Who author’s our faith?

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. (Heb 12:2)

The immediate answer is that Christ is the author of our faith. But have we considered what has He authored for us to live on the earth as His church (called out ones)? Most will respond that Jesus has completed our faith for us, thus we just continue living our lives according to what we perceive is right and wait for either His Second Coming or we go and meet Him. If we live our Christian life with this frame of thought, we may have missed our purpose as strangers and pilgrims (Heb 11:13) to live the extraordinary life of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 5, 6, and 7). This is when we begin to author our faith rather than living out what Jesus has authored out for us.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. (Ecc 1:9)

Often we look for human models or new ideas as substitutions to our faith, could that be the reason why popularity of books has increased. It’s time to go back to the Word of God, the ‘original’ as it were or rather to return to the Ancient Ways of God. We don’t have to strive to make His Ways ‘relevant’ to today’s society; if we do then we are denying the complete power of His Word. There really isn’t anything at all to update nor upgrade with regard to what Jesus has authored for us to live by.

Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (1Cor 11:1)

The path of our pilgrimage that was authored for us is through the cross; following Jesus means to take up the cross which is a daily affair for us. The only road to glory is through the cross, because it spells death the flesh and self. If self continue to exist than our lives are not authored by the Master, it would then be we who authors our faith.

How do we know that self is vanquishing?
Jesus never stated what the cross is for us. It could be people, circumstances, etc. We can’t determine the cross for ourselves nor can others do for us, it is given by Christ Himself Who have perfected faith. However we can check how much of the self is still alive and kicking; have we considered others better than ourselves (Phil 2:4-5), have we loved others as we loved ourselves, have we fulfilled the royal law (Jam 2:8), is there a greater conforming to Christ image as we mature in Him (John 3:20, Rom 8:29) or our minds conformed to everyone around us (Rom 12:2).

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Heb 2:10)

Let us not kid ourselves, the cross is about suffering. But when we come to the revelation to ‘reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us’ (Rom 8:18), we will have a hope so deep, so wide, so high and eternal that becomes our blessed hope (Tit 2:13). Or we still hope for what we see and perceive with human desire (Rom 8:24). With this hope, we can, as Jesus did to despise the shame and endure. God’s original plan is to bring many sons unto glory, do we aspire to this eternal reward, or still wallowing in something of lesser significance.