Through Faith

"Who are kept by the power of God THROUGH FAITH unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time"  (1 Peter 1: 5).

What peace this verse should bring believers.  Faith plays such an integral role in the lives of believers, for without it, we are lost.  However, with it, we are protected in the powerful hands of God.  The faith being spoken of here is not a one time event or even a part-time event.  Faith must have a continual presence in believers' lives.  

Just two verses from verse five, believers can better comprehend the challenges they will in fact face as they journey through their lives:

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1: 7).

Here, we understand that there is not a question of will my faith be tested?  Peter explains

to us definitively that a believer's faith IS tested.  

We are admonished continually in the Word to keep the faith, to endure, and to abide.  In Colossians, specifically, a condition is established regarding continuing in faith:

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven, and you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:  IF ye CONTINUE in the FAITH grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven;" (1: 20-23).

We must ask ourselves, why would Paul tell believers here to avoid being "moved away" if it were not possible for a believer to DIScontinue in the faith?  

 How do we know that Paul is even speaking to believers at all in verses 20-23?  

In chapter 1 and verse 2, Paul addresses the people in which he is writing:

"To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."  

We are safe in the hands of God - IN CHRIST - by remaining FAITHFUL.  Satan cannot pluck us from the Father's hand as long as we abide in the Faith.

Glory to God!