Frequently in Bible study, little things are overlooked, and often times dismissed as not so important.   Or at least not AS important as the surrounding text.  Then there are some cases where part of the text is magnified, and the remainder receives lesser attention.

 

One such verse for example is Mark 16:16 “…believes AND is baptized………BUT…..”

There are religious institutions that stop at AND, and leave the other 2/3 of the verse out of the teaching altogether.

 

Why is this the case?

 

This type of reading will be the basis of our discussion .  I am aware that many times a verse is used just to make a single point, and that the entire verse is not necessary to make a single point.  However,  sometimes the force of the verse is lost if you do not use the entirety of it.  The verse that we’ll be focusing on in this discussion is Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

But? But what?  Verse 32 Gentiles were seeking after food and raiment, but ye (Jews) were to first seek the kingdom and God’s righteousness.

 

***Remember, He’s talking to the Jews, who had been taught for thousands of years that there was a Messiah coming.  This is the kingdom they were to be seeking.  In obeying the commands in this verse, the food and raiment they were seeking would be added unto them by God.

 

Often times we use this verse to teach that one should prioritize God’s kingdom in their life, yet most of us here have found that kingdom, because we’re in it: Colossians 1:13  “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”  Since this part of the verse has been fulfilled, let us ask ourselves:

 

“Am I seeking God’s righteousness?”

 

II. Basis For Our Discussion

 

God is righteous: Daniel 9:14 “Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.”  God is righteous in punishing evil!

 

God is just: Psalm 7:9 “Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just<06662>: for the righteous<06662> God trieth the hearts and reins.”

 

06662 qydu tsaddiyq tsad-deek’

 

1)      just, lawful, righteous (in cause, conduct, or government)

 

God is faithful: 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

 

Why is He Faithful?

      Because He is Righteous.

      Because He is Just.

      Because He is Fair.

 

Sometimes in the Old Testament, the word “just” was used to characterize a scale and how it balanced, so to provide a fair and honest trade or purchase.  Do we not have great trust in our Department of Weights and Measures that ensures us that a pound of apples is a pound of apples, or that a gallon of gas is really a gallon of gas?

 

**Therefore, if God is faithful to the righteous (1 Cor. above), then He is just to expect faithfulness from the righteous.**

 

We are deemed righteous (lawful) when we are obedient to the laws of God.

 

Romans 1:5 “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

 

***The faith = One faith = One obedience to the One faith = One way to be saved***

 

Acts 6:7 “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.”

 

Acts 16:5 “And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.”

 

The word “churches” is plural, but they are in the same ONE faith!

 

What Obedience? – Same book, same context from (Romans 1:5 above)

 

Romans 6:1-5 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:”

 

Baptism is mentioned here 4 times, clearly a vital role in salvation!

 

What Grace?

 

Grace from obedience (obedience=compliance to)

 

 Romans 6:14-16: “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.  What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

 

***So then obedience not only provides place for grace, but it leads unto righteousness also!***

 

Romans 6:17: “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.” Singular!

 

ONE Doctrine! And only ONE obedience to it!

 

What Doctrine?  The one taught in the last 18 verses! (Baptism mentioned 4 times in 1^st 5 verses)

 

And as said in Galatians 1:23 “But they had heard only, That he (Paul) which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.”

 

He only preached one faith, he never taught differently, therefore, if one place says one thing, and another place says something different, then it must be understood that he taught both places the same thing, but it is only recorded in one place. Different books have different parables, they are not all repeated in each book either!

 

Romans 6:18: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”

      We’re righteous in being the servants of righteousness.  Who is the essence of righteousness?  GOD!  So the in order to even be a servant of God, we must be obedient to the doctrine delivered unto us (as stated above)

 

 

Let’s look at verses 14-15 again: “…not under the law, but under grace…”

     

How did this come to pass?

 

Galatians 3:23 “But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.”

 

Galatians 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

 

So then, the law had works, but faith doesn’t?  WRONG!

 

James 2:14-20 “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (Rhetorical question!) If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,  And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?”

 

***So if faith without works is dead, and grace comes by obedience (righteous works)(Romans 6:14-16) then:  Grace is dead right along  with faith, and is so for the exact same reason: 

 

LACK OF WORKS (i.e. obedience, i.e., righteous action) Believing is not enough, you must act!

 

Romans 1:5 again: “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:”

 

Again, Obedience to the faith is what makes it all possible!!!

 

Romans 1:17 “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”  ---“as it is written…” Habakkuk 2:4

 

Things to note:

 

The phrase “the faith” appears in the New Testament ONLY 42 times.

The word “faith” appears 231 times, only 2 of which are in the Old Testament.

 

God was more evident to the Old Covenant people, they “saw and heard” many things that we do not, thus the New Testament’s emphasis on “faith”

 

More on “The faith”:  Notice the singularity again

 

Faith can be defined as the system of beliefs that supports our faith, which is our belief in the faith.

 

More verses for your consideration:

 

Ephesians 4:13  “…come in the unity of THE faith”

 

Philippians 1:27 “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”

 

Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

 

Acts 14:22 “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”

 

Colossians 1.23 “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;”

 

Colossians 2:12 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

 

 

1^st Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

 

 

2^nd Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

 

 

1^st Peter 5:8-9 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

 

 

Jude 1:3 “…earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

 

Romans 3:8 “And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.”  (God is righteous to punish)

 

1^st John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

 

 

MOST Importantly:

 

2^nd Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”