A man without faith and burdened with many doubts will resemble this within his mind and heart.
IF ANY OF YOU LACK WISDOM, LET HIM ASK OF GOD, THAT GIVETH TO ALL MEN LIBERALLY, AND UPBRAIDETH NOT; AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN HIM. BUT LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, NOTHING WAVERING. FOR HE THAT WAVERETH IS LIKE A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN WITH THE WIND AND TOSSED. FOR LET NOT THAT MAN THINK THAT HE SHALL RECEIVE ANY THING OF THE LORD.
In the letter written to the Hebrews by an unknown author, there are words written concerning faith and that without faith, it is impossible to attain the rest promised by God. The writer cites numerous examples that we would be wise to pay careful attention to lest we fail to enter into His rest because we did not have faith.
Faith is coupled to works, which is connected to obedience, and all is bound together in Godly love and fellowship with the brethren. But when faith is disconnected from obedience then the works that are produced will not be pleasant to either the eye nor the tongue, but will be spat out as distasteful and cast aside as unworthy to look upon. For how can one say that he loves the Lord and yet refuses to keep the commandments? The scriptures speak clearly that those who keep His testimonies are blessed because they walk in the law of the Lord, and the apostle John goes even further by declaring that those who refuse to keep the law are liars and the truth is not in them, and the Lord Himself admonished the rich young ruler to keep the commandments.
Today, however, in these hard times, many shepherds have become as harlots by casting the words of the Lord aside to pollute themselves and their flocks with godless teachings, whereby searing their consciences, they have condemned themselves as unworthy to enter into His rest through their acts of disobedience. Hardened hearts make deafness a prevalent disease among those with weak consciences and wavering characters. I wonder how many would stand in the auditoriums that are being prepared for the faithful witnesses of Christ? Ignatius desired martyrdom for Jesus and would not allow the brethren to plead his cause. Therefore, he suffered and was wholly consumed by the wild beasts in the coliseum. Do we have that strength of faith today? And Polycarp, who after being hidden by the brethren in a farmhouse desired martydom also rather than to live in fear and denial, and met his end with a blade at the coloseium. And throughout history many have willingly given up their lives for the truth which is in Christ, and have received their crown of glorious life.
How do the believers of today stand in comparison when their faith is built on the lies of the false teachers, upon their personal views and opinions? This is not faith but more a form of subtle denial and human reasoning, the which will not stand in the congregation of the righteous on that great and final day. As the psalmist speaks in a certain place, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
Very soon the fiery trials which our fellow brethren suffered and perished for the faith they held firm unto the end will be upon us, and I dare say boldly that many will not persevere because they are not standing upon that rock which is Jesus, the Christ, but they have built their homes on the sand which the storms shall rend to pieces and scatter them amongst the flood waters. These days have been foretold to come upon all the inhabitants of this world, and those prophesied days have already begun, and yet, the false teachers and their godless teachings are still subduing foolish hearts and minds ignorant of knowledge and understanding.
But we have been called not to be ignorant, but more to be watching and praying and keeping the fellowship with like minded believers. We are called to walk in His love, to exercise patience, kindness, longsuffering, being of a forgiving heart, ready to help those in need, being humble one towards another, not judging or acting with arrogance and high mindedness. We have been called to preach the word in and out of season, to be ready to give an account of what we believe in and why. We need to read the Holy Scriptures and to study them because in them we have knowledge of life, we have a lantern to guide our feet, a compass to steer our souls by, and the Spirit of Holiness to guide us into all truth which is to be found in Jesus Christ.
Again, study the word which God has given to those who love Him, and lean not unto your own understanding. For there are many things written which require a heart of faith to believe, and many do not have that kind of faith, and they shall not enter into His rest. For they have chosen to lean upon their understanding rather than the words of God and His Christ. They have refused instruction by the which they would have attained unto eternal life, and have gathered around those who would deceive and lead them astray, and all because they refused to believe what the perfect will of the Lord is and have turned away from doing His will.
But you have not been taught to go that route, but the more, you have been taught to confess the Christ and to walk after His commandments and to remain obedient to His calling, even unto the end of your days. Remain faithful even when doubts would attempt to discourage and cast you down. We all have our trials and not all trials are easily mastered, but the faithful will learn obedience through those very trials, and discipline is a part of those trials. Therefore, do not be discouraged when you are disciplined by the Lord, for which father does not discipline the child whom he loves? And we are the children of God if we are indeed disciplined by God and receive that discipline with meekness and humility of heart.
Do not have stubborn hearts and rebellious attitudes. Do not practice iniquities or fornications or lie to one another, but the more, serve one another in love and humility, caring for one another and carrying each other’s burdens. For by so doing the love of Christ is perfected in us.
I am calling the faithful in Christ, wherever you may be in this world, to hold firm unto the end. If we remain faithful to Him then we shall run the race unto the end and receive the crown of eternal life, if we do not faint nor give up, neither let sin rule over us.
Be faithful in Christ to the glory of God, the Father, who has called us to fellowship with His Son, Jesus, the Christ of God, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
I remain a brother to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Edward L. Ordway
