IF the Holy Spirit only seals believers in the Church Age (meaning us, the Body of Christ)
and
His sealing guarantees our security
and
there’s no sealing of believers outside our age,
then
there’s no security outside our age,
therefore,
no one else has been/will be secure. [See the home page article.]
And since the Bible is neither contradictory nor confusing, there must be some kind of distinction between books that show security and books that don’t. We need to know who each book is addressing, right?
Yes!
The Church Age was a mystery that was revealed to Paul – and Paul alone. The other disciples were preaching the gospel of repentance/gospel of the kingdom. Our gospel, given to Paul, looks different from theirs because it is different! We’re secure, they weren’t.
Paul wrote Romans through Philemon. Within these books is where you’ll find security. There are many verses outside these books that talk about the wonder of God’s power and of Jesus’ all sufficient work on the cross, but don’t be misled! Those are salvation verses, not security verses. [Again, discussed on the home page and elsewhere.]
In this article, we’re going to look at faith and see if the Bible’s definition of faith is the same throughout the Old Testament, the Church Age, and post Church Age. Let’s begin in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 11 defines faith as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction [evidence] of things not seen. For by it, the men of old gained approval.
So two things here.
One, faith is simply the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Don’t add anything to it. Two, that faith was enough to get the Old Testament faithful as ‘saved’ as they could be pre-Jesus; meaning, into Abraham’s bosom.
And v.6. without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
Now, if you’re like I was, you just read the above verses thinking faith in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. BUT that’s not what it said! Go back and read only the words that are there! Please.
Do you see it?
In order for them to please God, they must KNOW (believe/have faith) that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. They must believe that the God they cannot see will keep His promises!
Here’s a sampling from chapter 27 of my free book, or the Romans article here online:
What we’re doing wrong is we’re reading into the text what we’re told the word ‘faith’ means so we can apply our Church Age truth to all people. Are you willing to stop doing this and start believing what the Bible SAYS?
Now read Hebrews 11 and you’ll see the faith that the author of Hebrews was praising was faith in God, most often demonstrated by their actions, their obedience, their…….
4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.
39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
Faith in God’s power, God’s promises, God’s provision: God will do what He said He will do.
Are you seeing it now?
Back to Faith 101
Dividing the Bible properly shows Hebrews is not a Church Age book. Its definition of faith isn’t ours.
So now knowing Hebrews isn’t to us, look back at Hebrews 10:39, which leads into chapter 11. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Chapter 11 then defines that faith, as mentioned above. Notice it’s that faith that will preserve their souls.
But since Hebrews was written after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection for POST Church Age Jews (Tribulation Jews), it’s telling them that this same faith will be required of them but with Jesus’ New Covenant having been established, no more Abraham’s bosom!
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
The above ‘shrinking back’ and ‘grow weary and lose heart’ aren’t about discouraged or back-slidden Church Age believers, like we’ve been taught, but are about Tribulation Jews needing to endure!
From chapter 18 in my book, or The New Covenant here online:
This is entirely about the Jews being established in their future kingdom. The New Covenant through Jesus’ shed blood is all about God fulfilling the OT promises He made to them.
{Hebrews} Chapter 9:15 should need no explanation.
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
Some repetition of Chapter 9 in Chapter 10. Then more talk about perseverance.
23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful… 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. [Obviously not Church Age doctrine!]
Verse 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. [Same here!]
Now I’m going to step out there and offer you a slightly different take on Hebrews 11. I think you need to go back to 10:36 to get the correct context. We saw just above how that verse is looking forward to what Tribulation Jews need to do to receive what God has promised. How that’s clarified is in verses 10:37 through all of 11. Though we Church Age believers like to say chapter 11 is all about OT believers who ‘looked forward to the cross’ and ‘had faith in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection,’ I believe that is wrong. Verses 37 through chapter 11 are using prior examples of faithfulness defined by those who didn’t shrink back; who believed God, had faith in what He said and acted accordingly.
And you can forget all the confusion on Chapter 12:1-3:
It’s the final tying together of this section. The cloud of witnesses is the prior faithful Jews. The soon-to-be Tribulation Jews are to look back at the just-listed prior faithful Jews and with that encouragement, ‘throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,’ etc, so they don’t lose heart and give up!
(Do you need more assurance that those in the Tribulation must endure/maintain? Read James. It’ll floor you if read as written: to the Tribulation Jews!)
So for the Jews, it goes from the Last Supper in Matthew, Mark and Luke discussing the New Covenant straight to the book of Hebrews, clarifying for THEM why Jesus qualifies as the guarantor of the NC – of their New Covenant.
You still don’t want to believe Hebrews is for the Tribulation Jews?
Check out these:
9:15-16 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.
10:19-23 19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
10:35-36 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. [Please read all of chapter 10.]
The New Covenant is for the Jews! Jesus mediated it through His blood. It replaced their Old one. We, the Church, never had an Old Covenant, folks! Come on!
Paul, in his book Romans, takes time out from discussing Church Age doctrine to go back to Old Testament times and look at Abraham’s faith. Read all of Romans 4.
Here’s some to get you started:
1 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 4 Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,
[So you can see I’m not saying works alone saves/saved anyone. It doesn’t. Never has and never will. Keep reading!]
17 (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. 18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. 22 Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.
See Abraham’s faith!!
23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, 24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
See how Paul ties it in to us?
24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, Righteousness is credited to us when we believe in God who raised Jesus from the dead.
Look familiar?
Part of my chapter 27:
So it’s clear Abraham had faith. Faith in what? What was he trusting in? He believed God when God said He would do what was impossible to do humanly speaking. He trusted God. God then credited that to him as righteousness.
Whoa. Abraham was credited as righteous before he was circumcised due to his faith in God/belief that God would do what He said He would do.
- Verse 18 in hope against hope he believed.
- Verse 19 without becoming weak in faith.
- 20-21 20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith,giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
Don’t skim over these verses – they’re key!
Similar to Abraham having faith credited to him due to his belief that even though his body was as good as dead, GOD would allow him to be a dad; we also are credited as righteous when we believe GOD that HE raised Jesus from the dead.
So to summarize the chapter, I’d like to remind you, again, to consider WHAT Abraham believed God about. God did not tell Abraham to believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, but rather, to believe GOD, that He would somehow allow him in his super old age to father at least a son so he could therefore be the father of many nations. That’s it.
I know. We look to Romans and say, “See! Abraham was justified by faith so salvation by grace through faith believing in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is true for all people of all times!” That’s not what Romans 4 is saying. You just read it.
Yes, we’re connected to Abraham by faith in the power of God as mentioned above, but we’re different in that our faith in God is that by His power He raised Jesus from the dead. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25; 2:5; 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 13:4)
Now look at James, another non Church Age book.
James 2 (pieces only; read it all) 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Verse 22 sums it up nicely. Once again: 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; That’s non Church Age faith, folks. Like it or not, it’s true.
*******
The same above ‘non Church Age faith’ of believing God and acting upon it is what you see when you read the Beatitudes, isn’t it?
Matthew 7:17-20 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.
Matthew 7:24-27 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
It’s what you see in the parables, isn’t it?
Matthew 13:18-23 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”
V.19 they hear and don’t get it; lost. V.20 hearers are just as lost because they cannot maintain under persecution. V.21 hearers are also just as lost because they are unfruitful. And why is the v.23 hearer saved? Because after having understood he bore fruit.
It’s what you see in the judgments of Matthew 25, isn’t it?
Matthew 25:41-46 41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’
44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Not for us or to us!
Please take some time to read chapters 18 and 27 of my book, a free 2-part downloadable PDF on the book tab. They’ll give you the big picture on faith. (Chapters 12, 13, and 20 apply also.) Just read them with a discerning heart and compare it to what you’ve been taught. Then pull out your Bible and see which agree.
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