Faith in the Word - Hebrews 4:2

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Paul reminds his audience that the gospel was preached to "us" and "them". A quick look at wikipedia's description of who the audience of this epistle is, doesn't clarify anything; saying that traditionally it has been assumed that the audience is Christian Jews, but it has been pointed out that if the audience is Christian Jews, why was it written in Greek and not Aramaic? - A very good question, at any rate, the content of this epistle is written with certain assumptions that the readers are familiar with Jewish law and custom, and so the traditional assumptions about the audience make sense - regardless of which language it was written in.

Anyway, the point Paul makes here is that when the gospel was preached to "us", it was "mixed" with faith, but when it was preached to "them" it was not. I presume here that both "us" and "them" are "Christian Jews" and "non-Christian Jews". And we must remember that much of the preaching done to the Jews was by Christ himself who said: I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matthew 15:24)

The difference between the two parties had nothing necessarily to do with the teacher, but the faith or lack thereof of the hearers. I have to ask myself, what caused some to have faith in His message, and some not to? I don't think the answer is simple. Perhaps all who heard Him teach were pricked in the heart, and yet some ignored it. I truly believe one cannot hear truth and not feel it in their soul. However, as in the parable of the sower, some were not prepared to accept it. The situation is described succinctly by the Lord who explains a quote from Isaiah:

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

So the Lord actually protected those of little faith by teaching parables. So that to those of faith the meaning was apparent, while to those of faith the meaning remained hidden. In many cases, had the lessons been taught in a simple and direct manner the hearers would have understood and been held the more accountable for their disobedience.

I have found that because the parables and other teachings are ofttimes couched in language that is not easily understood, it takes more effort and soul-searching to understand their meaning. But in this way, the understanding is "earned" and therefore more precious to the discoverer. At least, that is the way it is with me.

So the way to make sure we are in the "us" group and not the "them" group is to have faith - pay close attention to that still small voice and trust it. If we do so great treasures of knowledge will be opened to our view.

Speak Out in Faith - Titus 1:13

For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, ... Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies [lazy gluttons]. ... this witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Paul gives an interesting remedy to those blatantly teaching falsehoods: "rebuke them sharply". And what's more interesting is the reason/result: "that they may be sound in the faith." This is very interesting advice, since we are told elsewhere by the Savior that "contention is of the devil." But it occurs to me that it is possible to give a rebuke in love; so that it does not produce contention, as we're told in a later revelation from the Savior:

Reprov[e] ... with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then show... forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; (D&C 121:43)

Paul here is preaching sound doctrine. Which is that a solid rebuke, frankly pointing out evil for what it is, actually promotes faith. But it appears that it must be done in love for it to have the desired effect.

Another point that must be considered in this context is the role of the Holy Ghost. We must absolutely follow His dictates. As the above quote states: "when moved upon by the Holy Ghost". There are likely times when it is far better to just keep our mouth shut, or leave, than to start a rebuke or a sermon... It very much depends on us doing and saying what the Lord wants, and not so much the nature and occasion of our speaking out.

A Clear Conscience - 2 Timothy 4:6-8

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 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.

Paul sensing that his time is near at hand, can approach death with a clear conscience because he kept the faith. This is a state which all of us desire, to know that we have fulfilled the purposes that God has set out for us and that we shall "love his appearing". And having kept the faith, why shall we love His appearing? Because it is the dream and wish of the faithful to meet Him.

Jesus said: how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served... Implying that when we serve Him, we come to know Him. And John goes further: ...we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. In other words, in serving Him, we not only come to know Him, but to be like Him! This, is a very great blessing indeed.

Faithlessness of the Reprobate - 2 Timothy 3:8

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof ... led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Paul gives us a whole laundry list of sins to expect from men of the last days. Although no list can be complete, it is sometimes instructive to have a list of things to be wary of - both in ourselves and in our fellow man. Additionally, we are given Jannes and Jambres as examples of resisters of truth. Traditionally, these two were magicians in Pharaoh's court who attempted to oppose Moses' wonders with their own magic tricks. Also in the midrash, these two accompanied the children of Israel during the exodus and used their influence in the creating of the golden calf incident.

Paul tells us that men like these have corrupt minds, and reprobate concerning the faith - reprobate can mean unprincipled or without morals. This is an instructive word because the inverse means principled and with morals. A man of faith does have principles and stands by them no matter what the circumstance. A man of principle, whether a man of faith or not, is always respected because he has drawn boundaries for himself and will not cross them. This is a sign of true liberty and freedom.

It may sound contradictory that true liberty and freedom circumscribes itself with boundaries, but it is true. The point is that a man of principle understands that certain boundaries, if crossed have consequences that will restrict his freedom. Now, the wise question at this point is: What boundaries could I draw for myself that will maximize my freedom? And the answer is the commandments of God. His plan is laid out with maximum foresight, wisdom and understanding, and if followed, will maximize not only our freedom, but also our potential.

As an aside, we must note that boundaries are not always clear, as the Ecclesiast states:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

The key, and the gift to the faithful is the guidance of the Spirit of God. It will guide us in all cases. A man of faith keeps the letter of the commandments, but most importantly, he keeps the spirit of the commandments, the constant and living revelation to his soul.

Science Falsely so Called - 1 Timothy 6:20,21

O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith.

Paul admonishes Timothy to strictly keep to his calling and avoid opposing false knowledge/science. There are two important principles here. The first is to keep focus. Otherwise known as magnifying your calling. One should take his/her calling seriously without taking themselves too seriously, nor allowing themselves to become distracted or lax in their devotion. Timothy is also advised to avoid contending with those having false beliefs. A pastime which can be wasteful, and for Timothy apparently may have been a temptation.

It is an interesting concept since one would think it important to oppose and expose error. I admit that openly opposing error in some circumstances is the right thing to do - but we must follow the Spirit and be careful in these battles. While necessary at times, it is more important to focus on teaching truth directly rather than debating points of doctrine. When God calls witnesses, they are there to present the truth, not to debate about it. The witnesses' testimony is usually simple without fanfare, and is never accusatory. (Diabolos - a name of the adversary means accuser) When we simply testify of truth and avoid contention, the Spirit will bring the truth of our words to the soul of the honest listener which is much more effective than debate.

The second principle found here is found in Paul's statement that following false sciences or knowledge will cause us to err from the faith. This situation is rather rampant in our society. Many religious and irreligious alike cling to certain false knowledge and even prejudices which they would force upon others if they could. It is interesting how many scientific theories are taken as truths before sufficient evidence is shown to back them up. Such things as the big bang theory and the origin of man are still considered to be theories. The world has found lots of supporting evidences for theories like these, but often, evidence that points contrary to those theories is ignored or swept out of sight. Nevertheless, many theories are widely accepted as fact and hold a sway in society and the thinking of the world.

We would do well to remember that none of us have all of the answers and thus can only have opinions on such theories until they are proven. Furthermore, what appears to be a proven truth may later turn out to be wrong, or only partially true. One example is Newton's laws of gravity. While thoroughly provable, demonstrable and held as truths for thousands of years actually turned out to be good approximations once the theory of relativity was discovered. Additionally, it may be assumed that the theory of relativity is also just a theory until we can understand quantum effects.

The point being, don't put your stock in the knowledge of man. I'm not saying we shouldn't study all secular knowledge, because we most definitely should - but we shouldn't make decisions affecting salvation based on man's theories. We need to have faith that what God has said and continues to say is true and non-theoretical.

The Good Fight of Faith - 1 Timothy 6:12

Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called...

I like the phrase "good fight". Of all the fights worth fighting, the fight of faith is the most important and the most rewarding; after all it is the fight for eternal life! Is there any other cause more worthy than the one for salvation? Unfortunately, in this world, we are so often distracted that we lose sight of it, and our priorities get out of whack. Keeping the faith means keeping focus on our priorities. Our slogan should be: "The Kingdom of God or bust!".

For the Love of Money They Have Erred From the Faith - 1 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.

Man has a dual nature, a physical and a spiritual. Our physical side has needs without which it will die: such as food, sleep, etc. Our spiritual side also has needs without which it will also die such as prayer, worship and the word of God. This dual nature is the essence of our test in this life - since one can only think one thing and hardly do more than one thing at a time, our thoughts and pastimes are a very good indicator of where our heart is.

A man whose every waking moment is focused on making money, climbing the corporate ladder and business dealings is truly starving his spirit. Yet as man becomes more spiritual, he realizes that he can easily survive, nay thrive, without focusing on material things. As the Lord said: "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you".

The fact is, we must have material things, albeit very few, to survive. But survival should not be our focus. When we can shift our focus from those base things that have no life, to eternal life, we find that the worries of "making a living" fall into the background and what's left is a much richer and fulfilling life. Again the Lord said: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

When God said "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread", He was saying that we have to work for our living. But he was not saying that working for a living was the purpose of our existence. Rather, it is a necessary evil, a part of the test, a distraction as it were, to prove us whether we will focus on the means or the end of our existence.

Another point that needs to be made here is that our labors should mostly be for the good of others, not for ourselves. "laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish." Since we must all work, the question is really; What are you working for? Mammon or God, money or Zion, generosity or selfishness, carnal or spiritual, terminal life or eternal life?

Choose you this day whom ye will serve; ... but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

If Any Provide Not For His Own He Hath Denied The Faith - 1 Timothy 5:8

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

Paul's message is simple: if you don't take care of your family you are faithless. This statement conforms with the values of most cultures - that in families, we are to take care of each others needs. There are many extensions of this which include not only physical needs, but also emotional and spiritual ones as well. Parents are to bring up their children, take care for them and teach them. I suppose this is a well-known thing in our society, unfortunately, it sometimes falls lower on the priority list for some.

Ours is a culture rampant with selfishness. Often parents are so absorbed in themselves, that children are neglected or relegated to lower priorities than they should. Some children are more familiar with their video games and television shows than their parents. Parents will be held accountable.

Some are more concerned with wealth, prosperity and careering than raising a family and so never have children. Or worse yet, prefer cohabitation and separation to marriage and union; abortion and death to children and life. Certainly individual circumstances vary, and we cannot judge individuals, but collectively, these forms of selfishness are much too prevalent, and are often found to be the norm rather than the exception. For all these things we will be called into account.

Avoid Departing From the Faith - 1 Timothy 4:1-3

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Here, Paul informs us that he has had a revelation through the Spirit concerning the last days (our time). Note that all of the conditions mentioned have come to pass: immorality, devil worship, hypocrisy, blatant lying, cohabitation without marriage and coercion to vegetarianism.

I have to admit that the last one seems a bit out of place in the list, but in any case, are signs that we are in the last days. And the existence of these circumstances clearly show a departure from faith. In v. 8 Paul informs us:

...godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

 Avoiding these sins and those like them constitutes godliness, a state devoid of uncleanness and full of faith and power. Note the promise accompanying it of life now and life in the world to come. Note also that godliness is not possible without faith in Jesus Christ.

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; ... then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

It is our prerogative to not only avoid the evils of our day, but to rely on Him and exercise faith unto repentance. Only then can we expect "life that now is, and of that which is to come".

Continue in Faith - 1 Timothy 2:15

[They shall be saved] if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Here, Paul was speaking of women, but the advice applies to both men and women generally. The point I noted with this passage is the word "continue". It expresses a need to persevere. It is not a done deal once we have attained to a certain level of faith, but we must continue to keep it active and continue to grow. No matter how advanced we may be in our faith, there is still a need to exercise it and receive growth.

The Point is Charity - 1 Timothy 1:5

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned

Paul told us that without charity we are nothing, and here, Paul tells Timothy that the whole point (of the commandments) is for us to have charity, and specifies prerequisites for obtaining it: a pure heart, a good conscience, and real faith.

A pure heart constitutes, not only pure thoughts, but pure intentions. A good conscience is one that is free from guilt; which is only possible via repentance and the atonement. Real faith is an abiding and active trust in God, insomuch that the recipient of faith will act immediately on any instruction received through the light of Christ (or conscience) and the Holy Ghost.

Note that Charity, when defined as the pure love of Christ has two complimentary meanings: 1. To love Christ, and 2. To have the same type of love as Christ. Remembering this, we may attempt to answer the question: Why is faith a prerequisite to charity? If faith is defined as trust in God, and charity is defined as the pure love of Christ; then it follows that one cannot truly love Him unless one trusts Him first.

Secondly, obtaining godly love (which I interpret to be an unconditional love of all creation, including all people) requires us to first trust that God's will will be done in all circumstances. Can I truly love my neighbor and my enemy? Perhaps only when I fully admit that 1. I am in as much need of God's grace as they are. and 2. no matter what they may decide to do, evil or otherwise; God is the ultimate judge and shaper of the destiny of men. Therefore, leaving judgment to God, I can still love my fellow man - even when I may not trust him - because I have trust in God to make all things right in the end.

All Men Have Not Faith - 2 Thessalonians 3:1,2

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

It is a sad reality that there are some who reject the gifts of God. It is an even more unfortunate reality that the only real mortal danger that exists for the faithful comes from "unreasonable and wicked men". While there are some who reject faith because of confusion or misunderstanding, there are some who reject faith for worse reasons such as pride and ambition. These have always been the most dangerous to the saints of God.

It is true that sometimes God saves the faithful from mortal danger at the hand of such men (and women), but not always. It can happen for two reasons. First, it may be that He simply allows the wicked to commit atrocities so that the blood of the innocent will stand as a testimony against them at the last day. Secondly, He has a greater purpose behind all of His actions which we may not be able to see. Allowing a wicked act to be perpetrated, may serve as a test for others. It may serve to bring repentance and humility in those affected.

We need not worry about exacting justice. It is His prerogative and no-one else's. As in Paul's day, faithless men pose a danger to the faithful, but the greater danger is not of a physical nature, but of a spiritual nature. It is more subtle and destructive. It has to do with how we use our time, and the focus of our lives, and is evidenced by the titles we see in popular media and on the internet. Sometimes it is simply diverting material, but more often, it is pure evil and filth. Much more destructive to the saint are the things within than the dangers from without.

Faith and Patience - 2 Thessalonians 1:3,4

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

The faith and patience of the Thessalonians was so great that Paul held them up as an example to all the churches. Patience is a virtue that must always accompany faith; One reason is that we don't always know the timing of the Lord. Promised blessings may take time and include trials and tribulations. But the purposes of the Lord are sure. The man of faith trusts in the Lord to fulfill His promises, no matter what lies down the road.

Awake To the Light - 1 Thessalonians 5:5

Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night nor darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as to others; but let us watch and be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

In John 3:19-21 we read:

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rahter than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God.

To be a child of light is to be a child of Christ; to be a child of Christ is to follow His light, or in other words, to have faith in Him. To exercise faith in Him requires commitment to discipleship, or a firm resolve to seek His truth (in the light of Christ) and obey it.

Thus we see that we cannot "sleep as do others" but we must "be sober" and watch. This is like the light that we experience every day; it gives us real vision as does the light of the sun. Without the light of Christ, the true nature of things is hidden from us, and we cannot know "things as they really are, and of things as they really will be". Without faith, it is as if we are asleep. We become objects that don't act, but are "acted upon"; part of a dark and dross world, unaware of the real things that are around us. I believe this to be literal, not a metaphor.

The light of Christ is real, and the intelligence and vision it provides is real. But no man may give it to another - it requires a personal commitment to perfect obedience to that truth and light, which commitment is faith.

Living Oracles - 1 Thessalonians 3:10

What thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith.

You can feel the love and joy that Paul has for his friends in Thessalonica. But you can feel a sense of concern for their well-being. It is interesting that he feels that he must see them face-to-face in order to perfect their faith.

Perhaps there is a principle in this. I suppose General Conference - seeing and hearing the living oracles of God - is a vital part of perfecting our faith, filling in the gaps as it were. There is definitely something electric about being in their presence and hearing them. They are so often directed to say the very things that are needed to strengthen our faith.

There is a benefit; some kind of synergy that can happen with a live speaker, as opposed to a page of black and white text. The spirit speaks to the receiver in both cases, but in the case of a live speaker, they can also be dynamically directed to say specific things that are necessary for the hearer to approach a more perfect faith.

Faith is a Shield - Ephesians 6:16

...taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Faith is a shield against temptation. To the seeker of righteousness, this is a great gift. A shield is the most effective armament against arrows. Even plate armor can be pierced. But with a shield, you have to be paying attention to the adversary. If they flank you, you are still vulnerable. That is to say, no falling asleep on the job. We have to stay active and alert. Such is faith, it is a principle of action and is rendered ineffective by inactivity.

Purpose of the Servants of God - Ephesians 4: 11-13

he gave some apostles, prophets... evangelists... pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 'til we all come in the unity of the faith...

Note the similarities with Moroni 7:22-24,29-32:

...God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; ... And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that Christ should come. And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest things unto the children of men, ...
And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men... , showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness... declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him. And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, ...

These chosen vessels (apostles, etc.) are prepared by the Lord to minister unto us so that we may have faith. We can see that God uses various methods, but that the intent is the same: to engender faith in Christ.