THE FRUIT OF FAITH

     Most Christians have great difficulty with the comprehension of Spirit as being their actual true life even though the bible tells us this is so. Consequently they miss the fruit of faith. "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires" Rom. 8:5.


    Why do even Christians choose to live in the flesh or under the internal definition of our natural Adam nature, thereby offering themselves to its domination? It is because they do not have a settled conscious awareness that there are two dimensions in which we may choose to live out our lives here on earth. One is the natural or Adam life of the condition of our daily experience, the flesh; which is the one we stimulate in order to simulate a Christian like experience. Which we have learned mostly from observing others. The other is the fruit of faith. A faith in God's Word spelling out just who and what we are in His sight. Which we gain from individual independent discovery and introspection of God's Word.

    Thus comes conscious thought by revelation, defining our new spirit life and we find the marker of God's love and the new creation life He has given us in His Son. A new life which is lived out by faith in our mind by our thoughts as to our biblical stated identification found only in His Son.  This is the only way in which we may even relate to or approach God's Spirit no matter our unawareness of this fact, and unfortunately unawareness is often where the weakness lies. In that loss we miss God's love in His Son applied to us by faith, both on His part as well as ours. This is the overriding spiritual reality of Christianity! "The Lord shall be your confidence" Prov. 3:26

     Unfortunately work, service, the building of a earthly kingdom, feelings and emotions all man's way take most of the credit for the Christian life; which is quite simply the exclusive territory of the old Adam's self centered personality; the man God had to kill on the Cross to satisfy His perfect justice. But left on earth in his sinful condition; the most easily stimulated, therefore the personality most often used and usually interpreted mistakenly to be His instrument. "For he that sows [Lives his life not knowing his position in Christ by faith] to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows [lives in faith's identification] to the Spirit [as only faith can] shall of the Spirit reap life" Gal. 6:8.

     This means our natural self, a felt experience or satisfaction with works and service or just plain being comfortable with what we have come to accept can never please God. "Without faith it is impossible to please God" Heb. 11:6. If God's Word is true then it is our faith which must rule. Hence faith itself is our real spiritual Godly life. Really the only life we have in God's view. So faith then is the exclusive purview of Spirit in our thoughts and is a mental perception of a reality established by God. His necessary and only definition imparted to us of His children's partaking of the eternal new creation life we have in His Son. All seen by Him as it is carried in or represented before Him in His Son at His right side. Then imparted to us by His Spirit, as a new life, in His view. Given in Spirit transferred from Him and made alive in us, not in action but through faith, entirely in the mind. From which we then must learn to trust and rest in. Service and change of soul will then follow according to the object of our faith. "For we worship God in the [His] SPIRIT, and rejoice in [meaning contained within Him] Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh [any natural means outside of faith or Spirit]" Phil. 3:3

      Those who have been reading and studying the bible let alone simply being mindful of there own behavior or their thoughts must know they have a man inside who is antagonistic to this perception or the spiritual things of God. As we have a personality of selfishness and sin who has a attachment to the things of the world and himself as his main daily concern, some more some less. But one single spot spoils all never the less. It seems God has left us in a condition of burden in that area. "If we suffer we shall also reign with Him". 2 Tim. 2:12.

      Can we make the man of this condition better and better or spiritual by trying to fit him into a pattern of what has really now evolved into a colloquial traditional earthly experience. As much of our church life has become attuned to mans personal needs and his improvement/entertainment or even the promoting of a evolution into a overcoming god-man in the flesh on the earth. Many work very hard at altering the old nature, but if we are truly honest really to no avail. We will always wake to the same man who sins no matter how well meaning, benevolent and godly the undertaking to change may be. That is why we must find a new way. By the mind in faith of what we actually are in God's sight "That the life of Jesus might be manifest in our mortal flesh" 2 Cor. 4:11.

     When our purposeful effort finely fails and we realize it we then have the open door of faith to walk through as the alternative. That is why the Lord has left us subject to the self, the world and the tempter; so that we might gain experience as to our condition realizing our utter weakness and by our eventual despair the Spirit is thus encouraging our turning to His Words admonitions toward faith in a new heavenly life found wholly in Christ as the true definition of our Christianity. "For you have died [with Christ] and your life [new creation spirit] is hid [entirely seen in Christ by God] with Christ in God" Col. 3:3.

     Of course we must know what He has said about faith to live this new life. To be above our flesh condition. How faith may grow, and just what it is in God's mind that He expects, regarding our responsibility toward faith. Just bible study/training will not do it however, nor going to church. If that worked we would all be spiritual giants. First and foremost we must lose the man of sin we are to death, a biblical mandate; this comes by despair and a attitude of death toward him [the natural life] as the bible states we must. "Stand fast in the freedom which Christ has given us" Gal. 5:1.

   Then comes the knowledge of the Word, or just what it is Christ Jesus has accomplished in our stead by His death for it's application to our new creation life by faith. This of course all takes place in the mind. Once our thoughts are changed to God's thought of us in Christ then comes a unquenchable desire or a devotion to His ways, not by performance but faith; in our seeking that new spiritual faith identification which He has awarded us in His Son. Which we must pursue with all our heart. Then by His Spirit will the Words of the new creation life be revealed to us. All based upon the abject failure of self experience as the driving force. "We all with unveiled face [no law or obligations] beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are changed [by faith's power] into the same image from glory to glory [a process] even by the Spirit [not our efforts] of the Lord" 2 Cor. 3:18.

     The Holy Spirit will supply all that is needed of God and His life in our walk on earth. This is all realized in the death of the old Adam man to despair as one who can offer any hope what so ever as to accomplishing our Christian life. Hence the discovery of the new man of faith who has all hope. This life is lived out not by our efforts to serve but by our submission to His sovereignty. A faithful response to the biblical fact as presented by Paul that we are indeed all new and that we are viewed entirely in just that new identification by God when He embraces His Son's presence in Heaven. Jesus a Man in the flesh representing us there Him being all that we are to the Father. Essentially and basically this is all one needs to know to establish their Christian identity. Of course much more is required to live actively in its freedom and joy! "My grace suffices for you, for power matures in weakness" 2 Cor. 12:9, Wey.

      However almost every believer makes the same mistake as the Galatian Christians. Very few learn at conversion that it is only by faith that we stand, and walk, and live. Most have no conception of the meaning of the word faith, therefore they do not know the freedom Christ by grace has brought them into!

      So just what is it we must know or do not know? Today the totality of the essence of biblical faith is often not taught, nor clearly presented. How is this know to be true? It is evident by the continued exhortations of our leaders for us to live as a Christians: pray more, study more, hear more sermons on the meaning and working out of the Christian life and even a emphasis to be enthusiastic when calling upon the Lord as a proof of spirit by some. We are often encouraged to think what would Jesus do in a given situation, simply be more Christ like. This all sounds good, but His life is impossible to replicate in the natural. He lives His life through us as we succumb to the realization that our existence is in Spirit and is indeed heavenly and that He is faiths object there! All things of God's' life follow that truth. "He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him 2 Cor. 5:15.

     Is our Christian life really just a pattern we have fallen into, a sort of learned experience we have gained comfort in, encouraged by the organized church? Is this what the Christian life is really about? Is the Christian life simply encouraging us to be happy imitating Christ, or feeling good in our hope for heaven, learning and memorizing bible verses, joining home groups or being active and excited with emotional goose bumps as the sign the Holy Spirit is near when singing contemporary worship songs. Not all bad things in themselves or even necessarily un-Christian yet heaven has forbid these things as our defining stature. Because imitation and experiences, even biblical intellectualism as the main criteria turns our focus toward self. Which is just the opposite of what God wishes for us according to His Word! "Not I but Christ" Gal. 2:20.

   Well with all this talk of faith we need to define it. Of cource the bible does just that when the Holy Spirit said; "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the evidence/substance/conviction of things not seen" Heb. 11:1. Lets break that down a little. There are four aspects of biblical faith according to the Word when translated from the original Greek: 1. its essence, it comes from God, not us, it has nothing to due with us in its essence, faith is a gift from God, in fact is a attribute of God. 2. Scripture refers to THE FAITH as a definite article, not your faith. So God presents faith as a reality a fact, again we have no part in this aspect of faith. 3. Faith as personal, this is our part and is very important, the term in scripture when used in the personal tense connotes trust, dependence and reliance. So if we believe and have biblical knowledge that faith is from God defining our Christianity, and is a reality or fact, then surely we can rest in total reliance upon it for our Christian lives! 4. Faith as a principal displayed in the original language in scripture as such. There faith is referred to as the law of faith.

   This forth aspect of faith is the overriding reality of what faith does or its consequences, like the law of thermodynamics or any other physical law; it is a fact, its results are sure and always the same, never varying. In other words for those who trust God they will experience His essence in faith, the reality of faith. And also may completely depend upon its power and rest in faith's truths. Just as it is stated in the bible in regards to our identification and position and very life as being heavenly, spiritual, "Hid in Christ". All to be lived out in total reliance upon God's gift given in grace, recognized by faith. Thereby we reap it's fruit, which is God's love and can by doing so enjoy the freedom of true biblical Christianity which glorifies Him.