Part 17

As we’ve seen with various other Old Testament fruits, the bounty which Jesus reaps among His saints proves to pale all else by comparison. This is true regarding the faith He gives us too. Any weakness of faith that may have existed in covenants past can now be duly-girded and made well because Jesus is its very spring (Heb. 11:13, 39; Lk. 10:23-24; 1 Pet. 1:10-12; Jn. 8:56). It is His very own faith that we now live by, even “the faith of the Son of God”, and it deemed better for countless reasons (Gal. 2:20; 1 Tim. 1:14). Observe.

Firstly, our Lord’s faith is an abundant faith. Jesus gives a measure of His faith to each man at salvation: it is the fruit of His Spirit’s new residence (Gal. 5:22). It is a gift – a generous housewarming present (Eph. 2:8; Rom. 12:3). He then sits back and watches it grow, from one measure of faith to the next (Rom. 1:17)! It may begin as small as a mustard seed, but it possesses much divine potential within, and soon it will be seen in abundance, having been nurtured, grown, and matured (Lk. 17:5-6). It is a thriving and flourishing faith (2 Thess. 1:3; 2 Cor. 10:15). It is abundantly increasing and being ever-added to (2 Pet. 1:5).

Next, our Lord’s faith is a living faith, and it thereby able to furnish rich spiritual life. Habakkuk says we “shall live by His faith” (Hab. 2:4), and Paul teaches of our utter reliance upon it (Gal. 2:20). Jesus is the very life we now live, and we live it by His faith (Gal. 2:20). “He that believeth” in Jesus is he who walks the surest route unto “everlasting life” (Jn. 3:36). Verily, God has given us life, and “this life is in His Son”, Jesus (1 Jn. 5:11-12). Those branches who stay attached to the true Vine will be those most fruitfully living “By [God]” (Jn. 6:57).

Thirdly, Jesus’ faith is a protecting faith. The Bible calls it a “shield” and a “breastplate” (Eph. 6:16; 1 Thess. 5:8). By it we’re able to quench all darts of the wicked. His dispersion of His own faith unto us is our freedom from the fear of flesh (Ps. 56:3-4), and the very confidence we stand upon (2 Cor. 1:24). His faith is hard at work within us: It prevents us from falling (Jude 24), and it overcomes the world (1 Jn. 5:4-5). We can now “resist” the roaring lion because we are steadfast “in the faith” (1 Pet. 5:8-9). Those full of such protecting faith can have no worrisome fear (Matt. 6:25-33; 8:23-27). Carnal doubt and insecurity can now well-flee (Matt. 14:22-23), and fleshly strife and reasoning can be declared homeless (Matt. 15:5-12)!

Furthermore, His faith is a loving faith. This “breastplate of faith” is one of “faith and love” (1 Thess. 5:8). It is not gifted upon us by obligation: Jesus has no ulterior motives. The single most key that unlocks this blessed flow is that of divine love and tender mercy. The life of God’s rich faith that I can live from day to day is simply because God “loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). It is the fruit of His loving descent into hell, and His triumphant victory over death and the grave. We too must now fuel our faith with love (2 Cor. 13:1-3), for it will be faith’s sweetest fruit.

Next, Jesus’ faith is a substantial faith. It’s substantial because it has power to justify all of creation. Those who partake of this faith are thereby declared just (Rom. 1:17; Phil. 3:9). This is something that the law could never accomplish (Gal. 2:16; 3:11-12). God’s own dispersed faith has made us substantially righteous! We finally have the wherewithal to “please God” (Heb. 11:6)!

Our Lord’s faith is also an enduring faith. It endures every fight (1 Tim. 6:12) and abides throughout both peace and war (1 Cor. 13:13). Again, our hope and faith can now endure because our hope and faith is now “in God” (1 Pet. 1:21). That which God plants will always eternally remain (1 Jn. 2:24; Heb. 5:9)!

His faith is a ministering faith. God gives “the gift of faith” by His Spirit, and He gives it for our profit, both corporate and personal (1 Cor. 12:4-9; Matt. 11:22-23). He divides such gifting “severally” and “as He will” (1 Cor. 12:11); He does so to bless the many members of His body (1 Cor. 12:12-30). It is our faith within us that believes “and therefore speaks” to creation (2 Cor. 4:13). The nations of the world are looking to nest upon such fruitful branches (Mk. 4:30-32)! God’s faith alive within us is their hope! It is only “through faith” that God’s people have “subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, [and] turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (Heb. 11:33)! What fruit!

Next, Jesus’ faith is a precious faith. It is declared precious among the saints because it is “tried with fire”, and thereby found “unto praise and honour and glory” at the appearing of our Lord (1 Pet. 1:7). The glorious fruit grown upon our tried faith will prove more costly than the finest of gold (Lk. 12:20-21). It is for this reason that we can rejoice over tribulation (1 Pet. 1:6).

And finally, our Lord’s faith is a productive faith. It is the only route toward abundant harvests. According to Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, an absence of this faith would yield but failed and withered fruit, for “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). A fruitless adherence to the withered tree of Judaism would equate to a refusal of God’s rest (Heb. 3:18), a failure to profit from His Word (Heb. 4:2), great hardness of heart (Num. 14:11), and a choice to snub the possession of “the land” that was promised (Num. 20:12; Ps. 106:21-24). Such a rejection of God’s faith, the only truly-fruitful kind, would yield but kindled fire and willful sin (Ps. 78:21-22, 32). These men will grow no spiritual foundation (Isa. 7:9), nor would they witness God’s miraculous power (Mk. 16:17). They would see no prosperity (2 Chron. 20:20) nor feel true assurance (Heb. 10:22). As is quite clear, Paul’s Hebrew audience was at risk of repeating the many errors of their fathers, all because they maintained a fruitless faith, even disbelief in Jesus. Why should men eat such unbelieving fruit? Why should we allow a ruined harvest? Simply look unto Jesus for His perfect and divine pattern, and our harvests will be likewise-abundant. Like Abel, all our offerings must be “by faith” (Heb. 11:4), and we mustn’t trust in our own works. Like Enoch, our faith must remain even amidst great evil and temptation (Heb. 11:5-6).

To be continued…