By Faith ...
By Faith ...
When faith is mentioned have you ever noticed your own reactions? When
the term "believe" is used in conversation, what sort of feeling comes
over you? Faith is probably the single most used principle in our lives
and also very possibly the least understood. Today we will look into
the biblical information relative to faith -- stay tuned, it might
surprise you to learn that possibly you don't really believe at all.
First, however, please accept our very warm invitation to visit the West
End Church today. In just under an hour we meet for Bible Study. This
consists of Bible classes for all age groups. Some exciting and
informative studies are conducted by capable teachers of the word of
God. Then at 10 a.m. we assemble to worship God. We observe the Lord's
Supper, we sing praises to the good Lord, pray together, and have a
sermon which is usually 25 to 30 minutes long. We also meet tonight at
6 p.m. You'll enjoy being with us, so why not go ahead now and get
ready and join us at 9 o'clock this morning for Bible Study. Our
meeting place is directly across from Lampkin Park on Old Morgantown
Road, at 1609 Parkside Drive.
The book of Hebrews has a great chapter dealing with faith. It is
chapter eleven and begins with this sentence. "Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Faith
is not a feeling -- it a motivating principle to life. It is not an
experience which is indescribable, it is the substance of all our hopes
and dreams. Think of how miserable the world would be without faith.
First there would be no hope, for faith is the thing that gives
substance to hope. Second, there would be nothing one could know other
than that which comes through the five senses. All studies of history,
geography, astronomy, medicine, and the arts would be impossible. How,
you ask? If faith did not exist, there would be no way one could
believe in a historical figure, for such a person exists only on the
basis of written records that are accepted as factual. How would you
know there ever was a person named Napoleon, or Caesar, or Alexander the
Great? Only by faith, based on credible evidence. We use the principle
of faith in so many, many different aspects of our lives.
But the most important aspect of our lives is our faith in God. Read on
with me in Hebrews 11. When we come to verse 6 we read, "But without
faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek Him." No faith means not pleasing God. Furthermore, faith is the
real proof there is a God. Some who deny the existence of God Almighty,
or who doubt whether He does, in fact, live, have never come to
directing their faith toward God. The evolutionist has faith in the
theory that somewhere in an assumed primeval mud certain conditions
prevailed to produce a simple life form, but that has to be based on
very shaky faith -- not credible faith in God. It is faith nonetheless
and I mentioned "assumed primeval mud" for there is no concrete evidence
to support the evolutionists' hypothesis. They guess -- but offer no
credible evidence for the elements they assume to have been in existence
when life formed on this planet. However, the evolutionist feels he has
sufficient evidence to believe that man today is the evolutionary
product of a simple and lower life form that gradually evolved into a
more complex one. But that kind of faith has no real solid or credible
basis in fact. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
(Romans 10:17).
Faith in God is based on credible and irrefutable evidence. Verse 3 of
this chapter reads, "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of
things which are visible." God spoke all solar systems into existence.
Without that kind of faith it is impossible to please the all powerful
Being who was capable of this verbal creation of all things in the
entire expanse of the universe.
The passage in Hebrews affirms that such a faith has rewards. God
Almighty is a "rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Remember
that I asked you earlier what you thought of when the term faith is
mentioned? Probably, and I am not trying to read anyone's mind, you
thought, "Faith is the thing that people get when they get saved." So
many people think of faith as nothing more than some sort of experience
which they have been told is salvation. There are some very obvious
reasons why that just cannot be true. Certainly faith saves and we are
saved by faith, but were you listening carefully? The Hebrew writer
said that the faith that pleases God, the faith which He richly rewards
is the faith that diligently seeks Him. It is not merely a passive
effort in which one says, "I believe." Faith is work and diligent
effort. Faith requires the very best effort one has. Effort means obey
God's commands. The faith that pleases God is the faith that is active,
not passive, in working His works.
I realize instantly that upon the very mention of the word work, some
almost automatically and unconsciously blank that out. They feel works
are no part of salvation, that is salvation in Christ, separate from any
kind of works. They repeat the time word expression, "You cannot work
your way into heaven" -- "We are saved by grace through faith and that
not of works" These are expressions commonly heard when faith and works
are mentioned together. What is interesting about it is, that all of
these statements are true, up to a point. That point is that works of
human merit, boastful accomplishments, and works of the Old Testament
law certainly are excluded from anything that brings salvation. But
don't throw the baby out with the bath water, friend. Works and faith
are like the wind and the windmill, or electricity and an electric
appliance. Faith is not faith without works.
Listen very carefully to the apostle James. He spoke of Abraham and his
faith and said, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he
offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working
together with his works and by works faith was made perfect?" (James
2:21-22). Notice that faith is made perfect by works. Perfect is often
used to describe something that is complete, has all its basic parts,
and the parts are all properly related to each other and adjusted to
each other. So it is with faith -- works perfect one's faith in Christ.
Again -- these are not boastful works, or works of a legalistic system -
- but works of God.
Jesus was asked by His disciples, "What shall we do, that we may work
the works of God?" (John 6:28). Can you think of a more appropriate
time or occasion for Jesus to say, "Forget about works -- they don't
save you anyway, and you cannot work your way into God's favor." That
was not our Lord's response to His disciples. But here is how He did
answer. "This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent"
(verse 29). Now here is an interesting and important fact. Notice that
they asked about works (plural) and His answer dealt only with work
singular. The question dealt with what they, as believers, were
required to do -- the answer reveals what God expects all men to do.
The work (singular) of God includes all acts of obedience to the will of
God. All the works of God which He commands are encompassed within the
basic work which Jesus said is faith. If works have nothing to do with
salvation, faith is eliminated also, for faith, according to Jesus, is
the work God expects us to accomplish. Please notice that the work of
God is what Jesus intended for His disciples to do rather than something
God says He will do for us.
Now, let's take one more quick look at James 2. In verse 24 he wrote,
"Ye see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only."
The only place I know where "justification by faith only" is mentioned
in the Bible is here -- and it is denied. Justification can never be
accomplished and realized by faith only -- faith without works -- faith
that is not perfected by works. And what kind of works perfect faith?
The answer is clear now -- the works of God -- the commands God has
revealed to sinful man by which He has promised to make them new in
Christ. When Paul travelled to Athens, he found idolatry rampant. When
he was given opportunity to preach, he made the following statement.
"Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all
men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). God commands repentance --
repentance is a work of God all men must do in order to be saved. And
when Jesus was about to be taken up from Mount Olivet He paused long
enough to say, "Go teach all nations, baptizing them into the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19-20).
Baptism is commanded to penitent believers and without it faith is not
made perfect, does not save, and cannot justify.
Faith is so beautiful, so important, so simple to grasp. Dear friend --
think about your faith. Is it in God? Do you believe Jesus is truly
His only begotten Son? Has this belief caused you to lay aside all
except the plain teaching of scripture and repent and be baptized for
the remission of your sins? If not, please don't delay any longer.
Obey the Lord today and be saved by faith.
If you have a question about this study today, please let us hear from
you. Remember, we offer a free paper to those who ask for it. To get
it write West End Church of Christ, 1609 Parkside Drive, Bowling Green,
KY 42101 or call 842-7880. Thank you very much for being with us this
Sunday -- hope to have you in the same radio audience next week. Till
then, good bye and God bless you.
Radio Sermon No. 2, Page 1
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Children's NT Studies
