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NASB | Matthew 8:5 ¶ And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 8:5 ¶ As Jesus went into Capernaum, a centurion came up to Him, begging Him [for help], [Luke 7:1-10] |
Subject: A FALSE TEACHING? Yes / No |
Bible Note: Graceful You said nothing of the covenant. You said we receive nothing from God without faith. That as stated is not true. We receive many things from God without faith. Pagans live, prosper, enjoy life and die all without faith. Many within the Bible had no faith yet were healed, resurrected or otherwised spared from danger, sickness, or disaster without faith. To answer your question what part of the covenant do we receive without faith. That is like saying which came first saving grace or faith in saving grace. I would say grace. Our salvation is given based on God's grace, His Holy Spirit then leads us to our faith in Jesus. The rest of the covenant is provided for us and we receive it, as we receive it through grace our faith/trust in God grows. What we receive or don't receive is still based on God's grace not our faith to desire it. While faith is essential to please God it is faith in God not faith in faith that pleases God. Faith is not a manipulator of God, it is what God rewards. For God to exist faith is not required nor would God cease from being if there was no faith. Faith is not a force it is nothing more or less than the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen. Faith is not a power nor a conductor it is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. We are cautioned on the "hoped for" part. Here we are told not to hope for things that feed only our flesh, to insure what we hope for is of God's will not our own, and not to suppose we know better than God what is needed at what time. We are also cautioned not to seek our physical comfort but rather to seek God's kingdom with the total assurance, confidence and trust that God will do what is best for us. This is where the blend gets clouded by WOF, they want to use faith to manipulate God for their physical comfort declaring that this is what God desires for His people. They do not want any part Refiner's fire. Yet in the life of every Bible saint we see them passing through the Refinners fire. Look at the Hebrew Children of Daniel 3. They didn't have the Bible they didn't know the end. Look what they said, our God is able to save us but even if He choses not to we still will not bow to your idols. In effect they said no matter what happens here today we know our God will make all things work to our good because we love Him and are called to His purpose. Notice we don't see them praying God put out the fire, give us fire suits, make Nebuchadnezzar change his mind, send angels and sweep us away. No! I see three young men standing on the platform looking at the world for what they think may be their last time saying, God I trust you to see me through this refinners fire. What would have been the worst thing that could happen to them? That they died? No they would have gone home, to Abrahman's bosom (paradise). Yet they were spared why? For them? No they were spared as a testimony to us. As they trusted God, God moved on their behalf, just as if we trust God in faith He moves on our behalf. Death while our enemy is not final we are promised the resurrection and residence in our real home. We are merely passing through our desire should be for heavenly homeland. by doing that God is not ashamed to be called our God and He has prepared a city for us. EdB |