Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior (Titus 2:9 – 2:10 ESV)
Putting on the word of God, shows itself and reflects in godly character. Some people think that it only shows in faith and how much faith they have but this Scripture provides great insight. The word of God produces diverse fruits not just one. Faith is only one of the fruits.
When we adorn ourselves in the word of God, we should manifest good acts and works. Love, kindness. faith, patience, hope, gentleness, peace, righteousness, humility and other positive traits and virtues should accompany the word of God that is resident in our lives. In fact, having godly character as described in the Scripture above is summarized as showing ‘all good faith.’
There is faith that shows itself in good works and manifests as holiness and there is the stubborn persistent faith that knows how to pray, trust and obtain favors from God. The two are intertwined and interrelated because one enhances the other. Jesus was a man of mega faith because He Himself said that the father always heard Him.
Before Jesus opened His mouth to present a prayer request, the Father already heard Him and was present to answer His prayer. In the Scripture Jesus said, ‘ you always hear me.’
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” John 11:42
If you study the life of Jesus closely, you will observe that Jesus was godly, holy and righteous. He had a burning zeal and passion for God and God’s house and was a God pleaser. He was constantly chasing after God, not after faith or how to get His prayers answered. Relationship is very important. He loved God dearly and there was extraordinary, magnetic, powerful, all encompassing love flowing between Him and The Father.
That is how it should be. If we are chasing after methods of how to get blessings and get our prayers answered or how to have the biggest faith in the world, yet we do not care about pleasing God or seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness and make that a number one priority, we become mammon worshipers and idolators.
This is because our heart that was created for loving God and chasing after Him is now panting and lusting after worldly, material, physical goodies that will surely pass away. If we are in the right relationship with God, God will hear our prayers and bless us but if we make favors and blessing take the place of an active, vibrant relationship with God and pleasing God, we are on the wrong lane and need to reverse back into the right lane – pleasing God.
Jesus had all the good qualities and He is our example. So it is vanity to boast about how much we know the word of God or how super our faith is, if we do not combine faith with other attributes expected in a child of God. Faith without works is dead. Faith is super important because without faith it is impossible to please God, however the Bible tells us that love is the greatest.
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:17
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
We must have mature faith and we must also have mature love, hope, gentleness, patience etc. We must thereby work out our salvation daily by combining all the holy attributes expected of a believer.
Putting on the word means putting on holiness, good fruits, godliness, and all godly attributes including faith, hope and love. May God who started a good work in us complete it in Jesus name.
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