The way to Sincere Faith

What is the Point?

Today we conclude our series What is the Point? A look into the endgame of Christian life.

The bible puts it like this:

1 Timothy 1:5 ESV

5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Today we look at Sincere Faith. What it is and how to have it. And to that we must go to Hebrews 11.

The Description of sincere Faith

Hebrews 11:1–3 ESV

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.

This is not a definition of faith but a description of what faith does and how it works.

The world defines faith as Believe in spite of evidence, but this is false.

True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences.

Read that last sentence again and let it soak into your mind and heart.

This faith operates quite simply.

God speaks and we hear His Word.

We trust His Word and act on it no matter what the circumstances are or what the consequences may be.

Faith is not some “feeling” that we manufacture.

It is our total response to what God has revealed in His Word.

Three words in Hebrews 11:1–3 summarize what true Bible faith is: Assurance, Conviction, and witness.

The word translated “substance/assurance” means literally “to stand under, to support.” Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house: it gives confidence and assurance that he will stand.

So you might say, “Faith is the confidence of things hoped for.”

When a believer has faith, it is God’s way of giving him confidence and assurance that what is promised will be experienced.

The word conviction simply means “evidence.”

This is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised, He will perform.

The presence of God-given faith in one’s heart is conviction enough that He will keep His Word.

Witness (kjv, “obtained a good report”) is an important word in Hebrews 11. It occurs not only in verse 2, but twice in verse 4, once in verse 5, and once in verse 39.

The summary in Hebrews 12:1 calls this list of men and women “so great a cloud of witnesses.”

In other words, true biblical faith will be witnessed by your life and how to think and behave.

Sincere faith must not be confused with “great” faith.

When many people thing of biblical faith they often have the perception that biblical faith never has challanged, never has struggles, never has fears, never has failures and is always calm.

The truth could not be further. Heb 11 list great men of faith. These are people singled out in God plan of redemption for having faith, yet in each of theiur lives there were struggles, fears and terrible failures.

Abraham was a man of faith, yet he failed when he lied, when he slept with anotrher woman.

Noah is listed as amna of faith, yet he failed by becoming drunk on his wine.

Rahab was a woman of faith yet used to be a prostitute.

David, a man of incredible faith in th eplan of God, yet failed in his act of murder and adultry.

The point is:

Sincere faith is not perfect faith. Sincere faith takes full responcibilty for its failings, repents of them, strives forward and no matter what contunes to hold on the Alter.

I will always remeber being told that great man and woman of faith often have nail marks on their prayer aletr has they have held on with all their strength during momnets of fear and failure.

What is the secret to such faith?

Simple:

I have faith in my wife. But i do not have faith in any other woman. Why is that? Where did the faith in my wife come?

By spending time with her and getting to know her. My time with Kim has given me faith in her.

Its the same with God.

Romans 10:17 ESV

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

The more time you spend in the Word, in prayer, in worship, in meditation, the more time you spend with God, the more faith you will have.

Faith matters my friends, as God says:

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

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.

Let us pray as the disciples did:

Luke 17:5 ESV

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

The best way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful.

The remainder of this chapter is devoted to a summary of the lives and labors of great men and women of faith found in the Old Testament.

In each instance, you will find the same elements of faith:

(1) God spoke to them through His Word;

(2) their inner selves were stirred in different ways;

(3) they obeyed God;

(4) He bore witness about them.

The Demonstration of Faith

Abel—faith worshiping (v. 4).

Hebrews 11:4 ESV

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.

Abel was a righteous man because of faith.

God had revealed to Adam and his descendants the true way of worship, and Abel obeyed God by faith.

In fact, his obedience cost him his life.

Cain was not a child of God because he did not have faith.

He was religious but not righteous.

Biblical faith is a faith that worships God.

Enoch—faith walking (vv. 5–6).

Hebrews 11:5–6 ESV

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.

Our faith in God grows as we fellowship with God.

We must have both the desire to please Him and the diligence to seek Him. Prayer, meditating on the Word, worship, discipline—all of these help us in our walk with God.

Enoch walked with God in the wicked world, before the Flood came; he was able to keep his life pure.

Abel died a violent death, but Enoch never died.

God has a different plan for each one who trusts Him.

True biblical faith is not in parting seas, walking on water and healing the sick, although by God’s grace these miracles have occurred.

True biblical faith is in the small daily disciplines of christian life. It is in doing all things, no matter how small unto God.

Maryin Luther:

The Christian shoemaker does his duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.

Noah—faith working (v. 7).

Hebrews 11:7 ESV

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.

Since nobody at that time had ever seen a flood (or perhaps even a rainstorm), Noah’s actions must have generated a great deal of interest and probably ridicule as well.

Noah’s faith influenced his whole family and they were saved.

It also condemned the whole world, for his faith revealed their unbelief. Events proved that Noah was right!

Faith that acts in obedience does not require an explanation.

Explanations are Why? questions.

God does not give explanations. In their place he gives Promises.

Doubts needs explanations, faith needs promises.

Good promises Noah that he would send a flood and he promised Noah that in the Ark him and his family would safe.

Those promises were sufficient for Noah’s faith to act in obedience.

The patriarchs—faith waiting: Abraham

Hebrews 11:8 ESV

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.

God promised Abraham and Sarah a son, but they had to wait twenty-five years for the fulfillment of the promise.

Their son Isaac became the father of Jacob and Esau, and it was Jacob who really built the nation through the birth of his twelve sons.

Joseph saved the nation in the land of Egypt, and Moses would later deliver them from Egypt.

Waiting is, for me, one of the most difficult disciplines of life.

Yet true faith is able to wait for the fulfillment of God’s purposes in God’s time.

But, while we are waiting, we must also be obeying. “By faith Abraham … obeyed” (Heb. 11:8).

He obeyed when he did not know where he was going

He lived in tents because he was a stranger and pilgrim in the world and had to be ready to move whenever God spoke.

Christians today are also strangers and pilgrims.

He also obeyed when he did not know how God’s will would be accomplished

Both Abraham and Sarah were too old to have children.

Yet they both believed that God would do the miracle.

Unbelief asks, “How can this be?”

Faith asks, “How shall this be?”

Finally, Abraham obeyed God by faith when he did not know why God was so working

Why would God want Abraham to sacrifice his son when it was the Lord who gave him that son?

All of a future nation’s promises were wrapped up in Isaac.

The tests of faith become more difficult as we walk with God, yet the rewards are more wonderful!

And we must not ignore the obedient faith of Isaac.

We have to admire the faith of the patriarchs.

They did not have a complete Bible, and yet their faith was strong. They handed God’s promises down from one generation to another.

In spite of their failures and testings, these men and women believed God and He bore witness to their faith.

How much more faith you and I should have!

Moses—faith warring

Hebrews 11:24–25 ESV

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

The Faith of Moses shows that biblical faith is often engaged in a spiritual battle against evil.

Moses was called, as is every Christian, to take the message of God’s deliverance before an evil world, run by an evil ruler.

Again and again Moses had to go out from his home and comfort into enemy territory and face off against Pharaoh.

Pharaoh is a picture of Satan, and we as christians, equipped with the whole armor of God are called to spiritual battle as we wrestle against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Like Moses we fight the good fight of faith.

Ask yourself: How often do you engage in spiritual warfare?

Moses could have stayed in the comforts of home, but his faith and obedience led him onto the spiritual battlefield.

Conclusion:

We today should give thanks for these saints of old, for they were faithful during difficult times, and yet we are the ones who have received the “better blessing.”

They saw some of these blessings afar off, but we enjoy them today through Jesus Christ.

If the saints of old had not trusted God and obeyed His will, Israel would have perished and the Messiah would not have been born.

Hebrews 11:6 ESV

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.

But this kind of faith grows as we listen to His Word (Rom. 10:17) and fellowship in worship and prayer.

Faith is possible to all kinds of believers in all kinds of situations.

It is not a luxury for a few “elite saints.” It is a necessity for all of God’s people.

Luke 17:5 ESV

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”