Dear Pastor Jackson,
A verse I memorized in eighth grade came to me as soon as I woke up at 6 AM this morning:
"I
am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ
liveth in me: and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not
frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then
Christ is dead in vain." Galatians 2:20,21
Pastor
Jackson, I remember you explaining on your podcast how the Greek
definitely says we are justified by the faith of Jesus Christ. The Greek
plainly says Jesus had faith and the faith of Jesus Christ justifies
us.
The phrase, "I live by the faith of the
Son of God" really stood out for me this morning. I was so relieved "I
live by the faith of the Son of God" and not by some invented work of
reasoning that I had to do such as "making a decision to accept OJ / SJ
lie, or "asking Jesus into my heart", or "dedicating my life to God", or
"keeping God first", or "accepting Jesus as my personal Savior", or Oh
my the list is endless.
Christ is risen from the dead and ascended into heaven for us to make His Father our Father and His God our God.
"I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." John 20:17
Jesus
Christ took all our sins on Himself and was crucified, dead, buried,
risen from the dead the third day, ascended into heaven and is seated at
the right hand of God the Father for us. He will send us the promise of
the Father, even the gift of the Holy Ghost, the gift we need the most!
"Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord!
Be all Thy graces now out poured
On each believers mind and heart;
Thy fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of Thy light
Thou in faith do men unite
Of every land and every tongue;
This to Thy praise, O LORD, our God, be sung.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" (Martin Luther, Come Holy Ghost, God and Lord; The Lutheran Hymnal; CPH; Hymn 224)
In Christ,
Tom Fisher
