CHRISTIAN LIVING - KEEP THE FAITH

CHRISTIAN LIVING - FAITH

Faith. What is it? It is one of the three greatest attributes we can have – 1 Corinthians 13:13 reminds us, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. But what is it and how can we keep it? Is faith the same as belief? No, I do not believe so. Belief is more knowledge based – faith is more action based. James 2:19-20 reminds of the difference between belief and faith, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” So, what is faith?

Faith is putting complete trust or confidence in someone or something. In terms of religion, it is defined as a strong belief in God and doctrines of a religion. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The Greek word for faith is pistis used to define complete trust and full confidence in God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is full conviction of THE TRUTH of anything. It is used 239 times in just the New Testament especially to show conviction of the truth in regards to man’s relationship to God and includes the idea of trust and a holy fervor. So, if you have it, how do you keep it?

I believe God laid out that plan by commanding us to Forgive, Active Compassion, Involved in the Church, Trustworthy living and Holy Fervor and Surrender.

As we being, let us Pray!

KEEPING THE F-A-I-T-H

2 Timothy 4:7 – I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

I. F-orgiving – we are commanded to Forgive

Matthew 6:14 – For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,

Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Luke 17:3-4 – Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

A. Refuse to Forgive? Many find it hard to forgive others—they hold grudges.

Matthew 6:15 – but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Proverbs 17:9 – Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

Proverbs 24:17 warns us – Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,

James 1:19-20 – Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

1 John 4:20 – If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

2 Peter 1:9 – For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Jesus instructs us in Luke 6:37 – “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

B. Receive By Giving – We must forgive. Forgiving others enables us to receive God’s forgiveness and to keep the faith

Mark 11:25–26 – And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Colossians 3:13 – Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

II. A-ctive Compassion

James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

A. Self-Centered? Many people are self-centered. They love to receive favors but fail to help others in return.

Psalm 119:36 – Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!

2 Timothy 4:3 – For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

Philippians 2:3 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

James 3:14 – But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

v16 – For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

1 Corinthians 10:24 – Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

B. Service-Centered – We should care about the needs of others. We demonstrate our faith as we pray for the sick, assist the weak, and help the poor

James 2:15–17 – If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Luke 10:17–20 – The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Philippians 2:4-7 – Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Psalm 100:2 – Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Ephesians 4:12 – To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Ephesians 6:7 – rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,

Romans 12:4-6a – For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

1 Peter 4:10 – As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:5 – because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Galatians 6:10 – So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

1 Corinthians 12:18-20 – But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Luke 2:37 – and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.

Colossians 3:23-24 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

III. I-nvolved

James 2:17 – So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

A. Avoidance? Some fail to become involved for God. They avoid church duties and assignments. Their faith dwindles.

Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Romans 1:25 – because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

1 John 3:17 – But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

Job 21:14-16 – They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’ Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand? The counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Malachi 3:14-15 – You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ”

1 John 2:4 – Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

B. Active – Our faith comes alive as we live for God. It grows as we go—as we witness and win others to Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 John 3:18 – Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

James 2:18-20 – But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

v26 – For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

1 Samuel 12:24 – Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.

Joshua 24:15 – And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

As we close, remember a saving faith requires us to forgive. Not just requires but we are commanded to forgive; Jesus said we must forgive; not if or when we feel like it and not if they apologize, we are commanded to forgive and let go of grudges. Living Faith, Saving Faith says that we receive forgiveness only when we forgive others; if we want God to forgive us we are commanded to do the same.

Keeping the faith requires us to have active compassion; caring for the needs of others; being doers of the word and not just readers or hearers of the word. We can We keep our faith by killing self-centeredness and growing compassionate hearts for all, not just those who love us or can repay us.

If we are to keep the faith, our faith has to be involved; involved in all areas of our life and involved in service to the church and service to the community through the church. Faith without works is useless or as James states, dead. James 2:18 matter of factly states, “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Our faith is alive and active when we live for God and not self.

Let us pray and worship God!