How He Loves Us - David Crowder (Matt Chandler & John Piper)

"Though You Slay Me" (featuring John Piper)

Words for the Wise, Jesus, The Bread of Life, John 6 New International Version

John 6 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Jesus feeds the five thousand

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing those who were ill. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming towards him, he said to Philip, ‘Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, ‘It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!’

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’

10 Jesus said, ‘Make the people sit down.’ There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.’ 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus walks on the water

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, ‘It is I; don’t be afraid.’ 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23 Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the bread of life

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, ‘Rabbi, when did you get here?’

26 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.’

28 Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’

29 Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’

30 So they asked him, ‘What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”[c]’

32 Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’

34 ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘always give us this bread.’

35 Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.’

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, ‘I am the bread that came down from heaven.’ 42 They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven”?’

43 ‘Stop grumbling among yourselves,’ Jesus answered. 44 ‘No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: “They will all be taught by God.”[d] Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’

52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’

53 Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live for ever.’ 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many disciples desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.’

66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

67 ‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.

68 Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.’

70 Then Jesus replied, ‘Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!’ 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

The Bible Panorama

John 6

V 1–3: SIGNS AND SITTING Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee and many follow Him because of His signs in healing diseased people. After that, He goes to a mountain and takes time to sit down with His disciples. Jesus is as interested in personal time with His disciples as He is in working in the lives of others.

 V 4–14: POWER TO PROVIDE A huge crowd, including 5,000 men, are fed by the miraculous multiplying by Jesus of five loaves and two fish. All are filled. The disciples are involved in the distribution of the food and in the collection of what is left over. This sign convinces the men that Jesus is the Prophet who is to come into the world.

V 15–21: WALKING ON WATER Jesus resists the popular acclaim and goes to a mountain to be alone. His disciples start rowing to the other side of the lake, towards Capernaum. It is night and a storm arises while they are three or four miles out. Jesus walks to them on the water and assures them of who He is. When Jesus enters the boat, it immediately reaches its destination.

 V 22–42: GIVEN FROM GLORY The people, still impressed by the feeding of the huge multitude from a few loaves and fish, come to find Jesus. He warns them about seeking Him just because they are taken up too much with the miraculous feeding itself rather than with what that shows about the character and Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ, and tells them that the important thing is to believe in Him. He declares Himself as coming from heaven in just the same way as manna was given from heaven in the wilderness. He is the Bread of Life. He gives eternal life and fulfillment to those who come to Him. The Jews complain, because they recognize that He is talking about His heavenly origin and they know that He is the ‘son of Joseph’, probably remembering that Joseph was not the natural father of Jesus. They dispute that Jesus is given from glory.

 V 43–66: DIFFICULTY IN DOCTRINE Jesus teaches that those who come to Him are drawn by the Father and then develops the thought of Himself as the Bread of Life. He says no one may have everlasting life without eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The disciples are offended by this difficult saying and do not understand it. Jesus then explains that He is speaking spiritually. This is merely an illustrative parallel, and not a literal cannibalistic requirement! He is talking about spiritual faith in Christ, and stresses that it is belief that saves. (Over the years, some people have sought to support a wrong view of the meaning of holy communion from these verses, but Jesus is clearly teaching a spiritual belief in Him through a dramatic illustration. Nowhere in the Bible is it taught that the bread and the wine actually become His body and His blood. If that were a requirement for everlasting life, then all of His physical disciples would be lost because at the time they ate communion with Him, He had not even died upon the cross, and clearly His body and blood were intact.) Some go back and walk with Jesus no more when He tells them that He knows those who believe in Him, and who will betray Him.

 V 67–71: DISTINCTION IN DISCIPLES Simon Peter confesses that Jesus has the words of eternal life, and that He is ‘the Christ, the Son of the Living God’. Jesus reveals that one of the twelve is against Him but He does not reveal that his name is Judas Iscariot.

Daily Buzz LogoJ.I. Packer’s Beautiful Explanation of Salvation and Repentance, Christian Leaders

 

I remembering hearing this man of God in Ammanford,  Carmathenshire in 1991,  when some friends from Bible School and I skipped a lecture to hear him at The Calvinistic Methodist Church.

More on the Calvinistic Methodist Church

This may be the best couple paragraphs theologian J.I. Packer ever wrote:

To the question: “What must I do to be saved?“

The old gospel replies: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

To the further question: “What does it mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?”

Its reply is: It means knowing oneself to be a sinner, and Christ to have died for sinners; abandoning all self-righteousness and self-confidence, and casting oneself wholly upon him for pardon and peace; and exchanging one’s natural enmity and rebellion against God for a spirit of grateful submission to the will of Christ through the renewing of one’s heart by the Holy Ghost.

And to the further question still, “How am I to go about believing on Christ and repenting, if I have no natural ability to do these things?”

It answers: Look to Christ, speak to Christ, cry to Christ, just as you are; confess your sin, your impenitence, your unbelief, and cast yourself on his mercy; ask him to give you a new heart, working in you true repentance and firm faith; ask him to take away your evil heart of unbelief and to write his law within you, that you may never henceforth stray from him. Turn to him and trust him as best you can, and pray for grace to turn and trust more thoroughly; use the means of grace expectantly, looking to Christ to draw near to you as you seek to draw near to him; watch, pray, and read and hear God’s word, worship and commune with God’s people, and so continue till you know in yourself beyond doubt that you are indeed a changed being, a penitent believer, and the new heart which you desired has been put within you. The emphasis in this advice is on the need to call upon Christ directly, as the very first step … So do not postpone action till you think you are better, but honestly confess your badness and give yourself up here and now to the Christ who alone can make you better; and wait on him till his light rises in your soul, as scripture promises that it shall do. Anything less than this direct dealing with Christ is disobeying the gospel. Such is the exercise of spirit to which the old evangel summons its hearers. ‘l believe – help thou mine unbelief': this must become their cry.

Source: J.I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness

1 Peter 1:3-12 English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

Born Again to a Living Hope

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and enquired carefully, 11 enquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Nick Clegg Could Be Prime Minister For Month After …… Says Lib Dem Sir Nick Harvey, Huffington Post

Nick Clegg could serve as prime minister for a month after the general election until a new coalition is formed, a senior Lib Dem MP has suggested.

Former defence minister Sir Nick Harvey said unlike the 2010 coalition deal which was hammered out in just five days, any negotiations after this May's poll should take much longer.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Harvey said this would require an "interim government" to be in place while political parties haggled over the formation of a new administration.

Harvey said as the incumbent, David Cameron should remain in Downing Street until a deal was struck. But that if the Conservative leader "was so fucked off" he wanted to leave then there was "no reason" why Clegg could not fill the role - assuming of course the deputy prime minister keeps his seat.

The veteran Lib Dem MP also said it would be "much harder" for the party leadership to convince its members to vote for another coalition and said he would be "certainly willing" to argue in favour of the party staying out of power.

Harvey, who predicted Ed Miliband would wake up on 8 May with the most MPs, also said the Lib Dems could fill half its ministerial positions in a future coalition with members of the House of Lords - if the party sees its number of MPs reduced to around 30.

He was speaking to HufPost following the publication of his book, After the Rose Garden, which examines the mistakes the Lib Dems made during the 2010 negotiations with the Tories.

"I personally think that they should take at least a month," Harvey said when asked how long any negotiations should last. "And I think that what you need during the course of that month is some sort of interim government. Where you've got a prime minister and home secretary and a chancellor. And maybe a deputy prime minister. I don't think it is right to appoint a government of 121 members until such time as you have a deal. If the deal is going to take a month, you could just appoint a government of eight or ten ministers.

We Need a Revival of New Testament Love

We Need a Revival of New Testament Love

We who call ourselves Spirit-filled Christians are notorious for overusing the term "revival." If we get a standing-room-only crowd in a church for more than three nights in a row, and those people end up swooning on the floor after the altar call, we start hyping things up and comparing the meetings to the First Great Awakening.

But what exactly are the signs of a genuine move of God? Lately I've been buried in Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians to find the answer to that question. After all, one of the most explosive spiritual awakenings in history took place in the Greek city of Thessalonica. It was a headquarters of ancient paganism (and just three hours from Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods), yet when the gospel was preached there it triggered a chain reaction of miracles and mass conversions.

Words for the Wise, Partnership, Prayer and Purpose, Philemon 1 NIV (UK)

Philemon 1 New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker – ² also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier – and to the church that meets in your home:

³ Grace and peace to you^[a] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and prayer

⁴ I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, ⁵ because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. ⁶ I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. ⁷ Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.

Paul’s plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul – an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus – ¹⁰ that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus,^[b] who became my son while I was in chains. ¹¹ Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

¹² I am sending him – who is my very heart – back to you. ¹³ I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. ¹⁴ But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favour you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. ¹⁵ Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for ever – ¹⁶ no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

¹⁷ So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.¹⁸ If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back – not to mention that you owe me your very self. ²⁰ I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. ²¹ Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.

²² And one thing more: prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

²³ Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. ²⁴ And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.

²⁵ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Growing old for good, from Elim Missions

Philemon

So this incredible moving letter from Paul to Philemon calling for him to receive Onesimus not as a slave (he had left Philemon as such) but as a Christian brother also contains an interesting admission.

"I'm an old man" v9

Of course we all grow old. But we should do all we can to grow old for good.

Paul could say I'm old but:

I am someone who prays for others, v4

I have a positive outlook on life, v7

I am careful not to offend, v8

I approach in love, v9

I know hardship, v9

I am a father to the younger generation, v10

I believe in turning things round for the better, v11

I try and see the bigger picture, v15

I am willing to pay whatever it costs for the good, v18

I believe in grace, v25

Ten things that every old person could do well pursuing. Ten things that I will pursue whilst I wait to be old!

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Verses 1-7

I. In the Phlm. 1:1, 2 of the preface we have the persons from and to whom it is written, with some annexed note or title, implying somewhat of argument to the purpose of the letter.

The persons writing: Paul, the principal, who calls himself a prisoner of Jesus Christ, that is, for Jesus Christ. To be a prisoner simply is no comfort nor honour; but such as Paul was, for the faith and preaching of the gospel, this was true glory, and proper to move Phlm. upon the request made to him by such a one. A petition from one suffering for Christ and his gospel would surely be tenderly regarded by a believer and minister of Christ, especially when strengthened too with the concurrence of Timothy, one eminent in the church, sometimes called by Paul his son in the faith, but now, it is likely, grown more in years, he styles him his brother. What could be denied to two such petitioners? Paul is not slight in serving a poor convert; he gets all the additional help he can in it.

1. Here is the object of Paul’s praises and prayers for Philemon: I thank my God, making mention of thee in my prayers, Phlm. 1:4. Observe, (1.) God is the author of all the good that is in any, or that is done by them. From me is thy fruit found, Hos. 14:8. To him therefore is all the praise due. 1 Chron. 29:13, 14, But [or for] who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee, both wherewith to offer, and the will and heart to do it. On this account (says he) we thank thee our God, and praise thy glorious name. (2.) It is the privilege of good men that their praises and prayers they come to God as their God: Our God, we thank thee, said David; and I thank my God, said Paul. (3.) Our prayers and praises should be offered up to God, not for ourselves only, but for others also. Private addresses should not be altogether with a private spirit, minding our own things only, but others must be remembered by us. We must be affected with joy and thankfulness for any good in them, or done by them, or bestowed on them, as far as is known to us, and seek for them what they need. In this lies no little part of the communion of saints. Paul, in his private thanksgivings and prayers, was often particular in remembering his friends: I thank my God, making mention of thee in my prayers; sometimes it may be by name, or at least having them particularly in his thoughts; and God knows who is meant, though not named. This is a means of exercising love, and obtaining good for others. Strive with me, by your prayers to God for me, said the apostle: and what he desired for himself he surely practised on behalf of others; so should all. Pray one for another, says James, Jas. 5:16.

2. Here is the circumstance: Always making mention of thee. Always—usually, not once or twice only, but frequently. So must we remember Christian friends much and often, as their case may need, bearing them in our thoughts and upon our hearts before our God.

3. Here is the matter both of his praises and prayers, in reference to Philemon.

(1.) Of his praises. [1.] He thanks God for the love which he heard Phlm. had towards the Lord Jesus. He is to be loved as God superlatively, as his divine perfections require; and as related to us, the Lord, and our Lord, our Maker, Redeemer, and Saviour, who loved us, and gave himself for us. Paul thanks God for what he heard of this, the signal marks and expressions of it in Philemon. [2.] For his faith in Christ also. Love to Christ, and faith in him, are prime Christian graces, for which there is great ground of praise to God, where he has blessed any with them, as Rom. 1:8; I thank my God because your faith is published throughout the world; and, in reference to the Colossians (Col. 1:3, 4), We give thanks to God since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus. This is a saving grace, and the very principle of Christian life and of all good works. [3.] He praises God likewise for Philemon’s love to all the saints. These two must go together; for he who loveth him that begat must and will love those also that are begotten of him. The apostle joins them in that (Col. 1:3, 4), We give thanks to God since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints. These bear the image of Christ, which will be loved by every Christian. Different sentiments and ways in what is not essential will not make a difference of affection as to the truth, though difference in the degrees of love will be according as more or less of that image is discerned. Mere external differences are nothing here. Paul calls a poor converted slave his bowels. We must love, as God does, all saints. Paul thanked God for the good that was not only in the churches, but in the particular persons he wrote to, and though this too was known to him merely by report: Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all saints. This was what he enquired after concerning his friends, the truth, and growth, and fruitfulness of their graces, their faith in Christ, and love to him and to all the saints. Love to saints, if it be sincere, will be catholic and universal love towards all saints; but faith and love, though in the heart they are hidden things, are known by the effects of them. Therefore,

(2.) The apostle joins prayer with his praises, that the fruits of Philemon’s faith and love might be more and more conspicuous, so as that the communication of them might constrain others to the acknowledgment of all the good things that were in him and in his house towards Christ Jesus; that their light might so shine before men that they, seeing their good works, might be stirred up to imitate them, and to glorify their Father who is in heaven. Good works must be done, not of vain-glory to be seen, yet such as may be seen to God’s glory and the good of men.

4. He adds a reason, both of his prayer and his praises (Phlm. 1:7): For “we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother. The good thou hast done and still doest is abundant matter of joy and comfort to me and others, who therefore desire you may continue and abound in such good fruits more and more, to God’s honour and the credit of religion. The administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God,” 2 Cor. 9:12.

The Bible Panorama

Philemon 1

V 1–3: PEOPLE Paul, the prisoner, and Timothy, his brother in Christ, write to Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and to the church in Philemon’s house. He desires God’s grace and peace for the beloved recipients who have laboured and fought along with him in the gospel.

 V 4–7: PRAYERS Paul always thanks God for them in his prayers because of the effect of Jesus on them, causing them to share their faith effectively. Philemon also has given great joy because of his refreshing of the Christians.

V 8–16: PLEA Paul now pleads with Philemon about a runaway slave, Onesimus, who has come to faith in Christ in prison through Paul, and whom Paul regards as a spiritual son. He explains how profitable to him Onesimus has become. (His name means ‘profitable’.) He urges Philemon to accept him back as a brother in Christ, and not as a slave.

 V 17–19: PARTNER Paul speaks not from high ground as an apostle, but from level ground as a partner in Christ. He offers to pay anything to Philemon that is owing to him from Onesimus. He reminds Philemon that he, too, has come to blessing through Paul.

V 20–22: PREPARE Paul’s letter is not instead of personal contact, but to make that contact more meaningful. He asks for hospitality and for prayer that he will be able to visit Philemon soon. He looks for spiritual refreshing from Philemon.

 V 23–25: PRISONERS He and Epaphras are prisoners for Christ. They greet Philemon along with other named fellow labourers, praying that God’s grace will be with Philemon.

Encyclopedia of The Bible

FAITH, FAITHFULNESS. These two concepts are central to Biblical thought. They deal with the relationship of God and men. They are in some respects correlative, for man’s faith is that which responds to and is sustained by God’s faithfulness. In other respects there can be a progression of thought, for faith on the part of man should lead to his faithfulness. Again, the idea of faith can move from the subjective attitude of trustfulness to “the faith”—that which God has revealed objectively through deed and word and sign in order that it should be trusted. Associated closely with the two nouns is the adjective “faithful” and the verb “have faith in,” “trust,” or “believe.” In some parts of the Bible the verb is more prominent than the noun. As always in the Scriptures, the divine initiative is emphasized or assumed, and the fact that the living God is willing to enter into relationship with men and has shown them that He is worthy of their trust is what gives Biblical faith its distinctive character. Faith as it is demonstrated in the OT is a necessary, but incomplete preliminary to its full possibility through Christ in the NT.

IV. Faith and faithfulness in the NT

A. Terminology. There is no need to emphasize the centrality of the concept of faith in the NT. The words that are used to express it are almost always those of the pistis group. Despite the usage of the LXX in rendering ’emeth and ’emūnāh by alētheia, that word and its cognates almost always denotes in the NT truth, reality, and genuiness. There is an association with the concept of faithfulness quite frequently because what is true is also trustworthy. By and large the field has been left entirely to pístis and the words related to it.

1. Pisteúō. This word often has a nontechnical sense even when it is dealing with religious statements. So it is possible to believe that when using a hoti clause (John 8:24) or the accusative and infinitive (Acts 8:37). Likewise one may give credence to a statement (Mark 13:21). When it is followed by a noun referring to a thing, the object of pisteúō is in the accusative (1 Cor 13:7). It is much more frequently found with the dative of the thing (John 2:22) or of the person (4:21). It is used also in the active (2:24) and in the passive (Gal 2:7) in the sense of “entrust.” More important is the technical sense of Christian believing that it developed. It could be used with the dative of faith in God (Acts 16:34), in Christ (John 8:31) and in His name (1 John 3:23). There were various prepositional uses of which the most important is eis followed by the accusative (John 2:11), but epi also is found with the accusative (Rom 4:5) and with the dative (1 Tim 1:16). The verb also may be used absolutely (John 1:7) and the participle became a technical term for Christians (1 Thess 1:7).

2. Pístis. This is used only rarely in the NT of human fidelity (Titus 2:10) and of divine faithfulness (Rom 3:3). In the great majority of cases it means human faith in God. It is one of the great “theological virtues” (1 Cor 13:13). It can be further defined by the use of the objective genitive or by the prepositions eís, pros, epi, or en. Faith may be in God (Mark 11:22), in Christ (Rom 3:22), in His name (Acts 3:16). It also may be in things such as His blood (Rom 3:25) or the Gospel (Phil 1:27). The word pístis also may be used in an objective sense of the doctrine which is to be believed (Jude 3).

3. Pistós. The adjective pistós also may be used both technically and nontechnically, and in both active and passive senses. It is commonly used of the reliability of servants or stewards (1 Cor 4:2). God is supremely the One in whom confidence may be placed (1:9), but His word and His promises are also reliable (Rev 21:5). Statements of Christian truth also may be trusted (1 Tim 1:15). When pistós is used in the active sense to mean believing, it is only as a technical term (John 20:27). It also can be used almost as the equivalent of “a Christian” (Acts 16:1).

4. The Pauline epistles. Neither Paul the man nor his writings can possibly be understood unless we grasp the meaning of faith to him. Ever since his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus the whole of his thinking and his life were dominated by the ideas of the faithfulness of God and the need for a responsive faith in man. If there is a systematic treatment of these themes only in Romans, their living reality bursts forth spontaneously again and again in the varied pastoral situations which he deals with in all the epistles. His entire doctrine of salvation, his entire theology, could be summed up under the heading of faith, but we shall have to concentrate on the passages where the pístis words or closely associated ideas are present.

a. God’s faithfulness. This is the solid foundation upon which all else in Pauline theology is built (Rom 3:3). The adjective pistós is used six times with reference to God or Christ. God is faithful in fulfilling His promises (2 Cor 1:18). He is faithful in continuing to work in and to preserve those whom He has called to Himself (1 Cor 1:9; 10:13; 1 Thess 5:24; 2 Thess 3:3). Even “if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” (2 Tim 2:13). It is because He is faithful that there are sayings about what He has done which also are completely reliable (1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11; Titus 3:8). Christian teaching as a whole can be described as “the sure word” (Titus 1:9).

We find also in Paul a fair number of references to ἔλεος, G1799, “mercy.” This is the word which renders hesed in the LXX. In the gospels its main uses are in the twice repeated quotation of Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; 12:7, and its occurrence five times in the first ch. of Luke. Paul uses it as a greeting, alongside grace and peace (1 Tim 1:1; 2 Tim 1:1) and also as a benediction (Gal 6:16). Its chief use as noun or verb (eleéō) is, however, in Romans 9 to 11. In these chapters Paul shows how God’s faithfulness has been demonstrated despite the unfaithfulness of Israel. The word of God had not failed (Rom 9:6). There was no injustice with God, for “it depends not upon man’s will or exertion, but upon God’s mercy” (9:16). He has not rejected His people (11:1). The gifts and call of God are irrevocable (11:29). The purpose of God is “that he may have mercy upon all” (11:32).

Another important subject illustrating the faithfulness of God is that of His promises. This is dealt with especially in Romans 4 and Galatians 3 and 4 where the story of Abraham is in mind. Abraham was “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Rom 4:21), and the promise was guaranteed to all his descendants (4:16). Christians, “like Isaac, are children of promise” (Gal 4:28).

b. Faith and the Gospel. Christian faith begins as a response to the kerygma. “It pleased God,” says Paul, “through the folly of what we preach (the kerygma) to save those who believe” (1 Cor 1:21). He expresses the main thrust of the kerygma as the Cross (1:17, 18, 23, 24). The Resurrection also was something which had to be believed, for if it were not true both kerygma and faith would be futile (1 Cor 15:14). The relationship of faith to the Gospel is dealt with more fully in Romans 10:8-17. With relentless logic Paul shows that salvation depends upon calling upon God, which depends upon faith, which depends upon a preacher. “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ” (10:17). Faith is defined further as confessing with the lips that Jesus is Lord and believing in the heart that God raised Him from the dead (10:9). Faith then involves an intellectual acceptance of and a moral response to the kerygma and it is the means by which salvation is experienced (1:16). It is connected with obedience to God’s command to repent in the Gospel (1:5; 10:16; 16:26; Gal 3:2; 2 Thess 1:8). It is established by the power of God rather than the wisdom of men (1 Cor 2:5), but there was still a need of human preachers (Rom 10:14f.; 1 Cor 3:5; 15:11). Yet underlying all the human activity involved was the conviction that faith was due to grace—that it was a gift of God (Eph 2:8).

c. Faith and justification. While Paul has a number of different figures which are used parallel to one another in order to express the new relationship with God which is entered by Christian faith, the chief figure is that of justification. It means declaring a man to be in the right, giving him a right standing with God. In the case of sinful men that can be done only through faith in the Christ and His work of redemption. It is something achieved by the grace of God and is a gift to be received by faith (Rom 3:21-26). Faith which leads to justification is the correlative of grace. Grace means divine action from sheer undeserved love, and faith therefore is humble and thankful acceptance of something unearned. Because man prefers to earn things in order to have something to pride himself upon, Paul is insistent that the principle of faith understood thus is utterly opposed to the principle of works—of earning salvation by good deeds. This was a particular temptation for Jews who kept the law of Moses and had higher moral standards than their contemporaries (3:27-31; 9:30-33; 10:1-8; Gal 2:16; 3:10-14; Eph. 2:8; Phil 3:9). While Paul could in one sense regard the law as a custodian “until faith should be revealed” (Gal 3:23-26), he was anxious to show that, far from overthrowing the law by this faith, he was in fact upholding it (Rom 3:31).

In order to show the importance of faith even in the OT, he goes back behind Moses to Abraham. The faith principle can be found working in his case, for Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6; cited in Rom 4:9; Gal 3:6). This was before circumcision was instituted (Rom 4:10) and even over four centuries before the law was given (Gal 3:17). Religion in Abraham’s case was a matter of promise. God made promises to him which he believed himself, and through him they were made to his descendants. Those descendants need now to be redefined in terms of those who share the faith of Abraham (Rom 4:11f.; Gal 3:29; 4:28). For Abraham did not just believe promises, he believed also in God as one “who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Rom 4:17). The equivalent for Christians therefore is to “believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (4:24f.).

This then is the heart of the Gospel which had such power in the life of Paul and others (1:16), “for in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live’” (1:17; citing Hab 2:4; cf. Gal 3:11). The emphasis of the prophet may well have been more on the continuing relationship of faithfulness than on the initial saving act of faith. The principle is the same—faith is the only way to receive righteousness and life.

d. Faith and relationship. Justification by faith means not only accepting a doctrine but also commitment to a person. It is trusting him who justifies the ungodly (Rom 4:5). While the verb pisteúō is generally used by Paul in an absolute sense (but it is followed by eis in Rom 10:14; Gal 2:16; Phil 1:29), the noun pístis is made more specific on a number of occasions by being related to God (1 Thess 1:8) or to Christ (Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22, 26; Eph 1:15; 3:12; Phil 3:9; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Tim 3:13; 2 Tim 1:13; 3:15). Close to the center of Pauline thought is the idea of “faith-union” with Christ which is expressed by the phrase en Christō, “in Christ.” It is in Him that men are sons of God through faith (Gal 3:26). The Holy Spirit also is received through faith (Eph 1:13; Gal 3:5, 14).

e. The Life of faith. Baptism is the sign of beginning the new life of faith (Col 2:11f.; cf. Gal 3:26f.) and wherever it is spoken of, faith is assumed to be present. But faith needs to grow (2 Cor 10:15). There may be deficiencies in it which need to be made up (1 Thess 3:10) and the aim should be fullness of faith (Rom 4:20; 1 Thess 1:5), which will however always fall short of sight (2 Cor 5:7). Having faith will lead to action (1 Thess 1:3). The faith of a community may become something which is widely known (Rom 1:8; Eph 1:15; Col 1:4; 1 Thess 1:8; Philem 5). Faith will bring confidence about death (1 Thess 4:14) and may be associated with hope (1 Cor 13:13). There are some members of the Church who may have special gifts of faith (12:9), but a loveless faith of this kind is useless (13:2). Faith also is involved in the question of religious scruples, which Paul deals with in Romans 14 and 15, where weak faith signifies over-scrupulousness. It is similar to the idea of conscience (1 Cor 8:1-13; 10:23-30).

f. Human faithfulness. The adjective pistós is used simply for believers without distinction being made between beginning and continuing in faith. It has the specific meaning of trustworthy when referring to stewards of the Gospel (1 Cor 4:1f.) and ministers (Eph 6:21; Col 1:7; 4:7). Paul can believe himself to be reckoned trustworthy by the Lord (1 Cor 7:25; 1 Tim 1:12) and to have had the Gospel entrusted (pisteúō) to him (1 Tim 1:11; Titus 1:3). He urges Timothy to find trustworthy people to teach others (2 Tim 2:2). The idea of continuing steadfastly in faith is found also as an important theme (1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 1:24; 2 Thess 1:4), though the word used is more often hupomonē, “patient endurance.”

Faithfulness needs also to be shown to others, as it is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). Faith in Christ is linked with love (Eph 1:15; 3:17; 6:23; 1 Thess 1:3; 3:6; 2 Thess 1:3). Faith and love are two of the “theological virtues” (1 Cor 13:13). Paul sums up the relationship of the two by speaking of “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6).

g. The faith. There are a number of occasions where Paul refers to “the faith” as the body of Christian belief, though it is not always possible to be sure whether pístis is being used in this objective sense. It may be referred to as something to obey (Rom 1:5). Paul was described by Christians in Judaea as “preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Gal 1:23). It is possible that the objective sense is intended in 2 Corinthians 13:5 and Colossians 1:23; 2:7, though in all these cases, it may refer to the subjective exercise of faith. It is most common in the Pastoral Epistles, though there again it is not always clear which usage is involved. There is the mystery of the faith (1 Tim 3:9) and “the words of the faith” (4:6). It is possible to depart from the faith or to deny it (4:1; 5:8; 6:10) or to miss “the mark as regards the faith” (1 Tim 6:21). There are a number of other possible references (1 Tim 1:2, 19; 3:13; 6:12; 2 Tim 3:8; 4:7; Titus 1:4, 13; 2:2; 3:15).

The negative words for unbelief are also found in Paul, mainly in Romans and the Pastoral Epistles, but the adjective apistós is used fourteen times in the Corinthian letters.

Dictionary of Bible Themes

5705 inheritance, spiritual

Believers are privileged to receive a spiritual inheritance from their heavenly Father as a result of their adoption into the family of God through faith.

Believers have an inheritance in Christ

Jesus Christ as God’s heir Heb 1:2 See also Mt 21:37-39 pp Mk 12:6-8 pp Lk 20:13-15; Mt 28:18; Lk 19:12; Jn 3:35; Heb 1:4-6; Ps 2:7-8

Believers are co-heirs with Christ Ro 8:17 See also Eph 3:6

Believers are heirs under the covenant Heb 6:17; Heb 9:15

Believers are heirs by grace Gal 3:18 See also Ac 20:32; Col 1:12

Believers are heirs through faith Gal 3:29 See also Ro 4:13-17; Heb 11:7-10

The nature of the spiritual inheritance of believers

They inherit salvation Heb 1:14

They inherit eternal life See also Mt 19:29; Lk 10:25; Tit 3:7; 1Pe 3:7

They have the full rights of sons Gal 4:4-7

They have the rights of the firstborn Heb 12:22-23 See also Ex 4:22; 2Ki 2:9

They inherit the earth Mt 5:5 See also Ps 37:11

They inherit the kingdom Mt 25:34 See also Lk 22:28-30; Rev 3:21

They inherit all things Lk 15:31; 1Co 3:21-22; Rev 21:7

Their inheritance is the word of God Ps 119:111

They inherit the Lord himself Ps 73:26 See also Nu 18:20; Dt 10:9; Ps 142:5; Jer 10:16; Jer 51:19

It is a good inheritance Ps 16:6

The permanence of believers’spiritual inheritance

It has been prepared from the creation Mt 25:34

It is guaranteed for eternity 1Pe 1:3-5 See also Ps 37:18; Da 12:13

It is sealed with God’s promise Eph 1:13-14 See also Rev 7:3; Rev 9:4

The conditions of spiritual inheritance

It is conditional upon continuing obedience and faith 1Pe 3:9-12 See also Ps 34:12-16; Ps 25:12-13; Ps 37:11,29,34; Ps 61:5; Pr 28:10; Mt 5:5; Col 3:24; Heb 6:12; Jas 2:5

It is denied to the ungodly Eph 5:5 See also Ps 37:9,22; 1Co 6:9-10; 1Co 10:1-5; Gal 5:19-21; Heb 3:12-19; Rev 21:27

The nature of the spiritual inheritance of believers

1.      They inherit salvation

Hebrews 1:14New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

14 Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

2.    They inherit eternal life

Titus 3:4-8New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

4 But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.