This week saw many new investigators coming to know the
doctrine of Christ. For several of them, meeting with us is their first formal
Christian experience. This has had me pondering on the simple topic of
"faith in Jesus Christ."
One thing that never quite made sense to me was the
doctrinally accurate statement that "faith is the gift of God"
(Ephesians 2:8). It has often been difficult for me to recognize how that has
been true in my own life. I have often felt that my faith came to me because I
worked for it. I couldn't see a way to fit the teaching that faith is a gift
with my own life experience.
Moua is one man who we just began teaching. He helped me
connect the dots on faith. He is not Christian, and truly doesn't know anything
about Christian theology (didn't know anything, we've met with him a couple of
times). I have observed that as we have laid out gospel truths for him to
comprehend he has been about to come to believe. Romans 10:17 teaches us that
"faith cometh by hearing...the word of God." Moua was a prime example
of this. Had he not been taught the word of God it would have been impossible
for him to have faith in Christ founded on a true knowledge of the character of
Christ and the nature of God.
Earlier in the same chapter of Romans we read "how
shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?" They can't! Then
follows the next enlightening question: "how shall they hear without a
preacher?" (Romans 10:14).
Again, they cannot. For the gospel to be believed it must
first be taught, it must be preached. "And how shall they preach except
they be sent?" (Romans 10:15).
Christ was sent by God into this world (Abraham 3:27). He
condescended and was born into mortality to preach, so that we could hear, so
that we could believe. Without Christ reaching out to the family of God
generation to generation to reveal the plan of salvation to them there would be
no knowledge of God. There would be no faith in God. We can have faith because
Christ preached of his Father, and his Father bore witness of his Only Begotten
Son. We never did and never will do anything that makes us worthy of this
divine communication. Faith is a gift that we could never earn. In fact, it
"is the gift of God [the Father]" in that the only firsthand accounts
of his voice in scripture preach the divinity of Christ. God enables us to have
faith on the Son by bearing witness of Him.
Moua has no idea that he taught me all this by simply
hearing the word of God. I had no idea that I missed all of this as I have
heard the word of God for all these years.
Faith in Christ is a gift. I am grateful for that gift. It
guides my life, carries me beyond sorrows, and enables to rise above my own
mortal limitations. As I have invested time and energy in allowing that gift to
flourish these blessings have been mine. I know the same blessings are
available to all of you. God has given the gift. What will you do with it?
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Your friend,
Elder Cummings
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