In Galatians 3, Paul asks the Galatians how it had happened that they had begun in faith, in the Spirit, but now had been bewitched to end up in the flesh. These believers had not been careful to continue in their faith. Their life had failed to logically relate to their original faith.
Historically, the Crusades and the Inquisitions were examples of the Church failing in the logic of Faith. In the personal Christian life, when the believer fails to derive his principles of practice from the originality of Gospel faith, his faith-life has run a shipwreck.
It's like the Christian in Bunyan's Pilgrim Progress who is detracted from the path of the Cross by the Worldly Wiseman.
In the case of the Galatians, it was the Judaizers who tried to introduce Jewish rituals and rites as mandatory into the Church.
If we have begun our Christian life in faith, we can only grow if we keep ourselves in that faith. If we have believed Christ for the salvation of our souls, isn't it much less if we stop believing Him for everything else? For, if I can believe that I am forgiven by the blood of Jesus and have been saved from sin and eternal punishment and that I have been accepted as a child of God, I should also be able to believe with the same logic of faith that He is able to provide for all my needs, He desires to answer all my prayers, He is ready to help me in time of need, He has provided all things necessary to live a godly and righteous life in the midst of this corrupt world, He is there with me no matter what situation I go through, He gives me divine health and delivers me from all sicknesses, He strengthens me with His might to serve Him with wisdom and power, and He will be glorified in every situation of my life. My faith-life is a like a structure of faith-acts built one upon each other.
Every time I approach His throne of Grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), He gives grace to help in my time of need. My faith-acts are only made possible because of His grace that is fresh every morning, and my life is built of layers of grace upon grace (John 1:16). We do not need to resort to the natural ways of the world. God has called us to a life of supernatural living. However, it is important that we also pay close heed to the Truth of God declared in His Word and do not become presumptuous in our faith. Because, faith that is not connected to His Word is like casting anchor in the wind. But in Christ Jesus all the promises of God are signed with a "yes" (2Corinthians 1:20). If we have called Christ as the Lord of our life, we must also live our lives as conforming to the nature of our Blessed Lord, who lives and reigns forever. And, He is Victor in all things, and nothing is impossible for God.
To grow in faith means to grow in the knowledge of Christ, who is the Person and the Subject of the Revelation of God in the Written Word; to grow in our relationship with Him. It is only they who build themselves up in the faith of Christ (untouched by the filth of worldly philosophy, faith, or wisdom) who can say with Paul:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Gal 2:20)
Let's make no decision after the flesh, but let's live by the faith of God. And, may the Lord be glorified in all our decisions.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come now to Your throne of Grace seeking mercy and forgiveness for my unbelief. I submit my heart's request before Your feet. Thank You for all that You have given me, are giving me, and are going to give. The storms may rage and the winds may declare this is impossible, but I trust in You, O God of gods; for by Your one command the storms will subside and the winds give way to Your purposes. May Your blessed and righteous will be accomplished over Your servant's life. May Your scepter bear rule over every avenue of my life. Lord, thank You for meeting all my needs according to Your riches in glory. In submission to Your will, I pray in Your Glorious Name, Amen!
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