For a world-view to be true all the elements must fit together. Add your insights and show me where I am wrong.

2   [ 241 ] Do We Love Light? Do you so love the truth and the right that you welcome, or at least submit willingly to, the idea of an exposure of what in you is yet unknown to yourself-an exposure that may redound to the glory of the truth by making you ashamed and humble? . . . Are you willing to be made glad that you were wrong when you thought others were wrong?  Quote from George MacDonald.

3  What is it? 

4   

5  It is important. 

6  Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, 

7  hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and 

8  cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of 

9  the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye 

10  to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 

11   

12  You must have it! It is imperative for salvation. 

13  Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please 

14  him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he 

15  is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently 

16  seek him. 

17   

18  Do you have a definition? 

19  Webster's 

20  : sincerity of intentions 

21  : allegiance to duty or a person: LOYALTY 

22  : fidelity to one's promises 

23  : belief and trust in and loyalty to God 

24  : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion 

25  : firm belief in something for which there is no 

26  proof 

27  : complete trust 

28  : something that is believed especially with strong 

29  conviction 

30  Street: 

31  Faith in faith. Hope so faith. I hope I win the lottery 

32  kind of faith. 

33  Religion: 

34  By looking at the different religions it is more like 

35  make-believe believing. 

36  Church: 

37  From what I have seen, they try to build up your 

38  faith with rituals, activity, loud mind control music 

39  repeated over and over. If they can get you to do 

40  religious things you will feel religious but that is not 

41  salvation. 

42  Webster is not the Bible! 

43   

44  Do you have a Biblical definition of faith? 

45  Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped 

46  for, the evidence of things not seen. 

47  Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good 

48  report. 

49   

50  Same word 

51  Faith and believing are of the same word. One is a 

52  noun and the other an action verb. 

53  Faith means to bring to belief. It will cause you to 

54  believe. 

55   

56  Faith is a work. 

57  1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work 

58  of faith, and labor of love... 

59  2Th 2:11 ...and the work of faith with power: 

60   

61  Not saved by works. 

62  Rom 9:11 (For the children being not yet born, 

63  neither having done any good or evil, that the 

4  purpose of God according to election might stand, 

65  not of works, but of him that calleth;) 

66  Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

67   

68  So how can we be saved if we do not work up our faith?

69   Our faith we drum up is like no faith because 

70  we do not know Him as He knows Himself to be. 

71  I tell the atheist they are closer to the truth in saying 

72  they do not know God than an unsaved religious 

73  church goer trying to drum up their faith by making 

74  believe and exercising their self-will presumptions. 

75  Rom 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall 

76  their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 

77  If we are saved it is by His work of faith He applies 

78  to us. His faith will cause us to believe. 

79  When His applied faith it is effectual for salvation. 

80   

81  Not by our faith but by His faith. 

82  Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the 

83  works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, 

84  even (caused us to believe) we have believed in 

85  Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith 

86  of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by

 87  the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 

88  Others translations have changed it to fit their 

89  understanding of faith. (Their faith in Christ) 

90  They did not change "Faith of Abraham" to faith in 

91  Abraham. It has the same Greek structure. When 

92  people do not know His faith they can only trust in

93  their own faith. Because faith is a work, their work 

94  will give them a religious feelings. 

95   

Contend for the faith: 

Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write 

unto you of the common salvation, it was needful 

for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye 

should earnestly contend for the faith which was 

once delivered unto the saints. 

For the faith that was given to the saints that saved them. 

Take a look at other web pages about saving faith:

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/what-saving-faith

is from Ligonier Ministries Reformed theology 

I like the quote, "Reformers are always reforming to the truth."

So many seminaries are becoming cementers because they are not growing in their understanding. When you find conflict there is a chance for growth.

They may say "...faith is the only instrumental means..." Do they make it clear it is by the Faith of Christ applied to us that will save us?

Yes, many religious unsaved people will be deceived.

They say, "intellectual content of what we believe" is essential for true

 faith.  The Bible says: Rom 10:17  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." It is not by understanding but by hearing His word. Luk_1:41  "And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:"

They say, "Saving faith is faith in the person and work of Christ ..."

People can have Christ as an object of their faith like other religious unsaved people have a wooden idol they have faith in. Christ is a better object than a cow. Do you see the King James makes it clear that if we are saved it is by the faith of Christ applied by Him to us? 

They say, "...belief that the content of the Christian gospel is true. "  

Yes, people can know many things and not believe are true.

The real problem is people can believe in Jesus and the historical reality of the resurrection and call Jesus Lord and do great things in His name and not be saved.  People can cause themselves to make believe.

When Christ pulls you into a love relationship with Himself how can you not believe. You will know God has raised Him from the dead and He is alive.

They say, "We also need to place our trust in Christ personally to save us. We must believe that Jesus came to save us personally. We must place our lives in His hands, pledging ourselves to follow Him no matter the cost." It sounds so good but the good is the enemy of the best.

There is nothing we can do to earn or guarantee we have salvation.  Salvation is all His work and all His glory. Religion would want you to do something and if you do something religious you will feel religious. but that is not salvation.  Trying to drum up believing and pledging ourselves to follow Him is religious works. Religion is a do-it-yourself system. We are not saved by our will but by His will. Yes, pray to God. Prayer is to help us understand where we are. Jesus said, blessed are the poor in spirit for their is the kingdom of God. Religion would want you to make a commitment and "serve God."  Jesus said, Joh 8:35  "And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." God can use the religious unsaved and they can feel good about that and not be saved. Pray and wait for Him for salvation and not try to do-it-yourself.

96  Works 

97  Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith 

98  without works is dead? 

99  Will the religious unsaved ever understand that their 

100  faith, without His work in them, is in vain? No! 

101   

102  Fruit of the Spirit 

103  Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, 

104  peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

105  Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there 

106  is no law. 

107  Law cannot produce these qualities. He must love 

108  them into us. We love because He first loved us. 

109   

110  Power 

111  John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them 

112  gave he power to become the sons of God, even to 

113  them that believe on his name: 

114  That believing is not a make-believe believing but 

115  from His work of faith He works in us. 

116   

117  Not by working hard or by willpower 

118  Rom 9:15 For He saith to Moses, I will have mercy 

119  on whom I will have mercy, and I will have 

120  compassion on whom I will have compassion. 

121  Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor 

122  of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

123  Rom 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, 

124  Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, 

125  that I might shew my power in thee, and that my 

126  name might be declared throughout all the earth. 

127  Rom 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he 

128  will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 

129  Rom 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth  

130  he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 

131  Rom 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that 

132  repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to 

133  him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 

134  Rom 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, 

135  of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, 

136  and another unto dishonour? 

137  Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, 

138  and to make his power known, endured with much 

139  longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to 

140  destruction: 

141  Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the  

142  riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which  

143  he had afore prepared unto glory... 

144   

145  Not everyone will be saved 

146  Many of the religious unsaved will even call Him 

147  Lord and not be saved. They can be a “follower of 

148  Jesus.” 

149   

150  John 8:31-36 

151  Jesus talking to the Jews that believed on Him. 

152  Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house 

153  for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 

154  Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, 

155  ye shall be free indeed. 

156  People can think they are serving God and God can use 

157  the unsaved, but He is making sons and daughters 

158  of His kingdom. If the Son shall make you free. 

159   

160  Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, 

161  Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he 

162  that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

163  (They may have done good works but not what He 

164  told them to do. Do you see how the good is the 

165  enemy of the best? They do good things in 

166  presumptuous pride.) 

167  Mat 7:22 Many(not a few) will say to me in that 

168  day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy 

169  name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in 

170  thy name done many wonderful works? 

171  Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never 

172  knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

173  (That is the most horrifying verse in the Bible.) 

174   

175  Depart from the Faith: 

176  1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in 

177  the latter times some shall depart from the faith, 

178  giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of 

179  devils; 

180  Just knowing their own faith and not know His  

181  faith how could they not depart? 

182  The way cults work their way into churches is by 

183  having the same word like faith but having a 

184  different definition. Not a Biblical definition but 

185  one they thought up. 

186   

187  Contend for the faith: 

188  Jud 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write 

189  unto you of the common salvation, it was needful 

190  for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye 

191  should earnestly contend for the faith which was 

192  once delivered unto the saints. 

193  For the faith that was given to the saints that saved 

194  them. 

195   

196  Salvation is all His work and all His glory. 

197  By His work of faith, He works in you. 

198  Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; 

199  and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 

200  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

201   

202  When we try to add to His perfect work  

203  with our work we discount His perfect work. 

204  Under foot: Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer 

205  punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought  

206  worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of  

207  God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant,  

208  wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and  

209  hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 

210   

211  Study: 

212  2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, 

213  a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly 

214  dividing the word of truth. 

215  Religion would use that verse as a whip to try to get 

216  you to study to find God's approval. 

217  The key to that verse is to know the only way to 

218  find approval is to be born again. It is saying, study 

219  yourself to see if Jesus is working in you rightly 

220  dividing the word of truth. 

221   

222  Draw: 

223  John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the 

224  Father which hath sent me draw( G1670) him: and I 

225  will raise him up at the last day. 

226  Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if 

227  any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure 

228  in him. 

229  In John 6:44 that Greek word (G1670 Strong's 

230  number) translated draw is more like drag if you 

231  see how that exact word is used in 7 other places in 

232  the Bible. It is more like drag, by the force of His 

233  will. 

234   

235  He must use force: 

236  Because on our own we would never come to Him 

237  in the right way. We would just make up another 

238  religion and call it Christianity and feel religious by 

239  the religious things we do. 

240  Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, 

241  no, not one:11 There is none that understandeth, 

242  there is none that seeketh after God.12 They are all 

243  gone out of the way, they are together become 

244  unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not 

245  one. That is called, The Four Nuns In Romans 3. 

246   

247  Saving faith is His persuasion and who can resist 

248  that for long? 

249  When you come to the end of yourself you will  

250  start to listen. When He pulls you into a love  

251  relationship with Himself by the force of His will,  

252  how can you not believe? 

253   

254  Reason with God? 

255  Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, 

256  saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet,  

257  they shall be as white as snow; though they be red  

258  like crimson, they shall be as wool. 

259  Have you tried to reason with Him? 

260  In High School, my girlfriend broke up with me  

261  and it hurt so much. I was trying to learn about 

262  relationships, how to avoid this hurt in the further. 

263  He reasoned with me like this: 

264  God knows a lot of things. Yes, If I had a 

265  relationship with God I could avoid many  

266  problems. Then He said in a way, you are looking  

267  for love, the lasting kind. Yes, I can see that. Have  

268  you thought about the Source of all life and love?  

269  Without His love, there would be no love at all. I  

270  found out she was just a shadow of His love and  

271  she did not know it and I did not know it. C.S.  

272  Lewis said, if you fall in love with a shadow you  

273  will be disappointed and I say, sooner the better. 

274   Samba means prayer! So what is the answer to the Samba(prayer) You must go to the Source of all love.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6lF9V3yNpDyyDmYJx1gzE3?si=e131a9a95f304954

275  The end of our self:

 276  He is trying to get us to the end of our self, to see 

277  our need and His answer. The Law is not to help us 

278  live His kind of life but to show us our need for 

279  more life. Does God make laws that man cannot do 

280  or keep? Yes! Deu 10:16 "Circumcise therefore the 

281  foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked." 

282  Who can do that? But later He says in Deu 30:6 

283  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, 

and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with 

all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 

284   Salvation is all His work and all His glory. 

285 

286  A positive approach to the end of our self (see if

287  you can see it? How do you read this?): 

288  Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye 

289  shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 

290  Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he 

291  that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it 

292  shall be opened. 

293  Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his 

294  son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 

295  Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a 

296  serpent? 

297  Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give 

298  good gifts unto your children, how much more shall 

299  your Father which is in heaven give good things to 

300  them that ask him? 

301  Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would 

302  that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: 

303  for this is the law and the prophets. 

304  Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is 

305  the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to 

306  destruction, and many there be which go in there at: 

307  Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is 

308  the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be 

309  that find it. 

310   https://open.spotify.com/track/2cTOee6bTauDFK1QuDS1BD?si=7ee3cf48c5c84210

311  What is He saying? What did I miss? 

312  Do you have just one great wish? What is the best wish 

313  to have? If you are going to dream, dream BIG. 

314  Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye 

315  shall find (it); knock, and it shall be opened unto 

316  you: 

317  What is the it? He does not say. But He is giving us 

318  hope. 

319  Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth (it); and he 

320  that seeketh findeth (it); and to him that knocketh it 

321  shall be opened. 

322  Who could help us in this quest for the best? There 

323  is love in this world. I can see it in the love a good 

324  father. 

325  Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his 

326  son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 

327  A father’s love is naturally strong. 

328  Mat 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a 

329  serpent? 

330  God gave love to the fathers. He is the source of all 

331  love. 

332  Mat 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give 

333  good gifts unto your children, how much more shall 

334  your Father which is in heaven give good things to 

335  them that ask Him? 

336  He is the Best Father of fathers. Learn what 

337  goodness is from your own experience. 

338  He loves us beyond our own desire to be loved, we 

339  need to adjust to His idea of what goodness is. All 

340  of us humans are born at a very early age and self is 

341  all we know so how do we get beyond being a self- 

342  centered sociopath? How can we see our need and 

343  His answer? 

344  This is the process: Try to understand why the, 

345  therefore, is there for. How does it fit together? 

346  Mat 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would 

347  that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: 

348  for this is the law and the prophets. 

349  We all have an idea of how we would want to be 

350  treated by others in a good way. So try to treat them 

351  in a good way. You do not want to be used by them 

352  so do not use them. Have fun trying to be good and 

353  as you do this you will see you fail to even live up 

354  to your own standards you expect from others. You 

355  will see your need and perhaps His answer He may 

356  give you. It takes work, to be honest, it is not the 

357  easy way compared to being self-centered. 

358  Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is 

359  the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to 

360  destruction, and many there be which go in there at: 

361  We are born self-centered, demanding food and a 

362  new diaper, and may grow up thinking life is about 

363  controlling others liked we control our parents for 

364  food and diapers. With the globalist elites, it is not 

365  about money but they want more control over  

366  others to try to prove their worth or right to live. 

367  Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is 

368  the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be 

369  that find it. 

370   

371  In Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, in the first 

372  part called; Right And Wrong As A Clue To The 

373  Meaning Of The Universe he makes two points: 1. 

374  Man knows what to do. 2. Man fails to do what he 

375  knows he should do. If you see your failure and that 

376  you are poor in spirit, and that is good. Jesus said: 

377  Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is 

378  the kingdom of heaven. 

379  When you can see how you fail to even live up to 

380  your own standards you may become merciful to 

381  others and may see the mercy when He offers you 

382  His. 

383  Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall 

384  obtain mercy. 

385   

386  Men of little faith: 

387  Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye 

388  fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and 

389  rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a  

390  great calm. 

391  Jesus walking on the water: 

392  Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, 

393  if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 

394  Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was 

395  come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, 

396  to go to Jesus. 

397  Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he 

398  was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, 

399  Lord, save me. 

400  Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth 

401  his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O  

402  thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 

403  Jesus told him to come but he saw the wind and  

404  was afraid. 

405   

406  Faith comes by: 

407  Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and 

408  hearing by the word of God. 

409  When He applies His Word to your heart how can 

410  you not believe? 

411   

412  Force of will 

413  Salvation is not something to take by the force of 

414  your will: 

415  John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can 

416  receive nothing, except it be given him from 

417  heaven. 

418   

419  Wait on Him, He is your salvation. 

420  Lam 3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait 

421  for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. 

422  Lam 3:26 It is good that a man should both hope 

423  and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 

424  If you read that in the context you may see He did 

425  this in a perfect way for those He will save. 

426   

427  Be in the Word let it make you humble: 

428  Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he 

429  saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto 

430  the humble. 

431  Pride is the great sin because it hides itself.  

432 Only God can deal with our pride. We would just be 

433  proud we overcame our pride and feel religious. 

434  Have you heard preachers say, "Work on your 

435  pride"? 

436   

437  Religion is a do-it-yourself system. 

438  Where you make a commitment and choose Jesus  

439  as an act of your self will (they call it “faith”).  

440  But how far could you go to the cross only knowing 

441  God as Law Giver, not as Father? 

442   

443  Christ showed us the Father in the absolute 

444  devotion of a perfect Son. George MacDonald 

445  helped me see Christ's love for the Father, the 

446  source of His motivation in all He said and did. 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher 

of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him 

endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set 

down at the right hand of the throne of God.

His joy was to please His Father more than our salvation.

447   

448  Christ showed us His faith. He could not feel the 

449  Father near but He trusted Him because He knew 

450  the Father of fathers. 

451  The first quote in The Problem Of Pain by C.S. 

452  Lewis is by George MacDonald, Lewis calls him 

453  his teacher. He says, “I am not saying he is always 

454  right but I never met a man so close to the spirit of 

455  Christ as George MacDonald.” I found the quote in 

456  two places, it goes like this: 

457  The Son of God suffered unto death, not that man 

458  might not suffer, but that their suffering might be 

459  like His. Who died to Himself to live to please His 

460  Father, to bring us up to His perfection. (Firstborn 

461  among many brethren.) From Unspoken Sermons 

462  First Series 

463  Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did 

464  predestinate to be conformed to the image of his 

465  Son, that he might be the firstborn among many 

466  brethren. 

467   

468  Most practical book 

469  I was just about burned out reading C.S. Lewis but I 

470  thought The Problem Of Pain the most practical, 

471  why go through pain when you can learn it from 

472  others. The best part is the last half of the 3rd 

473  chapter (Divine Goodness) where he has 4 

474  analogies of God's love for man, which is beyond 

475  our desire. We must learn to adjust to His way of 

476  thinking. See page 42. 

477   

478  Lewis compiled a book of 365 Readings of

479  George MacDonald, from 17 of 62 books by 

480  George. Find it free on the Web. A great place to 

481  start. 

482   

483  Confess: 

484  Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth 

485  the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that 

486  God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be 

487  saved. 

488  If Christ has became a living reality to you, pulling 

489  you into a love relationship with Himself then you 

490  know God has raised Him from the dead, when you 

491  are in love how can you not tell the world. When a 

492  person is so united with God how could he not live 

493  forever? 

494   

495  He may give them repentance 

496  2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not 

497  strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, 

498  patient, 

499  2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose 

500  themselves; if God peradventure will give them

501  repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 

502   

503  Free Will 

504  We have as much freedom as Adam and Eve did 

505  ...after they sinned. 

506  I believe in free will...His free will to save whom so 

507  ever He will and in His timing. 

508   

509  Wait on Him, do not try to do-it-yourself or  

510  make yourself make-believe.

 511   

512  How can I arrange the thoughts better? 

513  Add your insights. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

514  Thanks

dwayne9@gmail.com