Faith of God vs. Faith in God – Episode 2

This summary explores a transformative spiritual shift from performance-based religion and fear to a life of rest, freedom, and identity rooted solely in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The central message is that true faith is not our effort in God, but the perfected faith of Christ working through us, making all spiritual boasting impossible.

The Foundation: Identity is Defined by Jesus

The sources emphasize that a believer’s true identity is not found in personal attributes, performance, or demographics, but entirely in Jesus Christ. This identity is the primary target of the enemy.

Identity Under Attack

Satan actively strategizes against the believer’s identity in Jesus. The devil attempts to foster doubt, much like when he challenged Jesus in the wilderness: “If you are the Son of God”.

• Believers cannot be defined by their personal characteristics, such as being a black man, a male, or a female person.
• All humanity is defined by Jesus, transcending divisions such as Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female.
• Knowing who you are in Christ requires no external validation or approval. Jesus demonstrated this by refusing to perform a miracle (turning stones into bread) simply to prove His sonship to the devil. Proving identity is unnecessary when one already knows the truth.

True Faith: The Finished Work of Christ

A core doctrine presented is that the faith believers possess is not their own striving, but the faith that is in Christ Jesus. It is Christ’s own faith, reflecting God’s faith, that is embodied in Him.

The End of Personal Effort

The conviction is that since believers realize that their strength, wisdom, and righteousness come from Christ, they must also realize that their faith comes from Him.

• This faith is a finished, perfected, and completed fact.
• The Greek word Aerys (received) refers to a tense that signifies a finished act; all that believers have received, including His faith, is already complete.
• Since Christ has completed the work, the only appropriate response for the believer is to rest.

Everything is a Gift

Every blessing, ability, and accomplishment a person possesses is a gift from God, not something earned.

• The ability to inhale and exhale, necessary for any action, is due to divine protection.
• When a person boasts as though something was earned, worked for, or deserved, they are denying that it was received as a gift. The only time boasting is appropriate is when a person believes they are solely responsible for the outcome.
• Salvation itself is received by grace through faith, “not of your own, lest any man should boast”.

Moving Beyond Religious Law and Performance

The message strongly critiques religious practices centered on fear, performance, and struggle, emphasizing that they contradict the gracious, finished work of Christ.

The Failure of Religious Tradition

Religion has complicated the simple, free, and gracious gift of salvation by introducing the threat of hell and the fear of death. This fear often prevents people from accepting the free gift.

• Religious settings often bring condemnation and shame, sometimes from the pulpit, causing people to feel guilty and beat themselves up.
• The idea that God requires constant, exhausting service (e.g., morning service, evening service, multiple weeknight studies) to reach heaven is rejected. The teaching that “99 and a half won’t do; you got to make a 100” is also dismissed.

The Burden of Obligation

Trying to meet performance quotas leads to exhaustion and frustration. Examples of this failed performance mentality include:

1. Confession as Obligation: Trying to confess the Word, writing down pages of confessions, and worrying about being late to work due to the required effort.
2. Prayer as Duty: Feeling obligated to pray for a specific duration, such as one hour, leading to resentment rather than desire.
3. Worship as Chore: Feeling too tired to praise God after intense religious activity.

God desires prayer, giving, and love to flow from “I want to,” rather than “I got to”. Religious law and tradition keep people stuck and tired, preventing them from living the abundant life.

The Relief of Rest and Intimacy

The path to freedom involves letting go of guilt and fear, and grounding faith in truth, not effort. God’s love, favor, and blessings are gifts never meant to be earned.

• The new life is defined by an exciting, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
• The focus is no longer on chasing peace or approval, but on receiving them as gifts.