In the beginning, GOD, GOD being Spirit fills the whole of His creation and to that we have added can two walk together accept they be in agreement or harmony or today we may say in sync as One. Which is what we saw in yesterdays blog. I want to look at what it is to be a witness to the truth for Christ in us is our witness of this great Truth. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace and the blessing that comes by walking in faith as our resource. Because of what we now know not many people are willing to accept. And then comes my looking into Christ being the witness of Truth making use of the ESV translation.
"Great Blessings through Living by Faith"
"Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul." (Hebrews 10:35-39)
"Our present verses represent the third time that Habakkuk's pronouncement on living by faith is repeated in the New Testament. "The just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). In Romans 1:17, it was connected with the gospel of Christ. In Galatians 3:12, it was contrasted with living under the Law. Here, it is seen as the pathway to great blessings like spiritual endurance, God-pleasing obedience, and pressing ahead in assurance.
The opening exhortation warns about forsaking bold dependence upon the LORD. "Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward." The loss of great blessing is the reason given. The LORD wants us to trust in Him without wavering, from the beginning of faith unto the end of our earthly pilgrimage. This makes us consistent partakers of the blessings of Grace that are ours in Christ. "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end" (Hebrews 3:14).
These blessings include endurance. "For you have need of endurance." The Christian life requires spiritual stamina. The journey of growth, trials, service, and battle can become wearisome. We can be tempted to slack off, to quit pressing ahead. Such is always vain thinking for us, and it is displeasing to the Lord. " If anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him." It is by faith that we persevere in the Christian race. "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Also, these blessings of faith include obedience and assurance. "You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of GOD, you may receive the promise." As we walk by faith, we are enabled to do GOD's Will. Walking in obedience with Christ builds assurance that we live in the presence of the LORD. "For yet a little while, and He Who is coming will come and will not tarry." Meanwhile, by faith, assurance grows that we are not among those whose profession proves to be vain. "Now the just shall live by faith . . . we are not of those who draw back to perdition but of those who believe to the saving of the soul." We all should know and understand that within GOD's Gospel is a built in separation that separates those of His Faith from those lacking His required knowledge of Christ.
A Witness to the Truth, Christ our Witness,
Isaiah 55:1-5, 6-7 "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, My steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for HE has glorified you. "Seek the LORD while HE may be found; call upon Him while HE is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that HE may have compassion on him, and to our GOD, for HE will abundantly pardon."
John 3:9-15 "Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, We speak of what We know, and bear witness to what We have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except HE Who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life."
John 3:31-36 "He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. For He bears witness to what He has seen and heard, yet no one receives His testimony. Whoever receives His testimony sets his seal to this, that GOD is true. For He Whom GOD has sent utters the words of GOD, for HE gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of GOD remains on him."
John 8:12-20 "Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true." To this Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, My judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father Who sent Me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about Myself, and the Father Who sent Me bears witness about Me." They said to Him therefore, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you knew Me, you would know My Father also." These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; but no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come."
John 18:33-40 "Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about Me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You over to me. What have You done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But My kingdom is not from the world." Then Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, "I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" They cried out again, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber."
1Timothy 6:11-16 "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of GOD, Who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, Who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which HE will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and LORD of lords, Who alone has immortality, Who dwells in unapproachable light, Whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen."
Revelation 1:4-7 "John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him Who is and Who was and Who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His GOD and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, HE is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen."
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