JESUS CHRIST – THE BEGINNING AND END OF MY FAITH
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from the Afrikaans Version: Jesus Christus – die begin en einde van my geloof.
Translator: Lynda Botha
Someone wrote to me and I shortened the question as summarized below:
“My question about faith: I believe that faith is a gift from our Lord and that I do not have anything to do with it but there are many theologians who disagree with me."
I would like to share my response to the person with you as well.
Everything, literally everything in my life and especially in my Christian life, is ultimately a gift from our Lord. Just to quote a passage from the Word of God that you used in your letter to me:
ROM 3: 23-24
23 “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
24 “Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.”
Let me explain it this way:
As I mentioned –
Everything, literally everything in my life is a gift from the Lord. Also, for example, every breath – but because I am created in God's image, and I say this with all due respect I have for our Lord – I have my own free will, just as our Lord also has His own free will. I can draw my next breath with either fresh air or I can draw cigarette or marijuana smoke into my lungs. The choice is mine and of course the consequences thereof will also be mine.
To mention a physical example, off which I have could have chosen thousands off:
You have the physical gift to be able to see – but I do not have that gift.
I do not know how the other theologians, who you spoke about, describes faith; but for me literally everything, physically or mentally, in my life – and praise the name of our Lord – also in my eternal life, is a loving gift from God's hand.
Now I want to share with your something regarding faith; literally everything in my whole existence, in my whole essence of humanity, would be senseless and useless without it – and that is being without Jesus Christ in my life.
So, the question I need to ask myself from the beginning, regarding true faith is:
Is Jesus Christ the beginning and the end of what I call my faith?
In other words –
Do I really believe everything that the Word of God says about Jesus is true, and have I really accepted Jesus, God who became human, as my Savior?
To summarize what I meant with what the Word of God says of Jesus:
• I believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Thus, God who became human.
• I believe everything in God’s Word who inspired us to write about His life on earth.
• Yes, I believe that He was crucified for my sins and therefore died a horrible death and was buried.
• I believe that He rose from the dead after three days and that He ascended to Heaven.
• I believe that He will come back to Earth again to judge the people who lived, who now lives and whoever still will live, who will appear before His judgment seat– when He will assess His followers and condemn the others.
• I believe that for as long as I will live on Earth, His Holy Spirit, in other words, He Himself lives in me to lead me into all that is truthful.
EPH 3:17 “Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
Then to summarize:
The gift of faith in God, whichever way you see faith, should start with Jesus Christ and end with Jesus Christ.
JOHN 1: 1-3
1 “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
2 “He existed in the beginning with God.”
3 “God created everything through Him, and nothing was created except through Him.” (and that includes faith)
JOHN 1:14 “So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”
REV 22:12 “Look, I am coming soon, bring my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds.”
REV 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
For everyone that accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, and want their faith to become stronger and stronger, so that you could withstand the attacks of Satan, which becomes more and more each passing day I have the following advice:
Study the Word of God continuously, concentrate mostly on what the Word teaches you about Jesus whilst you remember:
2 TIM 3:16 “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”
2 TIM 3:17 “God uses it to prepare and equip His people (this is all people that made Jesus their Lord and Saviour) to do every good work.”
This will ensure that your relationship with Jesus grows more and more each day, and also ensures your growth in your faith each passing day so that you don’t stagnate.
How wonderful then to conclude my letter to you with the following scripture in our Lord's precious Word:
Who is Jesus Christ our Savior, in whom we believe as well as the foundation of our faith?
REV 22:13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
Greetings,
Sakkie