The Way of Faith

The Way of Faith

“It is impossible to fully believe in God and at the same time expect to understand everything He does in our lives. We preach the way of faith!” This is what Kåre J. Smith said in a message at the 2025 Easter Conference. Based on this statement, we understand that it is vitally important to come to a living faith in God’s election and plans specifically for me, and to be preserved in faith through all of life’s various phases and trials. Without this faith, life can become dark and heavy, precisely because we, with our human minds, are unable to understand His ways with us. However, through faith we can repent and lay hold of a different mind and be converted from our human understanding, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. “For ‘who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?’ But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Cor. 2:16. We are very familiar with this mind from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, “. . . He humbled Himself.” So what does this mean for me in my daily life, where my understanding resists and everything at times can seem dark? What should I do now? Yes, I need to humble myself by having the same mind that my forerunner had, because in this humiliation, the judgment against Him was taken away! I am to humble myself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt me in due time, casting all my cares upon Him, for He cares for me! 1 Pet. 5:6-7. This is the way of faith. Here I melt together with the word and I gain more insight into God’s unsearchable ways, and I partake of God’s wisdom and knowledge.

“So few choose the glorious way of the cross, for all that was gain you must reckon as loss. Your all you must give, letting nothing remain. ‘Tis only through death godly life you attain.” WotL 92. May we always be found walking on this glorious way by faith, because here we have fellowship with all those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. “By faith” is how as many as 16 verses in chapter 11 of the letter to the Hebrews begin, and the same must also be able to be said about us! “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb. 11:6. The reward God gives to those who walk by faith, and the exaltation Peter refers to in his letter, is that He wants to share His own nature with us. That is truly an exaltation! In light of this, the effort seems insignificant; however, I must humble myself under God’s mighty hand and continue to do this, day after day, week after week, and year after year, in all the circumstances that life brings. When He determines the right time, that same mighty hand will also exalt me. This takes time; therefore, I need to continue on this way in faith and patience, so that I can be a joint heir to the greatest and most precious promises that He could give to mankind—divine nature!

The declaration made by Elias Aslaksen: “Faith in the word of life is the greatest power that exists in the universe” proves to have a revolutionary impact on my entire life, because by faith “Lives are transformed in a marvelous way!” [From WotL 274. “Faith turns our lives upside down in an instant!” Norw.] Someone who was previously discouraged and timid becomes empowered by faith to live an exalted and victorious life, regardless of circumstances, because the author and finisher of our faith, our precious Savior and forerunner, Jesus Christ, was Himself tempted in all points as we are, “YET WITHOUT SIN!” What a liberating gospel to have a living faith in!