One Faith, Two Ministries

2008-04-19 21:23

The Bible says, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." (Ephesians 4:5). And also, "For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:17).

The faith that leads to the saving of the soul is from faith, in which we die with Jesus, to faith, in which we are raised with Christ. Therefore, there is one faith, but two ministries. So the Bible says, "from faith to faith."

If there is only one ministry of faith, in which the body of sin dies with Jesus, it cannot be called the gospel. The gospel is called as it is because there is a ministry of a new life of righteousness, in which we live by faith. It is written, "There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord." (1 Corinthians 12:5).

The Bibe says about the gospel, "Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him." (2 Timothy 2:11). The Bible says about it at many times in various ways.

It is written, "The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." (Romans 6:10-11).

If there is only death to sin without life to God, our faith is useless, and the gospel is not the gospel but nothing in the end.

Therefore, the Bible says, "If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:13-20).

Therefore, in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith, in which we die with Jesus, to faith, in which we live with Christ.

The LORD brought His people out of Egypt so that He might dwell among them. It is written, "They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God." (Exodus 29:46).

However, while Moses was not among them for a while, the people who were brought out of the Egypt abandoned the life of dwelling with God, and sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry, being satifsfied with being freed from Egypt. It is written, "He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.' When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, 'Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.' So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry." (Exodus 32:4-6).

The Bible warns of it, "Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings." (Jude 1:5-8).

Also today, there are many people who say they are saved, blaspheming the glory of God according to their idol of greed, sitting down to eat and drink and getting up to indulge in revelry, only in faith in the forgiveness of sins.

Therefore, the goal of the faith, the salvation of the soul is not in being freed from sin, but in living a new life with God the Father and Christ. In other words, it is not in death but in life. Amen. Thank you, Lord.