Throughout my life, two of the most interchangeable words in my vocabulary were faith and hope.
For example…
I am faithful I will have the strength I need this week.
- or -
I am hopeful I will have the strength I need this week.
In my perpetual effort to be a good Christian, I would drop the word “faith” as much as I could.
You may feel the same way.
After all, Christians should be integrating their faithfulness about the future into conversations and prayers, right?
I’ve discovered the answer is yes and no.
Yes…
Christians should demonstrate their faith in everything they say and do.
But no…
Christians should not speak of faith solely in the future.
Here’s why…
The foundation of the Gospel is grounded in what has already happened at Calvary.
Author and Missionary Watchman Nee, in The Spiritual Man, remarked:
“Expectation regards things in the future, but faith deals with the past.”
Consider also the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans (Chapter 6):
5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,that we should no longer be slaves to sin — 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Notice Paul’s intentional use of the past tense in just these three verses for the new church … united, crucified, ruled, died.
It’s More Than Just Semantics
It may be easy to dismiss this argument as nothing more than word choice.
Faith and Hope.
One in the same, right?
Not exactly.
Try This Experiment
This week, I encourage you to recognize when you use the words Faith and Hope in your conversations and prayers.
When I did, I realized I was”faithful” for a lot of things in the future, but my dialogue was not grounded.
And for that matter, my faith was not grounded.
Now, I look first to the cross.
And my example from the start of this blog post now reads:
I will have the strength I need this week because my faith remains in Christ.
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Strengthen yourself and others through your conversations that your every day hope is based in your faith in Christ.
A faith in what has already been given to you.
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How do you stay grounded in your daily conversations and prayers?
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Image herein courtesy of pol sifter via Melissa Cooley’s blog.
Which came first the chcken or the egg?
Basis of reply.
Col 1:27(KJ) ….the mystery among the gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Hebrews11:1(KJ)….Now faith IS the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
These two special components of our spiritual expression as revealed by the Holy Spirit which is Faith and Hope are another expression of the divine union. These two are one. These come to us as one. We may try to separate them.In the matters of God there is no time so that there is not a separation of things of God. As for us the aspect of matters related to time or order are only for us to understand our acceptance and then use/application of our glorious Lords gifts.
Faith and Hope are spiritual reality of “Christ in you” as Christ is our Hope of glory. Now faith is substantation with power through the divine union as God has purposed. Faith and Hope is a person. They are our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we lack either of these we need to admit we lack the fullness of Christ. God has not made an empty promise. “Knock and He will enter to fellowship with you.” Ask and you shall receive.
Thank you Brother Oscar for sharing. I can always count on you to provide clarity.