Precious Faith!



In II Peter 1:1, the apostle Peter addresses those he writes to as "them that have obtained like precious faith." We know that faith comes from God and is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). The faith that God gives never stands alone. Faith is only as good as its object. What distinguishes this "precious faith" and makes it precious? The faith of God's elect is precious for this reason: "Unto you therefore which believe HE is precious.." (I Pet. 2:7). Faith in anyone or anything else is worthless! True faith believes God. Like Abraham, we "believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly" and the object of this God-given faith, Christ, is counted for our righteousness before God (Rom. 4:5).

Do we get righteousness by faith? Through faith we are brought to realize and see that God in grace has made us righteous by imputing to us the very "righteousness of God" in Christ. The truth is, we don't "obtain" righteousness by faith, rather, we obtain faith through righteousness. We receive it because of Jesus Christ the Righteous whose work of righteousness is the only righteousness any sinner can ever have. He is "the LORD our Righteousness." Hear Peter out: "to them that have obtained like precious faith through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:1). Precious faith is not only in but also because of the precious Christ!


-Gospel report by preacher Gary Shepard


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