Love Series

LOVE OF GOD # 12

Faith

Fred Coulter

Now in preparation for the Passover we’re going to do something different and special this year. And I want it to be so that everyone can understand more fully the words of the covenant, which John 14, 15, 16, and 17 really are, and understand that in relationship to the Passover.

Now we know that the apostle Paul wrote and told us that these three remain, or that is these three abide, or these three are living, which are faith, hope, and love. Now here in the Gospel of John we’re going to see Chapter 14, 15, 16 and 17 are also based upon faith, hope, and love. And so I’ve broken it down this way: John 14 verse 1 all the way down through Chapter 15 verse 9 are all Faith / Love, because all four of these chapters are based upon love but then what I just mentioned to you here is overlaid with faith, or belief.

Then from John 15, actually it goes down to verse 14 then it starts Hope / Love, because then he tells you all of the things that are going to happen to you all the way through Chapter 16. And at the very last verse of Chapter 16 he says: "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer [courageous]; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, KJV), giving us the real hope. Then Chapter 17 is what you would call Love / Love because this tells us the ultimate, the epitome of the whole plan of God and His calling for us. Now that’s why these are the words of the covenant.

Now we found the same pattern when we went through the general epistles, didn’t we? James was faith, Peter was hope, and John was love. You can probably find this pattern in other places as you go through the Bible, but in these two particular areas we find that this is true.

Now let’s look at what kind of belief we are to have. No, let’s go to the Old Testament first. And I have my Schocken Bible with me, which when you get your copy you’re going to find it’s really very good. Those of you who don’t have one you can get it through CBD [Christian Book Distributors]. And let’s compare what God told the children of Israel concerning the covenant that He made with them; and we’re going to learn certain things concerning the covenant that God is making with us, or that we are in, in the covenant with the church. Now I hate to call one the Old Covenant and one the New Covenant though that is technically a proper term, but there are many, many covenants in the Bible so I think we will do it this way: the covenant with Israel and the covenant with the church.

Now we find in Exodus 19, and we have been there many, many times, but let’s go back and I think you will find this interesting as I read it to you out of the Schocken Bible. Now the Schocken Bible is just published in 1995, The Five Books of Moses-Volume I, and you’re going to find that it is a more exacting translation, and in the way that it is read it has a lot more punch and oomph than any of the other translations of the Old Testament.

Now let’s come to Exodus 19:3, and we’re going to see that every covenant begins this way but most in particularly when there is a detailed profound covenant such as there was with Israel, and as we will see, with the church. Verse 3: "Now Moshe [Moses] went up to God, and YHWH [the LORD] called out to him from the mountain, saying: Say thus to the House of Yaakov [Jacob], (yes,) tell the Children of Israel: You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to me. So now, if you will hearken, yes, hearken to my voice…" There’s that repeated emphasis that’s in the Hebrew you don’t pick up at all in the other translations. Now "hearken" means this: it means to tentatively pay attention to and follow through with obedience. That’s why it says in the King James "if you will obey My voice indeed."

"…Hearken, yes, hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a special-treasure from among all peoples. Indeed, all the earth is mine, but you, you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. These are the words that you are to speak to the Children of Israel" (Ex. 19:3-6, Schocken Bible). So then he went down and spoke those words and all the children of Israel said, "Yes, we will do them." Then he prepared them for the first day of Pentecost, which was then the day of the giving of the law. And God gave all of His law, then He gave all of the statutes.

Let’s come down to Chapter 24 and let’s begin in verse 3: "So Moshe [Moses] came and recounted to the people all the words of YHWH [the LORD] and all the regulations. And all the people answered in one voice, and said: All the words that YHWH [the LORD] has spoken, we will do. Now Moshe [Moses] wrote down all the words of YHWH [the LORD]. He started-early in the morning…" Then he built the altar for sacrifice.

Let’s come down to verse 8: "Moshe [Moses] took the blood, he tossed it on the people and said: Here is the blood of the covenant…" Now we know the blood of the covenant for the New Covenant is the blood of Jesus Christ. So we are going to see that there are also words of the covenant which Jesus has for us for the covenant with the church. He said: "Here is the blood of the covenant that YHWH [the LORD] has cut with you…" And I think that’s a very straightforward way of saying it. In other words, "He has only done this with you. He has cut it. He has made it special." "…By means of all these words" (Ex. 24:3-4, 8, Schocken Bible). Now we know that throughout the entire first five books of the book of Moses he says in many places, "Be holy for I am holy." And I think you’ll find it interesting if and when you get your copy of it, the tent of the meeting is called "the tent of appointment." All the holy days are called "appointments," which we covered somewhat before. And I think that is a crisper, sharper, more penetrating way of translating it because that’s what it is. Therefore it becomes a lot harder to shove it aside and say that it’s of no consequence, or that you don’t need to do it.

Now let’s come back to John 14 and let’s see some very interesting things concerning this. Now we’re going to be in the Gospel of John back and forth so if you can get there, the Gospel of John, just put your major marker in Chapter 14 because we’re going to go to some other verse here too.

We know that the apostle John said that the reason that he wrote this gospel was so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ. We also know that he said there are many, many more things which He did which if were written in books the world could not contain the books, so we know that Jesus did a whole lot more than what’s contained here. So what is contained here are the essentials for salvation for us.

Now we also know that John 3:16 says that: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth [is believing] in [into – with that active outgoing, incoming faith – believing] Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Now when we come to this section of John 14 – let’s read the first verse, and here’s something that really ought to give us, or anyone who reads it, great understanding if we put it together correctly: "Let not your heart be troubled [that is because of all the events that were going to transpire later that night and the next day]: ye believe [are believing] in God, believe [be believing] also in Me." Isn’t that something? When you think about the first commandment, what does it say? You shall have no other gods before Me. So if you are believing in God and you are believing in Christ, this also tells us that Christ was God in a round about sort of way.

Now let’s look at the word "believing." This is a present tense verb, which tells us that it’s an ongoing thing – believing. Now the verb for "believing" in Greek is the same root for the noun "faith." In English "we believe," which is the verb. But to have the noun form of it is "you have faith" or "you have belief." Now why is this so important? Because God made human beings to operate on belief systems, didn’t He? He created our minds to operate that way, did He not? Everybody operates on a belief system whether a true belief system or a false belief system.

Let’s go to Chapter 6 now for just a minute and we’re going to see some interesting things in relationship to believing on Christ and in relationship to the Passover and the words of the covenant for the church. This is a very basic Scripture so we’re going to go here and build on what we do from this Scripture. Verse 28: "Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent." You believe Him. And we know that this is with your whole being. In other words the whole structure of your belief system to live by in faith is believing on Jesus Christ. And of course again this is "into."

Now let’s notice what He said over here in Chapter 6 continuing on. Let’s come to verse 47: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth [The one who is believing] on Me hath everlasting life." So this shows you that it’s going to be an active, it’s going to be a deep, and it’s going to be a lasting and eternal belief. Verse 48: "[For] I am that bread of life." Verse 51: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Now then we know He goes into some of the terms of the covenant, don’t we.

Let’s come all the way down here to John 6:54: "Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me" (John 6:28-29, 47-48, 51, 54-57, KJV). Now this is very similar to what we just read in the book of Exodus concerning the covenant with Israel, "If you will indeed listen to My voice." Now it becomes even more profound when we come to the church. Not only are we to listen, but we are to eat and we are to live by and we are to walk in God’s way.

Now let’s come back to Chapter 14 and let’s go through some of the verses here. We also know, as we’re turning back to Chapter 14, we know this – we know that people can believe a lie just as firmly as they believe a truth. And we find that in II Thessalonians 2 where it says that because they don’t love the truth they’re going to believe a lie. Now when they believe the lies then they think they are right, but it is only the Word of God which truly sets us free.

Now let’s read verse 1 again: "Let not your heart be troubled…" In other words be constantly believing and trusting in Christ. Why? Because Christ always did what the Father wanted Him to do, correct? He didn’t do any of His will did He? No. And that’s why Christ was so profound in what He did. He said that He didn’t do anything from Himself. And that means out from His own physical being, but what came from the Father. That’s why He said, "You are believing in God, be believing also in Me."

"In My Father’s house are many mansions [dwelling places]…" Now just put in your notes there Revelation 2 and 3 having to do with the promises of the church; Revelation 19 through 21, which then has to do with the marriage of the church; being in the Kingdom of God with Christ and ruling and reigning with Him; and new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. All of this statement right there, "In My Father’s house are many dwelling places," that contains a lot. "…If it were not so, I would have told you. I go [am going] to prepare a place for you." Now that’s going to be a wonderful place, isn’t it? Now what did God prepare for Adam and Eve? The whole world and the Garden of Eden. Now what do you think it’s going to be like in new Jerusalem when that is prepared? And Christ Himself has done it and has made it. And it’s perfect, and it’s beautiful, and it’s marvelous. And it’s where you’re going to live with Christ in new Jerusalem forever. I don’t think you will be confined to that one room forever because I think when you get to new Jerusalem, which is the eighth day, that is also a new beginning, and we don’t know how far God’s plan is going to go on into the ages of eternity, but I’m sure it’s going to be absolutely marvelous.

Now He says, continuing: "...if it were not so [otherwise], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come [I am coming] again…" Now here again look at the will of men who have decided when Christ should return. You see, [it] always failed. But He is coming again. "…And [will] receive you unto Myself…" (John 14:1-3, KJV). Now that means to receive welcome in a bosom embrace.

Let’s go to Chapter 1 for just a minute and let’s see what happened when Jesus was here on the earth the first time, and where the same word is used in relationship to Christ, in relationship to His coming. Let’s pick it up in verse 9: "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." And that means "to receive with a wonderful hug." In other words receive into your bosom. Now that’s what it means. Very close relationship. They didn’t receive Him.

"But as many as received Him…" Now that’s what we are to do in our belief, is to receive Christ. Not in the way that the Protestants have, but in the way that God wants us to. "…To them gave He power [authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name…" (John 1:9-12, KJV).

So when he says back here in Chapter 14, verse 3, "and [will] receive you to Myself," this is also telling about the relationship between Christ and the church, is it not? That just as man and wife are to become, when they are married, one flesh, so the church and Christ are to become one together. So this is the kind of receiving that it’s talking about. "…[So] that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto Him, Lord, we know not whither Thou goest; and how can we know the way?" And Jesus answered, and this is one verse that I used an awful lot in the Passover book, but it’s something that we need to understand which is one of the foundational things of the way that we are to live our Christian life. He said: "I am the way…" No other way. Not many – one through Christ. "…[I am] the truth…" And no lie comes from the truth. And all the Words of the Father are truth. "…And the life…" You cannot have eternal life except through Jesus Christ. "…No man cometh [no one is coming] unto the Father, but by [except through] Me" (John 14:3-6, KJV). It is not going to be done any other way, except through Christ.

Now let’s look a little bit at these three things here – the way, the truth, and the life. And we’re going to see that these are foundational building blocks on which then we build the character of Christ. Let’s go to I Corinthians 3 for just a minute where it talks about the foundation of Jesus Christ. And Paul, in all the arguments that the Corinthians were going through about which man to follow, he made it very clear that there’s only one foundation upon which to build your spiritual life, which is Christ.

Let’s pick it up here in verse 10: "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth [is building] thereupon." Again, if you notice the "eth" in the King James, that means how you are building. It’s something we are actively doing as we are walking in the way of life of Christ. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:10-11, KJV). Then he gives these six things of building upon that, which is: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and stubble. Well, if we continue with the way of John 14 and the way of God we are going to be able to build the gold, the silver, and the precious stone. And that will improve unto eternal life.

Now let’s understand that the whole way of God from the very beginning was called "the way of the Lord," and various aspects of it. Let’s go all the way back to Genesis 18, and it talks about Abraham and what he did in relationship to the way of the Lord, and what he did in the confidence that God had with him. And this also ties in with what we are to learn and what we are to know as we grow in grace and knowledge. And as I read this let’s think about what we learned in the epistles of John; what we are to know, what we are to comprehend – we know that we know Him, and so forth.

Genesis 18:17: "And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him…" And that is one thing that is happening right now in the churches of God. God knows everyone, and God is testing and trying through all the circumstances that are happening right now whether you love Him, whether you will obey His voice, just exactly what you’re going to do.

So He says, "I know him." Notice what He says: "…that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD…" Notice what they are to do: "…to do justice and judgment..." (Gen 18:17-19, KJV). Now let’s just analyze this for just a minute. I had quite a conversation with a man who called me two weeks ago on a Sabbath night. And I told him, "Well, you know the commandments of God have been known from the very beginning." And he says, "No, it was only in Exodus 20." I says, "You mean to tell me you believe that God went 2500 years before He gave any of His laws for anyone to know?" And he said, "Well you can’t dogmatically say that there were the laws." And I said, "I can too."

So hold your place here because we’re going to analyze this verse, and let’s go to Genesis 26:5. I said, "I can too." I said, "You go get your Bible." So he laid down the phone and he ran and got his Bible. And so I read Genesis 26:5: "Because that Abraham obeyed My voice [And isn’t that where we started in Exodus 19? Yes.], and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

I said, "Now, here in Genesis 26:5 it tells us all of these things, doesn’t it? Now you’re going to ask me which laws. And I’m going to say, because God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the same laws He gave to Israel. How could they be any different? How do we know that they’re the same? 1) God does not change – that means in His motive and His purpose and His laws. 2) God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 3) It says: charge, commandments, statutes, and My laws. Now if they are so, why would they be any different than with the children of Israel? Did not Abraham have a large household, which had 300 fighting men, which means how many women and children and so forth, and cattle and sheep and goats that were with him? So then he ran his entire household this way." I said, "Don’t you think they had it written down? How is he, back here in Genesis 18:19 (now let’s read that again), how is he going to teach them to keep the way of the Lord unless it’s written down? "…And to do justice…" Now "justice" means that you know laws, correct? "…And judgment…", meaning that you are going to do what is right. And justice can also mean righteousness – to do that which is righteous. Now what defines righteousness? "All Your commandments are righteousness," correct? So "the way of the Lord" includes all of this. And "the way of the Lord" constantly through the whole Bible teaches us that it’s a complete way of life, complete with commandments and statutes and judgments and things to do. So that becomes very important.

Let’s go to the book of Acts and let’s see what they said of the way of the covenant with the church. The covenant with the church is called the same thing – it is the way of the Lord. Acts 16:17, it’s called "the way." "The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation." Now "the way of the Lord" then becomes "the way of salvation," and that’s what Jesus was telling Philip at that particular place – "You know the way." So it is the way of salvation.

Now Chapter 18, and verse 26. Let’s go back to verse 24 because this is talking about Apollos: "And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord…" Now notice we’re going to have a combining of "the way of the Lord" of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and that of the gospel and hence the Scriptures of the New Testament. "…The way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him [notice :] the way of God more perfectly" (Acts 18:24-26, KJV), which is what? Through Christ. And John 14, 15, 16, and 17 show the way of the Lord more perfectly through Christ, and are the words of the covenant for the New Covenant.

Now let’s go back to the book of Psalms, please. We’ll look at several psalms here where these psalms talk about the way of God. Let’s come first of all to Psalm 25. Now if you want to enter in on a detailed study yourself, we can’t cover it all here with this abbreviated study, go ahead and get your concordance and look up: God’s way; the way of the Lord. Everywhere where it talks about "way" it also talks about "the way of man." What does it say about the way of man? You know what it says, "There is a way which seems right, but the ends thereof are the ways of death."

Now let’s go to Psalm 119:1. There are a couple of Scriptures here we’re going to look at. It talks about how we are to walk. Again, this is a way which we are to walk. And it’s interesting that the "way" in Greek is pronounced this way: hodos. "The way" is pronounced ehodos. Now we have, when the Israelites started on "their way," it is called what? Exodos The way out of sin – exodos leads to the way of the Lord – ehodos.

Now let’s see what it says here in Psalm 119:1: "Blessed are the undefiled in the way…", which then is the way of God. And if you’re walking His way, you’re living your life God’s way, you’re going to be blessed, you’re going to be undefiled, you’re going to be blameless before God. Now notice: "…who walk in [within] the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways" (Psa. 119:1-3, KJV). Now this is interesting because "the way of the Lord" or "the way of Christ" also has many sub-ways underneath it. Every commandment is part of the way of God. So when it talks about "walks in His ways" it means just that. And that’s what Christ is talking about.

Let’s go to Psalm 18 for just a minute. Let’s see something concerning the way of God. And this is important when it comes to us in relationship to our attitude toward God and His will and our will. Let’s pick it up here in verse 30: "As for God, His way is perfect…" Now you think about it for a minute. When we go to the prayer, the model prayer that Jesus said that we are to pray, "Our Father in heaven holy is Your name." And I think one of the things we’ve missed a lot in praying has been understanding the Holiness and greatness and mercy and love of God. Then it says, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." So what we are really doing, we are starting off with our prayers and our whole desire is to receive the will of God, to live the will of God. Now, is God perfect? Yes. Is Christ perfect? Yes. Now let’s read it here: "As for God, His way is perfect…" That’s why we should not want our will. And I can tell you this and verify that every time I’ve tried to execute my will over the will of God – tzoom – it’s called a blooper. We’ve all had those, right? Yes. So this is important. His way is perfect.

"…The word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler [or that is, the one to strengthen them] to all those that trust in Him." And that goes right back to believing in God and believing in Christ. "For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect" (Psa. 18:30-32, KJV). Now we can be perfect of heart. We can be perfect of mind in this way, can we not? Yes, let’s see the New Testament equivalent of that.

Let’s go to Philippians 3, please. Here’s the equivalent of it today, verse 13: "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended…", or that is, attained to the ultimate yet. None of us have attained to the ultimate. I don’t think any of us have attained to the ultimate in this life that God wants us to have in this life, which is a truly profound and deep loving relationship with Him and true deep profound fellowship and love of each other the way God wants us to have. I hope we’re growing in it. "…But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind…" And that’s very, very important because if you’re under the grace of God, which we are, then you can forget all those things which are behind. God is not up there keeping a scorecard. Almost everyone thinks God is keeping a scorecard: plus, minus, plus, minus, plus, minus, plus minus. And at the resurrection if you have more minuses you’re going into the lake of fire, and if you have more pluses you’re entering into the Kingdom of God. No, it’s your living under the grace of God and walking in His way. So they’re all pluses, so you forget the minuses. "…Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before [because he’s walking in the way of the Lord], I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." This is our whole attitude. This is Christ in the way. This is Paul epitomizing walking in the way of Christ.

"Let us therefore, as many as be perfect…" Remember what we read in Psalm 18 where David said, "as for the Lord, He makes my way perfect"? Now you can be perfect, not of yourself, but with this converted attitude here and with the Spirit of God. "Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you" (Phil. 3:13-15, KJV). Why? So that you can repent of it, that’s why. That’s why when you come to the point of really wanting the will of God in your life and the love of God in your life, you’re going to want to walk in His way because that’s what it is. It is the way of the Lord. And it’s the perfect way. He’ll reveal it to you. So when you come along and you find out you’ve committed a great giant blooper that’s not worthy of too much, well God has revealed it to you, given you an opportunity to repent of it. Isn’t that a marvelous thing? I mean think about it, isn’t that a marvelous thing that God in His love would do that for us? Yes it is.

Let’s go back to the book of Psalms and look at a couple more here as we’re going along. Let’s come back to Psalm 17:1: "Hear the right, O LORD [which is another way of saying "Your will," because if it’s right it’s the will of God], attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips [true from the heart]. Let my sentence come forth from Thy presence; let Thine eyes behold the things that are equal. Thou hast proved mine heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing…" Now, not only is this David speaking but this is also, I believe, a prophetic prayer of Jesus Christ.

Now continuing on in verse 3: "…I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress." This shows all the things of walking in the Lord, of control, of discipline and all that sort of thing. "Concerning the words of men, by the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer." In other words by walking in God’s way it keeps you from the paths of Satan the devil who is the destroyer, correct?

Verse 5: "Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not."