Faith of a Child; Romans 7-9

May the mumbling commence!

George Michael once sang a song called “Faith”.  “You gotta have faith-a-faith-faith-a!  Baby!”  Indeed, faith and love at the purest levels seem to be the territory of children.  Do not forget what Jesus has said, “Unless you come with the faith of the child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

As George Michael’s song says, “We wait for something more.”  We expect more to be required.  We think of the good works that God created us for – so that we can show love to our Creator and to all creation.  But these good works are built upon the solid foundation of the love and faith of God.  When we display faith and love, we show how we most accurately reflect the image of God.

Faith and love are the only responses truly needed to be saved – faith in love in Christ Jesus.  If we accept anything else, it is a lie.  If we accept anything else, we will stumble and fall.  Or we will be crushed.  Read from Romans chapter nine:

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.  Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone."  As it is written:

"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble

and a rock that makes them fall,

and the one who trusts in him

will never be put to shame."  (Verses 30-33)

Israel was in hot pursuit of works for salvation through obeying the Law.  Instead, they should have been in hot pursuit of faith and love and peace.  These things would have led them to obedience to the Law – at least in part.  I guess the question is like the chicken and the egg.  Which came first? 

Well, which came first the Law or faith?  Paul makes a concerted effort in Romans to prove beyond a doubt that faith came first.  Without faith, we cannot please God.  And we were made to please God.  That is our highest purpose.  Faith is our only source of salvation.

Then, when we have faith, we act on that faith.  We act on that faith and show obedience to the Lord Jesus.  But our actions do not save us.  Our actions are a response of thanksgiving and praise.  Our works are important in the sense of an appropriate response to God’s mercy and grace.

If we try to twist these two things around – having works bring about our salvation rather than faith – we will stumble and fall.  We will be crushed under the weight of the Law.  We will be denying our need for the sacrifice of Christ’s life.  Outside of Christ, we will be judged by the Law.  We will be found guilty.  And we will perish.

No, Paul tells us.  Put your trust, your faith, in Christ Jesus.  If you put your faith in Christ, you will never be ashamed.

Yes, “We gotta have faith!”

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out