Galatians 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

We are again back to the matter of faith. This verse is exactly what John wrote about in John 1:12-13: “Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John again wrote in 1 John 3:1 about what a mind-boggling thing it is that God should accept us as His children, and He puts it all on the basis of faith. Accordingly, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of faith. Life for a believer is a process of learning to live out what we believe, to live appropriately as a child of God, but whether we are a child or not is entirely dependent on faith, by the grace of God. (Ephesians 2:8-10) As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, God does have work for us to do as His children, but our being children doesn’t depend on the work we do. Jesus said specifically that our most important job is simply to believe. (John 6:29)

This is all so important, and so simple, and yet so hard for people to grasp! I am certainly not proud of my slip-ups, yet they make me no less a child of God, any more than occasional disobedience made me not a child of my physical parents. God’s grace is no excuse for sin, but it allows us to repent and be forgiven. (Romans 6:2, 1 John 1:9) This whole issue is so fundamental that I could go on quoting Scriptures that talk about it for hours! That’s why it’s so very frustrating when people refuse to receive the gift of faith God offers them, or they refuse to exercise the faith they have already been given. I am no proponent of “Easy Believism,” or as my grandfather called it, “Into Bliss and out of Blister,” because genuine faith bears fruit. However, I see so many people trying to earn God’s love, and it breaks my heart, as I’m sure it does His. People see my life now and think I’m a saint, yet I am no more a child of God now that I was when I wasn’t acting like one, even though I believed in Him. I’m back to the awareness that new converts are the most convincing evangelists! It’s like Evie’s song says, “Born again; there’s really been a change in me.” People don’t know how much I’ve changed, so they don’t know that they too can change, if they will only accept what God has done for them in Christ. I’m back to depending on the Holy Spirit to implant faith and work that change in their hearts. It’s for sure I can’t do that on my own!

Father, thank You for this further word. Thank You for making it clear to me that I’m to speak on “Believing” Sunday. I really could take the entire Bible as my text, but that would be counter-productive for sure! I ask for clear guidance as I chose those texts You want used for this occasion, so that the message won’t be a club, hitting people over the head, but the sword of Your Spirit, piercing to where they are bound and cutting them free. May we be a believing church indeed, living fully as Your children, for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!