Doctrine Talk: FAITH

Judah’s kings Abijah and Asa demonstrated very different examples of faith and the lack thereof. Key Points and Insertion of Doctrine into Passage: 1 Kings 15:14; 2 Chronicles 13:4-20; 14:2-6, 11; 15:8-18

Most simply, biblical faith is about believing God and acting on what He has declared to be true.

Saving faith requires more than an intellectual agreement with the facts of the gospel.

James 2:19 tells us that even demons mentally grasp what is true but certainly are not saved.

Saving faith involves three things:

1) Content – actual truth declared by God – specifically, the gospel;

2) Conviction – a trust in and response to Jesus’ love and offer of salvation;

3) Commitment – to repent from sin and follow Christ. True faith is more than a warm feeling or recitation of truth. God the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and unlocks our minds to understand eternal truth and live by that truth.

When I do not believe God, I inevitably put my faith in something far less secure. Without faith placed in God and centered on Christ, I live my life and face eternity without a solid foundation. When I believe the promises of God and put my faith in the saving work of Christ, my life on earth gains meaning, and eternity holds hope. I can trust God with what I cannot understand or control and am not left to the limits of my understanding or the vacillating tide of public opinion. God is my Rock. Possible Applications for Leaders: Believers are called to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). o When has God led you to trust Him with what you could not explain or control? o God calls His children to invest in pursuits with eternal consequences, not merely visible earthly rewards. o How does your investment as a BSF leader require you to trust God? God has given us promises that we apply, by faith, to both daily life and eternity. o Our faith in God involves more than believing we will walk on streets of gold in heaven; true faith influences the way we live today. o What promise of God impacts your biggest challenge? What truth about God and His ways steadies you today? o Faith means believing specific truth about God in specific ways – and acting on that truth. Faith in God – trusting Him – is reasonable because of who He is. o Trusting God and His promises is never a blind leap, but a reasonable step because of His solid character. o The Bible, the history of God’s people, and your own personal experiences validate that God is trustworthy. o What God has declared and promised is truer than what your circumstances or emotions tell you. o In what way is God calling you to take a reasonable step and trust Him in a specific way this week?

One pastor said: Faith is a being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus, not just an assent to truths, but heartfelt valuing and treasuring of all that God promises to be for us in Jesus.