Reflections: On Faith (2022)
Reflections series (2022) • Sermon • Submitted
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· 148 viewsFaith defined, developed, demonstrated so not destroyed
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Continue to Reflect and apply
Continue to Reflect and apply
This series has been great thus far. Yes we have had a couple of things that may hard to hear, but true like when we talk about sin and repentance. Today we will focus on faith.
Other subjects we have covered.
On the Bible - authenticity, infallibility, and authority
On God- the creator of all things
On Jesus - The only Begotten Son who provided the way for our sins to be forgiven
On Holy Spirit - the means in which our sins are washed away when we are baptized and we then receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when born again.
On the Gospel- The power of God to save
On baptism - The place and means of our salvation
On the church - the church defined, biblically speaking
If you missed any of these messages you can find them on our Facebook or Faithlife pages.
Our focal scripture for this series has been and still is:
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.
By now you should have these verses memorized and not even have to think about this, but we do want to consider them, ponder them, reflect on them as we look at them and other scriptures, this morning with focus being faith.
Faith (1Cor13:13; 1The1:3)
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
A link between faith, hope and love joins with other passages
3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
Work of Faith, Labor of love, and steadfastness of hope. All take effort don’t they? But all are worthy of careful reflection and consideration
This morning like I mentioned we are going to focus on faith.
I. Faith Defined
I. Faith Defined
Faith is essential to being a Christian in in pleasing God isn’t it? So, how is it defined? Let’s look together.
In general according to Eastman’s Bible Dictionary
“Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true.”
“Its primary idea is trust.”
Now adding to that Zondervan Bible Encyclopedia says
Greek word (Pistis) - “can refer to trusting or being worth trusting.
Now lets look at what the Bible says in a few translations (Heb11:1)
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.
1 Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.
Faith is assurance, it is reality of the thing hoped for, it is conviction, it is proof, it is evidence of things not seen.
So in the general sense faith is the conviction, the trust in someone or something.
Now there is Faith in God.
Faith in God has conviction with reward (Heb11:6, 3-5)
6 And 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 those who seek Him.
It requires belief and reward to the one who seeks Him!
But let me expand on that verse to keep in context
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. 6 And 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 those who seek Him.
Without this type of faith, it is impossible to please Him
Then there is faith in Jesus (Jn14:1, 8:24, 11:27, 10:10, 1:29; 8:12; 14:6)
1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.
This too has conviction and trust in who Jesus is
24 “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”
You must believe He is the Christ or you will die in your sins
It involves conviction and trust in what Jesus did for us
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
and how about
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
He gives us life, life abundantly and takes away our sins
It involves conviction and trust in what Jesus said:
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
No one who follows Jesus will walk in the darkness of this world but will have the Light of life! And to have the light of life you must
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Know that you can only come through Him. So you must come through Him to the Father to have your sins forgiven or you will die in your sins. Faith like this is developed for it is not an emotional faith. Your faith may have some emotions but is not built on emotions, it is built on the truth, the evidence
II. Faith Developed
II. Faith Developed
Through God’s word faith is developed (Rom10:17)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
God’s word is designed to create faith (Jn20:30-31; 1Jn5:13)
God’s written word is there to help create faith in Jesus
30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
And then in the Epistles
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The word gives evidence intended to produce and create faith and to help develop it in you.
Faith is developed through obedience too (2The1:8; 1Pt4:17; Mk1:15; Jn7:17)
First by obeying the gospel
8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
add to that
1 Peter 4:17 (NASB95)
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
If you don’t repent, believe and obey the gospel judgment is in store
But Jesus also said
17 “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
IF you do His will, you will know the truth and the origin of the word
As you hear, as you obey your conviction and trust grows.
Developed, obedient faith leads to salvation and the start of a new life (Col1:11-14)
11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Developed, obedient faith’s aim should be the fullness of your faith in God (Rom4:20; 1The1:5)
20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
We grow strong in faith when we are obedient and allow our faith to be developed
5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.
Obedient faith, that obeyed the Gospel came with power and full conviction (1The1:3)
Full conviction and trust leads to action
3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
Remember we started today with faith, hope and love, and this is it in action.
This confidence, this trust leads to more confidence in your place in Christ (1The4:14)
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
and if that doesn’t do much for you, it should be you hope in your faith and your confidence and trust in God and in Jesus.
Another way to grow our faith is through fellowship, it is also a way to protect our faith from diminishing
Grow and protect your faith (Heb3:12-14)
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
Protect, grow your faith by encouraging one another (1The5:11)
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Active, trusting, obedient faith that is being developed is demonstrated
IV. Demonstrated Faith
IV. Demonstrated Faith
Obedient faith is demonstrated.
It is demonstrated in our works as compared to dead works (Jm2:17, 20, 26).
17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?
26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
But in the middle of this passage there is this faith that produces works (Jm2:18)
18 But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”
We need to be careful to protect our faith for it can be destroyed if not used, it is easy to slip back into the world. So remember
Scriptures to remember, ponder about protecting, knowing your faith (Rom10:17; Hos4:6: Jm2:17, 26, 19)
Faith comes by hearing (Rom10:17)
People are destroyed by lack of knowledge (Hos4:6)
Faith without works is dead (Jam2:17, 26)
Don’t have trembling faith like the demons (Jam2:19)
Stay in fellowship with each other in faith (Heb3:12-14)
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
keep fanning the flames of your faith, fan your friends and families flames too.
With the Word of God implanted in the people of God, empowered by the Spirit of God like like Timothy was reminded.
Fight the good fight of faith (1Tim6:12)
12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
we can fight the good fight of faith! And we do it together. (lead to invitation)
So where is your faith, how is your faith, is your faith obedient to the gospel?
(Invitation slide- insert respond to faith picture here)
(Song) (Prayer)