Lessons from the Faithful

In God's Great Plan for Redemption FAITH is the Antithesis of WORKS

It is not that a trusting heart cannot lead you to DO GOOD WORKS

It is rather, that DOING GOOD WORKS born of the belief that they will SECURE you is outside God's Divine Plan for Salvation

God is Perfect. He Could have chosen a Plan other than Faith. He could have chosen A System of Merit where You must Measure up

In God's Great Plan for Creation FAITH leads us to the Origins of the Universe (Hebrews 11:3)

New Living Translation Chapter 11

By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

Reason and Science are Not Inappropriate Concerns for the Faithful, but they are never to become our Religion and the footing upon which we build our Trust

REASON flows from FAITH (v. 3)

When we BELIEVE we suddenly see the UNEXPLAINED and INVISIBLE Cause of all that we perceive.

Instead of the filter of sinful perception setting the Stage and Scope of our Lives, Reason born out of Faith sets the Stage and Scope...

In God's Great Plan for Mankind's Purpose FAITH is the STARTING POINT (Hebrews 11:6)

New Living Translation Chapter 11

6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him

God is not SATISFIED with our WORKS, our REASON nor our WORSHIP if they begin and abide APART FROM TRUST

In God's Great Plan to DEFEAT SIN and DEATH He Often Chooses a SCOUNDREL WHO BELIEVES over a Self-Righteous Saint… (Hebrews 11:31 - Rahab)

New Living Translation Chapter 11

It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

He Has Chosen The Fallen, Liars, Thieves, Murderers, Prostitutes, Sheep-herders, Blue-Collar Fishermen, Drunkards and the Poor as Examples of TRUST in HIM overcoming SINFUL SELF

In God’s Great Plan to Defeat Sin and Death - He has Chosen FAITH to overcome the OBSTACLE of DEATH

New Living Translation Chapter 11

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.