MYSTERY
OF FAITH AND PURE CONSCIENCE
“Holding
the mystery of faith in a pure conscience” 1 Timothy 3:9.
“They must
follow the true faith that God has now made known to us and always do what they
know is right” 1 Tim. 3:9 ERV
The mystery or secrets of faith is
best exemplified when we follow after the true faith [good-news of the gospel],
and we exercise faith in the ability of God to do all things according to His
heart desires. True faith is best held in a pure conscience or when we do
ALWAYS what we know is right in the sight of God and Men. The practical love of
truth is the most powerful preservative from error, secret faults, presumptuous
sins, transgressions, iniquities, delusion and all other Satan’s schemes or
ploys targeted at falling us from glory.
Though these were written as
admonition of the deacons and deaconesses, but we all know that God expects all
Christians to live by these principles of godliness if we are to matter in the
things of the Kingdom of God.
We must keep a pure conscience,
morality and integrity [truthfulness and honesty], and take heed of everything
that corrupts good mindset, follow after godly ordinances, our conscience
devoid of offense, and get away from that which entices to sin or draws us away
from godly living. Then we have the assurance that this will preserve our souls
and the mystery of faithfully serving and obeying God in truth and in the
Spirit will not elude us. Abiding in the vine without hypocrisy or ill-will
consequentially will lead to our bearing fruit, more and much fruit.
“Those
that be PLANTED in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our
God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and
flourishing” Psalms 92:13-14 [my emphasis]
We are the trees of righteousness
and the planting of the Lord [Isaiah 61:3]. We as God's trees are said above to
be planted in His house because it is from his grace, by his word and Spirit
that we receive all the sap and godly virtues that keep us alive, do His bidding
and make us fruitful. We must fix ourselves to walk according to the holy
ordinances, take root in God, abide by them, put ourselves under the divine
protection, and bring forth all our fruits to use for God's honor and glory. Plants
take root and are stationed in one spot, they do not dilly dally, move from one
spot to another or double minded. Our heart must be permanently fixed trusting
in the Lord unflinchingly.
“Let
these also first be proved…” 1 Timothy 3:10.
It is not fit that any should be
trusted, till they have been first proved, and found fit for the kingdom business
they are to be entrusted with; the soundness of their judgments, their zeal for
Christ, and the blamelessness of their conversation, must be proved. Here our
conscience is either certified pure or full of impurity. That was why God
proved the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness before allowing Joshua
and Caleb who passed the test to cross over into the Promised Land full of milk
and honey.
Again these virtues must be found
in all Christians so that the fragrance of Christ-likeness can flow out of us
in all places that by our chaste conduct the name and business of the Lord can
be highly estimated and also we will be a spiritual magnet that draws
unbelievers into the kingdom of God. Many are saints in the house of the Lord
but bull dogs in their offices or homes, and some do not care to apply the
sound biblical doctrines they have heard when dealing with spouse or neighbors.
Above all, we must put on the garment of love, faith and hope in God forever
more!
All who are related to the
HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH must double their care to walk as becomes the gospel of
Christ, lest, if they in anything walk disorderly, the ministry be blamed. A
man might be professedly firm in the belief of the truths of revelation, and
yet be corrupt at heart, so we must take heed to live and walk according to the
doctrines of God, and purge our hearts from every evil works.
Christians should hold firmly the
great doctrines of the Christian religion which had been so long concealed from
people, but which were now revealed. One of this pivotal principle is that the
just shall live by the Faith of God, to have faith in God or possess God’s kind
of faith.
We must be habitually having trust
which has its source in God, take hold on God’s faithfulness to His promises,
rely solely on God and His abilities, have confidence in God, or better still
have the same kind of faith that God had when He created heaven and earth by the
Word of God and there was light. We must know that the “entrance of His word
gives light and understanding to the simple” [Psalms 119:130].
“Dear
friends, I've dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that
we have in common. I have to write insisting--begging!--that you fight with
everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard
and cherish” Jude 1:3 MSSG.
We should earnestly contend for
the faith. This have two connotation of defending the faith of the Gospel and
also striving to walk in faith and trust in the Lord with all our heart, such
brethren believe wholeheartedly that God is able to do or keep that which is
committed into His hand. We must believe in God and His precious promises, and
guard our hearts with all diligent so as to maintain pure conscience or do
always what is right in the sight of God. However this missive is for those who
have been sanctified [hallowed, made holy, dedicated, purified, consecrated] by
the Father and preserved by the Lord Jesus Christ [Jude 1:1], these are
determined to have a pure conscience.
“This
charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went
before on thee, that thou by them might war a good warfare; Holding faith, and
a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made
shipwreck” 1 Tim. 1:18-19
We can activate God kind of faith by
believing in the written or spoken word
of God, dreams, visions or prophetic words like that given to Timothy with
which he was admonished to war a good warfare tarrying, insisting on and
walking by faith until that which God promised is manifested on planet earth
through him. Once God declared it, heaven looks at it as it has been done
already but it is our standing and warring in faith that brings us into the
fulfillment of such promises. We must fight hard to retain the faith that was
committed unto us.
The shield of faith stands guards
on the tablet of our hearts preventing penetration of the fiery darts that want
to puncture our hearts and plant evil seed of unbelief, fear, doubt, anxiety
and worry. Faith which is believing in God and actualization of His words
brings salvation in all sphere of life. Faith in God works better knowing that
our hearts are pure having lived a godly life with heart void of offense, and
so condemnation does not rub us of the end of our faith which is seeing the
natural manifestation of what we believe God for.
“Hold
fast and follow the pattern of wholesome and sound teaching which you have
heard from me, in [all] the faith and love which are [for us] in Christ Jesus” 2
Tim. 1:13
Faith which is simply believing
that God has done as promised and we shall see the physical manifestation can
be activated as we hear, read and study the word of God [Romans 10: 17] and as
we continually build up our most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost [Jude
1:20]. We must hold fast the Word which we have been taught so that great faith
and the love of God will not elude us. Satan will always want to dampen our
spirit man by getting us into unbelief but we must stand tall and fight the
good fight of Faith [1 Tim. 6:12]. Faith is one of our weapons of our warfare
for pulling down of strongholds.
“And
the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in
Christ Jesus” 1 Tim. 1:14
The mercy of God has been extended
to us in that the Grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness has appeared to all
men; and in the same token grace bestowed upon us the love and the faith that
God gives as gifts. It is not skill or knowledge that God requires from us first
but faithfulness [1Cor. 4:2] and to be faith filled trusting in the God of
greater works knowing that without faith, it is impossible to please God [Heb.
11:6].
