Christian Living

What is Trusting God

by Lawrence Walkup 
02/12/14
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What is Trusting God

By

Lawrence Walkup

First we need to understand the fundamentals. Jesus Christ lives inside of us for the purpose of living his life through us. I don't understand why people have a problem with this, when this is so scriptural. In John 15 we are portrayed as branches that are attached to the vine. There is no life for the branches unless they remain attached to that vine. And there certainly isn't any fruit produced on the branch unless the branch remains attached to the vine. And, the branches have nothing to do with the fruit they bear. That is the work of the vine. The life of the branch is in the vine. It is the life of Christ living through us that produces the fruit that counts.

Oh yea, I do understand why people have a problem with this. It has been the tradition throughout church history to teach up to the point of Jesus first indwelling us, but not to go any further than that. Teaching after the cross is more important than before the cross. Look at Rom 5:10. 

So, what we have done is believe tradition rather than the Scriptures themselves. Wasn't this the problem of the Pharisees and the Jewish Leadership when Jesus entered their world. What other reason would there be for him living inside of us, if it isn't for the reason of him living through us. What makes sense? Is he living inside of me while I'm here on earth just to be my guarantee ticket that gets me into heaven. Until we get to heaven, he's here living inside of me just to go along for the ride....that's ridiculous. The fact of the matter is, it's the other way around. We are the ones to go along for the ride. It tells us in 2 Pet. 1: 4 that we are to participate in the Divine Nature; so it is us who go along on his ride. He's waiting for us to get on board, but we refuse to, because we are too afraid to make that step of faith. And of course, with the the help of church tradition we're not taught to make that step of faith. That would mean that I'm not in control of my life anymore. Heaven forbid, that I would actually act like a Christian, and let Christ be in control of my life.

Born again Christians are defined as the body of Christ. Who lived in the physical body of Christ two thousand years ago? Jesus did. So doesn't it make sense that the resurrected Jesus is living in his physical body of today; or at least he should be if we are not preventing him.

In my forty seven years of being a born again Christian, I've come to realize over and over again how much faith I don't have; how much I don't trust God. How ironic it is, that the determining factor that proves to myself that I'm growing as a Christian, is how much faith I don't have. When Jesus was asked by the crowd, what must we do, to do the works of God? He told them that the work (singular) of God, is to believe in the one he has sent. You see, being as smart as he is, Jesus knew it would take a lifetime for us to get that. Learn to do that; nothing more than that. Let go of the distractions that have been handed down to you through bad teaching. How many have been told, 'we need to get busy for God.' No we don't need to get busy for God if it's only going to produce works of the flesh.

If you are not trusting God, then you are trusting yourself. Or, if you don't have faith in God then you have faith in yourself. We all know the importance of free choice given to us at creation. Without that, there would be no such thing as love for God. In the book of Hebrews it tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. So now we know what pleases God. Not trying to keep the Law, not setting goals to stop sinning, not going to church, not praying for two hours a day. None of these things require faith. They require willpower.

Putting faith in God and trusting God is what pleases him. Putting faith in God and trusting God is also our love for God. This is defined for us in 1 John 5. It says that the love for God is to obey his commands. The commands are defined in 1 John 3: 23. The command is to believe in Jesus Christ. As far as the word 'believe' in relationship to Jesus, it is simply interchangeable with the words 'putting faith in God' and 'trusting God'. Interesting, that by obeying the first command, the second command happens automatically. So now we can conclude that trusting God and putting faith in God, not only pleases God, but it also is a demonstration of our love for God. 

How is it that we pull this off? How is it that we let Christ live through our bodies instead of me living through my body. It says in Rom. 12:1. We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. We already know what pleases God, so this must be talking about faith. And then it says that this is our spiritual act of worship. So now we learn furthermore, that faith in God is also our worship to God. What is going to please God, is for me to voluntarily choose to sacrifice the self, that wants to live through me, and instead, let the life of Jesus live through me. There are two beings alive inside of me. It is up to me as to which one does the living. Jesus will never force his hand because of free choice. He'll wait for you to let him. He'll wait for you to let him be the one in control. He wants to live his life through you , because he was meant to. Simply trust him that he will, and then expect it.

Give this a try and then sit back and watch the results unfold before your eyes. The results in all your circumstances and the results in all your relationships with people. The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear. When Jesus, who is perfect love, is living through you, fear has left the building.