Hebrews 12:2  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.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon renders author as furnishing the first cause or occasion. It renders finisher as one who has in His own person (personally) raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith. It is curious that the Greek word for finisher only exists once and is used here.

Over and over again I hear good intentioned Christians proclaim “I have faith”, as if it is their creation, theirs to control, and subject to their own will. That kind of faith opposes God. That kind of faith quiets the still small voice that is given to direct our lives and bless every good word authorized by God thru the power of His will and majesty.

If you want to know why a ministry has failed, perhaps it is because it was not authored by God. Everything that God puts His hand to flourishes.

Ezekiel 34:10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

God will not be mocked.

Isaiah 28:22-23 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the Word and without Him your faith is vanity and will come to nothing.

Isaiah 23:7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

Over the past four days I have related to you this image of the Jesus Train, the Train to Glory, a vehicle of transportation to an end promised by God the Father to all who have placed their faith in Christ. If you can see this image, it is singular in nature. Being in Christ is everything but there is a duality that pulls at our awareness with a reality that is impossible to ignore.

Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

While we are on the salvation track, while we are on the Jesus Train, our journey is in this world with purpose. We cannot ignore that we are in the world and subject to all the pain, misery, attacks and deceptions of this world. We are in this world, just not of this world.

I’ve been on this journey for decades. Time says it has been a long journey, eternity says it is but a spec so small it is hard to recall. Sojourn means temporary dwelling, not meant to be permanent. Everything within us says settle down, take root, make a life, raise children, live and yet at the same time go with God.

I understand it is not easy to hold two opposing views at the same time. The truth is we are not just one thing. We are created after His image, our own trinity, and one of those parts dwells eternally. That part which is in Christ.