[TruthTalk] Faith and Works

[Judy Taylor]

I haven't heard it put quite that way before Slade Chutzpa? I understood it is meekness that comes through faith, like what Moses had, and it is the faith of Jesus by which we stand since He is both author and finisher. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth and anoints God's Word with signs following. My comment has nothing to do with meekness or the lack thereof. I merely asked about endurance and where the endurance comes form.   Chutzpa is "nerve or gall" and faith is confident belief or trust in a person, idea, or thing. We may be talking past each other.  Where do you get endurance in all of this?  Also how can we know in advance Slade since faith that is seen is no longer faith. The definition of faith is "substance of things hoped for" It seems you're advocating blind faith. I do not. In fact, I teach and will continue to teach in such a way to concretely show that God exists, that His word is true and accurate, that He came in the flesh to solve our sin problems, the He died and was raised again.   I don't believe there is such a thing as "blind faith" - When there is no faith/belief in God's Word then it would be ignorance, superstition, or divination.   Blind faith is not faith, that's a drinking party waiting for a Jim Jones. The "substance of things hoped for" is not blind faith. Why did Avraham have faith in God? Because God kept His promises in the past and Avraham KNEW God would maintain the status quo and keep them in the future. THAT is the substance of things hoped for.   We have no record of Abraham knowing about or hearing from God before he was called out of UR of the Chaldees. It's works that are tried by fire and we are supposed to be doing the works of Jesus in His Name - We are in the fire as we speak most especially me. I have a 4-yr-old granddaughter who the devil is trying to kill with one of his blessings... and my daughter and son-in-law are being taught that sickness is a blessing from God and that the halt sick and maimed will get greater rewards in heaven. I can't find it in God's Word because my Bible says that "Jesus came to do good and to heal ALL who were oppressed of the devil for God was with Him"  My Bible also says that Jesus' followers are to do that same works that He did and greater. Are these happening at your Church Slade? Judyt I have no idea what you're asking, but I will try to give some kind of answer. Maybe I'll providentially touch on it anyway. Works are motivated by faith. Faith becomes the cornerstone for the Works.  Without Faith, there are no [living] works. Try the faith, and the works are tried. Try the works and the faith is tried.   The above makes logical sense but scripture teaches that our works will be tried by fire in the "Day of the Lord" which is the day of judgment.  We may be disciplined and pruned by God so that we bear more fruit while on this walk of salvation.   Do not call what haSatan has control of a blessing. Call it what it is. Sickness is not a blessing from God (Torah says it's a curse because the world is full of sin)   We do agree on this point Slade; a blessing from Satan is in actuality a curse since he is in charge of implementing the curse. I didn't mean it was a blessing in the sense that it came from God.    what occurs through our endurance (stronger faith) IS a blessing, though or at least I think so unless my logic is off-kilter. Jesus also came to bring a sword and a sword He brought. I see that sword even here on TruthTalk.   His Word is the sword, it cuts through a lot of nonsense, dividing even soul and spirit and joints and marrow of the bone. We don't usually have to separate ourselves from people because if/when we hold to God's Word the ones who are uneasy will usually separate themselves.   I disagree; He did not come to heal ALL who were oppressed.   His Word says He did (see Acts 10:38) though he was hindered in Capernaum and some other places because of their unbelief (Matt 13:58). Through the healings, He was able to prove He was Messiah and God in the flesh (one way of many, that is).   But they wouldn't believe Him for the works sake even though he performed many miracles among them (John 14:11) They wouldn't believe His words or His works, both of which came from The Father (John 14:24)   If He came to heal ALL, there would have been no sickness in Judea when He left. Oops there were still leper colonies.   Not so, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will heal everyone today who will turn from their sin and let Him be Lord.  However, ignorance and unbelief are worse than ever today. I once heard a pastor say that some people don't want to be well because they live for the attention that being sick brings them.  I had a hard time with that the first time I heard it but I believe it today.  How sad that this is the only way some can get the love and attention from others that they crave.  Jesus is not going to deny his word by healing folk so they can be an oracle for Satan in this world.   I see miracles each and every day; I am even the recipient of many. The greater deeds are those we do as a community