GOSPEL MESSAGE MIXED WITH FAITH

WEDNESDAY 25 MAY 2022

The message of the glorious gospel must be mixed with faith before it can benefit anyone who hears it. By being mixed with faith, I mean someone having absolute trust in who God is and placing their entire confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness, because of the gospel they've heard and received.

Reference: Hebrews 4:2 New King James Version (NKJV) "For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it."

When the good news is shared and people hear it, especially the lost souls, and yet it doesn't profit or work for them, it means that there was no understanding, and so they couldn't apply it to benefit them. This faith is all about spiritual understanding because the Bible says, "The entrance of God's words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130 NKJV). Understanding here means absorption; comprehension; a firm hold or a tight grasp. Therefore, to receive the good news, one must fully absorb and be firmly persuaded about the truth of gospel conveyed and then lay hold on it by a lively faith.

When the gospel message is mixed with faith, the witness in your heart that you received it and can apply it, will be as authentic as feeling the tangibility of the clothes you are dressed in. You'll also acknowledge with all consciousness or awareness, that you can have effective fellowship with Christ and God from then on. The gospel message starts with "the knowledge of the Son of God" which is the bedrock of an active faith in God. So for one's faith to be mixed with the spiritual knowledge of Christ, it has to be by God's grace and Spirit. By this grace, a lost soul perceives the glory that accompanies the gospel message instantly and then approves of it, trusts in Christ, and receives Him in their heart (See also Ephesians 2:8 NIV).

Now what are those factors that can cause the gospel message not be mixed with faith, thereby not benefiting those who heard it? The factors can be located in Matthew 13:3-9 (NIV) - The parable of the sower told by Jesus. It reads: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear."

To identify the factors in the above Scriptures, Jesus quoted the fulfilment of Isaiah's prophesy saying: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving"' (Matthew 13:14 NIV). So the key fact or major problem is lack of "Understanding. And most times, that's the reason for their arguments and unbelief.

And here is the full interpretation of the parable from the Master: "When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" (Matthew 13:19-23 NIV).

The key fact "understanding" is so essential that if its in place, the outcome of the receiver would always be different. In other words, the good news that comes to hearers or the lost souls would be clearly understood and mixed with faith, as well as, benefit them as they apply them. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Mark 9:23; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 11:1.

Guided Prayer: Heaven Father, I thank you for your eternal Word which always comes to me by your outstanding grace. The gospel message is actively divine and I earnestly receive and understand because the author, precious Holy Spirit, produces the certainty of faith in me to accept and put the knowledge to work for my benefits. I'm fully convinced and extremely joyful that I have a ray of large profits sourced from the gospel, with a sense of complete satisfaction in Christ, in Jesus' Name, Amen!