Genuine Saving Faith

Faith
What is faith? The dictionary says that faith is a belief in something, but is that really all our faith is? In James, it is written that even the demons believe in God, they simply reject him out of hate and their own free will.

"You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe and shudder." (James 2:19).

Is simple belief enough if even demons, God's sworn enemies, possess it? The Bible says no, simple belief is nothing without acceptance of Christ and repentance of sins. Belief does not become faith until one recognizes that God is sovereign, that he is the only way to heaven, and that he is completely in control of all life.

"By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." (Hebrews 11:3)

A Breakdown of Faith
In short, faith is the solid and uncompromising understanding that humans are sinful and that they need a Savior, Jesus Christ. To pursue faith one must accept Jesus and repent, but how can a person be sure that they have faith? Is doing good things and going to church enough to save, enough to slip someone into heaven? The answer is no. Humans cannot save themselves, for if we could there would be no need for a Savior. If humans could save themselves, then Jesus died in vain.

"Because by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes only the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

"For we maintain that man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law." (Romans 3:28).

"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned." (Romans 5:12).

Works come from faith, not the other way around, and though they're a good indicator of strong faith, works are not a replacement for belief and acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Quick Lists
If one has strong faith, then certain attributes will follow, but not all good attributes indicate faith.

This is a list of qualities that neither prove nor disprove faith. Attributes that, contrary to popular opinion, are not substitutes for faith.

A. Visible Morality - Matthew 19:16-21, 23-27

B. Intellectual Knowledge - Romans 1:12, 2:17

C. Religious Involvement - Matthew 25:1-10

D. Active Ministry - Matthew 7:21-24

E. Conviction of Sin - Acts 24:25

F. Assurance - Matthew 23

G. Time of Decision - Luke 8:13-14

This second list, however, is a list of all the attributes that do indicate authentic faith.

A. Love for God - Psalms 42:1, 73:25; Luke 10:27; Romans 8:7

B. Repentance from sin - Psalms 32:5; Proverbs 28:13; Romans 7:14; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 1:8-10

C. Genuine Humility - Psalms 51:17; Matthew 5:1-12; James 4:6,9

D. Devotion to God's Glory - Psalms 105:3, 115:1; Isaiah 43:7, 48:10; Jeremiah 9:23-24; 1 Corinthians 10:31

E. Continual Prayer - Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; James 5:16-18

F. Selfless Love - 1 John 2:9, 3:14, 4:7

G. Separation from the World - 1 Corinthians 2:12; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17, 5:5

H. Spiritual Growth - Luke 8:15; John 15:1-6; Ephesians 4:12-16

I. Obedient Living - Matthew 7:21; John 15:14; Romans 16:26; 1 Peter 1:2,22; 1 John 2:3-5

J. Hunger for God's Word - 1 Peter 2:1-3

K. Transformation of Life - 2 Corinthians 5:17


If you are reading through these lists and find that list one is true but list two is false in any place, then there is cause to question the validity of your faith. Also, one should find that if list two is true, list one is true as well.

How we Act
If one claims to have solid faith, then there is a certain way that they should act in regard to the standards that Jesus has set for all believers. If one truly believes the gospel and its truth, then they should strive to live in a way that continually brings God honor and praise. Listed below is the conduct of the gospel, the way that one should act if they honestly wish to honor God.

A. Proclaim it - "Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people" (Matthew 4:23).

B. Defend it - "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." (Jude 3).

C. Demonstrate it - "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear that you are standing firm in one spirit with, one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27).

D. Share it - "...always offering prayer with joy in my prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:4-5).

E. Suffer for it - "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God." (2 Timothy 1:8)

F. Don't hinder it - "If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ." (1 Corinthians 9:12).

G. Be not ashamed - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to anyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16).

H. Preach it - "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel." (1 Corinthians 9:16).

I. Be empowered - "...for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proven to be among you for your sake." (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

J. Guard it - "I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" (Galatians 1:6-8).

Be strong in God and carry on.
Love always,
Hannah

Do You Know The Truth?

Hello friends, welcome to the highly anticipated grand re-opening of the XLM Girl's Blog! As you may or may not know, this blog was formerly run by Staci, but now that she's moved away the blog is being taken over by me, Hannah. Check the bottom of the post for more notes and info, but without further ado:

Do You Know the Truth?

Before we dive into the deep wells of theology and sift through difficult Bible teachings, there is one essential piece of knowledge that we all must possess. This knowledge is the knowledge of God. Before we crack the codes of scripture we must be firmly planted in the knowledge of God, for in order to know who you are you must know whose you are.

"For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die we are the Lord's." (Romans 14:7-8).

It is essential to understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is the Savior; the only way to heaven, and if you don't know what will happen to you when you die, it is imperative that you stop what you're doing and find the truth. There is a definite truth in this world and you positively owe it to yourself to use the one life you've been given to find it. There is hope that can be found in truth. There is comfort that can be found in truth. The truth offers rest. I've found the truth; have you?

A Breakdown of the Gospel

God cannot be with sin, but man is sinful. There is a gap between man and God, and as much as man tries he cannot bridge that gap. Every world religion says that man can do something to get to God but that is a lie. Man is granted grace and salvation through faith alone.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not a result of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).

God owed man nothing, but out of His purpose He granted grace and mercy to those He chose to save; those who accept his free gift of salvation. Since God cannot be with sin there must be payment for transgressions, therefore God sent His only son Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for all sins past and future. Jesus lived a perfect life and died a sinner's death so that he could be the ultimate payment for every sin once and for all. Jesus bore the sins and died on a cross, but the story doesn't end there. Jesus conquered sin, conquered death, and rose again on the third day to sit in his rightful place at the right hand of God, His Father. This is why we praise Him, we praise Jesus because He saved us from eternal suffering.

"To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, authority, before all time now and forever. Amen." (Jude 19:25).

This is why we believe in Jesus, He is apparent in everyday life, He works in life changing ways, He is the logical and undeniable truth.

The Short of It

Jesus is the truth, the only way to Heaven, and if you don't fully believe that then Heaven's not where you'll end up. It's a harsh truth that not everyone ends up in Heaven, but what authority could God possibly have if even those who scorn His name end up in His paradise?

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this we will also reap. For the one who sows his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." (Galatians 6:7-8).

The reality of life and death is that some people will not come to accept and believe in Jesus, but you can. When you discover the truth, there's one less person falling for the lie, one less person displaying their ignorance; all you have to do is accept Jesus and confess that He is the only truth and the only salvation, and out of that you will be transformed and will be hungry to live in such a way that will bring him honor and glory. As for me, I'm living in the light.
Do you know the truth?

Food for Thought
*2 Peter 2:4-10
*Habakkuk 2:18-20
*Nahum 1:3 & 1:9

**Start up info: the blog will be posted every Friday afternoon (unless otherwise stated). If you have a topic that you would really like for me to cover please let me know and I'll definitely look into it, just message me on facebook, send an email, leave a comment, etc etc. Thanks for reading.
Love always,
Hannah

What is your part?

Good morning lovely girls!

Last Sunday morning and last night at Vertical Point, Lane re-introduced our student ministry's mission statement and why our church exists. He also reviewed different ways to reach, grow, and serve within our student ministry As most of us broke out into our small groups last night, there were 2 questions that were asked for discussion.
1) What is your part?
2) Who will you bring along in the journey?

I would LOVE to hear some feedback from you all on what your answers were? Or maybe some awesome things you learned from discussion last night!
Be encouraged that you all are loved and prayed for today.

Thankful for MLK Day?

Hey girls! I reminded you all yesterday about the update of our blog, so here we go!

I know you all are probably enjoying your day considering you were all out of school for MLK Day. You got to sleep in, eat a late breakfast, watch your favorite t.v. shows, spend time with friends, etc ... right?
Well--if you find boredom at any point in your day today, or if you can just carve out about 15 minutes to open up God's word for some encouragement and growth, let's do it! It's so important!

I was just thinking through ways to encourage you all and what scripture verse I wanted to use today, and I came across 1 Peter 4:10 and it says "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in various forms."
I love that passage, because I know that God has created each of you differently, therefore, blessing you each with a different gift to use.
Some of us have a gift of encouragement, a gift of service, a gift of hospitality, a gift of teaching, etc ... If you want to read further about the different spiritual gifts, turn to Galatians 5:22-26.
It's an incredible passage!
As believers, we are all one body of Christ. Therefore, each part of the "body" should have a different gift or responsibility to serve God in His Kingdom. I know many of you have INCREDIBLE gifts, I have seen them and heard them. Some of you have beautiful singing voices, play instruments, help out in the nursery, sing in the choir, help assist in a small group, serve within the community, etc. There are many ways to be used by God, so I want to encourage you today and this week, in reference to the passage in 1 Peter, to use your gifts: within your family at home, group of friends at school, or up at the church; whatever the circumstance.
Would love to hear some feedback on what you feel your gift is or maybe ways you have or will use your gifts! :)
Love you all ... Staci

PHILIPPIANS!

Good afternoon girls!
Last night I was reading in Philippians and thought that this would be a great book to go through with you girls. My thoughts are that for the next few weeks, we will cover all 4 chapters in Philippians. Lately, my posts have been random and not consistent, but this will be consistent.
If you are struggling with searching for material for a "quiet time," let this be a guide for you, if you choose. I would really encourage you all to make time each day to spend time reading God's word. If you want to hear from God, you have to make time to hear Him speak.
I hope you are excited!!! Philippians is an amazing book that overflows with joy and thanksgiving! So, go grab your bibles out of your rooms, along with a notebook and pen, and open it up to Philippians! (Toward the very end of your Bible, in the New Testament)

Just a little background on Philippians: (I hope you are taking notes!) :)
-Paul wrote this letter from prison in Rome to the church in Philippi to thank them for a gift. Paul is learning to be content in any situation. Wanting the Christians in Philippi to be unified, he challenged them to be servants just as Jesus was when he "made himself nothing" and became a man rather than clinging to the rights of his divine nature.

Chapter 1 of Philippians: Paul is urging the Philippians to stand firm in adversity by looking to joy in the gospel. (Make sure you read through Ch. 1 first, and then come back and read through the summary to make sure you are grasping the meaning.) Today we will focus on Ch. 1:1-11

Ch. 1:1-2 (Greetings from Paul and Timothy) This letter is sent to the Christians (Saints) in Philippi.

v. 3-11 Thanksgiving and Prayer:

1. His thanksgiving for them (3-8)
       a. That every thought, every request in their behalf, is one
          of joy (3-4)
       b. For their fellowship in the gospel from the very first day
          (5)
       c. He is confident that God will complete the work begun in
          them, for they have shared with him in his chains and the
          proclamation of the gospel (6-7)
       d. God is his witness to how much he longs for them with the
          love of Jesus (8)
    2. His prayer for them (9-11)
       a. That their love abounds in knowledge and all discernment (9)
       b. That they approve the things that are excellent (10a)
       c. That they be sincere and without offense till Christ
          returns (10b)
       d. That they be filled with the fruits of righteousness (11)
          1) Made possible by Jesus Christ (11a)
          2) To the glory and praise of God (11b)

How do you apply this:

1) What Godly encouragement can you offer other Christians?
2) What prayer of thanksgiving can you offer for your church today?

Let's share!

Hi girls! I apologize it has been a while since I have posted anything. I was in Chicago visiting some friends, and am now back into the groove of connecting back with you all!
I have been thinking back on the incredible things the Lord has done over the summer, and just recently (and is doing) in the student ministry here at CBC, and in our lives individually. My thoughts and prayers are always that you do not forget the changes you each have chosen to take in your life in order to glorify the Lord more in your lives.
As you think back over New Camp, our service project days, the DC mission trip, and now Summit Lake, I would like for each of you to take a moment and remember what the Lord has taught you over the last few months. If you feel comfortable, let's share memories and life changes the Lord has led you to recently. I would love to hear and I know it would be encouraging for each of you to read from others how God is at work! Remember, all you have to do is click "comment" below. Can't wait to hear from you all! Don't leave me hanging! :)

Keep at it!

Good morning/afternoon/evening girls!!!

Most all of you girls attended "Summit Lake" (Fall Retreat) this past weekend. Our theme was "Awaken," and Lane did a wonderful job speaking about the idols in our lives that we need to get rid of in order to allow Christ to work in our lives.
I am so encouraged by reading all of your "notes" on facebook, seeing pictures from the weekend, and uplifting comments to one another. These very things are called fellowship with other believers! Isn't is wonderful to know you can trust your Christian friends to pray for you, listen, and encourage you?
Something I want to encourage you all in quickly, is not to lose this excitement of what the Lord spoke to you about this past weekend! Many of you were sad the weekend was over because of the amazing things God spoke to you about and how He worked in your lives . . .but see, this is where you put what you learned to action. I know many of you are facing difficult times right now; hard times in school, difficult family situations, acceptance of friends, self-acceptance, and so forth. Take what you learned this weekend, and apply it today! As you walk into the halls of your school, remember how evident the Lord was to you this weekend.
What idols in your life did you do away with? Were you able to recognize them? I want to encourage you today to be the light of Christ to your fellow students at school today who may not know the God we know. I am praying for you each by name.
Here is a scripture passage for you to read: 1 John 1: 5-10
Feel free to leave me a comment!