Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is one of those words the religious people twist to support their doctrine. The catholic church system always talks about the catholic faith like their doctrine is the savior and you need to follow them. All churches do this to a point they make it about attending their church paying your tithes and to varying degrees, trying to be a good person.
The modern saved by grace (once saved always saved) doctrine makes it about grace as if it is a license to sin. And that faith is in what this man Jesus did on the cross, he said “it is finished” so they twist it to mean you do not have to do anything because he did it all. However there is no part of scripture which says this at all, or even comes close to supporting this doctrine.
It is interesting because when I have discussions with people about beliefs and their theology. I hear them quoting certain verses and in their mind it supports their position or doctrine. However I chuckle inside because when they are quoting them, it completely supports what the Lord has shown me, which is different than their doctrine. The reason is because of how people twist words, or make up a new definition for the words to support what they want to tell you. And biblically speaking this is an indication of the end of times. What you must remember is this doctrine of grace and OSAS is new doctrine, it started in the late 1,800’s with a preacher named Johnny Sunday. So for 1,800 plus years that was not the message nor was it of the original church established by Yeshua and built on Peter. It is not the same doctrine Paul taught even though these men quote Paul’s writings as if it is exactly what he is saying, ignoring more than half of the things he wrote. It is worse with Johns letters, they really quote on verse, 1 John 1:8 “ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” And they ignore the verse right before it which says “ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Making it clear he will cleanse us (which means the sin is gone not covered up). And the verse after “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Look at it close, read it in the Spirit. John is simply saying that those of you who tell me you are good and do not sin but do not have the Spirit, you are a liar and the truth is not in you. But if you confess your sin, the Holy Spirit will cleanse you of it (so you do it no more) and walk in righteousness. This is why all of the third chapter talks boldly about how you will not sin because you cannot because the seed of God is in you and if you do sin it is because you are of the devil, not of God.
But those verses do not really work out well in the OSAS grace doctrine, so they ignore it and make faith about following their god who is too small to be able to set you free from sin. Actually their god does not exist, not in name or omnipotence power. The real name of the son of God is Yeshua the Messiah, not Jesus christ. And he is more than powerful enough to be able to call off the dogs (satan and the demons) to keep you from sinning. His truth and power is more than sufficient. Yet the preachers today tell us he is not by the doctrine they tell us about. We must follow Yeshua in order to be saved and faith in Yeshua is more about Love his Love not your idea of love.
Yeshua said “if you love me keep my commandments.” John 14:15 He is not speaking of the 10 commandments, he is speaking of hearing him and obeying him. From the beginning that was the message, hear my voice and obey me and all will be good for you, if you do not hear and obey it will be really bad for you. I am not the smartest guy in the world, but I get that, and obey him, not the world and men teachers. And so the men teachers do not understand me nor like me exactly like it was with Yeshua.
God is to be feared; he can throw your soul in hell and kill you. We fear men instead who can kill you (but only if the Lord allows it). But men cannot throw you into hell. I fear the Lord but the perfect love which comes from perfect love which is the hearing and obeying or keeping his commands drives out that fear. Let that sink in!
My fear is in knowing if I do things my own way, it will not come out good for me or anyone else and it puts me back in the world and death or eternity separated from him. Only by being one with Yeshua who is one with the Father. Can I be right with him and not fear my eternal salvation nor anything man can do to me.
So you see, my faith is the faith God expects, and not man made. So when you talk to me about bible verses thinking you are speaking truth when it is a lie because you do not know Yeshua as your teacher. And the message you are giving with your quoted verses is telling me a different story, one that lines up with the doctrine the Lord Yeshua taught me. Because he is to be our teacher, see Matthew 23. YOu are supporting your doctrine in your mind because of how it was taught to you, but in reality you are condemning yourself, because Yeshua will hold you accountable for following the wrong doctrine and ignoring him and the Holy Spirit. Read John 3:19-21 about the condemnation which is ignoring the light and remaining in the dark. The second verse which makes it clear is where Yeshua says in Matthew 7:23 “‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”
In the end the one message the Lord keeps telling me over and over which I repeat over and over to anyone listening. “Hear the Lord and Obey him.” He will do the rest. And do not lean on the lie that you cannot hear him anymore, that he does not speak to anyone anymore. Because he does!