Faith In Christ
In Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Last week we began a new series of lessons titled “In Christ” wherein I have gone through and gathered all the different specific words associated with what it means to be “in Christ.”
Last week we dove into “who” puts us into Christ, God (Hebrews 5:9) and “how” one get’s into Christ, through obedience to the gospel (Romans 6:3-5).
Knowing one is “in Christ” is powerful but what are the benefits of obeying God rather than man?
Why would anyone want to be a Christian or in Christ?
Today we are going to examine the first reason why anyone would want to be in Christ and that is “faith.”
So with that in mind, first…
What Is Faith?
What Is Faith?
Defining Faith.
Defining Faith.
The word faith is found 243 times in the New Testament alone.
This, of course, tells us that it is a very significant word and one that expects us to know and understand, and yet the word “faith” has many confused today.
As we have discussed before, many times, there is a progression to purity in Christ.
It begins with a belief in Christ.
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.
That belief in Christ progresses to faith in 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.
That faith in Christ progresses to faithfulness in Christ.
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:
This doesn’t explain what “faith” is however, so what is faith?
According to the Hebrew writer in Hebrews 11:1, faith is…
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
So faith is an “assurance or substance of things hoped for” & the “conviction or evidence of things not seen.”
The word assurance or substance literally means, “to stand under” with the idea being that of a firm foundation.
In other words faith is the firm foundation or trust in the things we hope for.
The word conviction or evidence is an ancient “court of law” term used concerning the cross-examination of a person with the purpose of establishing objective evidence.
In other words faith is the logical conclusion based on the cross-examination of the invisible God and his word.
Summary
Summary
So, faith is the logical and reasonable conclusion that God exists and is worthy of following because (a) he is God and (b) he has promised us an eternity in his presence.
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.
Ultimately you can boil the word “faith” down to the word…
Trust
Trust
Three Characteristics.
Three Characteristics.
There are three powerful characteristics of those that are in Christ and thus “trust” or have “faith” in God.
These characteristics are “righteousness,” “firmness,” and “recognition.”
Let’s look at each one of these.
Righteousness.
Faith that is alive and not dead (James 2:17), in Christ, produces righteousness because it is active and working.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Firmness.
Faith that is alive stands firm for God against all objections.
5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Recognition.
Faith that is living is not hidden from this old sinful world but fully recognized by the world.
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,
Summary
Summary
Our trust or faith in God the Father, Son, and Spirit allows us to live in Christ a righteous life that stands firm against those that would strive to discredit our God or his word, and shines so that others plainly recognize our faith and give God the glory.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Why would anyone want to be “in Christ?”
Because it’s only “in Christ” that we can have the full understanding of what it means to “trust God.”
That our God overcame our weakness and defeated Satan and sin so he could have a relationship with us, not just in this life but the next.
So let us not only have faith in Christ but let it grow abundantly (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
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.