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January 2021 Printable 130 KB .pdf

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth grace, peace, and good will towards all people through God's son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Father, I thank you for this opportunity to study your Word to show us approved to you Father so we can know your Will and increase our believing. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

The December 2020 teaching defined the English word "Lord." The differences between Lord (Jehovah) when it refers to God our Father and when Lord (kurios - master) refers to His son the Lord Jesus Christ were discussed. We learned "Lord" is listed fourth in Ephesians 4:5 and discussed what the number four means in God's Word. The word-based study reviewed scriptures for the Greek word "kurios" which is our English word Lord. Finally, we read in 1 Corinthians 12:3:

Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord [Greek word kurios for master], but by the Holy Ghost [speaking in tongues].

In this month's teaching we will continue our word-based study on the next unity of the spirit - "one faith." We will break this teaching into two parts. This month, in Part 1, we will:

• Define the phrase "one faith."
• Discuss the Greek word "pistis" and its usages for believing.
• Learn from God's Word that "one faith" refers to Jesus Christ.
  

In February 2021, in Part 2, we will:

• Discuss what the number five represents in God's Word as "faith" is listed fifth in Ephesians 4:5.
• Search the scriptures for examples of the Greek word "pistis" for our English word "faith."
  

Let's begin by understanding what the phrase "one faith" means. The English word "one" is the Greek word "heis" which means "one, the first cardinal numeral; emphatic, one, even one, one single." The English word "faith" is the Greek word "pistis" for believing which means "firm persuasion, the conviction which is based upon hearing, not upon sight, or knowledge; a firmly relying confidence in what we hear from God in His Word." (

Please note: The source for all Greek-English words is E. W. Bullinger's Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament 1975).

Romans 4:17 reminds us:

(As it is written, I have made thee [Abraham] a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth [make alive] the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

In this verse, we have a spectacular definition of believing! We are told believing means to call those things documented in God's Word which be not as "though they were!" In order words, we are to believe something will come to pass, even though it has not yet happened.

The Greek word "pistis" or believing is used hundreds of times in God's Word. However, it only is used in five different ways: 1. Believing, 2. Faith of Jesus Christ, 3. Manifestation of believing, 4. Family faith, and 5. Fruit of the spirit believing.

Believing has been here since the beginning of humans. Therefore, we can believe all the promises in God's Word that are available to us. Based on the Greek word "pistis," we understand that believing equals receiving. We are to believe and then we will receive.

There are two ways to believe: positive and negative. What we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths is what we will manifest in our life! When we are believing positively or have positive thoughts in our minds, we have confidence and trust that what God's Word declares is truth. When we are believing negatively, our minds start to doubt, we begin to worry, and fear and unbelief occur. Hebrews 11:1 tells us:

Now faith [believing] is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence [the Greek word elenkos] of things not seen.

Let's look at some of the key words in this verse.

Remember, the word "faith" is the Greek word "pistis" which is translated as believing. From Hebrews 11:1, the word "substance" is the Greek word "hupostasis" which means "what is set or stands under; underlayer, prop, foundation; that which lies at the foundation of the matter; confidence." The Word of God is the foundation of our believing!

In Hebrews 11:1, the phrase "things hoped" is the Greek word "elpizo" which means "to expect, to hope for anything (elsewhere, "trust"). Faith is a thing hoped for or confidence. The word "evidence" is the Greek word "elenkos" which means "evidence, demonstration, proof, convincing argument."

There are only two occurrences of the Greek word "elenkos" in God's Word. The first use is in 2 Timothy 3:16:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof [evidence - the Greek word elenkos], for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

The second occurrence of "elenkos" is Hebrews 11:1 as mentioned above.

In Hebrews 11:1, the word "things" is the Greek word "pragma" which means "a thing done or to be done; deed, act, fact, matter."

Putting all this together reveals that believing is that which lies at the foundation of the matter, the Word of God. It is our confidence and trust that what God's Word says is done, is a fact before we see the manifestation of it! 2 Corinthians 5:7 tell us:

(For we walk by faith [believing], not by sight.)

Let's turn to Hebrews 11:6:

But without faith [believing] it is impossible to please him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God's Word declares without believing, it is impossible to please God! In other words, by believing God's Word, we please God.

Hebrews 11:13 provides an example of this believing:

These [Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah] all died in faith [believing], not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off [in God's Word], and were persuaded of them [the promises], and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The phrase "one faith" is documented in the book of Ephesians 4:5. We can put this together with John 14:6:

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12 also provides more information about the phrase "one faith:"

Neither is there salvation [wholeness] in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

There is only one emphatic single faith and that is the faith (believing) of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten son whereby we must be saved! The "one faith" documented in Ephesians 4:5 is referring to that of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten son! God's righteousness is by faith (believing) of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:22 tells us:

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith [pistis - believing] of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.

God's justification is by faith (believing) of Jesus Christ. Galatians 2:16 explains:

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith [pistis - believing] of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith [pistis - believing] of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3:22:

But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith [pistis - believing] of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Remember Romans 12:3?

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith [the faith of Jesus Christ].

When I confessed with my mouth the Lord Jesus and believed in my heart that God raised him from the dead, I was absolutely saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10: 9-10). Now I am born-again of God's Spirit and I received "the measure of faith [the faith of Jesus Christ]" as described in Romans 12:3. And so do you!

Galatians 2:20 provides more edification:

I am [was] crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith [pistis - believing] of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

The life I now live in the flesh I live by what? The faith (pistis - believing) of the Son of God! What a truly magnificent and inspiring verse of scripture!

Colossians 1:27 says:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Where is Christ? In you! In me! Now, how do I manifest that Christ in me? Look at Ephesians 1:19:

And what is the exceeding greatness of his [God's] power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his [God's] mighty power.

If we believe, we can experience the exceeding greatness of God's power in our life! When we believe God's Word, we can absolutely do the works that Jesus Christ did and greater works! John 14:12 confirms this:

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me [Jesus Christ], the works that I do shall [absolutely] he do also; and greater works than these shall [absolutely] he do; because I go unto my Father.

Because we believed in Jesus Christ and the works he accomplished, we shall do the works he did and greater works! The "greater works" refers to the spiritual new birth which came on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). By renewing our minds and taking believing action on God's Word like Jesus Christ did, we can absolutely do the works he did and "greater works than these" because of the new birth he made available on the day of Pentecost Acts 2:4 (see March 2017 teaching).

For this teaching, we defined the phrase "one faith." We discussed the Greek word "pistis" or believing. We understand now that believing is that which lies at the foundation of the matter, the Word of God. It is our confidence and trust that what God's Word says it is done, it is a fact before we even see the manifestation of it! We saw from God's Word, the "one faith" is referring to the faith of Jesus Christ.

Father, I believe by your grace and love we were saved by the believing works of your only begotten son the Lord Jesus Christ. We know he was the payment for our sins. Thank you for the life we now live by the believing of the Son of God, who loved us, and gave himself for us. Father, thank you for your blessing of prosperity and health in your household of believers through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

In next month's teaching, we will continue with Part 2 of "one faith." We will look at the meaning of the number five represent in God's Word, as "faith" is listed fifth in Ephesians 4:5. We will examine the scriptures for examples of the Greek word "pistis" for our English word faith.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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