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The
precious coin
Rom.1:15(KJV)
"For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith:
as it is written, The just shall live by faith."
Jude 1:3(KJV)
"Beloved, when I gave all
diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that
ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints."
2 Peter 1:1(KJV)
"Simon Peter, a servant
and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that
have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of
God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:"
In the kingdom of God on earth,the common unit of
currency that is spent to fulfill God's purposes in and through mankind
is 'the precious coin'.
'The precious coin' is faith in God and his word.
'The precious coin' is available to every member of God's kingdom from
the least to the greatest:
Rom.12:5(KJV)
"For I say, through the
grace given unto me, to every man that is among
you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to
think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of
faith."
The importance of real faith and the prominence of
the heroes of faith
have been discussed in 'Rhema Island'.
Real faith is 'the precious coin' which has two sides.
The side known as 'the head' is
'the sunny side' of real Christianity described below:-
Heb.11:33-35a(KJV)
"Who through faith subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of lions."
"Quenched the violence of
fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of
weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the
armies of the aliens."
"Women received their dead
raised to life again:..."
The side known as 'the
tail' is
'the cloudy side' of real Christianity described below:-
Heb.11:35b-38(KJV)
"...and others were
tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they
might obtain a better resurrection:"
"And others had
trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of
bonds and imprisonment:"
"They were stoned, they
were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with
the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented;"
"(Of whom the world was
not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in
mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."
This second side of 'the precious coin' certainly
excludes any wrong kind of suffering for Christians as clearly
commanded below:-
1 Peter 4:15(KJV)
"But let none of you
suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an
evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters."
While the first side appears to be attractive,the second seems to be
repulsive!
In the history of the church,many saints have camped on 'the sunny
side';while others have lodged on 'the cloudy side'.
Each 'camp' has despised the other due to one or more theological
reasons.
Yet in the sacred records of the bible,one will clearly see that both
Jesus Christ,and the early church embraced both sides of true
Christianity!
The Lord Jesus Christ both had the company of great
multitudes(Matt.4:25),and suffered desertion of his closest
associates(Matt.26:56b).
All believers in Christ are called 'to walk in his steps' on both sides
of 'the precious coin'(1 Peter 2:21).
The early church experienced both 'gathering'(Acts 2:41) and
'scattering'(Acts 8:1) in fulfilling God's purposes for her(Acts 1:8).
What is the assessment of the Lord for believers on both sides of the
precious coin?
Heb.11:39(KJV)
"And these all, having
obtained a good report through faith, received
not the promise:"
The crystal-clear answer is 'a good report'!
Saints on both sides of 'the precious coin' form God's winning team as
portrayed in 'The ultimate game'
In this dispensation of grace,the chief motivating force for these
'winners' is God's love in
the regenerate human heart:-
Gal. 5:6(Amplified Bible)
"For [if we are] in Christ
Jesus, neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith activated and
energized and expressed and working through love."
This brand of love is poured into the regenerate
human heart by the Holy
Spirit:-
Rom.5:5(KJV)
"And hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
Without love, anyone(on the sunny side) who has
faith that moves
mountains is nothing(1
Cor.13:2).
And if anyone(on the cloudy side) gives his/her body to be burnt
without love,the martyrdom is unprofitable(1
Cor.13:3).
Every member of God's kingdom has a regenerate heart.
A regenerate heart is only possible through the new birth(John 3:3-8).
Before the new birth,every human heart is unregenerate:-
Jer.17:9-10(KJV)
"The heart is deceitful
above all things, and desperately wicked: who
can know it?"
"I the LORD search the
heart, I try the reins, even to give every man
according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
The new birth takes place when any person has a
personal encounter with
Jesus Christ ;and humbly and sincerely receives him as Lord and
Saviour(Rom.10:9-13).
When this happens(either dramatically or quietly),the person becomes a
member of God's kingdom(Col.1:13).
The testimonies(Heb.11) of these heroes of faith inspire,encourage,and
comfort everyone currently in 'the good fight of faith'(1 Tim.6:12)to
singly focus on the author and finisher of 'the precious coin' so as to
fulfill God's purposes:-
Heb.12:1-2(KJV)
"Wherefore seeing we also
are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us,"
"Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith; who for the
joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and
is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
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