The Apostle Paul explains exactly what faith is in Romans 10:19: “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.” Notice the Words “comes by,” meaning that faith is not an instantaneous event. Faith is a spiritual gift that develops within us as we seek to know all that can be known about the Godhead (Father and Son) with the goal of obeying them unto their level of holiness. Such holiness is commanded for the awarding of eternal life (1 Pet. 1:15,16; 2:5,9) and is possible IF we obey Their Ten Commandment Law (Mat. 19:17/ Jn. 15:10/ 1 Jn. 2;3-5; 8:3). The Word “hearing” needs an explanation. Anciently, the vast majority of people on earth were illiterate (could not read or write). Only those in the upper class, including the priests, learned to do so. Therefore, the masses had access to the Holy Scriptures only in the synagogues where the priests read them aloud at various times of the day. Others were allowed to read to the Scriptures to the people. When Jesus did so the people were surprised that Jesus–a lowly carpenter–could read (Jn. 7:14,15).

Faith involves a spiritual growth process which I have broken down into four stages as the Holy Scriptures reveal. Those stages are: 1) believing in/on Jesus, 2) believing His words/message, 3) acting on (obeying) His words/message and 4) remaining faithful to His words/message until the end of life. It is important that we understand this FAITH PROCESS so that we can determine where we are on God’s faith gauge at any particular point in our lives. It is imperative that we get to stage three as quickly as possible and remain on that state until life’s end. We will examine each stage of the faith process in a somewhat detailed fashion so that we can see what we need to do more of, or less of, or if we need to change altogether, or if we are on the Biblical faith track.

LEVEL ONE INVOLVES BELIEVING IN/ON JESUS CHRIST as the Holy Scriptures reveal Him to be, along with what He taught. Approximately one third of mankind in this final era of world history believes in/on the man known as Jesus of Nazareth, who He was and what He did. These globally scattered people comprise a convoluted morass of conflicting, contradicting beliefs and practices that are collectively known as “the church.” This conglomerate consists of hundreds of “faiths” also known as “denominations” which are nothing more than man-founded and constructed religious cults that are counterfeits of the one true church. Having followed in Adam and Eve’s rebellious footsteps by rejecting God’s Law which defined good and evil, each cult has developed its own version of good and evil. Their original parents would be proud. Let it be understood that Adam and Eve continued to believe IN their Creator God, continued to meet with Him and talk with Him face-to-face, as did their sons Cain and Abel. They did not reject Him nor deny His control over them following their apostasy brought on by what He had said (Gen. 3:1-4–note vs 3).

A Biblical fact that is rarely, if ever spoken about in the Institutional Church involves the spiritual death that takes place due to sinning–the breaking of God’s Law (1 Jn. 3:4). King David suffered greatly following his sin due to his separation from God (Isa. 59:2). David knew that the penalty for sin was the removal of God’s Spirit from within him (Ps. 51:11). He knew he deserved such a separation which I can tell you from personal experience is horrible. I contemplated suicide to the point of having a gun in my hand ready to pull the trigger. The Lord told me to call my mother. I did so. She was sick. I prayed for her and He healed her. That was God’s way of warning me not to take my own life. My problem was that I had sin in my life. I was separated from God’s Spirit, leaving me like low hanging fruit for Satan and his demons. Lesson learned. I had been called to the highest level of holiness and had gratefully answered the Lord’s call–but not completely. When God says “sin no more” (Jn. 5:14; 8:11), He means “SIN NO MORE.” PERIOD. Lesson learned.

Throughout history God has always had a “REMNANT,” His “LITTLE FLOCK” of true believers who cling to Him and obey His Law which in some cases has cost some of them their lives. With the exception of God’s peculiar little flock, nothing has changed since Adam and Eve’s debacle. All counterfeit church members believe IN Jesus. Their faith problem begins with His crucifixion. Most church people do not know all that He accomplished on the cross. Read about what actually happened on the cross using the key word–Crucifixion. Then read The Re-crucifixion of Christ. Key word–Re-crucifixion. God-designed and God-required faith is based totally on His Holy Scriptures which consist of what He said to his prophets and apostles who, after preaching His Words, then recorded His sayings and preserved them for us who serve Him now at the end of the age (2 Cor. 10:11). TRUE FAITH IS TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD–Genesis to Revelation–which constitutes His LAW, which He condensed into the Ten Commandments.

LEVEL TWO INVOLVES BELIEVING WHAT JESUS SAID (HIS MESSAGE). The Institutional Church picks and chooses which of His Words are “right,” meaning that they agree with their theology. All other statements (the vast majority) are rejected. Simply stated, faith level two involves not believing what God said to his prophets and apostles who preached them then recorded them. An excellent example the church’s rejection of God’s Word involves the 7th Day Sabbath which the vast majority within the counterfeit church rejects in favor of Satan’s 1st day sabbath which honors the sun god on his day–sun day, thereby breaking commandment #4. Read the series on the Sabbath. Key word–Sabbath. Remember that God said through the Apostle James (2:10) that TO BREAK ONE COMMANDMENT OF THE LAW IS TO BREAK ALL TEN OF THEM.” This common sin makes the church sinner guilty of INIQUITY (TRANSGRESSING THE LAW). Jesus says to church sinners (“workers of iniquity”): “I DO NOT KNOW YOU” (Mat. 7:21-23). Jesus does not know intimately those who only believe IN/ON Him. After all, Satan believes in Him. Faith level two involves BELIEVING JESUS–BELIEVING HIS MESSAGE. This is where faith becomes a problem for the billions of believers throughout the earth. L.J.