THE FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH (The Peaceable Fruit of Righteousness)
-How We Unashamedly and Unreservedly Partake of this Fruit
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"For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!" ~Job 19:25-27
If we were to echo Job's words today, how could we possibly not be condemned for being self/over confident, prideful, boastful?
It is a combination of our human Flesh and Satan that would seek to dampen our spirit and the fire of our faith. I know I have often felt and lived as if the declaration of my faith and redemption in Christ was to be tempered with reservation and even doubt. "Well, I believe I'm saved yet I really won't truly know for sure until Judgment Day."
But God through His Word in Hebrews 10:22 brings my thoughts to captivity and correction in Christ. What I described earlier, reservation of my faith, is a false virtue of my Flesh and of Satan and it is not from the One with Whom there is no shadow of turning.
"Draw near, says the Lord, with a true heart in FULL [not partial] ASSURANCE of faith, having your hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and your bodies washed with pure water. Hold fast the confession of your hope without wavering, for I who have promised am faithful." ~Hebrews 10:22-23
How can I or you have FULL ASSURANCE without being guilty of pride and self confidence? What does FULL assurance, look like? Does it manifest through confidence in myself, my identity and good deeds?
Let us answer these questions with an example. I can say with full confidence that the Washington Monument exists, and not be fearful the accusation of being a fool just because I have not seen it for myself in person and that I choose to rely on the testimonies of others who have witnessed it in person.
So also is Christ's death at the cross and resurrection from the tomb a landmark in history that many eyewitnesses testified to and we today, without becoming fools, can rely on their testimony.
And in regerds to the possibility/vulnerability towards pride, we are not called to temper or safeguard it with doubt or second-guessing the saving work of Christ. Rather, we are to:
"Examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith. Test ourselves..." ~II Corinthians 13:5
As we examine and test ourselves by the Sword of the Spirit (Psalm 139:23-24) God's love and care for us, which far exceeds that of our own, will not allow us to remain prideful for long. We may stumble in it from our own misunderstanding and abuse of His Word, yet as He is faithful and longsuffers with us, by Ministering Grace we become submitted and surrendered to His ways, His truth, His will and His discipline. And in turn, we become uplifted in hope and FULL ASSURANCE of our faith, because His love towards us as our Father is manifested from His correction of us.
The question we must answer is: Will we allow Him (by submitting/surrendering) to correct/discipline/chasten us as His sons and daughters, that we may be enabled to partake and stand in the FULL ASSURANCE of our faith and redemption in Him?
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"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." ~Revelation 3:19
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." ~John 15:1-2
"For it was fitting for God, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation, perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, Jesus likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." ~Hebrews 2:10-15
"If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." ~Hebrews 12:7-13
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Different Things God is teaching Me
SpiritualWhen God shows His love, mercy, forgiveness, longsuffering, and grace towards you...it shouldn't stop with you. You are destined to pass it on to others and reflect faithfulness and devotion back to Him as the Divine Spouse. Cover Art by Maria Oosth...
