9.42 Jesus the author and finisher of our faith
Today, we talk about the well known Hebrews Chp 11 – faith’s hall of fame. The chapter highlights many great men of faith in the Old Covenant. Some of the names include Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. They had faith in God and they believed God for the promise. But they did not receive the promise of Christ. We have that privilege. We have something better.
(Hebrews 11:39-40)
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
When Jesus came, He brought us into a different dimension of faith. It is a faith that comes through the person and the finished work of Christ. It is not just having faith in God. It is having the faith of God. Paul talks about living by the faith of the Son of God – not by his own faith.
(Gal 2:20, KJV)
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Jesus came to live within us. We can depend on His faith working in us and through us. The next verse tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. For us in the New Covenant, faith started when Jesus came to live in us.
(Hebrews 12:1-2)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Old Testament saints had faith and were commended for it. But today, we get to experience a higher dimension of faith that came through Jesus. When Jesus was on this earth, He often chided His disciples for the lack of faith. The disciples had to muster their faith.
But in the Epistles, we don’t find God chiding the disciples for the lack of faith. In fact, it keeps reinforcing to the disciples that they have faith. For example, Romans 12:3 says that God has given to each one a measure of faith. Today, you have faith. You don’t have to struggle. Faith is a person who lives in you. His name is Jesus. Open your heart to Him and let faith flow.
(Hebrews 11:39-40)
And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
When Jesus came, He brought us into a different dimension of faith. It is a faith that comes through the person and the finished work of Christ. It is not just having faith in God. It is having the faith of God. Paul talks about living by the faith of the Son of God – not by his own faith.
(Gal 2:20, KJV)
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the FAITH OF THE SON OF GOD, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Jesus came to live within us. We can depend on His faith working in us and through us. The next verse tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. For us in the New Covenant, faith started when Jesus came to live in us.
(Hebrews 12:1-2)
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Old Testament saints had faith and were commended for it. But today, we get to experience a higher dimension of faith that came through Jesus. When Jesus was on this earth, He often chided His disciples for the lack of faith. The disciples had to muster their faith.
But in the Epistles, we don’t find God chiding the disciples for the lack of faith. In fact, it keeps reinforcing to the disciples that they have faith. For example, Romans 12:3 says that God has given to each one a measure of faith. Today, you have faith. You don’t have to struggle. Faith is a person who lives in you. His name is Jesus. Open your heart to Him and let faith flow.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 1:10 AM
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