FROM FAITH TO FAITH

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from FAITH TO FAITH: as it is written, The just shall LIVE BY FAITH – Romans 1:17

One morning Jesus walked along the shingled edge of Lake Galilee and beckoned to a few local fishermen. He said, “FOLLOW me and I will MAKE you…!” (Matthew 4:19). At that moment everything began for them. Until then all they lived for had been FISH; now it became PEOPLE, world-changing and eternally-impactful actions, with ever-increasing faith and ever-increasing effects: “…from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Jesus did not call the disciples to a drab, dull and dreary existence. He calls us to Life! He came to give us life in abundance and ever-increasing measure (Jh.10:10b). The disciples were impacted by the Lord’s sparkling Spirit, which challenged the stuffy establishment of the Roman enclave. He opened their eyes to new things, revolutionary ideas, faith, hope and love, and by these they conquered the world…FAITH is a VENTURE that turns life into an ADVENTURE.

The Ideal Christian Life is “from faith to faith”! “But the path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (Pro.4:18). It is by faith that man first lays hold on the gospel, which in turn produces a heightened and intensified faith. The phrase “from faith to faith” may therefore refer to the progressive stages of faith unto perfection – the dynamism of faith unto the unity of faith (Eph.4:13). It may also refer to the revelation of the righteousness of God from the faith of the Old Testament to the faith of the New Testament, so that no person ever was or shall be justified in any other way. Someone spoke of moving from “mustard seed faith” to great faith. However we may choose to view it, the reality of faith confirms the truth of the Gospel! The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith!

When Christ called His first followers, they were unknown, quietly getting on with their local business, fishing on a lake. Then, He sent them out “to do business in great waters” (Psa.107:23) and “to the uttermost parts of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The sea, in Scripture, represents the nations, the waves roaring and turbulent. As He sends us to fish on the waters, the Lord over all storms is there to still the storms and tame the turbulent tempests. He sends us to fish in every nation, though the waters of the world “roar and be troubled” (Psalm 46:3). We obey from faith to faith, never doubting, never fearful!

The Lord Jesus has not called us to sit, “warm the pews” in church and vegetate in spiritual slumber. We were not called into a hubby or pastime. We have a job to do, an assignment to fulfil, a mission to accomplish. We are called into the biggest job of all – to build His Church and impact the world with His Word. We are co-workers with Christ in this joint venture, for he has said, “I will build my church” (Mt.16:18). We began from minus status, with no faith. At the Cross, the flame of faith leaped into our hearts, ignited our spirits by His Holy Spirit, bringing redemption, salvation and forgiveness – the plus status. We believe, as the Holy Spirit continues to translate all Jesus did for us into our personal experience “from faith to faith.”