Faith Described

Introduction

The Christian life is uniquely a life of faith.

Faith is spoken of throughout the Word of God and is the most vital element of our relationship with God.

Without faith it would be absolutely impossible to know God or to understand His Word.

This passage of scripture will help us to understand what faith is and what it does as well as giving testimony to the faith of those who have gone before us.

Today we are going to begin a series of sermons from this particular portion of scripture entitled “Living By Faith”. As believers God has called us each to live by faith and from this passage we will gain a greater understanding of what that means.

First we are given a simple description of faith. Faith is our positive response to the Word of God and the truths it contains.

Faith Brings Revelation

There is an unseen world that is just as real as that which is seen. The spiritual world is revealed to us through the eyes of faith.

All that you and I hope for (hope-confident expectation not wishful imagination) is hoped for on the basis of our faith in God.

Our hope of heaven is based on the faith we have that God will keep His promise to us that there is such a place and that one day we will see it and dwell there for all eternity.

Our hope of ultimate victory over sin, death, and hell is founded in the faith that we have that God’s Word is true. Faith is the foundation upon which our lives have been established and upon which our hope is built.

It is faith that gives us confidence that God will deliver upon all that He has promised. It is faith that assures us that our experience will align with the truth of God’s Word.

By faith, that which we believe will come to pass is as though it has already come to pass for you and I. Future promises are made present realities by faith!

It is faith that provides the proof, the evidence for the unseen realm. By faith we have concluded that there is a God, that Satan is real, that the Holy Spirit is present, that heaven and hell exist, that there are angels and demons at work in our world, and that Jesus Christ is alive and has the power to save us from sin.

The fact that we cannot see these things with our physical eyes does not mean that they do not exist. It is the faith of countless men and women throughout history that is the greatest evidence for the existence of these unseen things. John 20:29- Thomas- blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.

Through the eyes of faith we see God, we enjoy personal relationship with Christ, we follow the leadership of the Spirit of God, we wage spiritual warfare against the enemies of God, we look into eternity and see the gates of heaven opened and ourselves walking upon streets of pure gold.

Concluding Statement- What you and I know of God and of the spiritual realm is revealed to us by faith.

Faith Brings Commendation

Those who have been commended by God are those who have been willing to step out in faith believing God and His Word.

The scriptures tell us we are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8), justified by faith (Romans 3:28, Romans 5:1, Galatians 3:24), that we are called to live by faith (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:28), that by faith we stand (II Corinthians 1:24), that we walk by faith and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7)

Only a few verses later we find out that “without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]” Hebrews 11:6. Those who have been commended by God are those who have lived their lives by faith. At least 17 times in this chapter alone we see that what the great men and women of God have accomplished in history, was accomplished “by”or “through” FAITH!

The reality is that if you and I are to accomplish anything great for God it will be accomplished “by faith”. We must first believe on Jesus Christ, but from that point forward we must continue to exercise faith taking God at His Word and responding in obedient submission to Him regardless of circumstances or consequences.

No one has ever been mightily used of God without being asked at pivotal moments to step out in faith.

Illustration- William Carey who wanted to reach the world with the gospel. “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” It is said that “When he died at 73 , he had seen the scriptures translated and printed in 40 languages, he had been a college professor, had founded a college in Serampore, witnessed India open its doors to foreign missionaries, and saw many converts for Christ.” All of this was made possible because of FAITH!

So often believers never do anything great for God because they lack faith. Our world is desperately in need of some men and women boys and girls who will say I want to change the world and I am willing to believe God to see it happen.

If we want to make an impact on the world for Christ faith will be required. If we desire the commendation of our Lord we will have to be willing to step out in faith to follow His leading in our lives.

Faith Gives Explanation & Foundation

Through faith we come to understand that the world was created by God, it is not the product of chance and accident. The importance of this belief cannot be overstated!

If we believe that God created everything we see then we must come to the conclusion that it was created with purpose and intent. Belief in creation by God gives rise to a biblical worldview which holds to an unchanging morality which originates with God and is communicated to us through His Word.

The opposing view that the universe is the product of chance and accident gives rise to a humanistic worldview which promotes the idea that there is no absolute morality and that everything is open to interpretation.

This humanistic worldview also devalues human life equating mankind to a highly intelligent member of the animal kingdom. The consequences of this worldview cannot be ignored. In our society today we can see the impact of the devaluation of human life and the lack of respect and dignity in human interactions.

If God created the world (and He did) then this world belongs to Him and we should seek to care for it as He instructs us to. If God created man (and He did) then we ought to value every human life the way that God does. We cannot attach value based upon race, religion, social status, wealth, gender, etc… . Instead we value human life because it is the special creation of almighty God and He has given us a command to value it.

When we remove God from the equation there can be no absolute moral standard, for this originates with God Himself. When we remove God from the equation we are forced to conclude that man is no different than any other creature and that His worth is no different than any other member of the animal kingdom. When we remove God from the equation we conclude that the earth is merely the result of happenstance and that we are all just the product of evolution so why should we behave with any care or concern for our fellow man?

We must, by faith, believe that God created all that we see and that He created it for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to His name. We believe that He created mankind not as merely a higher order of the animal world but as a special creation in His image designed for relationship with their creator!