For A Promise

“For a promise cannot be received except by faith alone.”

- Phillip Melanchthon

There is nothing you can do, no merit that can be earned to receive the promise of salvation. It is by faith in Jesus Christ only. That’s it!

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Not being a good person. Not having a loving, caring heart. Not with good deeds and no matter how much you tithe or attend church; it is all for naught if you don’t first have faith in Jesus Christ.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:” (Romans 3:20-22)

But what about the being? What about the loving, the caring, the doing and the fellowship?

Faith is the ground floor in which we build these things. This is what the Evangelist is saying when he wrote, “Now faith is the substance (ground floor) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Not only is faith the ground floor in which we build, Faith in Christ is also the progenitor of our being, of our loving, caring, doing, etc. What was once done without Christ is now done because He is within us. The Christ inside of us is made manifest in our way of life.

“But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation (manner of life), in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12b).

The promise of Christ is received through our faith in Christ. His Holy Spirit within us manifests His Holy Spirit without, “for in him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28b).

In other words, being filled with the Holy Spirit, our nature and essence changes. What we do and say becomes Holy Spirit filled and we become pleasing to God in presence and in deed. All of this founded in our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Bill Hitchcock