from the word. Or we are counting on experiencing God in our emotions, tradition or duties, or any thing of the natural man we have failed. "We walk by faith not [emotions,feelings] by sight". If we depend too heavily on even inspired commentary's of other men's scriptural incite alone we remain self-contained. Those attempts are not much better than a speculation, or a presumption of another man vision for us. To increase your faith and for it to have true value for the recovery's growth we must study the word of God. On our own and in depth, excluding the diversion of the world, motivated by the Holy Spirit; thus transforming the soul.

      Hebrews 11:1 leaves no questions regarding the need to know the facts: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". Faith standing upon the word of God substantiates and gives evidence of things not seen. We all know evidence must be founded on by facts. This is the very principal which applied to us when we were born again. Our belief stood directly on a fact. This is the same faith we go forward upon into the recovery. "As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him". In other words its all by faith in facts! Knowing the fact for salvation is but a first step; many more biblical facts must become know to be a actively transformed saint.

      I know much of this is elementary. The reason for the instance of the faith principle based on scriptural facts is to promote personal private bible study, the gateway to overcoming. Facts equal more faith, more faith brings growth. Christ as life then becomes our condition as saints. The alternative is often mere happy Adam impressions.

     Yes Programs, training and the church life can be very beneficial. But our natural soul is often satisfied with these well intentioned opportunities and we gain comfort, but perhaps only a impression is left after some time. Our soul is not fully converted to His life. The facts of the word taken into our mind in concentrated specific private study based on sound doctrines however leave the word of life deeply penetrating the soul; the only hope for a true transformation. There simply is no substitute.

     A mature Christian does not seek growth by a extroverted exercise of his spirit, which really is his natural emotions. At best this provides a temporary appearance [good feelings]of a expected outcome. The question we must always ask for growth; has God spoken it in His word? Do we believe it true? How do we apply it to transformation? Faith must be based upon certainty. There must be definite knowledge of God's purpose and will [The doctrine of union]. Without that there can be no true transforming faith. For faith is not a force that we exercise or a striving to believe something.

      If we are trying with all our might to achieve a worthy goal for Christ then we have left faith and are living in the Adam mans soul. The only effort needed for faiths accomplishment is ever gaining knowledge of His word, in trust of the Holy Spirits provision; converting our mind and soul to perceiving ourselves as in union with Him at the right hand of the Father.

     There can be no steadfastness apart from immovable facts. If a saint takes the more difficult path, that of faith, he forsakes the stimulation of the natural man and will encounter opposition. Peter addressed that when he said by God's inspiration: "That the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold that will perish, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 1:7.

      Once the facts are well apprehended we will begin to reckon upon them, count them as true. This is a matter of trust. Then The Holy Spirit, no longer grieved by the natural man, causes our faith to grow, our conversion begins. Defeats, trials, obstacles along the way only serve to strengthen us and are very good for the food of faith.

     We have now a gathering dependence upon God. And this God-dependence only begins when self dependence ends. Self-helplessness, suffering, affliction serve to quicken the end of self. Only with trials do we learn the lesson of faith, "fellowship with His suffering". Thus opening a door to a victory and power undreamt of in the days of fleshly self-reliance, "the just shall live by faith"

      The more we see our life here as a place of sorrow, captured in a sinful Adam man, the more we will be attracted to Him in glory and drawn away from the place where the sorrows are. To Him where He is at the right hand of God. And ourselves positioned there with Him. "Set you affections [mind] on things above" Col. 3:2a.

      "Actually, we cannot trust anyone further than we know him. So we must not only learn the facts involved, but must always intimately come to know the One who presents and upholds them! "And this is life eternal that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You Have sent John. 17:3. "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be [by growing faith in positional truth] partakers of the divine nature" 2 Pet. 1:2-4. Saints, we enter into the position we hold in heaven and hence the life of Christ, by faith founded upon the facts, there is no other avenue for recovery.