Is It Faith or Unbelief?

Is It Faith or Unbelief?

A wide-spread message by many of those who call on the name of the Lord is this: “We must not look at ourselves (or the church), but only at Jesus.”

They say this when they see or hear something mentioned of their own or the church’s folly.

Whatever is of faith is from God. Unbelief is from Satan. What, then, is the above-mentioned? Or: Why did Jesus come? Did He come to whitewash our folly? This is what the false prophets are doing. This is what the hirelings are doing, those who seek sordid gain and the honor of men. Didn’t Jesus come for this very reason: namely, to consecrate a way for us out of folly? Has He not done that?

Shall we not take heed to ourselves for this very reason—to discover the things that are impure so we can be cleansed from them? Surely that is the way! “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine . . . .” 1 Tim. 4:16. Why shall we do that? To compare these two things: our life and the doctrine of Christ—to see if they are in complete harmony with one another. If not, then we look to Jesus who has compassion with our weaknesses and who has gone on the way before us. We believe Him, and He gives us such grace that we, through this grace, can purify ourselves in our inner man so that we can live to His pleasure in all things and be useful in the church.

The intention is that we, point for point, shall judge ourselves, putting to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit. However, how can you judge something you do not see or know about? And how can you see it when you close your eyes to it? Then you are going in the exact opposite direction, and you will remain in your folly instead of being saved from it!