The Faith Of Our Lord Jesus Christ

by Henry Dyer | Category: General | Sept 1943

In the past dispensation Moses was the channel through whom God communicated His mind and will to Israel in the giving of the law. The law of Moses embodied legislation and principles in a detailed and comprehensive form that governed the life and conduct of the nation of Israel, both Godward and manward. Israel was a people not only redeemed by blood, but had been brought into covenant relationship with God by accepting the terms of the covenant at Sinai. They were separated from all the nations of the earth in order that they might. be a peculiar treasure unto Him, according to Exodus 19.5: "Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me from among all peoples." The welfare of this people was bound up in their observance of the words of the law, even as Moses said unto them, "Set your heart unto all the words which I testify unto you this day; which ye shall command your children, to observe to do all the words of this law. For it is no vain thing for you; because it is your life " (Deuteronomy 32.46, 47). Their dwelling in the land of promise was also conditional upon their observance of the law and obedience to all that God had commanded them. That the law was a revelation of God's will to His people, and that it was accepted as a perfect standard of faith and conduct, there can be no doubt, as the later writings of the Old Testament bear sufficient witness, and nothing of all that was afterwards spoken by God in the Scriptures of the Old Covenant revoked or detracted from the words that were spoken through Moses, but were in perfect harmony therewith. In all matters of dispute the appeal was to the Book of the Law. "To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them" (Isaiah 8.20).

In turning to the New Testament we learn from Galatians 3.28 (R.V.M.) that "before the faith came we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the law hath been our tutor unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that the faith is come, We are no longer under a tutor. For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus." It is clear that the writer here contemplates the completion of the purpose for which the law was given, God having given a further revelation of His will which is here spoken of as "the faith." The condition of God's people in the past is here contrasted with the saints of the present, and though many were children of God, as truly as believers now, they did not know the nearness and liberty of sonship, for the heir, so long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a bondservant, though he is lord of all (Galatians 4.1).

Israel has been set aside, having rejected their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Another people became the people of God, even as the Lord said to the Jews, "The kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof" (Matthew 21.48), and it was concerning such that Isaiah spake when he said, "Bind thou up the testimony, seal the law among My disciples. And I will wait for the LORD, that hideth His face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for Him." Concerning His disciples the Lord Jesus said, "I have given them Thy word" (John 17.14), and, furthermore, after His resurrection He " appeared unto them by the space of forty days ... speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 1.8). The work of the Lord was thus preparatory in character and the purpose He had in view was that the kingdom of God should be established among His disciples, which was accomplished at Pentecost. Through the witness borne by the apostles on the day of Pentecost many believed and were baptised; and they were added (that is, they were added to those who were already together, about a hundred and twenty names) and" they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2.41, 42). Here we see a people together of God, answering to the nation of Israel in the past, and just as the law was given to Israel so has the faith been given to God's New Testament people. It is thus evident that the faith in the present answers to the law in the past, and embodies the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles. It is termed " the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ" (James 2.1), as the Lord Himself is here viewed in the same relationship to the faith as was Moses to the law, and this is in accord with the words of Hebrew 1.1, 2, " God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in His Son," and inasmuch as the glory of the New Covenant and its ministry excelleth that of the Old, so also is Moses, great and honourable though he was, eclipsed by Him of whom it is recorded, "Who being the effulgence of His glory, and the very image of His substance, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1.8).

The faith is a comprehensive term and embraces in its entirety the will of God for His people during the present dispensation and includes many foundation truths such as the way of salvation, redemption, atonement, justification, sonship, baptism, the house of God, the kingdom of God, principles of fellowship and others of kindred character.

Solomon, as a wise master builder, laid in Mount Moriah, the place of God's choosing, a foundation of enduring strength. "And the king commanded, and they hewed out great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house " (1 Kings 5.17). Upon this foundation men of old erected a structure that for beauty and magnificence was the joy of the whole earth; and in which Jehovah, the God of Israel, was pleased to dwell in the midst of His people. God took pleasure in the house because it had been built according to the pattern that had been given to David, for it was given unto him "in writing from the hand of the LORD" (1 Chronicles 28.19). The house of God is no longer a material house, but a spiritual house, composed of living stones, yet the pattern for the present is analogous to that of the past as an examination of the apostles' teaching clearly shews.

"According to the grace of God which was given unto me, as a wise master-builder I laid a foundation ; and another buildeth thereon" (1 Corinthians 3. 10). When Paul went to Corinth he preached Christ and Him crucified, with the result that "many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized ... And he dwelt there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them" (Acts 18.841). Here is the pattern of the work of God in Corinth. Disciples were first made, then baptised, then through obedience to the truth they were "builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2.22), and it was to these that the words of 1 Corinthians 3.9 applied, "Ye are God's building." There was thus a building in Corinth, one in Ephesus, in Colossae, Jerusalem, and other places, each builded according to the Divine pattern, "being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (that is the apostles' teaching), Christ Jesus Himself being the Chief Corner Stone; in whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the Lord "(Ephesians 2.20, 21).

When we come to Paul's second epistle to Timothy a sad condition of things presents itself. The great apostasy had set in, and the joy and vigour that had been such a marked feature of the early days of divine testimony were waning fast. Many had made shipwreck concerning the faith; they had missed the mark, having turned aside unto vain talking. Not only had there been a marked deterioration with regard to moral condition, but, more serious still, the very foundations of the faith were being assailed, and the evil doctrine was spreading like a gangrene. So pronounced and widespread did the evil become that it became impossible to deal with the evil and cast it out, and the general condition is likened unto that of a great house wherein vessels honourable and dishonourable are intermingled. In the face of such widespread and deadly error, must the truth of God be given up, and the field of battle surrendered to the enemy? "Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness " (2 Timothy 2.19). Here was the test and touchstone for all who, no matter what the cost might be, were prepared to do God's will, and it was to such that the call came to outpurge themselves from that which was dishonouring to the Lord and to return to the foundation that was according to God, in association with those who were calling on the Lord out of a pure heart. While it is blessedly true that the Lord knows them that are His, this has to be manifested by those who are indeed His by departing from unrighteousness, for to continue in fellowship with those who are not giving effect to the truth is a denial of the Lordship of Christ.

The continuity of the faith was maintained, not by apostolic succession, of which the Scriptures know nothing, but by a succession of faithful men of whom Timothy was an outstanding example In this epistle to Timothy, his genuine child in faith we have Paul's parting words, as he views the end of his course words of apostolic counsel that have a voice for us to day and especially for younger men upon whom in time to come will devolve the responsibility of maintaining the testimony The things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also " (2 Timothy 2.2). Thus the faith has been handed down to us, but there is the sad possibility that the precious heritage of truth that has come to us through the course of a long and deadly struggle may on our part be lightly esteemed. Israel were required to fight not only for possession of the land, but also to remain in it; so also must we. We are exhorted to "fight the good fight of the faith" (1 Timothy 6.12), and this is seen to be associated with witnessing for the truth, as Timothy was reminded of his confession; and further we have the example of Him who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession (verse 18). This will bring upon us the reproach and hostility of those who are the enemies of the truth. The world's religion has ever been the inveterate enemy of all who have sought to witness for the truth, and will continue to be so till it finally has its issue in that great confederation of the religious systems called, "Babylon the great, the mother of the harlots and of the abominations of the earth" (Revelation 17.5).

Scripture does not speak of a plurality of faiths, only of "one faith" (Ephesians 4.5), and it has been " once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 8). In the last book of the Old Testament the final appeal to Israel was, "Remember ye the law of Moses My servant" (Malachi 4.4). It was never repealed but remained unchanged till that dispensation closed. So to-day the faith continues to be the divine standard of faith and conduct and it may not be amended. Circumstances may change, but the truth and will of God remain the same while the dispensation lasts. Our love for the Lord Jesus will be measured by our regard for His word, for He said, "If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments" (John 14.15).

Henry Dyer | Sept 1943
General