Ezekiel 4:1 English Standard Version (ESV) “And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem.”

Ezekiel is given a word of the Lord and commands to make an engraving upon a brick. Since faith comes by hearing, Ezekiel has been asked to obey God by faith. A symbol of obedience of faith is being painted for us here. Ezekiel’s rendering of the city will be according to his own vision, his own skills and will differ in design from any other man’s rendering.

Think of great artist from our past. They each painted with a signature style which to experts can validate a piece even if the painting has no signature. Style is unique to the artist.

In this same manner by obedience of faith each of us would render a different image, a personal illustration of what we believe we are asked to perform. This illustration of faith carries with it a personal touch that only belongs to each of us.

The faith in us is the same. The Spirit in us is the same. Christ in us is the same. Our illustration of faith will and must become part of our humanity, our vision, our effort to obey. Will that be a perfect rendering of the image of Christ? No, but it will present an aspect of faith that has touched the individual and worked in that person the ability to illustrate a personal vision of obedience.

Will it be perfect? What is perfect? What is acceptable? What is good?

Romans 12:2 English Standard Version (ESV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Like any artist, we get better with practice and our illustrations will become recognizable by those who are present to see those works.

Proverbs 3:5 English Standard Version (ESV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

We have been talking about the aspects of faith and how there are many. Here is one in which trust has two aspects. One is faith in God and the other is in trusting ourselves. While it does say not to lean on our understanding, it references the heart first. We who are in Christ have the indwelling Holy Spirit that uses faith to enact God’s will. We made that point yesterday.

Hidden within those biblical definitions of faith was the word fail. Failure is associated with unfaithfulness not faithfulness. We will in the flesh fail and in doing so gain valuable experience about when our choices are inspired by faith from God through the Holy Spirit or self-will. We must know the difference and failure on our part leads us to recognize the difference between heart choices and mental decisions.

As we gain experience by our failures we will gain trust in our ability to hear God, believe God and obey God. Every step of faith is initiated by God. It is a trial and error method that God suffers us to learn to trust Him and ourselves. Those are two aspects of trust yet one faith.

Let us now apply that understanding to these verses about faith.

Romans 1:17 English Standard Version (ESV) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Galatians 2:20 English Standard Version (ESV) I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We are not righteous, He is and because He abides in us, His righteousness is illustrated by faith.