Yes! There is Good News! 1.4.19

As we have peered into the topic of “good news” these past few weeks, we have been considering an interesting scripture in the book of Revelation 17:14: “And they will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers.” We have talked about how it would be a good thing to be with our Savior at this point in time and so perhaps we should understand these 3 terms from a biblical standpoint. We have seen how we may be called by God and we have seen how the choosing takes place, but what about the third category: “faithful?”

And then there is that fourth word, “followers.” Let’s take a look at these last two words; shall we?

So let’s say you have been called by God (and I believe that if you have been reading these articles, you have been); and let’s assume you have prepared the soil for the scattered seeds that are being sown, and are being chosen by God; now you must pursue faithfulness!

In Romans 4 Paul gives us the ultimate example of a man of faith. 4:1 “What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness’ ...” Later, in the book of Hebrews chapter 11, often called the “Hall of Fame of the Faithful,” we read about Abraham in verse 8, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land… By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son.”

Abraham had faith in God when he was told that even in his old age he would have a son. Abraham had faith in God when he was told to leave the land of his fathers and move to a new land. Abraham had faith when God told him to sacrifice this very son that God had promised to him. And then Jesus says in John 8:39, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works Abraham did.” Wow, did I just read the word “works?” I thought we were talking about faith. Abraham is the father of the faithful – what is this about his works?

The letter of James has something to say about this: James 2:14, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead … You have faith that there is one God. Good! But even the demons believe that and shudder.”

We shall, God willing, look further into this subject the next time. But isn’t this exciting – we have, in this study, gone from the book of Romans to Hebrews to John and finally to James. The bible is a unified book and a treasure trove of knowledge!!