The third incorrect definition is that faith is our acknowledgment that the things God has stated concerning us are true and already are true of our personality. An example of this would be, "I believe I am a new creation in Christ. All the old things of my personality have passed away and all things have become new. I know this is true because the Bible says so."

This definition contains truth but it can and does lead into error unless it is interpreted in terms of the whole counsel of God.

One can see the error clearly by thinking about the Jews in Egypt. God promised them He had given them a land flowing with milk and honey. A Jew could declare his faith in the promise of God. But there are two different ways in which he or she could act on it.

The first way would be to sit in Egypt and keep declaring that God had given the Israelites a land flowing with milk and honey.

The second way would be to follow the cloud and fire until he was in a position to fight his way into the land of promise.

The first way is a deadly error. Only the Lord knows how many hundreds of thousands—if not millions!—of Christians are professing their confidence in the Word of God but are sitting in Egypt. They are not following the Spirit of God toward the land. They have confused mental assent with a living, vital faith in God.

It is absolutely essential we grasp the vision that God has set before us. The vision is in two parts: the first part is that we have been predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ until we become His brother; the second part is that we are to be one in Jesus in the Father and with other believers. This is the two-dimensional goal of salvation.

If we hold fast our confidence in the promise of God we will be made a partaker of Christ.

But if all we do is keep assuring ourselves that God has spoken the truth we will never arrive at the goal. We must set out to follow the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been given the task of bringing us to Christ. The Holy Spirit rather than the Law of Moses is the guardian servant under the new covenant. The Holy Spirit is as Eliezer, Abraham's servant, who brought Rebecca to Isaac.

How many believers are waiting today for Christ to do what He never will do? They are not obeying the commandments of the Apostles found in the Epistles or the commandments of Christ found in the Gospels. It is only by obeying these commandments that we journey through the wilderness until we come to the land of promise.

The correct definition of faith has to do with laying hold on the true vision God has set before us, and then setting out to follow the Holy Spirit each day of our life.

To be continued.