FAITH

FAITH

“NOW FAITH IS THE ASSURANCE OF THINGS HOPED FOR,                          

THE CONVICTION OF THINGS NOT SEEN”

“We walk by faith, not by sight,” II Corinthians 5:7.  This is so; thus it is imperative that we know all we can, about faith.   Like every other theme in the Bible, sadly, faith is distorted in many ways.  Consider what the Bible teaches, about faith.

First, the word “faith” is interchangeable with “belief”.  It is used that way in Galatians 3:22, “But the scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” The two English words translate one word from the original, pistis.

We must have faith to please God and gain heaven.   Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please him. for whoever would draw near must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

         Faith is demanded to become a Christian.    Every conversion recorded in the book of Acts displays faith, either as a demand from the preacher (for instance Peter, Philip, Paul et al) or the response from the sinner (as, the Samaritans, and the Ethiopian, 8:12, 37; and the jailor, 16:31, 34).  The instruction given them was the same in every case: their belief was to produce repentance and baptism.   Not every step was stated in every case; but it was present: Peter did not tell the people on Pentecost to believe – they already believed.  When they heard Peter preaching that God had made Jesus – whom they had crucified – “both Lord and Christ”, they were “cut to the heart”.  According to Romans 10:10,  it is with the heart man believes.  The people converted on Pentecost believed, repented and were baptized – as were the Samaritans, the Ethiopian, Lydia and the jailor – and all the rest in Acts, and down to this day. 

How did they come to believe?  A popular idea is that faith is a gift of God.  This is based on a misunderstanding of  Ephesians 2:8, 9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast.”  The work of the Holy Spirit is misunderstood, so the erroneous conclusion of some is that “faith” is “the gift of God.”   To the contrary, the Bible says that faith comes “by hearing the word of Christ,” Romans 10:17.   Furthermore, the Bible says that the “free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).   God’s gift to man is salvation, by grace through faith.

         This is a good place to dispute the idea that salvation is a matter of “faith ALONE”.  That anyone could seriously consider such to be true is amazing, in the light of the Holy Spirit through James writing that “faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself” (James 2:17); and, ”faith apart from works is dead” (2:26).  The apostle Paul wrote much about justification by faith, especially in Roman and Galatians.  In Romans 5:1, for example, he writes that we have “been justified by faith”.  Did he write, by faith only – have you seen an “only” there?  And the real knee-slapper is, he wrote at the beginning of Romans of the “obedience of faith” (1:5); and uses that phrase, “obedience of faith”, again at the end of the epistle,  (16:26); but in the middle of the epistle he is supposed to be advocating faith alone!!  Add to that the description of Jesus as “the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him”, Hebrews 5:9.  Faith alone?  Hardly. 

Faith is more than a road map.  Faith in God is trust in God.    ”We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39).  Two examples illustrate this faith.

FIRST, by three young men named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  Daniel 3 says that they displeased King Nebuchadnezzar, so that he sentenced them to death in a “burning fiery furnace,” verse 15.  Their response is in verse 16; they said “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.  If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.  But if not, be it known to you that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”   The expression of faith: stunning.  

      Nebuchadnezzar, infuriated, ordered the furnace overheated to seven times its usual temperature --- so hot, the men who cast Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the furnace were themselves killed by that flame, :22. 

         Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew of Nebuchadnezzar’s fury; they knew of the “burning fiery furnace”; they knew of its terrible heat; they knew of the deaths of those who cast them into t:he furnace; they knew of the way of escape, verse seventeen.   The point is, in the face of all these terrible things, in the face of Nebuchadnezzar’s threat, they knew Him whom they served was able; they walked “by faith not by sight,” II Corinthians 5:7.  They TRUSTED Him – so they stayed the course. 

Next,  Abraham.   In Genesis 22, it is recorded that God said to Abraham, “Take our son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering … “ verse 2.  STOP now, think about the demand made of Abraham:  prepare for sacrifice: bind your son, pick him up, lay him on the altar, and take the knife and drive it into his body!  THINK – How could he do that? 

Abraham believed that God exists, (Hebrews 11:6), He was genuine in his obedience to God; Hebrews 11:17 says he“offered up Isaac”.  By faith. Trusting God. Trusting the One who required it of him.  LISTEN: Abraham’s trust in God serves as an example for us.  Hard times will come upon us; “go to the land of Moriah,” know whom you have believed and be convinced that He is able  (II Timothy 1:12­­­­).  Walk by faith.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) we walk by faith, not by sight  (II Corinthians 5:7)  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

“We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10:39).  Having faith means trusting, and obeying, God.  Today.