Does Your Faith in God Produce ACTION?
But many of you, of course, will say: "But I already believe in God and have never doubted His existence!"
Fine.
But do you ACT that way? Do you RESPOND to God s instructions in His inspired Word? Do you really CHANGE when you are shown to be wrong and literally live by every word of God?
Do you zealously Study Plain Truth magazine — looking up the scripture references in the Bible — PROVING the truth and then really living by it? Do you follow The WORLD TOMORROW broadcast with your Bible open — taking notes on scriptures and important points — proving it and really living by it?
For an example of the kind of LIVING faith which Jesus Christ taught, read carefully the example of the Roman centurion found in Matthew 8:5-13. The centurion had a sick servant and he sought Christ to heal him. But, having humility and realizing his Gentile background, he told Christ that he was not even worthy for Him to come under his roof. He said: "but speak the word only, and my servant SHALL be healed" (verse 8).
Then, this Roman captain described the principle of living faith in a way that made Christ remark about it enthusiastically. He said: "For I am a man under authority, having soldier under me: and I say to this man, go and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it" (verse 9).
In other words this Roman soldier knew that when Christ gave a command over sickness and disease, it HAD to be obeyed! For the Roman soldiers under him automatically said: "Yes sir!" when they were given a command.
This man was willing to do anything to have his servant healed. But he had so great FAITH in Christ that he realized it was not even necessary for Jesus to come under his roof but simply to give the command
"When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel" (verse 10)
This Roman centurion grasped the fact that whatever Jesus Christ commanded was right — it would work — and it would be BACKED UP by God in heaven. He obviously and fervently BELIEVED that.
Do YOU?
The point is, when Jesus Christ gives a command or instructions to you through His Word or through this very Work of God — as you prove it in the Bible — do you realize that God's laws and instructions ALWAYS WORK OUT Right? That you can and should have total FAITH in living by them? That God stands behind them and BACKS THEM UP? That whenever you have realized or proved that any command or instruction comes from God you should learn automatically to say: "Yes sir!" and DO what your Creator instructs?
Follow the SERVANTS of Almighty God
Somewhere along the line, you had better PROVE — and know that you know — where Jesus Christ is working. You need to find out where Christ's true servants are and follow their example — learn gladly from them — and ACT on the truth of God.
God says: "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation" (Heb. 13:7). Christians are here instructed to fallow the example of the faithful ministers who truly preach God's Word. They are instructed to RESPOND quickly and gladly to these true servants of the living Christ — saving themselves much heartache and many mistakes over the long run.
"OBEY them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you" (verse 17).
Again, God instructs His people whom He is calling to RESPOND to the true ministers of Christ.
You need to cultivate the habit of steadying of truly PROVING all things in the Bible — and then RESPONDING to God's servants as they teach you His Word. Don't just hear but ACT on the instruction of God and change your life to follow the example set by Jesus Christ and His true servants.
Before God calls us and BREAKS our stubborn wills, many of us have been "hardheads." We have been slow, stubborn and loath to change from OUR WAY of life and over approach to spiritual truth. We naturally want to follow the crowd — to have the approval of MEN As the unconverted Jews of Jesus' day, we want to follow "the traditions of our fathers" — which are all too often RANK PAGANISM. We tend to say: Here is the way I LOOK AT IT . . . here is MY opinion."
If this be your problem, God help you to WAKE UP! God help you to understand and realize that this is His VERY WORK on earth — bringing the LAST WITNESS of His impending intervention to a rebellious and confused society! God help you to REPENT and to get over on His side. For He will surely never get over on your side as such.
Never forget the example of Jesus Christ sending out the seventy young men, two by two (Luke 10:1-16). For these young men were certainly not "recognized" by the worldly authorities of their day. They had no "credentials" no approval of any ministerial council or any organization of men. But they were preaching THE WAY of God — the message of God's Kingdom which Jesus had taught them (verse 9).
The very Son of God told these young men as He sent them out: "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." The marginal rendering for the Greek word here translated "despiseth" is rejects. In other words, those who rejected those young servants preaching "the Kingdom of God" were REJECTING JESUS CHRIST!
SO PROVE by real steady and prayer where Christ is working. Then follow the true servants of the Living Christ.
HEED God's "Watchman"
In Ezekiel 33:1-11, God reveals that the peoples of modern America and the British Commonwealth nations will have a "watchman" to warn them of the final Tribulation which is soon coming in our day. If that watchman FAILS to preach the truth and WARN the people — then their blood will be required at the watchman's hand.
God is speaking to those of us in this very Work! "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me" (verse 7). This prophecy was written, of course, over one hundred years after Israel's first and only captivity. It refers to the final Tribulation on the modern "house of Israel" — identified in your Bible as the British Commonwealth and the U.S.A. today. Those of us helping to get out The WORLD TOMORROW broadcast and Plain Truth magazine are in that very Work. We will be held ACCOUNTABLE if we do not warn the peoples of modern Israel with clarity and POWER.
"Nevertheless," God says, "If thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do NOT turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul" (verse 9).
But God does NOT rejoice — and certainly neither do we — in the fact that some refuse to RESPOND to the definite warning being given them through this Work to return to the true God of Israel! He says: "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked should turn from his way and live: TURN YE, turn ye from your evil ways; for WHY WILL YE DIE, O house of Israel (Verse 11)?
As Christ's servants we beseech you in sincere love; DON'T just be an "interested listener," or an "interested reader." Diligently Study prove and ACT on the truth which is being imparted to your mind and heart this very minute!
"Be ye DOERS of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22).
Learn to RESPOND, to learn, to change, to grow in the knowledge of the Living Christ. In the same manner, learn to respond and ACT on the Truth — the entire way of life — being preached through His true servants today!