Established in the Faith

Background Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
Lesson Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5,11-12; 2:13-17

Introduction

"Faith of our fathers! holy faith! We will be true to thee till death."' The words of this song move our hearts as we ponder the steadfastness of our spiritual forebears. To be established in the "faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude v. 3) is vitally important for Christians today. A half-hearted belief and passive practice of this faith will not suffice in the obviously evil environment that surrounds us. To become established in the faith will take effort and self-sacrifice; it must be our priority. Today the invitation rings out, "And who then is willing to consecrate his service [life] this day unto the Lord?" (1 Chron, 29:5). Spiritual leaders, Christians parents, and young people—will we answer this call in the affirmative?

Key Verse

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9:62).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Paul's writings to the Thessalonian church portray a beautiful example of a shepherd's care. Persecution was pressing in, testing the anchor and strength of their faith. These outward pressures had a uniting effect. The presence of the enemy who was seeking to overwhelm them was deepening their spiritual bonds. Petty differences were not hindering them as their faith in God increased and their charity toward one another abounded.

Encouragement in the heat of the battle is vital to success. Paul's fatherly care surely was a much-needed boost to this band of believers. Paul's first letter had raised some questions about the time of Christ's second coming. In this second letter he instructs them to not be "soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand" (2 Thess. 2:2). Paul was seeking to establish them "in every good word and work" (v. 17). Holding fast to the faith and the pure doctrine of Jesus Christ would give them the defense needed for any attacks of the evil one. In Christ alone would be found the wisdom to rightly understand the truth and the courage to follow it. They could be sure that He would keep that which they had committed unto Him against that day (2 Tim. 1:12).

Practical Truths for Today

The plan of salvation is not complicated and need not be hard to understand for the seeking soul. Two forces vie for our soul: the love of God and Satan's hatred. God's way is the way of cross-bearing, and Satan's way is the way of self-indulgence. Many religions with varied doctrines are in the world, and vast multitudes are following the creed of their choice. But there is only one true faith. We are given the choice of which Master we will serve, and choose we must. The choice to follow self and Satan comes easy and requires no commitment. If we simply follow our own selfish desires, we are soon firmly entrenched in the ways of sin. Those who choose the way of Christ and His cross find it a different matter. Growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18) will come at the expense of our self-will, but it abundantly yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

The desire for security is as old as mankind. People pursue many things to try to securely establish themselves in some noteworthy way. Some seek to fulfill their heart's selfish desires in the financial world. Young people desire acceptance; they want to be esteemed as an individual of worth in their social circle. Countries and businesses strive to establish a name. Some people want the distinction of being a trendsetter in the world of fashion or technology. We all long to find a settled place in our communities and among our peers. The desire to be established is a God-given longing. When this longing is surrendered to God, it draws us close to Him and His ways. On the other hand, we can try to fulfill this longing by the lust of the flesh. If we pursue this way, we will never be satisfied. The cry of our soul will not be stilled.

In this lesson we are examining what it means to be established in the faith. What really is the true faith? Is grounding ourselves in this faith necessary, or is it optional? Is it a requirement for being saved, or is it only a level of sanctification that we encourage? Is it for the old, the young, or for Christians of all ages? Is there a plane where we become sufficiently established, or will we always have a longing for more growth?

Simply put, "the faith" is God's divine will for mankind. It is the doctrine of Jesus Christ as taught in the Bible by the prophets and apostles. It is indisputably pure and is applicable for every age, culture, and nationality. It is an unchangeable benchmark for the Christian in a changing world of sin and decay. It is an unfailing guide for the church as she seeks for God's will in matters of current concern.

The true faith will not be extinguished. By the power of the resurrection and heaven's grace, no evil influence or circumstance is able to thwart it. Only the sin of unbelief in the heart of man can limit what the faith can do. On the personal level, the faith means a complete surrender to God's will regardless of what it will cost me.

Since the beginning of time, Satan has tried to stamp out the faith. For many centuries he used coercion as he persecuted the believers. As the blood of the martyrs flowed, the faith was propagated and spread throughout the world. Today, in much of the Christian world, the evil one uses a different tactic. Wealth and freedom, with their attendant temptations, have had a narcotic effect. The feelings of entitlement and independence are spirits of pride that erode our faith and blind our eyes to the need of our soul.

Just as we cannot remain too close to a fire and not be burned, so we cannot come into close contact with those living the saving faith and not be influenced. Those who are introduced to the faith will either respond to it in a positive way or resist its invitation. A spiritual understanding of the true faith brings with it a desire to be established in it. A mere intellectual knowledge will have no eternal value. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. 10:10).

Uncut jewels have elements of raw beauty. However, their real splendor is realized as each facet is cut and polished to perfection. Like a gem that has been formed by a master craftsman, the faith has many facets. Each of these tenets of faith is valuable and lends its value and beauty to the whole. As we live our life surrendered to God, the different tenets of the faith become precious to us, and we will love how it all fits together. We will not seek license to embrace parts of the doctrine that seem easy while disregarding those that are difficult for the flesh.

History is rich with heroes of faith. Many have been mentioned in the Bible, Martyrs Mirror, and other historical works. Equally precious are those who have carried the cross of Christ in seeming obscurity, who have faithfully "borne the burden and heat of the day" (Matt. 20:12). Mothers at home, schoolteachers in their classrooms, and sincere young Christians going about their everyday lives are heroes of faith in our present world. Faithful fathers, even though sometimes thinking their labors are in vain, are known to their families and communities as steadfast pillars of faith. Only eternity will reveal the great throng of believers who have embraced the faith and preserved it in its purity. May we be in that number!

Illustration

June 6, 1944, marks a decisive battle in the Second World War. Daybreak on the western coast of France revealed a vast armada of ships churning toward the well defended beachheads of France. By the end of the day many brave men were dead or wounded. No effort had been too great or no cost had been too high to secure a foothold on the European continent. Though the foothold established that day was only the beginning, it was a big step toward the final victory that the Allied forces were seeking.

At the time of our conversion we had the first victory in the spiritual battle of life. We each fought a life-and-death battle with our will and its selfish desires. We had to surrender our will and commit our life and future to the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10). When by God's grace the victory was won, we were given a foothold on the Rock and in the faith. At last we felt safe in our Savior's arms, yet we had only begun the fight. To ensure final victory we must continue in the fight and be established in the faith. The cost of our salvation was high. May we have a living conviction to be true at any cost to the "author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2).

Questions

1. As a parent, can I open my life to my children and peers? As a young Christian, am I willing to ask my parents or fellow Christians how they view my life?
2. Living in a world that promotes independence and self-reliance, what are ways to guard against this culture?
3. If my attitude and activities were the only evidence of the faith that my neighbors observed, would their view of Christ in my life be clear?
4. 1 Frederick W. Faber (1814-1863) 'Faith of Our Fathers"
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).