"The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, Heb 10:38). "When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth?" (Lk 18:8).


We have this mistaken notion that faith is for 'STUFF.' We should have faith for healing, and for prosperity, and for reconciling relationships, and for getting a new job - or keeping the one we have. We are meant to have faith for this,... and for that,... and also for...


And in the Old Testament, this was at least partially the case. Faith was to do things good enough, and live life to a favorable degree that you received blessing from God, and avoided all the curses. In one essence, faith was the result of people performing well enough to be right with God - living in human righteousness under the law (Deut 6:25).


In the New Testament, all things are new (II Cor 5:17).


The Old Testament was a 'HAVE NOT' covenant. People had to strive to get what they could from the covenant they lived under. They sought after God's promises. It was what we lawyers call a 'bilateral' contract: you were a party to the covenant, and you had to do your part right or you got slam-dunked. Under this Old system folks were unrighteous (Rom 3:10, 23), and never totally received God's promise (Heb 11:39).


The New Testament is a 'HAVE' covenant. We receive ALL that God has to offer (Lk 12:32, Eph 1:3, I Cor 3:21-22, Lk 15:31, etc.) We even have the Holy Spirit to show us if we miss something (I Cor 2:12). We are given ALL the promises of God (II Cor 1:20). This is because it is what lawyers call a 'unilateral covenant.' We are BENEFICIARIES- not parties to this covenant.


No wonder Hebrews calls the New Covenant a 'better' covenant. And it is the GOSPEL that declares to us how the New Covenant is so much better than the Old. Yet, so many folks today still continue to live by the Old!


Moses and his Old Covenant law accuses us and condemns our hearts. Jesus says this in John 5:45, where he also says, "Do not think I will accuse you before the Father." The Old is the ministry of condemnation and guilt (II Cor 3:6). If the Old exists in us, and we live by it, (1) our faith is made void, and (2) God's promise is made of no effect to us (Rom 4:14, Gal 5:2-4).


When Jesus returns, will he find faith?" He will NOT find faith if we insist on living Old Covenant ways that are devoid of the gospel and gospel faith. For him to find faith, we must live in what I call 'The religion of done.' Any lawyer will tell you the importance of a dying declaration. In his dying declaration from the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished!"


This side of the cross, faith must be in Christ's finished work, and who we are in God because of it. It is not for things - or stuff - but that we might live in God's Kingdom (even while on this earth), and in the gift of the righteousness of God (Mat 6:33, Rom 5:17). Confession must be in our righteousness in Christ, and in the fact that he is Lord (Rom 10:9-10). He's not Lord because of what WE do, but because of what HE did.


Our faith should not declare the promises of God, but to declare THE promise of God: the Lord Jesus Christ. In him we have ALL the promises of God. Our faith should not be in his second coming, but in what he did for us in his first coming: "It is finished!" If you are living in guilt and condemnation under the Old Covenant law, you are not living in faith in the New.