DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- THE FAITH

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE FAITH

"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Colossians 1:6-7)

The other night during the Vice-Presidential debate, Kamala Harris declared that she was a person of faith. My question is, "What faith?" Everyone has their personal belief system. For some is it belief that there is no God. For others, it is the belief that if they live a good enough life, God will accept them. This is personal faith. Paul here was exhorting Believers to be established in THE FAITH, that body of doctrine that is the basis for personal faith and belief. The Faith that Paul was writing about is that we are sinners before a holy God, and that Jesus died on the cross to make atonement for our sins so that we could be right with God. I don't think that is the faith that Kamala Harris was referring to.

Later in the chapter, Paul warned them to be aware, "lest anyone would deceive you with persuasive words" (vs. 4), those who would come with philosophy and deceit and try to pull us back into the "basic principles of the world" (vs 8). The basic principle of the world is that we can attain salvation by living a good life and keeping rules and regulations. That is the general idea of most religious people who are not Christians. "If I do certain things, God will accept me. The more good I do, the more chance there is that I will go to heaven." It is a lie from Satan and it deceives millions of people.

Paul exhorted the people to be "rooted in Christ" and be built up in Him, and established in the faith – that is, to be planted firmly in the Gospel, like a tree planted by the waters (Psalm 1). As Jude wrote, we are to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3; see also I Timothy 1:11). Knowing the truth of the Gospel and having our roots so deep in the faith like a tree with deep roots, gives our personal faith strength so that we will not be swayed by some other philosophy or doctrine. This assurance and security of God's grace causes us to "Abound with thanksgiving" – giving all the praise and thanks to God for our free salvation.

May our faith be so deeply rooted in the faith that we will not be moved away from the Gospel of grace.

Love, Dad