Quite frankly, my personal faith for most of my life was not authored by Jesus, much less finished. My faith was authored by the denomination that I grew up in. It was a faith in a decision I had been encouraged to make.
“God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them…through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.” (2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 1:20)
There seems to be little “peace” within evangelical Christianity, especially between those who differ on doctrine. They do not believe that the "blood of his cross" has reconciled the world to God. They are ever creating new programs and plans to get members on fire to go save the lost, and when they do not, guilt comes, peace is nowhere to be found, and after a while of resting, begin to create another program to save the lost – thus continuing the cycle of guilt.
This has been going on for hundreds of years. That is not all bad I suppose. God has clearly allowed it, and he gives a temporary gladness to those who participate from time to time and see some results of the effort. But that gladness resembles pride, not humility. At least that is what it did for me when I used to be involved – but it was a temporary gladness, and there was some pride for my effort.
But it is not faith in our programs to save sinners that will eventually save and justify us. We sinners are “proud” ones, often referring to one another as saints, and the more righteous we think we are, the prouder we become, proving our “soul is not right within".
Jesus is the “author and finisher” of the faith that will make us righteous - it is HIS faith, not ours, and he will freely give it to all eventually. And lest we cannot distinguish between the two, he gives proud self-righteous folks a “measure" to determine if our faith is in him, or the doctrines of the church…
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure (measuring stick) of faith.” (Romans 12:3)
The Greek word for “measure” above refers to the measuring rod, like a tape measure. Pride is the measuring stick God gives to determine whether our faith is in our own acts, or in the faith OF our Savior Jesus.
So if you think you have great faith, and that faith has saved you, chances are you think of yourself “more highly” than you ought to…I know I once did, and sometimes still do. That measuring rod of pride will tell you about your faith – the more pride you have in the decisions you made and the works you do, the less you have of Jesus's faith.
Sinners have no hope but in the grace and mercy of God to justify them by the faith OF Jesus, not our own faith IN Jesus…
“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:11-14)
Permit me to paraphrase this in my own words and experience…
The evangelist stood and prayed “Father, in Jesus name I come before you in this your house, thanking you for saving my soul when you led me to confess my sin, join the church, be baptized, participate in the Lord’s supper, bring my family to church every time the doors are open, teach Sunday School, preach the gospel, tithe of my income and more, and do my best to stay out of worldly places and live a good life. And now I pray for Robert that he would come back to Church, confess his sin, and become the righteous person he once was before he went back into the world”. Meanwhile Robert is at home getting ready to go to the golf course to enjoy some time with his son, and before he leaves, he kisses his wife, the love of his life, and says quietly to God, “thank you for my family and for being merciful to us, the sinners.”
My aversion to pride will not let me finish the paraphrase so I will leave it there.
So if you don’t think you have much faith, it is probably a good thing. But you will have the same faith Jesus has one day for he has promised to “author” and “finish” your faith, and like Jesus, you will then be just and live righteously for the ages of the ages. For most, if not all of us, that finishing will come after this age when we are resurrected in his image, immortal and full of abundant life…thanking God continuously “for his indescribable gift”.
Don’t be discouraged if you have no faith, or are considered to have none by those who think they do. It is just that Jesus has not authored it for you yet, but he will both author and finish it. It may or may not be authored by Jesus in this life, but it will be finished in the next. For now, if we come to have it in this present evil age, our efforts should be to enrich those around us, incompetent as we or they may now be…
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:10-15)
Sinners have no hope but in the grace and mercy of God to justify them by the faith OF Jesus, not our own faith IN Jesus…
“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:11-14)
Permit me to paraphrase this in my own words and experience…
The evangelist stood and prayed “Father, in Jesus name I come before you in this your house, thanking you for saving my soul when you led me to confess my sin, join the church, be baptized, participate in the Lord’s supper, bring my family to church every time the doors are open, teach Sunday School, preach the gospel, tithe of my income and more, and do my best to stay out of worldly places and live a good life. And now I pray for Robert that he would come back to Church, confess his sin, and become the righteous person he once was before he went back into the world”. Meanwhile Robert is at home getting ready to go to the golf course to enjoy some time with his son, and before he leaves, he kisses his wife, the love of his life, and says quietly to God, “thank you for my family and for being merciful to us, the sinners.”
My aversion to pride will not let me finish the paraphrase so I will leave it there.
So if you don’t think you have much faith, it is probably a good thing. But you will have the same faith Jesus has one day for he has promised to “author” and “finish” your faith, and like Jesus, you will then be just and live righteously for the ages of the ages. For most, if not all of us, that finishing will come after this age when we are resurrected in his image, immortal and full of abundant life…thanking God continuously “for his indescribable gift”.
Don’t be discouraged if you have no faith, or are considered to have none by those who think they do. It is just that Jesus has not authored it for you yet, but he will both author and finish it. It may or may not be authored by Jesus in this life, but it will be finished in the next. For now, if we come to have it in this present evil age, our efforts should be to enrich those around us, incompetent as we or they may now be…
“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:10-15)