The Faith of Jesus
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Let's pray together:
Our Father,
The study of Your prophetic word requires that we use very precise tools, in order to
understand its content. Now, all these tools come from You.
So we humbly ask You to fill our toolbox, and to show us how to use each one of the tools,
beginning with the faith of Jesus.
In His name we pray and thank You beforehand.
Amen.
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Revelation 14:12
Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who
keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
During our next seven lessons, we will discover seven tools essential to the
study of Bible prophecy.
The first tool, which is mentioned in the book of Revelation as a distinctive mark of the
saints, is «the faith of Jesus».
What is the faith of Jesus? How important is it? How can we get it?
Let's allow the Bible to answer all these questions.
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Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.
Mark 11:22
So Jesus answered and said to them, «Have faith in
God.»
Faith is an absolute trust which enables us to have a living communion with
God.
Faith says «Yes» to God and follows Him, whatever the doubts, the obstacles and the
resistances that may take place.
The best example of this faith is the one Jesus demonstrated during His ministry here on
earth: the «faith of Jesus».
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Matthew 26:39
[Jesus] went a little farther and fell on His face, and
prayed, saying,
«O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will,
but as You will.»
John 6:38
For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will,
but the will of Him who sent Me.
The faith of Jesus enabled Him to trust His Father entirely and to fulfill His
will in all things.
This is the faith we need.
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Hebrews 11:6
But 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
diligently seek Him.
The Word of God teaches us that faith is an essential element, indispensable in
the life of the Christian.
We need faith for many reasons. The most important reason is the role of faith in the plan
of salvation God has prepared for each one of us.
Let's take a few moments to explore this absolutely crucial subject.
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Luke 5:20
So when [Jesus] saw their faith, He said to him, «Man,
your sins are forgiven you.»
1 Peter 1:9
(...) receiving the end of your faith - the salvation of
your souls.
Romans 1:17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith
to faith; as it is written, «The just shall live by faith.»
To save us, God needs our collaboration.
He asks us to have faith in Him, to trust Him entirely.
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Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith.
Faith is the act by which we acknowledge our complete trust in God for our
salvation.
By faith, we believe that God's plan of salvation is sufficient to give us eternal life.
But then, what can we do to get this faith, this trust in God?
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Romans 12:3
For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who
is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think
soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
First, let's specify that God has dealt to each one of us a measure of faith.
Nobody starts out with nothing.
Then, the question is no longer:
«What must we do to get faith?»
but rather:
«What must we do, so that the measure of faith God has already given us may grow?»
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Luke 17:5
And the apostles said to the Lord, «Increase our
faith.»
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God.
It is through careful study of the Bible, in a spirit of humility and
sincerity, that each one of us will learn to know God better, and then to trust Him more
and more.
Our faith in God and His plan of salvation will thus grow day after day.
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John 3:36
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he
who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.
Acts 16:30,31
«What must I do to be saved?»
So [Paul and Silas] said, «Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you
and your household.»
God gives us salvation on only one condition: that we accept this salvation
with all our heart.
He asks us to believe in Him, and to place all our trust in His plan of salvation.
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Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the
law but by faith in Jesus Christ.
We can do nothing to earn our salvation. No work, however good and fine it may
be, can contribute to saving us from our sins.
Salvation is God's free gift to us, and the only work that has contributed to it is the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Now, let's carefully read the following verses...
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Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to His mercy He saved us.
Ephesians 2:8,9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
So, the Christian is called to perform good works, not TO be saved, but rather
BECAUSE he is saved.
We must really understand this point.
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James 2:17,26
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is
dead. (...)
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Thus, the role of the works is not to save us, but rather to show the presence
of a living faith within us, a faith «working through love».
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Galatians 3:14
(...) that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.
John 16:13
However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will
guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He
hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
Now, what is the role of faith in the study of prophecy?
First, faith gives us access to the Holy Spirit, whom we absolutely need to understand
prophecy, because it is He who «will tell [us] things to come».
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Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet
seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he
condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Luke 17:26
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the
days of the Son of Man.
Faith also allows us to take seriously God's warnings, and therefore to make
the necessary decisions without delay.
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1 Timothy 4:1
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some
will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.
Luke 18:8
Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really
find faith on the earth?
The last days will be marked by the scarcity of living faith, the faith of
Jesus.
Now, this faith prevents us from departing from the truth.
This explains why a total confusion will prevail here on earth...
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Ephesians 6:16
(...) above all, taking the shield of faith with which
you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
1 Thessalonians 5:8
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
Satan's repeated attacks, especially in the last days, force us to put on the
whole spiritual armor of God, and faith is one of its main component.
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1 Peter 1:7-9
(...) that the genuineness of your faith, being much more
precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise,
honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love.
Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full
of glory, receiving the end of your faith - the salvation of your souls.
Faith will well and truly play a determining role in the time of trouble that
will take place shortly before the return of Jesus.
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Hebrews 10:38,39
«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.
Revelation 13:10
Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
The link between «faith» and «patience», or perseverance, is well established in the
Scriptures.
Genuine faith is indeed patient, persevering. It stands the test of time, even when we
have to go through dark periods.
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Hebrews 12:2
(...) looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The finest example of persevering faith is once again the faith of Jesus, Him
who «endured the cross, despising the shame».
This is why He is designated as «the author and finisher of our
faith», this living faith we all need, as we live in the last days of the history
of mankind.
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2 Thessalonians 1:4
We ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for
your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.
1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this
is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.
In spite of the very difficult times that appear on the horizon, the faith of
Jesus will give us victory.
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Revelation 2:13
I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's
throne is.
And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas
was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you.
«You did not deny My faith.»
Here are encouraging words Jesus would like to address to each one of us when He returns.
Keeping the faith of Jesus remains our guarantee of security for the present, and our
guarantee of victory for the future.
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Let's close this lesson by addressing a prayer to God:
Our Father,
We thank You for having given to each one of us a measure of faith.
Please help us to keep alive this faith, to make it grow, to make it living and
persevering. Transform this faith into the one that Your Son showed during His ministry
here on earth.
May the faith of Jesus be one of our daily-used tools. We pray in His name, and for Your
glory.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
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#8, Toolbox.wmf. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 2: RUIZ,
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p.108. Screen 16: EASTMAN, Bryant. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine
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Russell. In: «Votre Bible et Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Press Publishing Association,
p.152. Screen 18: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (June 15, 1987), New
York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.17. Screen 19: STEEL, John.
In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume 1» (WHITE, Ellen G.), Pacific Press Publishing
Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1950, p.20. Screen 20: MALM,
Mike. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (April 1997), Pacific Press Publishing Association,
p.3. Screen 21: EASTMAN, Bryant. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (October
1994), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.13. Screen 22: In: «The
Watchtower» magazine (February 1, 1986), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society,
p.16. Screen 23: «Sequoias tower in Lady Bird Johnson Grove of the
Redwood National Park.» In: «Deluxe Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia CD - 1998
Edition», Compton's Home Library, 1997.
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The test of Lesson 9 is waiting for you!