Faith is "to be persuaded". Faith in Christ is to be persuaded of the Good News about His Grace towards you. That is what saves you... placing your faith in His Grace (Rom 4:16... "Therefore it is of faith that it may be according to grace.."), That's being saved by Grace through Faith is (Eph 2:8).
Many place their faith in "Faith" (But, its NOT the "gospel of FAITH" that saves us - as no such thing exists - but it is the Gospel of GRACE! (Act 20:24).
Many place their faith in their own Good works or Service towards God.
Many "are persuaded" (have directed their faith towards) attending a weekly religious Ritual - or systematic church routine as a means unto Salvation.....
But only being Persuaded, or having your Faith aimed towards His Grace, as your means unto Salvation will suffice.
We all have the measure of faith (even non-Believers have the ability to be fully persuaded in all sorts of things) - even devils do (Jam 2:19), But only by placing that Faith in His Grace towards you - through the Cross and Resurrection, will you be set free to bear His fruit and enjoy your Union with Him.
The Father gave us His Life as a Gift because He loves us, Not as something we need to still somehow attain via Principles and '4-step' Formula's. Faith is NOT a formula, It is a response to His Love and it comes Naturally Effortlessly. If Faith is something we feel WE need to "perfect" or "work-up" to get "just right" in order to get a Response from God, then we have strayed from our Persuasion of Grace. Faith = Trust, and Trust = Rest. A Believer in Christ is someone who Trusts and therefore Rests in Fathers Love for them. They feel NO need to earn or maintain His affections because they are fully persuaded, via the Cross, that His love is perfect and unchanging.
Teachings about Faith and Gifts and so called "Kingdom Principles" may be helpful, but they are NOT the GOSPEL. Grace is the Good News (Gospel). And it is GRACE (not Faith) that is the power of God unto Salvation. Everyone who believes that Gods GRACE towards man is the Good News has therefore placed their Faith in His Grace and can Now experience Union with Him. Now that you are experiencing New Covenant Salvation, you have no need for lifeless Principles and Formulas because He leads you. His Spirit and your spirit have been made One and are in Union (Ezek 36)..... He has done it, He has joined the two together and created one new man - that is completely New and has never existed before - and what God has Joined together let NO Man separate.
Dont be fooled now, into believing "Faith" to be the Gospel....or any other Doctrine that primarily focuses on you or dictates what your response to Grace MUST now be.
The Complete work of Jesus - Life, death, burial and ressurection - when embraced, is intoxicatingly Good News that breeds Contentment/peace, and Joy. No other "gospel" will lead to this, hence Paul's querie to those who had fallen from Grace to go back to living by Principles.... "Who has stolen your Joy?"
Well meaning brothers and sisters will unwittingly lead you away from Grace, but with all of His strength, we can make every effort to stay in the Rest that He died to freely give us. He lives in us and delights to lead us into all truth. Lets trust Him. Lets Feast on His unceasing Love for all of us!
Love
Andrew
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