Faith and God

I. Introduction

If you cannot tell my I’m not Pastor Brad Cockrell. My name is Kevin Arnold and I am the college pastor here at Southmont Baptist Church.

My hope today is to share what the Bible says faith is, who and what we put our faith in, and why living out in response to God’s faithfulness is so central to the Christian faith.

A simple google search on faith will bring up many things. One of them is what is it. A common answer that kept popping up is, "Faith is believing what you want to believe, yet cannot prove."

Sadly, many people, including some Christians, live with this definition of faith. For some it feels liberating. It means being able to believe in anything you want to believe. No explanation is required, indeed, no explanation can be given; it is just a matter of faith. For others, such a definition is sickening. Embracing faith means you stop thinking. As faith increases, reason and meaning eventually disappear. No explanations can be given, and none can be expected. Thus, living in faith is living in the dark.

For both groups, the problem is the same. By starting with the wrong definition of faith, they have asked the wrong question, are dealing with the wrong problem, and so have ended up with the wrong answer. Faith is not wishful thinking. It is not about believing in things that do not exist. It neither makes all things believable nor meaning impossible.

Transition: So what is the biblical understanding of faith?

II. Statements of Faith

Hebrews 11:1–2 HCSB

1 Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. 2 For our ancestors won God’s approval by it.

Some would take this to be the very definition of faith itself. Just the word faith is defined as trust or strong confidence in something or someone. The phrase of what is hoped for carries the meaning of an attitude of expecting something. Things not seen describes generally all that is beyond man’s normal knowledge like spiritual realities which relate to the future.

In the sentence the word faith is without an article. This indicates that the author is talking about faith in general and not specifically Christian faith. A better way to understand faith in context of this verse, chapter, and the book of Hebrews as a whole would be to view this as more of a summary of what faith does. Faith (complete trust or reliance) binds the believer securely to the reality of what he does not (yet) see, but for which he hopes (or expects). This is how those who came before received God’s approval or positive testimony of their faith in Him.

Transition: Faith is also how we can come to understand God.

Hebrews 11:3 HCSB

3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.

God can be understood and wants to be understood. God created everything in a way that we can understand that there are both physical and spiritual realities that we can experience.

Transition: We also need faith to please God.

Hebrews 11:6 HCSB

6 Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

Another aspect of faith is knowing that God is real. You cannot trust someone who isn't there, nor can you rely on someone whose promises are not reliable because they cannot be understood in anyway. For those that question whether the quest for God is always successful be reassured that God rewards those who genuinely seek Him. There is no fear that any person seeking him may not find him if he acts in faith.

This is why faith is talked about as the substance of things hoped for and as the evidence of things not seen. Both words carry with them a sense of reality. Our hope is not wishful thinking. Faith does not make God real. On the contrary, faith is the response to a real God who wants to be known to us.

Transition: Why is God so trustworthy though? The author of Hebrews makes this case through out the book of Hebrews. A quick overview provides us with the reasons for God’s faithfulness.

III. God’s Faithfulness

Hebrews 1:1–3 HCSB

1 Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. 2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir of all things and made the universe through Him. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

1. Jesus is God. His words and actions are fully reliable because he shares in God’s nature and glory.

Transition: Heb 1:4

Hebrews 1:4 HCSB

4 So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.

Summary of Hebrews chapters 1-2. Jesus is superior to angels. Based Jewish tradition, these Jewish Christians would have taught Deut. 33 that the Torah and the word of God were delivered to Moses on Sinai by angels. Jesus being superior to angels makes him superior to all previous messengers of God’s word.

2: If Israel was called to trust and rely upon the Torah delivered by angels, then how much more should we trust and rely on the message that was delivered by the Son of God? Jesus gave up a higher status above angels to become human to suffer and die. In Jesus God’s faithfulness and humility to humanity is revealed.

Transition: Heb 3:3-6

Hebrews 3:3–6 HCSB

3 For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. 4 Now every house is built by someone, but the One who built everything is God. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope.

Summary of Hebrews chapters 3-4. The author compares Jesus to Moses and that Jesus is superior to Moses. Now if you remember Moses was a leader to God’s people in the wilderness and built the tabernacle. Jesus is also the leader of God’s people but in him is not just a builder of a tent but all of creation. The Israelites rebelled against Moses in the wilderness and lost their chance to enter into the rest that God has promised them in the Promised Land. If Jesus is greater than Moses, how much greater is the opportunity to not rebel, but instead trust God to enter into the future rest of God’s new creation.

3. Faith in Jesus leads us to not only trust and rely on God but also to obey God. That way we do not lose God’s gracious opportunity to enter into his new creation by rebelling against him.

Transition: Heb 7:23-27

Hebrews 7:23–27 HCSB

23 Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. 24 But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. 26 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself.

Summary of Hebrews 5-7 compares Jesus to Israel’s priests form the line of Aaron. A priest’s role was to represent Israel before God and to offer sacrifices that atoned for or covered over for the sins of the people. However, the priests themselves were morally flawed and had to offer sacrifices for themselves and all the other people. Something more was needed, and Jesus is that something more. Jesus is the ultimate priest and king. This is because Jesus is morally flawless, eternally available for his people, and is the superior mediator between God and humanity. To reject Jesus is to reject one’s best chance to be fully reconciled to God.

4. Faith in Jesus makes full reconciliation possible, since he lives eternally to intercede for those who seek him.

Transition: Heb 10:11-14

Hebrews 10:11–14 HCSB

11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. 13 He is now waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

Summary of Hebrews Chapters 8-10. Christ is then compared to animal sacrifices. Jesus’ death on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice, superior to all the animal sacrifices offered in the temple. The animal sacrifices had to be offered frequently, some daily and others yearly. Jesus offered his life once for all and was sufficient to cover the sins of the whole world.

5. Forgiveness is possible. God is faithful in providing an offer of forgiveness through Jesus. His sacrifice is permanent, and this means our salvation is not by our own standard of good or bad merits but by trusting and relying in the work of God. Walking away from Jesus would be to turn your back on God’s gracious gift of forgiveness.

Transition: Everything that could hinder having and keeping faith in God has been removed by Christ. In Christ, everything is provided to fully encourage us to put all our trust and hope in God. That is why Hebrews then exhorts these Christians by reminding them of the people who lived out faithful lives that came before them.

IV. Those Who Lived by Faith

Hebrews 11:7 HCSB

7 By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

His achievements are attributed to his faith. He is warned about events yet to be seen and his faith is in response to that warning. The ark was in any case a visible evidence of his faith to his unbelieving and scoffing contemporaries who had rejected the divine warning God had given Noah. Hence, Noah’s faith to build the ark was an act that condemned the world because where faith is resisted or rejected it leads to condemnation.

Righteousness is also linked to faith. Making faith the channel by which righteousness comes.

Noah’s story is how the author encourages Christians how we to live by faith. Those that live by faith do the following:

1. By faith they trust, rely upon, and obey God.

2. Their faithful living affects others even if it is events yet to come.

Transition: But what happens when we do not practice fully trusting and relying on God instead of ourselves or earthly things?

Hebrews 3:12–19 HCSB

12 Watch out, brothers, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. 13 But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. 14 For we have become companions of the Messiah if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start. 15 As it is said: Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. 16 For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it really all who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 And who was He provoked with for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And who did He swear to that they would not enter His rest, if not those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

We become deceived by a sinful and unbelieving heart.

God becomes harder to understand because we stray from what he has revealed his will to be and what he has promised to do. Trials and tribulations to our faith will come. How much more difficult will they be to persevere if we do not understand and/or remember what God has done and promised to do for those who seek him.

Hebrews 5:11–14 HCSB

11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. 13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

Instead of becoming mature we stay immature.

There is a real danger in the Christian life of only having lived for Christ so little that they spend more time being taught again and again the basic things of God. Rather than growing, teaching others, and training to distinguish between good and evil. This means our faith is to grow and our faith is not just for ourselves but to also help encourage the body of Christ.

Hebrews 6:4–12 HCSB

4 For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, 5 tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, 6 and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt. 7 For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end. 9 Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust; He will not forget your work and the love you showed for His name when you served the saints—and you continue to serve them. 11 Now we want each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the final realization of your hope, 12 so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

Hebrews 6:9-12

We become lazy in our understanding of faith in God. Not only is work on our part expected but we are not to be lazy. Rather we are to have faith and perseverance towards the promise.

Transition: How we live out our faith matters. The author then goes on to list many more people of faith in Hebrews 11. I want to bring our attention to Abraham and Sarah as their life shows a transition of somewhat having faith in God to full trust and faith in God.

Hebrews 11:8–12 HCSB

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went out to a place he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed as a foreigner in the land of promise, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, coheirs of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful. 12 Therefore from one man—in fact, from one as good as dead—came offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as innumerable as the grains of sand by the seashore.

Now these two are given as examples of faith but let us examine as to how they lived out their faith in response to God’s promise of them having a son.

Genesis 12:2 HCSB

2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

This is the first time that God tells Abram that he will bless his family and through world through his offspring. Abram is 75 years old and Sarai is 65 at this point in time.

Genesis 15:2–6 HCSB

2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.” 4 Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.

This is the second time God mentions his promise to Abram about given him offspring. But time has passed and Abram is now 85 years old and Sarai is 75 years old.

Genesis 16:1–3 HCSB

1 Abram’s wife Sarai had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan 10 years.

After waiting 10 years and being promised twice by God to have numerous offspring, Sarai and Abram decide to “help” God’s plan by having a child through Sarai’s servant Hagar. They have been settled into the land for about 10 years at this point.

Genesis 17:15–19 HCSB

15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah will be her name. 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17 Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to You!” 19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his future offspring.

God changes both their names.

Abram becomes Abraham (which means father of many) but the reality at the time is that he is only the father of Ishmael. He even wishes that Ishmael was acceptable to God despite making a covenant with Abraham that Sarah would give birth to a son.

Sarai becomes Sarah (which means princess because she would soon be the mother of many nations and kings).

Genesis 18:9–15 HCSB

9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “There, in the tent,” he answered. 10 The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 So she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?” 13 But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ 14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.” 15 Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid. But He replied, “No, you did laugh.”

Sarah is caught laughing at God’s promise. A promise he has been telling them about for years. A promise that even changed her name.

But I’m sure we relate to her? This year alone may have presented to us times that all of our circumstances make it seem that what God has promised cannot possibly come to pass. However, there is nothing impossible for God. He finally gives them a time of when to expect Sarah to give birth to a son.

Genesis 21:1–6 HCSB

1 The Lord came to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him. 3 Abraham named his son who was born to him—the one Sarah bore to him—Isaac. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”

One year later at the appointed time God keeps his promise. 25 years later Sarah gives birth to a son.

Abraham and Sarah’s responses to God’s promises showcase what the author says is our experience should be if we put our faith in God:

1. God proves himself to be trustworthy. When was the last time only God could make something happen and he did? Did it feel different knowing that in confidence that it was God providing an opportunity and not you? The temptation to not wait on God becomes ever more pressing the deeper we care about an outcome. But we have to remember that God’s timing or answer to the things that we feel we want or need is better than our own.

2. Abraham and Sarah choose to fully rely and trust in God. Instead of straying to another plan to make something happen. Both grow and mature in their faith by waiting upon God to bring about his promises. They had to trust and rely on God to keep his promises to them. They understood God makes certain promises and keeps them. This is faith in action.

Transition: Does this mean that as long as I’m faithful to God and trust him in everything then God will help me with whatever I want? Well the author of Hebrews answers that as well.

V. Living Out of God’s Faithfulness

Hebrews 11:32–40 HCSB

32 And what more can I say? Time is too short for me to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. 39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

Short answer is no. Just like in the story of Noah, Abraham, Sarah or Samson, God is the one who makes the promises and keeps them. This does not mean that God cannot make promises to us that benefit us and is part of his plan of redemption. It does mean that it is God who determines ultimately what we need to sustain ourselves in this life. Persevering in the faith does not always make our lives better. Our faith is ultimately action oriented towards the future hope in Christ and nothing else. It is a future promise that is worth everything in our present life. That is why faith in God is faith in God alone and not faith in God unless he does or does not do fill in the blank. Well then what does it mean that some did not receive what was promised by God if he always fulfills his promises?

The promises in the Old Testament made to people about specific things in their lives by God were fulfilled over time. But the much greater promise was not yet fulfilled because fulfillment was not possible until the coming of Christ. That is why those who put faith in God before Christ are well approved and attested by their faith.

The key to understanding God’s promises and living in faith to them is that they are based off his word and his plans not ours. God cares about our entire lives and helping us. But there is only one promise that has the most value. So much so that we put our entire hope and trust in it to have it in the next life. That is the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ.

So faith is not just a belief in anything without any evidence. We put our faith in what God has said through his word, what he has done and what he will do through Jesus Christ. That is why understanding what faith is, who we are to put it in, and how we live by that faith is so important. Otherwise we will make the mistake of putting our faith in earthly things or promises that God never made to us.

Transition: Some questions as we wrap up today...

VI. Questions

1. Who and what are you putting your faith in today?

2. Are you putting your trust and hope in things that God has never promised?

3. Are you maturing in your faith or are you living in spiritual laziness and immaturity?