What is Faith and How Do We Get it?
Matthew 5:20
For I say to you That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven
Comments: Matthew 5:20 Jesus instructed his disciples to do as the scribes and Pharisees said but not as they did. These leaders were hypocrites. True disciples take God’s instruction to heart and live it out in a sincere and genuine manner, from hearts of true love toward the Creator. The scribes and Pharisees only gave lip service to the Word of God.
The scribes and Pharisees kept the Law to the letter, but this could not save them when it came their time to stand before the Judge of All the Earth. It is written in both the Old and New Covenants that God can only be pleased by faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
What is faith and how do we get it? Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not [yet] seen. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. But that’s not all. It takes love to activate faith, as faith works by love.
Jocelyn Andersen is the author of several non-fiction books, including, Redemption: Bible Prophecy Simplified, a Study of HOPE.
Note from the editor: I read my Bible every day, always picking up today where I left off yesterday. This is what I call my “on-track” Bible reading. I have been doing this for over 44 years. The posts in this column are usually notes on whatever passage I happen to be reading on any particular day. If you are not presently doing the same, I invite you to join me, beginning with where I’m at. How much you read on a daily basis isn’t important. It only matters that you read, feeding your spirit with a prayerful daily dose of the Word of God.
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