What Does Faith Say?

What Does Faith Say?

“But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, ‘“Who will ascend into heaven?”’ (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, ‘“Who will descend into the abyss?”’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, even in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Unbelief also speaks. It says: “Who will ascend into heaven to bring Christ down from above, or who will descend into the abyss to bring Christ up from the dead?” Jesus is far away from the unbelievers. They seek to find Him in their emotions and through signs and wonders. Such people will never find Him, but they will be deceived by their emotions and by signs and wonders. 2 Thess. 2:9-12.

Jesus said, “Sacrifice and offerings You did not desire . . . . Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.’” Heb. 10:5-7.

Jesus had contact with the Father through the Word which He read in the volume of the book. There He found God’s will, and He is the author and finisher of our faith. Heb. 12:2. He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Heb. 5:8-9.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1, 14.

Here we can see the result Jesus came to as the author and finisher of our faith. Through obedience to the written Word, He attained to the fullness of God so He could say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” Col. 1:19; John 14:9.

We will also find Jesus in the same way, and we will also partake of His fullness through obedience. That is the way of faith for which Paul had received the apostleship to work the obedience of faith among all nations, to the glory of His name. Rom. 1:5.

Therefore you need not strive to find Jesus or to come into contact with Him. You will come into contact with Him through faith and by obedience to the Word you read in the Bible.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . .” Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so He who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” John 6:54-57.

Eating His flesh and drinking His blood is the same as obeying His Word and thereby having fellowship in His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Phil. 3:10. In this way we attain to the righteousness of God by faith, as it is written: “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” 1 John 3:7.