Does It Matter What We Believe?
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
READ: Hebrews 11:1-10
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
Hebrews 11 is the Bible's great chapter on exemplified faith.
We are introduced to several Bible characters and their behavior.
We are told that they behaved the way that they did due to their faith.
We find a strong correlation here between what we believe and how we act.
Hebrews 11:6 says that we must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek him.
This is what these ancient Bible characters believed.
In today's religious world there are many who say, it doesn't matter what you believe.
Many are inconsistent in that regard. They will firmly proclaim that it doesn't matter what one believes and then expect certain correct behavior.
Expecting someone to behave in a certain way is expecting them to believe certain things.
The reality is…
Beliefs Determine Actions
Beliefs Determine Actions
Belief Determines Faith.
Belief Determines Faith.
Biblically speaking our what we believe helps determine our faith or trust in something.
If we believe in God, it allows us to then put our faith or trust in God.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Putting our faith in God allows us to then be faithful or active in our walk with God, because we now trust him.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
This means…
What We Believe Matters.
What We Believe Matters.
We eventually act according to our beliefs. This is why belief and faith are so closely related and a steppingstone from one to the other.
As we read Able, Noah, and Abraham all believed in God which led him to have faith in God.
This is why Jesus so powerfully stated…
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Believing in God and his word should lead us to “act accordingly.”
Summary
Summary
What this informs us of is that “different beliefs can lead to different actions.”
Who or what we believe in and eventually trust in or put our heart into determines our course of action.
If we believe in our preacher over God, we will follow the preacher instead of God.
If we believe the news outlets, social media outlets, or anything else over God we will listen to them more instead of God.
With that in mind let us be reminded that…
Choices Have Consequences
Choices Have Consequences
Reap What We Sow.
Reap What We Sow.
We don’t live in a vacuum away from this old sinful world.
No, we must live in this world just not be of the world.
Because we live in this world where sin abounds, and temptations are constant we must understand that the choices we make will always result in consequences.
7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
This means, if we sow sin we reap the consequences of sin corruption.
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
However, it also means that if we sow righteousness the consequences are eternal life.
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
I say all that to say this again…
What We Believe Matters.
What We Believe Matters.
The one that understands the rule of “reaping and sowing” or “actions equal consequences” is the one that understands the grave importance that “what we believe matters.”
Unfortunately the denominational world and some even in the church don’t actually believe this.
When someone says or thinks we can “agree to disagree” concerning doctrine and all still get to heaven just on different paths we find they don’t actually understand “what we believe matters” because “choices have consequences.”
It’s only when we believe in God’s word, grow in our faith from God’s word, and then live according to God’s Word that we can then seek the consequences of such.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
Summary
Summary
True blessings or happiness in this life are consequences of believing and living for our God.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
Conclusion
Conclusion
Hebrews 11 teaches us it “does matter what we believe.”
Ultimately our actions are based on our beliefs, consequences follow from those actions, and blessings only come from those that believe in the right things.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.