Spirit of Prophesy II
Recently, I was reflecting back to the 1970’s, when celebrity preachers changed the meaning of the word “faith” and started a new phenomenon called the “Word” Church. While there is nothing wrong with the term Word Church, back then the statement suggested that certain groups had a better revelation of the Word of God than others. The church took on a different look and a quite different sound from the traditional Church.
Unfortunately, there were also a few casualties along the way. One in particular was the meaning of the long-standing definition of the word, “faith.”
πίστις = faith Strong’s concordance work number 4102 πίστις pistis {pis’-tis}
Meaning: 1) conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it 1a) relating to God 1a1) the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ 1b) relating to Christ 1b1) a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God 1c) the religious beliefs of Christians 1d) belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same.
Spirit of Prophesy II
New Living Translation
2 Thessalonians 2:3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed– the one who brings destruction. (2Th 2:3 NLT)
Prior to the word-church culture, the word “faith” meant a personal conviction while trusting in God’s divine ability to keep His church from occasional pitfalls. God forgave those who would fall into sin, but believers had a responsibility also. In addition to receiving God’s forgiveness, believers understood that they were expected to grow in their trust and service to God, thus become wiser Christians. This meant trusting in what God’s Word said, but not in their ability to speak into existence what they desired. While observing the changing attitude of the body of Christ, one could plainly see the prophetic warning to the younger generation who were drawn away from the truth because of the rapid progression of this new kind of Christianity. A star-struck Christian who is open to every new pop-truth is the same as a captain of a ship leaving for a long journey overseas and his only navigation instrument is hearsay.
McDonald idiom translation
9 Energized by Satan, the lawless man will come with full dynamics, using fake signs and wonders.
10 He will utilize every nefarious deception on those who are self-destructing by not accepting the love of truth indispensable to their being saved. (2Th 2:9-10 MIT)
Complete Jewish Bible Translation
9 When this man who avoids Torah comes, the Adversary will give him the power to work all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders.
10 He will enable him to deceive, in all kinds of wicked ways, those who are headed for destruction because they would not receive the love of the truth that could have saved them.
11 This is why God is causing them to go astray, so that they will believe the Lie. (2Th 2:9-11 CJB)
Remember, the first piece of armor for the Christian belief is the helmet of salvation. This helmet offers protection against anything targeting the believer’s mind, except for the faith that produces obedience to God – one’s salvation.
NLT Ephesians 6:17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Eph 6:17 NLT)
4030 περικεφαλαία perikephalaia {per-ee-kef-al-ah’-yah}
Meaning: 1) a helmet 2) metaph. 2a) the protection of the soul which consists in (the hope of) salvation.
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: (1Pe 1:13-17 KJV)
Every man’s work will be brought up for judgment by God. Even though we may be told that “works do not matter in this dispensation” or that “works are a thing of a long-forgotten covenant”, 1st Peter of the New Testament says the opposite. Jewish works of the Old Testament were through ritual obedience which gave them their distinctive behavior. This is why they were called Jews. Their laws were for identification and sanctification.
Spirit of Prophesy II
Complete Jewish Bible
Romans 4:2 For if Avraham came to be considered righteous by God because of legalistic observances, then he has something to boast about. But this is not how it is before God! (Rom 4:2 CJB)
Sometimes Christians confuse Abraham’s justification with the ritual
observance of the Law of Moses. In other words, what the book of Romans referred to as works were the observance of Jewish traditions. It had nothing to do with living right because the observance of Jewish traditions came later. In fact, the book of Romans is actually saying that long before the observance of the law, it was Abraham’s faith in God plus his obedience that we are justified today and not because of any 
observance of Jewish traditions. The giving of the Law of Moses came after Abraham had been dead for a long time.
The reason that Abraham was made righteous by faith is because there was no law at that time that would be considered as “works. ” God cut His covenant with father Abraham before the law was given.
More importantly, let’s not struggle with the word “works” because Abraham demonstrated extraordinary reverence for God when he did what he was told to do. Abraham trusted and obeyed God. Because God saw true reverence in Abraham’s heart, He blessed Abraham with righteousness. As a matter of fact, God’s divine impartation took place prior to Abraham’s circumcision. Therefore, his righteousness came before any of the required works of the law.
McDonald idiom translation
MIT Romans 4:3 What does the Scripture say about this? Abraham believed God, and his faith was credited to him for righteousness. (Rom 4:3 MIT)
MIT Galatians 3:6 Abraham is a model of one who believed God. His faith was accredited as his righteousness. (Gal 3:6 MIT)
MIT James 2:23 So Scripture was fulfilled, having said: Abraham believed God. His believing was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham was called God’s friend. (Jam 2:23 MIT)
11 In fact, he received circumcision as a sign, as a seal of the righteousness he had been credited with on the ground of the trust he had while he was still uncircumcised. This happened so that he could be the father of every uncircumcised person who trusts and thus has righteousness credited to him,
12 and at the same time be the father of every circumcised person who not only has had a b’rit-milah, but also follows in the footsteps of the trust which Avraham avinu had when he was still uncircumcised. (Rom 4:11-12 CJB)
Dangerous doctrine
Therefore, anyone who teaches that faith has replaced obedience to the Word of God is in error. At the same time, if anyone teaches that no one has to live right because living right equates to legalistic observances of Jewish Law, he or she is also in danger of going against the Holy Scriptures.
New Living Translation NLT 1 Peter 1:17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.”(1Pe 1:17 NLT)
Complete Jewish Bilble CJB 1 Peter 1:17 Also, if you are addressing as Father the one who judges impartially according to each person’s actions, you should live out your temporary stay on earth in fear. (1Pe 1:17 CJB)