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#4.10 FAITH OR MANIFESTATION?
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- Faith or Manifestation Index
- #4.02 ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD
- #4.04 ALL SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE
- #4.06 OUT OF THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES
- #4.08 MAKE SENSE OF THE APPARENT CONTRADICTIONS
- #4.10 FAITH OR MANIFESTATION?
- Introduction 4.10
- #4.101 Example 1: Was Abraham a Father of Many Nations?
- #4.102 Example 2: Did Abraham's Seed Have the Promised Land?
- #4.103 Example 3: Were the Corinthians Sanctified or Carnal?
- #4.104 Example 4: Had Jesus been crucified on the cross?
- #4.105 Example 5: Was Jairus' Daughter Really Dead?
- #4.106 Example 6: Have the Days Been Shortened Yet?
- #4.107 Example 7: Do We Have Salvation by Faith or by Manifestation?
- #4.108 Conclusion on "Faith or Manifestation?"
- #4.18 CHECK THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE FOR WORD MEANING AND USAGE
- #4.22 FIND THE MISSING WORDS
Introduction 4.10
This bible study explains when the writers spoke by faith or by manifestation in scripture. This section is an integral part of an earlier point (See #4.08), but it is so important and so frequent in scripture, and so fundamental to a correct understanding the word of God, that it deserves special treatment by itself. God is a faith God. He created man in his own image (Genesis 1:27) to operate by faith, and he wants his people to be faith people. He expects us to walk by faith (Romans 4:12; 2 Corinthians 5:7), live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 2:20; 3:11; Hebrews 10:38), stand by faith (Romans 11:20; 1 Corinthians 16:13; 2 Corinthians 1:24), fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12 and 2 Timothy 4:7), resist the Devil by faith (Ephesians 6:16; 1 Peter 5:8-9), and speak faith (Isaiah 59:21; Romans 4:17; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 4:13; Hebrews 10:23), because without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6), and whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). When we do this, we will be looking at the things which are not seen (Hebrews 11:1 with Romans 8:24-25; 2 Corinthians 4:18), because "faith is the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). We will be saying what we believe (2 Corinthians 4:13) by faith, rather than what is true in a manifested sense. When God operates by faith, he "calls those things which are not as though they were" (Romans 4:17), and so this is what he also expects us to do also. We cannot please God without doing it, because without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). God did it often, and the inspired the writers of the bible who were also men of faith did it also. So we need to ask ourselves this question when we read the scripture, "Is he speaking faith (calling those thing which be not as though they were), or manifestation (calling those things which are as though they are)?" There are many examples of where faith is being spoken in the word of God, and things will be made clearer if we examine some.
#4.101 Example 1: Was Abraham a Father of Many Nations?
GENESIS 17:3-5
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be called Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you1.
ROMANS 4:17 (Paul)
17 [As it is written, I have made2 you a father of many nations,] before him whom he believed, even God,
who makes alive the dead, and calls those things which are not as though they were.
Note 1: The word translated have I made you1 (Hb. נְתַתִּיךָ, Htr. netattîkhā) is the Qal, perfect, of the verb "nātan", "he gave", with a second person, singular, masculine, suffix. A literal translation would be "I have given you", or "I have appointed you", or "I have made you". In Hebrew thinking an action is regarded as being either completed or incomplete. Hebrew therefore has no past, present, and future tense as we know them in English, but has instead a Perfect to express actions considered as complete, and an Imperfect to express actions considered as incomplete. Here is a definition of the Perfect tense in Hebrew:
(WGHG p309 #106a) "The perfect serves to express actions, events, or states, which the speaker wishes to represent from the point of view of completion. Whether they belong to a determinate past time, or extend into the present, or while still future, they are pictured as in their completed state."
Note 2: The word translated I have made2 (Romans 4:17) is the word τέθεικά, (Gtr. tetheika), which is first person, singular, perfect, active, indicative, of the verb "tithēmi", "I place", "I appoint", or "I make". Literally this translates as "I have placed", or "I have appointed", or "I have made", which is a good translation. In Greek "The perfect tense describes, a present state or condition resulting from a past action" (DFH p61; JWW p139; HPVN p70 #97). So when God said "I have made" (lit. I have given), it indicates that God considered it already done. Before this time Abraham was not altogether in faith to produce a child by Sarah:
(Genesis 17:17) "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born to him who is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old bear?"
Nevertheless, as time went on, Abraham began to do everything a man of faith does:
(1) He looked at the things which are not seen:
(Genesis 13:14-15) "And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, Lift up now your eyes, and look from the place where you
are northward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your seed for ever."
(Genesis 15:4-5) "And behold, the word of the LORD came
to him, saying, This shall not be your heir; but he who shall come forth of your own bowels shall be your heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look
now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to number them: and he said to him, So shall your seed be."
When Abram looked at the land, although it was not in his possession at that time, he looked with the eyes of faith and saw it as his possession. When he looked at the stars, to number them, he would also look at that which was not seen: that his seed was also innumerable.
(2) He hoped in the things which are not seen:
(Romans 4:18) "Who against (Gtr. Para (acc.) = moving to the side of) hope, believed in (Gtr. epi (dat.) = by) hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall your seed be."
(3) He believed in the things which are not seen:
(Genesis 15:6) "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted to him for righteousness."
(Romans 4:3) "For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness."
(Romans 4:18-22) "Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall your seed be.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb;
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
(4) He (and others) spoke what he believed:
(a) He changed his own name from Abram, which means "Father of height", or "Father (God) is lofty", or "Father of exaltation", to Abraham, which means "Father of a multitude", or "Father of many nations". When people asked him his name, he would reply, "I am Abraham", which was equivalent to "I am a father of many nations." His wife called him Abraham. People around him called him Abraham. People who talked about him even after death called him Abraham. They would all be referring to his as a "Father of many nations", and God creates the fruit of the lips (Isaiah 57:19).
(b) He changed his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah, which means "princess". When people asked what her name was, she would reply, "I am Sarah". Abraham called her Sarah. People around her called her Sarah.
(Hebrews 11:11) "By faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child, when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."
(5) He acted on what he believed:
He changed his name (Genesis 17:5). He circumcised himself and his household (Genesis 17:9-14; 17:23-27). He changed his wife's name from Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:15-16). He gave glory to God (Romans 4:20).
(6) He walked by faith:
(Genesis 13:16-18) "And I will make your seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it to you. Then Abram moved his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is Hebron, and built there an altar to the LORD."
#4.102 Example 2: Did Abraham's Seed Have the Promised Land?
GENESIS 15:18
18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your seed have I given1 this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
NUMBERS 27:12
12 And the LORD said to Moses, Go up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given1 to the children of Israel.
JOSHUA 1:3
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given2 to you as I said to Moses.
JOSHUA 6:2
2 And the LORD said to Joshua, See, I have given1 into your hand Jericho, and its king, and the mighty men of valour.
Note: The words translated have I given1 (Genesis 15:18) and I have given1 (Numbers 27:12; Joshua 6:2) are the same Hebrew word נָתַתִּי, (Htr. nātatî), which is the Qal, perfect, first person, singular, of the verb "nātan", "he gave". Literally, this word translates as "I gave", or "I have given". The word translated that have I given1 (Joshua 1:3) is the Hebrew word נְתַתִּיו, (Htr. netattîv), which is the Qal, perfect, first person, singular, of the same Hebrew verb "nātan", "he gave", with a third person, masculine, singular, suffix. Literally this translates as "I gave it", or "I have given it", where "it" (lit. "him") refers to "place", which is a masculine noun. This does not mean that they had it in their possession in the natural realm at the time God spoke; they still had to go through the process of obtaining it:
(1) They looked at it as their possession:
(Deuteronomy 34:1-4) "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And
the LORD showed him all the land of Gilead to Daniel. And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, to the utmost sea. And the
south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, to Zoar. And the LORD said to him, This is
the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, I will give it to your seed: I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there."
(Joshua 2:1) "And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and
came into a harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there."
(2) They hoped to posses it:
This is evident by the words they spoke (See (4)), and the things they did, such as going and fighting for it.
(3) They believed that they would possess it.
It is evident that Rahab the harlot believed in the God of Israel as the one true God:
(Joshua 2:11) "for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath."
Also it is evident by their confessions that Rahab, the two spies, and Joshua believed that the land had been given to them by God, and that it would soon be manifested:
(Matthew 12:34) "for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
(2 Corinthians 4:13) "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore I have spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak."
(4) People spoke as though they possessed it:
(Joshua 2:9) "And she (Rahab) said to the men, I
know that the LORD has given you the land."
(Joshua 2:23-24) "So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all
things that befell them: And they said to Joshua, Truly the Lord has delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us."
(Joshua 6:16) "Joshua said to the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city."
By faith, Rahab, the two spies, and Joshua were calling those things which were not as though they were, believing that what they were saying was coming to pass, as indeed it did.
(Mark 11:23) "Whoever says ... and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things which he says are coming into being, it will be to him whatever he says."
(5) They had to act on what they believed:
(James 2:25) "Likewise was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them
out another way?"
Also the Israelites had to go and possess the land as they were earlier commanded to do:
(Deuteronomy 2:31) "begin to possess that you may inherit the land."
Here at Jericho, they had to act in accordance with the specific instructions that God gave them:
(a) All the men of war had to march round the city once a day for six days (Joshua 6:3; 6:14).
(b) The ark of the LORD was also carried round the city by the priests, once a day for six days, behind the armed men, with seven priests
blowing trumpets going before it (Joshua 6:4; 6:9; 6:12-13).
(c) On the seventh day they encompassed the city seven times in the same manner (Joshua 6:4; 6:15).
(d) No words were to be spoken during these seven day marches (Joshua 6:10).
(e) After the seventh time the priests blew the trumpets with a long blast, and all the people shouted (Joshua 6:5; 6:16; 6:20).
(f) When the wall fell down they had to attack the city, and destroy the inhabitants (Joshua 6:20-21), without taking the spoil from the city
for themselves (Joshua 6:18-19). The city did not fall into their hands without them doing anything; they had to obey the commands of God through Joshua, in order to take it.
(6) They had to walk in faith:
They had to tread upon the land with the soles of their feet (Joshua 1:3), which also spiritually refers to the words that we speak (Genesis 3:8; Psalm 73:9; Proverbs 6:12; Jeremiah 6:28). Again, we fight the Devil with our spiritual feet:
(Luke 10:19) "Behold, I give you the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you, certainly not."
(7) They had to fight in faith:
They also had to fight for it with swords, which is spiritually equivalent to the word of God coming out of our mouth (Psalm 57:4; 64:3; Proverbs 12:18; Isaiah 49:2; Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16; 2:16; 19:15; 19:21). In the Old Testament the expression "the edge of the sword" is used 34 times where the word "edge" is translated from the Hebrew word "peh", which literally means "mouth". So when they slew their enemies, they literally did it with "the mouth of the sword". This is how we are expected to fight our spiritual warfare today. When Jesus resisted the Devil in the wilderness he said:
(Matthew 4:4) "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."
(Matthew 4:7) "It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God."
(Matthew 4:10) "Go from here, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."
We are also expected to fight the Devil with the words of our mouth.
#4.103 Example 3: Were the Corinthians Sanctified or Carnal?
1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-2
1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified1 in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
1 CORINTHIANS 3:1-3 (Paul)
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, even as to babes in Christ.
2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for until now you were not able (to bear it), neither yet now are you able.
3 For you are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are you not carnal, and walk as men?
1 CORINTHIANS 6:11 (Paul)
11 And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified2, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Note 1: The word translated those who are sanctified1 (Gr. ἡγιασμένοις, Tr. hēgiasmenois) (1 Corinthians 1:2) is the dative, plural, masculine, perfect, passive, participle, of the verb "hagiazō", which means "I sanctify" (WJP p191). The perfect participle denotes a present state which has resulted from action in the past (WP p96 #7.92; DFH p57; HPVN p125 #266), and literally means "those having been sanctified in the past and are still sanctified". There is no way that this can mean that they were sanctified, but have since fallen from that state. This would have explained how they were still carnal (1 Corinthians 3:1-3), but the use of the perfect tense rules out this possibility. Paul is making a definite statement here, that in his view, they were sanctified at the time of his writing. The word translated you are sanctified2 (Gr. ἡγιάσθητε, Tr. hēgiasthēte) (1 Corinthians 6:11) is the second person, plural, aorist, passive, indicative, of the verb "hagiazō", which means "I sanctify" (WJP p191).
(HPVN p68 #92) "The Aorist Indicative is most frequently used
to describe a past event, or series of events, viewed as a whole, without any reference to the progress of the action, or the existence of its result."
This simply means "you were sanctified" at sometime in the past.
Note 2: In contrast to this, Paul said to them, "I, brethren could not speak to you as to spiritual, but as to carnal, ... For you are yet carnal" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3), so were they sanctified or carnal? First we need to make the point that carnal people have a mind which is enmity against God (Romans 8:7), and they are "sold under sin" (Romans 7:14), so there is no possibility of anyone being both spiritually sanctified (which means holy) and carnal at the same time. The Corinthians were in fact in much sin:
(1) There were contentions among them (1 Corinthians 1:11), which shows that they were proud (Proverbs 13:10).
(2) They were having respect of persons (1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:4), which is sin (James 2:9),
(3) Some were "puffed up" (1 Corinthians 4:18-19 and 5:2),
(4) One was fornicating with his fathers wife (1 Corinthians 5:1), and the others had refused to separate themselves from him (1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
(5) They were taking each other to law before unbelievers (1 Corinthians 6:6),
(6) They were defrauding one another (1 Corinthians 6:8),
(7) They were getting drunk at the Lord's supper (1 Corinthians 11:21),
(8) They were speaking in tongues in a disorderly manner in the church (1 Corinthians 14:1-40).
With all this evidence before us, it seems clear that the Corinthians were not sanctified in a manifested sense; they were carnal. Sanctified individuals are one with each other and Christ:
(Hebrews 2:11) "For both he who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."
So they would not dispute with each other at law, and they would also have their consciences purged:
(Hebrews 9:13-14) "For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
So they would not need to repent (2 Corinthians 7:8-11). They are perfected for ever:
(Hebrews 10:14) "For by one offering he has perfected for ever those who are sanctified."
The Corinthians certainly were not sanctified in a manifested sense.
Note 3: How then were they sanctified? Only in Paul's faith. It seems obvious that he would have prayed for them to come to repentance for all the error that they were in (2 Corinthians 7:8-11), and for them to be sanctified. So having believed that he received this when he prayed (Mark 11:24), he now began to speak what which was in his heart:
(Matthew 12:34) "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
(2 Corinthians 4:13) "as it is written, I believed, and
therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak."
So when Paul wrote "to those who are sanctified" (1 Corinthians 1:2), saying "you are sanctified" (1 Corinthians 6:11), he was writing words of faith, looking "at the things which are not seen" (2 Corinthians 4:18), and calling "those things which be not as though they were" (Romans 4:17). Thus we can explain the apparent contradiction like this; that from Paul's point of view, they were sanctified according to his faith, but carnal in a manifested sense.
#4.104 Example 4: Had Jesus been crucified on the cross?
ISAIAH 53:7-9
7 He was oppressed1, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought
as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
8 He was taken2 from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for
he was cut off3 out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done4 no violence,
neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Note: Look at the meaning of these words:
1. The word translated He was oppressed1 (Hb. נִגַּשׂ, Htr. niggas) is the Niph‛al (passive), perfect, third person, singular, masculine.
2. The word translated He was taken2 (Hb. לֻקָּח, Htr. luqqāch) is the Pu‛al (intensive, passive), perfect, third person, singular, masculine.
3. The word translated he was cut off3 (Hb. נִגְזַר, Htr. nigzar) is the Niph‛al (passive), perfect, third person, singular, masculine.
4. The word translated he had done4 (Hb. עָשָׂה, Htr. ‛āsâ) is the Qal, perfect, third person, singular, masculine.
Here we have four perfect tenses in the space of three verses, so let us remind ourselves of the meaning of the perfect tense in Hebrew.
(GESENIUS HEBREW GRAMMAR p309 #106a) "The perfect serves to express actions, events, or states, which the speaker wishes to represent from the point of view of completion. Whether they belong to a determinate past time, or extend into the present, or while still future, they are pictured as in their completed state."
Thus it is normal to translate a perfect tense in Hebrew as a past tense in English, as it is counted as complete. However, these words were written hundreds of years before Jesus died on the cross, and so they were about things that would happen hundreds of years in the future at the time of writing. The writer is simply writing words of faith, calling those things which were not as though they were, and this is how we explain this scripture. It was not referring to a past event.
#4.105 Example 5: Was Jairus' Daughter Really Dead?
MATTHEW 9:24
24 He said to them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed him to scorn.
LUKE 8:52-53
52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeps.
53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.
Note: There are several facts which indicate the natural truth of this situation, that the girl was really dead:
(1) The messenger from Jairus' house said she was dead (Mark 5:35; Luke 8:49).
(2) The mourners knew that she was dead (Luke 8:53).
(3) We see that "her spirit came again" (Luke 8:55), indicating that it had left; and
"the body without the spirit is dead" (James 2:26).
(4) Her parents were astonished (Mark 5:42; Luke 8:56); they wouldn't have been if she had only been asleep.
(5) His fame went into all the land (Matthew 9:26): it wouldn't if she had not been dead.
So when Jesus said, "She is not dead, but sleeps" (Luke 8:52), he was speaking what he knew to be true in the spirit realm, the spiritual truth not the natural
truth. He was looking at the things which are not seen (2 Corinthians 4:18). He was believing the things which were not seen, that she was only asleep. He was
walking in the Spirit, not in the flesh (Romans 8:1; Galatians 5:16). He was calling those things which are not as though they were (Romans 4:17). A similar example can
be seen in Acts 20:7-12.
(Acts 20:9-10) "And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he
sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him."
#4.106 Example 6: Have the Days Been Shortened Yet?
MARK 13:20 (Jesus)
20 And except that the Lord had shortened1 those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake,
whom he has chosen2, he has shortened1 the days.
Note: The word translated had shortened1, and he has shortened1 in this verse, is the same Greek word ἐκολόβωσεν (Gtr. ekolobōsen), which is the third person, singular, aorist, active, indicative of the verb "koloboō", "I cut short", or "I shorten". The word translated he has chosen2 (Gr. ἐξελέξατο, Gtr. exelexato) is the third person, singular, aorist, middle, indicative, of the verb "eklegō", "I choose", or "I choose out", or "I select". A definition of the aorist indicative is as follows:
(HPVN p68) "The Aorist Indicative denotes that the action is simply regarded as an event, without any account being taken of its progress, or of the existence of its result. Even its time in not always distinctly contemplated, but generally speaking, it is regarded as taking place in past time. It is most frequently used to describe a past event, or series of events, viewed as a whole, without any reference to the progress of action, or the existence of its result."
The most natural translation for these words would therefore be to use a simple past tense, and as can be seen they have all been translated as a past tense. Jesus was again here calling those things which have not happened yet as though they had. He was simply speaking faith, believing in the certainty that God had already counted it as done.
#4.107 Example 7: Do We Have Salvation by Faith or by Manifestation?
LUKE 19:8-9
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said to the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said to him, This day is salvation come1
to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
TITUS 3:4-6 (Paul)
4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved2 us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior;
2 TIMOTHY 1:8-9 (Paul)
8 Do not you be therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be you partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
9 Who has saved3 us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2 TIMOTHY 3:15 (Paul)
15 And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith which is in
Christ Jesus.
HEBREWS 3:6
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
HEBREWS 3:14
14 For we are partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end;
1 PETER 1:5
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 PETER 1:9
9 Receiving at the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
REVELATION 12:9-10
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and
his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his
Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Note 1: The word translated is ... Come1 (Gr. ἐγένετο, Gtr. egeneto) (Luke 19:9) is the third person, singular, second aorist, middle, deponent indicative, of the verb "ginomai", "I come into existence", "I am born", "I am created", or "I happen". "Egeneto" literally translates as "It came into existence", or "it happened", and is the word which is often translated in the KJV "it came to pass". Concerning salvation:
(1) We look at the things which are not seen:
We look at Jesus, our future resurrection and change of body:
(Hebrews 12:2) "Looking to Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith."
(1 Peter 1:7-8) "Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, you love."
(2) We are hoping for things that we cannot see:
(Romans 8:24) "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for what we
do not see, then we do with patience wait for it."
(1 John 3:2-3) "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that has this hope in him purifies himself, even as he is pure."
(3) We believe in what we cannot see:
(1 Peter 1:7-8) "Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
(4) We confess our faith:
We confess what we cannot see: (Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9-10).
(5) We act on our faith:
We act in accordance with what we hope for, believe, and confess: we repent of sin, get baptized, pray, study the word of God, love others and God, follow Jesus etc.
Note 2: The other scriptures show that salvation (in a manifested sense) has not yet come:
(Mark 16:16 RPT) "He who believed and was baptized shall be saved."
(Acts 15:11) "But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."
(Romans 13:11) "for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."
(Philippians 2:12) "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
(1 Peter 1:5 RPT) "Who are being kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
(1 Peter 1:9) "Receiving at the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."
Many other scriptures show that salvation is for those who endure to the end:
(Matthew 10:22) "And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he who endures to the end shall be saved.
(Matthew 24:13) "But he who shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved."
(Mark 13:13) "And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he who shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved."
(Hebrews 3:6) "But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end."
(Hebrews 3:14) "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end."
Notice that each of these scriptures make salvation future tense, with a pre-condition of enduring to the end, which no living person has yet done. So we can conclude these two facts:
(1) When Jesus said, "This day salvation is come to this house" (Luke 19:9), he was speaking faith, and calling those things which be not as though they were.
(2) When Paul said, "he saved us" (Titus 3:5), and "Who has saved us" (2 Timothy 1:9), he also was speaking faith, and calling those things which be not as though they were. The manifestation of our salvation will not come until Jesus returns and we are raised from the dead in an incorruptible body, never to be lost again (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 15:50-55 - 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Hebrews 9:28).
#4.108 Conclusion on "Faith or Manifestation?"
There is a principle on the word of God that a person will do the deeds of their father:
(John 8:39) "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham."
(John 8:41) "You do the deeds of your father."
(John 8:44) "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do."
(John 9:4) "I must work the works of him who sent me."
(John 10:37) "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not."
If we are born again Christians, and count God as our Father, then we ought to copy him, and call those things which are not as though they were. All men of faith do this, including the prophets and apostles who wrote the bible. Therefore, in many places we will find things written as though they were already done, although they have not happened yet. The writer is just speaking faith. We will never understand the bible properly unless we thoroughly understand this point.
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