Beloved,
Here is a question concerning faith that I have with reference to Romans 14:23 "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
What can we propose the scripture means when it says "of faith"? We know that the term 'whatsoever' is clearly referencing all things/thoughts/actions, etc., that we could ever possibly do, but what does it mean in reality to do something "of faith"?
In Christ,
David Ardito
[color=000066]Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14)[/color]
Paul is here talking about faith that God has cleansed those foods that we desire to partake of that we have prayed over.
[color=000066]For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (I Timothy 4)[/color]
If the person did not believe that God had sanctified the food sacrificed to idols and partook of it as a heathen sacrifice- that would be sin. This has to do with overcoming long standing traditions and upbringing by faith.
The Jews were taught in the Law that many things were common and unclean. You will notice by Peter's 'nay Lord'' response to God in Acts that Jews did not just eat anything. The Gentiles also may have came from pagan experience that forged an idea in the mind of the believer that they could not get loose of.
At any rate Paul was telling them NOT to eat unless they could do it in faith believing God had sanctified the meat. Better not to eat it than to transgress the conscience and sin against the Lord. This is a broad subject, but it is one of the reasons why I have such a problem with folk preaching their personal convictions. They may press upon the conscience things that are not really sin- but once the person cannot partake of it in faith- they have problems.
Faith asks what GOD desires; faith does what
GOD requires.
ZOLA LEVITT
Brother David wrote:
Here is a question concerning faith that I have with reference to Romans 14:23 "...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."
In a broader context, I would see this as Paul writes in Romans 8:
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
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So then, it is of the Spirit that we are enabled to please God. Jesus gives us insight as to the nature of the work of the Spirit of God.
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John 15:26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
John 16:12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you."
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In another section of Scripture we find this promise again....
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Proverbs 1:
20 \tWisdom calls aloud outside;
\tShe raises her voice in the open squares.
21 \tShe cries out in the chief concourses,
\tAt the openings of the gates in the city
\tShe speaks her words:
22 \t“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
\tFor scorners delight in their scorning,
\tAnd fools hate knowledge.
23 \tTurn at my rebuke;
\tSurely I will pour out my spirit on you;
\tI will make my words known to you."
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In verse 23, "...Surely I will pour our my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you." ....we find why the Spirit of God is given to those who continually repent and obey His words.
This work of the Holy Spirit, enables man to know His words. Listen then to what Paul writes of faith....
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Rom. 10:8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
Rom. 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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If we choose to rely on the fleshly mind, we cannot please God. But if we choose to "hear" God by the work of His Spirit, then we will be enabled to glorify the Father through the work of our Savior Jesus Christ. For all wisdom and truth come through Him who died for us.
In Christ
Jeff
Faith is believing what God/the Word of God says. Hebrews 11 is full of saints who believed what God said. The saints in ch. 11 believed God for eternal things: Abraham was looking for a city, not knowing where he was going; Moses forsook Egypt and chose to suffer affliction with God's people rather than to have the treasures of Egypt; some had cruel mockings, scourgings, bonds, imprisonment, were stoned, were sawn asunder and were slain with the sword. All had faith in what God said regardless of their surrounding circumstances and lived accordingly.
The Bible teaches that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. It also teaches that Jesus is coming back as a thief in the night. Faith, is living as though you are absolutely sure of those things. People who live with sin as an option, do not have faith! People who live to gain this world and to tear down their barns to build bigger barns do not have faith! If they really believe Jesus is coming back, they will have their spiritual suitcases packed and sitting by the door. (Faith certainly ISN'T "believing" God for a Rolls Royce.)
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