(BackYard Bible Study) What is Faith

Objective:

My goal this evening is to have each individual understand what faith is and how it is possessed. To have each person ask the question do they have faith. To separate the difference between Faith and belief.

Diagnosis: In today’s culture and for many years, so called Christians have been made to believe that they have Faith. Some confuse routine with faith, some confuse faithfulness with faith, we confuse faith with believe, and most of us confuse mere faith with saving faith. It is true that person with saving Faith will naturally display many of the above behaviors, but will will explore the one thing that separates saving faith from the others.

Defining Saving Faith:

If I asked you what is faith what would you say:

We will define saving faith as: An intangible substance given to chosen individuals from God; in which it pleases God and moves him to act on our behaves. Luke 8:43-48 “And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.””

Routine Faith: A faith that if I do something often it means that I am saved ( For example because I show up to church, or because I volunteer at several different events, because I visit the sick and shut in, and etc.....

Faithfulness: Is the act of keeping your word and doing what you said you would to. Faithfulness are those individuals who stick to the script no matter what. ( Revelation: 2:8-11 ““And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “ ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’”

Revelation 3:7-13 ““And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. “ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of …”

Belief: To know or have knowledge of something weather visible or invisible . Belief can exist but faith can be absent. However, saving faith can’t be absent without belief. ( James 2: 18-19 “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

Mere Faith: This faith looks real, but when tested one can see that this faith is surface and it has no foundation. James gives and example in James 1:5-7 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;” Matthew 7: 24-27 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.””