We believe that all that God has promised He is able to perform. And we believe that all God has promised we can have under certain conditions. Is it not belief in God that brings us nigh to Him ? Is not this the power ? But to say that we believe God, is not proof that we do. To say that we will keep all His commandments is not proof that we will keep them. We must have evidence as proof that we do believe.
This evidence is called “Faith.” In Hebrews chapter eleven, we are told that faith is the substance of things hoped for, or believed in. It is the evidence of things not seen. The proof of our faith must be something substantial, something that may be clearly seen, as evidence that we are as good as our word. We say that we believe that God will give us all things that He has promised. We say we believe that we will receive eternal life, and will inherit the earth ; but where is the evidence that we believe ? Have we assured our hearts before G o d that we believe ? If we cannot show substantial proof that we believe what God has promised, we cannot assure our hearts before Him. We are dishonest with ourselves and cannot expect God to give us those things that we do not believe in. Do we expect God to be satisfied with our lip service? The evidence of our faith must be something that proves that we believe in those things that God has promised.
He that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live (John 11:25).
If we desire to have eternal life, is it not necessary to prove that we understand that the life we now have is strictly temporary and is vain ? Then our proof that we believe that God will give us eternal life must be by actions that show we do not over esteem the things of this life. If we place great value on the things that constitute this life, how can we witness before God, and man, that we believe God’s promises made to us ? With our lips we may say we believe God will give us eternal life, but in heart we do not believe. We draw nigh to God with our lips but our hearts are far from Him.
We are distinctly told that without faith it is impossible to please God ; for we must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
Not only has God promised us eternal life but He has also said that He will give us the earth for an ever lasting possession, a n d that we shall rule with Christ over t h e earth. Do we believe this ? We say we do, but what proof or evidence can we show to God and to men that we believe, or hope to obtain these things ? When we say that Christ is going to return to possess and rule the earth, and that we shall be rulers with him, will men believe us if we are striving now to obtain as much of the earth as we can ?
God in His wisdom has commanded that we be content with food and clothing; declaring that those who seek to be rich in temporal things fall into temptation. God tells us the six things we are to follow that will lead us to the kingdom of God ; righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness.
The first characteristic we are to follow after is righteousness. To attain unto righteousness is to seek to be justified before God, and we can only attain this by fully realizing our death stricken state. All manner of self justification on our part can never alter our true position before God. We must unreservedly confess that we are weak erring transgressors of God’s law, and are worthy of the condemnation pronounced upon us.
The acknowledgment of our true state before God develops a desire within us to worship Him. A state of falling down before God; humbling ourselves, and thus expressing our understanding that we are but dust and ashes in His sight. A humble and contrite heart God will not despise. He most certainly will justify such persons.
Next is “Godliness”; a state of deep reverence for God, and having great reverence for all He has done for us. A state of mind that moves the heart and causes us to do those things that manifest our gratitude for all that has been done for us. And our gratitude finds expression in keeping His commandments ; and the command is that we should forgive others as He has forgiven us. Herein we find the state of our heart and mind given expression in an act of obedience to God.
This brings us to the third attribute that we are required to follow after, “Faith”. This, as we know, is an act that bears witness that we believe God will forgive us our sins. We make this request daily, yet we learn that this petition will only be granted us on the condition that we forgive others. It is here that our faith in God is manifested. To forgive in word is one thing, but to forgive in deed is altogether another thing. We must completely change our attitude toward those we have forgiven. This is an act of faith. It is being God-like. We must remember that we will only be forgiven as we forgive.
Then into this state of mind and ability to per f or m good deeds there must be introduced yet another quality. That is the fourth virtue we are to follow after, “Love”. When we follow after love we experience a fuller life in God’s service. It is our way of expressing our understanding that there is none so wise as God. By love our whole being is brought into subjection to His will. Our faith becomes a faith that works by love.
This brings us to the fifth virtue, “Patience”. God has promised us eternal life if we follow after patience. He says that He will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, He will render eternal life. James, moved by the Holy Spirit, says,
“Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord”.
If we exercise patience throughout our lives we will find ourselves developing the last characteristic which we are to follow after, “Meekness.”
“Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
The word meek means, gentle, kind, not easily provoked or irritated, submissive. But this state of meekness, which is in the sight of God of great price, cannot be attained apart from the five former virtues we are exhorted to follow after: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness.
Christ tells us to : “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me: for I am meek and Lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” As we call Christ to remembrance, and seek to have the eyes of our understanding opened by God’s Word, let us follow after those things that lead to the Kingdom of God.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One