Faith (three areas)

FAITH
(Fruit of spirit, engrafte or dealt, and body of beliefs)

I would like to give a few thoughts on the reason I believe the false doctrine of the Puritans contained in the Old Confessions, (based upon the reform Calvinest teachings), which has taken hold on many of God's people.

In my opinion, it is because we fail to properly divide the word faith. We use the definition found in Hebrew 11:1 and attempt to fit all of the different areas of faith into it. If you will notice those listed here Hebrews 11 are all before Christ, and in verse thirty-nine we read these words, 'These all having obtained a good report through (not by) faith, (as the seventh element of the [1st area] fruit of the spirit) received not the promise.' What promise? The promise God made to Abraham in Gen 17:21 ~ 'My covenant will I establish with Isaac', not Jacob: Isaac is representative of those under the second covenant, or betrothed (Hos 2:19) bride of Christ, whereas Jacob represents the wives of Jehovah (Jer 31:32), or those under the first covenant. Gal 4:28 'As Isaac was are the children of promise.' Gal 3:29 'If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.' Again, Isaac is representing his betrothed bride, as spoken of in Hos 2:29. Gal 3:9 'They which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.' This faith is said to have been shut up until Pentecost (Gal 3:23).

Having said all of the above, we can see where God has called out a portion of his children and given them the new covenant [2nd area] engrafted or dealt faith, as defined in Romans 12:3. It is these and these alone (for some hath not this faith ~ 2 Thes 3:2, 1 Jh 2:19) that have the unction of the Holy One of 1 John 2:20. We find in Acts 2:47 that these are added to the church via the dealt faith of the new covenant, administered by the Holy Ghost in opening their hearts as Lydia (Act 16:14) by circumcision. (Circumcision is the token Gen 17:11of God's covenants). It is these to whom he has called unto this service, (1 Thess 2:13) empowering them (Jh 1:12), to believe (n), and upon confessing, believing (v), they are sealed with the Holy Ghost (Eph 1:13) and cannot be deceived (Mt 24:24). This is not to say they cannot become a castaway, only they go astray knowingly (1 Jh 5:17). Having been lifted up in pride, after much long suffering, God blinds their eyes to the truth (Jh 12:40) by searing over their conscience (1 Tim 4:2).

The 3rd area of faith is those things (Rom 8:28) most surely believed among us (Acts 1:3). This is the fundamental doctrinal truth as held by the true Church of Christ, the bride of Christ called ‘The Baptists’, or body of the true believers. In Romans 1:16 we have the preaching of the faith of the true doctrinal beliefs (third area of faith) resonating with the engrafted (second area) faith, which is generated by second area, law written upon the heart in the new covenant. When this happens, the hearer will respond with ‘Yea, I believe that’, being not an uncertain sound (1 Cor 14:8).

If those who hold to the false doctrine (Reform Calvinest) of perseverance would apply just the remnant (Rom 9:29) only, as the ones who will persevere, then I would amen them, but they make this eternal sonship, not the marriage of a timely relationship of the bride. Those who have been given this blessed hope, through the [2nd] engrafted word, faith of the new covenant, should persevere as we are told in Eph 6:18. There is a small remnant, or seed, that will, for God so-to-speak, puts bits in their mouths and directs them through his providential power in the way of truth (Ps 110:3; Isa 1:9; 37:29). If this were not so, then we would all be as Sodom (Rom 9:29, Mt 11:23). Paul puts it this way; 'I am what I am by the grace of God.' Yes, if it were not for His wonderful mercy and grace, I too would be as Sodom (Isa 1:9, Rom 9:29).

[1st] "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Substance ~ Faith is the very thing that is hoped for, which is a life after death or eternal life. We find this phase of faith found throughout the Old Testament (Job 9:2). Evidence ~ faith is an eyewitness that cannot be seen. This faith is the presence of the fruit of the spirit in the lives of God’s children, which cannot be seen, testifying that there is a God with a power greater than they. This being so, we must understand that God has designed in each of the generations [days as described in Hosea 6:2 "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up." ~ First generation was from Adam to Abraham (without law Rm 5:13) ~ Second generation, Abraham unto Christ (law in stone) ~ Third generation, (engrafter wird) Christ unto the end of this time world] a method in which he will communicate with all of his children by giving them the fruit of the spirit, the inner witness which testifies there is a God (Acts 17:23).
　　
The only way the first generation (Gen 4:26) was able to know about God was by this one witness, ‘The fruit of the spirit’ (Acts 17:23, Job 9:2). These died in faith not receiving the promise (Heb 11:39). In the second generation he would give only a portion of his people additional witnesses, (signs and wonders Nu 14:22) and call them a special people to him, in as much as they would be able to bear witness of the true I AM. (Deut 7:6; 32:9; Ex 3:14, Isa 43:10). He tells us in Jer 31:32 that he would make a marriage covenant (in stone) with them. These also died in faith not receiving the promise.

In the third generation he would again give (Lk 12:32) only a portion of his children additional witnesses: betrothing (Hos 2:19) them to His Son as his bride, sanctifying them to the truth. (2 Thess 2:13, 1 Peter 2:9). These did receive the promise (1 Peter 1:3; 2 Peter 1:4; Jh 16:13; Gal 3:29;), which can be rejected (Heb 6:4 & 10:29), just as did most of those in the second generation, who rejected the law in stone.

In the first generation, before the law was given on Mount Sinai, God would deal with the children of men according to Rom 5:13: "For until the law, sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude (an established law) as Adam's transgression, who is the figure of (second Adam, Jesus) him that was to come." Where there is no law there can be no transgression, yet having the sin nature of Adam they died, just as babies in the womb do. In Adam all mankind died to the fellowship of God, and because of this sin nature they all suffered the death of these bodies. Adam died to the fellowship of God the very day he violated the law of God and his body died also in the first day of the LORD (1000 years) at the age of 930 years. (2 Pet 3:8) Faith, as the seventh element of the fruit of the Spirit, being only one witness, which all of the children of God have, cannot establish the truth of the atonement work in the minds of the recipient thereof, for we are told in Matt 18:16 "By two witnesses the truth is established." This is evident by the statement in Job 9:2 "I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?" Yes, this was before the law was given on Sinai, when Job knew God would redeem his people, but could not understand how it could be accomplished.

This knowledge of the atonement comes only through the dealt faith (new covenant), which was shut up (Gal 3:23) until the day of Pentecost. Although having began on the day of Pentecost, would not come unto its fullness (maturity) until the law service was done away at the destruction of Jerusalem in seventy AD. At that time (Mt 16:27, Jh 21:22) Jesus came to deliver his bride out of Jerusalem before its destruction. (Mt 16:28; 24:34; Mk 13:30; Lk 9:27; 2 Thess 1:7; 2 Peter 3:12; John 21:22). At which time he closed out the old and establish the new in the hearts of those whom he would add (Acts 2:40) unto the church by the Holy Ghost (Jh 14:16, 16:13) administering unto them the new covenant (Hebrews 8:13).

It is my understanding that all of God’s children, beginning with the first generation from the time of Adam until now, are in possession of the fruits of the spirit and are able to exercise all of the nine elements thereof. These include: love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, long suffering, faith, [in God as a higher power only, for faith contained herein, nor the law in stone could establish in their minds the completed work of Christ as pertaining to the atoning work of God. The new covenant dealt faith, (Gal 3:23; Rom 12:3, Heb 11:39) must first come] meekness, temperance. All of the children of God from the time of Adam (being aware of good and evil), until now are also confronted with the conflict of the works of the flesh, which are made manifest (adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings), when one of his children is exercising the deeds thereof.

Under the first covenant (law in stone), there were two additional witnesses: (1) the law written in stone, (2) the very presence of God in their lives, by such things as the opening of the sea, manna, etc. (Num 14:22). These special chosen few (Deut 7:6) still did not have (Gal 3:23) the witness (dealt faith, engrafted word) necessary to give them the knowledge of the completed work of Christ as pertaining to his atoning work. This being true, we find in Isa 45:4 this few are described as the elect, and in Ex 4:22 as the first born of God. None of the other (Gentile) children of God had this advantage (Rom 3:1) for they were estranged from God (Eph 2:12), having only the one witness, as Job and all of those in the first generation.
　
In the time of Jesus’ Ministry this engrafted word, dealt faith, was still shut up, for the Holy Ghost, the administrator of new covenant faith, had not yet came (Acts 1:4; Jh 16:13; Gal 3:29; 1 Jh 2:20). The two pieces of evidences during the time of Jesus’ ministry were: (1.) his words, (2.) his works, (John 14:10) "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." The works of Jesus gave those he came to in John 1:11 the knowledge of who he was, but many of them rejected it (Mt 21:32, Lk 7:32).

Since the day of Pentecost the two pieces of evidence: the first witness is the engrafted word, dealt faith, which is in itself the very substance of eternal life, administered by the Holy Ghost establishing true belief in the mind of those so chosen (2 Thess 2:13, 1 Jh 5:4, 1 Peter 2:9). After this belief is established in the mind of those chosen and sanctified to the truth by the first witness, they are then commanded upon hearing the second witness to act upon this belief, in believing. Having responded to this unction of the Holy One, they are them sealed with the Holy Ghost, and can not be decieved (Mt 24:22).

This second witness comes by hearing the preached gospel in the power of the Holy Ghost (Rom 10:14; Rev 11:3; 1 Tim 5:19; Heb 6:18). When one acts upon these two witnesses (pieces of evidence), applying them to one’s life by believing, it establishes the faith of Jude 3, which brings about the sealing of the Holy Ghost. Having been sealed, it is then impossible for the one so sealed to be deceived (Matt 24:22). Eph 1:13 "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. This promise is that which was promised to Abraham," Gal 3:29 "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Eph 4:30 after having been sealed, we are told, "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." In doing so, one is in danger of being cut off from the rest, of abiding in this eternal life, (Rom 2:7; 1 John 2:25).

If he fails in this, after much longsuffering by the Holy Ghost, he will die in his sin and depart this life in unbelief (Nu 37:4, Jh 8:24). In other words, one may act in such a way as to be in danger of losing this knowledge, no longer to abide in this eternal life (Heb 6:4, 10:29). God will give him a space of repentance (John 12:39; 2 Peter 3:9) and if he repents not, then God will blind his eyes to the truth, and he will die in his sin of unbelief. See also (John 8:24; Heb 10:29; 1 John 5:17; Heb 6:4; Mark 3:29; Matt 12:32).

If one does not have this new covenant faith (1 Jh 5:4), having only the one witness, (fruit of the spirit) the gods of this world can take away that which has been sown (received by the preached word) in his heart (Matt 13:13).

During the first era of time the children of God, being in possession of the fruit of the spirit, could understand there was a god which worked in their lives, but was confused about life after death (Acts 17:23). Even here we find Job could not understand how man could be just with God.

In the second era of time, God called a man, whose family lived in the Ur of Chaldees, and later moved up the Euphrates to the land now knows as Syria. From thence, after his father Terah dies, he is called by Jehovah to go unto the land of the Canaanites. In Gen 22:14 the LORD is first known as Jehovah, ‘it shall be seen’. Jehovah called Abraham and gave him the covenant of circumcision, and by physical evidence, experiences with God, his faith was established and he became the father of the faithful. Under the law written in stone his descendants were married to Jehovah. (Jer 31:32; Ezek 23:2)

In the third era of time those called out as witnesses to the truth, betrothed (Hos 2:19) to the son of man, are enabled through the engrafted word of dealt faith to understand the completed work of Christ in his atoning work. They are the firstborn, or first fruits, as they abide in their husband, who is referred to as the first fruit of them that slept. There is a remnant of these that God, so-to-speak put bridles upon to keep them in the way, lest we all become a Sodom (Isa 37:29, 1:9, Mt 20:16, Rom 9:29). Yes many are called as witnesses but only a few are chosen and moved upon by the providence of God through his chastening rod to maintain the truth here in this time world.
Allen Cook 10/20/05