Faith

Introduction:

People believe strange things like reincarnation, astrology, occultism, pyramid power, and healers and call it all “faith.” But is this truly what is taught in scripture? What is faith to look like? What is faith to be like? Truly, how different are these false faiths from what the Bible says and teaches about faith.

John MacArthur says of this chapter:

“This chapter has been called the hall of fame, the chapter of the heroes of faith, the honor roll of the Old Testament saints, the Westminster Abbey of Scripture, the faith chapter and it goes on and on, all different kinds of names and titles have been given to this most wonderful chapter.[1]”

This day we will look at this “Hall of Fame” chapter of faith and see what faith truly is. Our primary focus will be on the first three verses, but it seemed a shame to separate these three verses from the reading of the remainder of the chapter.

I. Faith is believing.

A. “The substance of things hoped for.”

1. “Substance”—surety—being sure.

2. “Being sure of what we hope for.”

B. “The evidence of things not seen.”

1. “Evidence”—certainty—being certain.

2. “Being certain of what we do not see.”

C. It is much more objective than usually held.

1. It is based on idea of unseen world.

2. It is based on knowledge/fact not feelings; “feelings are the enemy of faith.”

II. Faith is believing in God.

A. It must be in someone or thing to have meaning.

1. Much faith today is in faith itself.

2. Faith without basis is irrational.

B. We see biblical faith in Hebrews 11:6.

1. We must believe that God exists.

2. We must believe that He can and will do something (“Faith is not believing that God can, but that He will”).

C. Christian faith requires facts for meaning.

1. The Bible is not only source of revelation.

2. The Bible is only place that interprets it.

3. The Bible is absolutely necessary for meaningful Christian faith.

4. Christian faith is the only meaningful religious faith there is.

III. Faith is believing in God enough to do certain things.

A. Act on His promises.

1. Be sure they are properly understood.

2. Be sure all else is in order.

3. “If there are ways and means, there is not faith.”

B. Obey His commandments.

1. It often involves difficulty.

a. It runs counter to our thinking.

b. It goes against our desires.

c. It creates discomfort.

2. Faith can act because it believes that God knows best what is best.

3. Faith is the issue in much disobedience.

C. Accept His Word.

1. God is very plain:

a. “Without faith …” (Hebrews 11:6).

b. “… not of works …” (Ephesians 2:9).

c. “Except a man …” (John 3:3).

2. There is no salvation without faith; no faith without accepting His Word.

3. Salvation must be God’s way or not at all.

Conclusion:

Christianity is not “pie in the sky by and by.” Christianity is belief in the A.W.E! The Ability, Willingness, and Existence of God to the point that I live by His promises, obey His commands, and accept His Word as final on any matter.[2]

Faith

Faith is the gift of God. So is the air, but you have to breathe it. So is bread, but you have to eat it. So is water, but you have to drink it.

So how do we accept this gift? Not by a feeling, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). It is not for me to sit down and wait for faith to come upon me with a strong feeling of some kind. Rather, faith comes when we take God at his word.445[3]

[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2014). John MacArthur Sermon Archive. Panorama City, CA: Grace to You.

[2] Wood, C. R. (1994). Sermon Outlines on Great Doctrinal Themes (pp. 19–20). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

[3] Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 133). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.