What Is The Christian Faith

We have entered a time when Christ has become the most hated individual in the history of mankind. Satan has been given a great mouthpiece. He has become successful at turning the world upside down. Wrong has become right and right has become wrong. Children have become heady, high-minded, disobedient to parents and godless in character. The people of God have strayed from the righteousness of God’s word and have forsaken the common salvation that was once delivered to the saints. Once again, man has refused to retain God in his knowledge. Nevertheless, there is a remnant of sons who still believe in the power of holiness. There are some who have not forsaken the way of righteousness and steadfastly hold on to the word of God as law for their lives. But the question is, how did we get here?

How and why did the Body of Christ lose its way? How did we become so fragmented, denominational and unbelieving? It is a great necessity that these questions find answers; and as always, the Lord is ready to deliver truths that will dispel the lies that the people of God have become so accustomed to hearing and receiving. Please open your heart and ask the Father to help you comprehend the word you are about to entertain. In October of 2014, the Lord spoke to me concerning the next phase of the revelation. He said I was to teach faith, specifically, the faith of the new creature. Needless to say, I was very excited because I’ve already written several books on faith. But as always, the Lord had something more in mind. The first thing he wanted me to talk about was the Christian faith itself. He wanted the Body of Christ to be aware of what “The Faith” really is.

Most Bible-believing charismatic churches are advocates for Jesus Christ. Most of them teach the death, burial and resurrection of Christ as the foundations of their faith. Salvation is usually rendered in a message that proclaims Jesus to be the savior of the world. Therefore if one believes that Jesus is the Son of God, who died for their sins, rose the third day, and is now seated at the right hand of God, then they are saved. Therefore, all who believe such are considered to be members of the Body of Christ. Furthermore, this also means that they are in the faith. I am not here to dispute that one can be saved simply by believing on our Savior Jesus Christ. But what I am saying is that it is imperative for us to define what salvation really is. To do so would also establish the true meaning of the Christian faith.

Hebrews 12:2

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

This scripture has been quoted in the Church for many years. But I don’t think we have grasped the true meaning Paul seeks to render here. What really makes Jesus the author of our faith? The question implies that the Christian faith began with Him. Of course, this is true. The problem is, the Body of Christ has not connected the dots between the person of Jesus being the author of the faith and our fellowship in the faith.

The Author: Jesus is the originator or creator of the Christian faith. I submit to you that “The Christian Faith,” began with the manifestation of the life of Christ here on the earth. It is the Mystery of Godliness manifested first in Jesus and then in the Body of Christ.

1. He walked among sinful men thirty-three and a half years without sin. It was God in the Body of Christ to whom He was obedient; boasting that He always does those things that please the Father. This was the operation of God, in that He joined himself to the soul of Christ in a manner that Christ could say, “Father, make them one, as We are one.” This Oneness with God was manifested in His obedience and submission to the will of the Father. This is true faith; obedience to the will of God.

2 The sins of the world were placed on Him; causing death, (a complete separation from God.) Jesus died the death of a sinner, alienated from God by the body of the sins of the flesh. It is probably good to reiterate here that the sins of the world were contained in His human body. That was the purpose of the chastening and death of the flesh.

Romans 6:6

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

The death of Christ’s flesh was the destruction of the body of sin.

Romans 6:3

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

The scriptures declare that in Him we live and move and have our being. To be placed in Him is a positional change into an eternal Spirit that was present as the death of Christ. The Word calls this a baptism into His death. Well if this is indeed true, then we must regard our flesh as dead because of sin, but alive unto God because of the resurrection.

3. The soul of Christ maintained its innocence, thus it was able to go into hell as a sacrifice for sin. The innocence of the soul made it lawful for God to deliver it from the pit of hell. Remember now, the soul, joined to the Holy Spirit, was the inner man, or life of His flesh. Therefore if the flesh is to live again, the inner man must return to it.

4. He rose the third day, to become, “the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18).

Consider the facts; if Christ has the preeminence in all things pertaining to salvation, and if He is the firstborn from the dead, then there must be others who follow Him in this operation. Therefore, there must be a resurrection of the dead in our salvation experience. The scripture bears witness of this awesome event.

Romans 6:5

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

5. Ascending from hell, Jesus re-entered the body that lay in the tomb; raising it from the dead. That body was once again alive unto God. This is the operation of God. It was first manifested in Jesus Christ and then we became partakers of this great grace through faith. This next passage sums up this administration of God’s redemption plan.

Colossians 2:10-13

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses…

There is no Christian faith without the resurrection. But it is not just the resurrection of our Lord and Savior from the tomb; it includes His resurrection in us. He reentered that body that laid in the tomb, reviving it from death. We being dead in sins and trespasses, had to allow the body of sins to be destroyed (death of the old man), before we could be raised from the dead by the power of God; for the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead also quickened our mortal bodies, (bringing alive from a literal death to live unto God). Beloved, this is the Christian faith.

Rom 14:9

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

It is the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He lived this life without sin as the son of man, filled with the Holy Ghost; proving that the born again believer can live free from sin if he chooses. Jesus became the author of our eternal salvation by being the first to live the life of a son of God without sin, making Himself worthy to become the propitiation for our sins. Then He died, rose and revived His own body, establishing the faith of the operation of God. The only thing left to say is, “Examine yourself, to see if you be in the faith. Have you been truly born again by the resurrection of Jesus Christ in your body?

John 11:25-26

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?