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The Reformation Herald Online Edition

The Faith of Jesus

Editorial
Journey of Faith
Journey of Faith

Faith is an essential element in our acceptance before the Lord, in our justification, our sanctification, and our eternal life. That is the reason why Satan has worked hard to make confusion, creating a cheap imitation of this powerful weapon given by the Lord to His children.

The Bible reveals that we are “justified by faith” (Romans 5:1). More than that, Paul declares that “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). And Hebrews 11 gives us a great list of faithful servants of God who gained victory over their enemies through faith.

James makes clear that there is a big difference between true faith—the faith that works by love and purifies the soul—and “dead faith” which is none other than a falsification of faith.

Christ is declared to be the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). We need to look to Him, considering His perfect life on the earth during His mission, His death on the cross in our stead, His resurrection, His intercession in our behalf in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary, and His soon coming to this earth to take His faithful children to the eternal home.

In this issue of the Reformation Herald, our readers will make a wonderful trip back in Bible history, studying the experience of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and other heroes whose lives are registered in the Holy Book as powerful inspiration to all of us who are living in these perilous times.

Faith is God’s gift that is developed by studying His word and keeping a vital connection with the Lord by prayer and a life of obedience to His teachings.

Christ, besides being our Saviour, became our greatest pattern in faith. He also was an overcomer in our behalf though faith. He never neglected His communion with the Father.

“To the consecrated worker there is wonderful consolation in the knowledge that even Christ during His life on earth sought His Father daily for fresh supplies of needed grace; and from this communion with God He went forth to strengthen and bless others. Behold the Son of God bowed in prayer to His Father. Though He is the Son of God, He strengthens His faith by prayer, and by communion with heaven gathers to Himself power to resist evil and to minister to the needs of men. As the Elder Brother of our race He knows the necessities of those who, compassed with infirmity and living in a world of sin and temptation, still desire to serve Him. He knows that the messengers whom He sees fit to send are weak, erring men; but to all who give themselves wholly to His service He promises divine aid. His own example is an assurance that earnest, persevering supplication to God in faith—faith that leads to entire dependence upon God, and unreserved consecration to His work—will avail to bring to men the Holy Spirit’s aid in the battle against sin.”1

Especially now, when our Intercessor is almost finishing His work in the heavenly sanctuary, we need to keep looking to Him as our only hope in this life and the life to come.

Difficult times are ahead of us, and we need a strong faith today to face the future. Habakkuk gives a vision of the crisis that God’s people will overcome before the second coming of Christ.

“Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places” (3:17–19).

Reference
1 The Acts of the Apostles, p. 56.