TEXT: Heb. 11:1-2.Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report –
INTRODUCTION: The word “faith” is used 242 times in the Scriptures; yet it is one of the most neglected doctrines of the Bible.
It is one thing to believe that God CAN; it is quite another to believe that God WILL. This principle is the real test of spiritual faith. Yes, we say we believe God CAN because God is God - and God can do anything. However, to believe that God WILL is faith in practice - predicated, of course, upon His perfect will.
Doubt is of the mind, unbelief is of the will, but faith is of the heart. Someone has said, “if your faith fizzles out before the finish, in all probability it had a flaw from the first.”
Dr. Porter Barrington says, “faith does not make anything easy, but it does make all things possible.”
The wealth of faith involves the –
I. PRINCIPLE OF FAITH “Now faith”.. .Heb. 11:1 The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is known as the faith chapter of the Bible.
A. THE DESCRIPTION OF FAITH Dr. A. B. Simpsoon says, “the eleventh chapter of Hebrews is a star cluster in the firmament of inspired biography. it is a whole Milky Way crowded with constellations of light and glory.” For spiritual profit, we should come here often and linger long. The first verse is generally regarded as the classic definition of faith.
However, it is not so much a definition of faith, but a description of its effects. For faith accepts what God declares, and puts it to the proof.
CHICKEN DINNER: A description of faith may be illustrated by the story that is told of an old- time preacher who was invited for Sunday dinner in the home of one of his members. Unavoidably detained, after the service, he was delayed and was late arriving. In the meantime, the children became so hungry, the mother allowed them to go ahead and eat. The chicken and dumplings disappeared quickly. The children did a good job. Later, as the preacher began to eat, he found just a few bones floating around in a bowl of gravy. He exclaimed, “well, it is the substance of things hoped for - the evidence of things not seen.”
LUTHER: “The just shall live by faith,” is the verse of Scripture that led to the conversion of Martin Luther - This statement of the believer’s principle of life is found four times in God’s Word: Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. Luther got it from Paul. Paul got it from Habakkuk. We might say of the Reformation that Luther was the father, Paul the grandfather, and Habakkuk the great- grand-father.
TITLE DEED: “Now faith is the substance This word “substance” really means “title deed.” As a title deed is evidence of real estate ownership — faith is our title deed to everlasting life, and the evidence of our eternal estate in heaven. “For the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (11 Cor. 4:18). Faith is more than just a philosophy of life; it is the very principle of life itself.
B. THE DESCERMENT OF FAITH The Christian should live his entire life by faith. He is saved by faith. It is not faith and works - but faith that works. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ….” (Acts 16:31).
He will, also, find that his faith will be put to the test many times and in many ways — “That the trial of your faith.. be tried with fire…” (I Peter 1:7).
Faith knows how to wait on God. It always comes out in victory. Faith is more than equal to any and all occasions. It will always be vindicated.”All things work together for good to them that love God….” (Rom. 8:28). Faith does not limit the power of God. It believes beyond the reasonable, and never allows facts to stand in its way. For faith is simply taking God at His word — and asking no questions. As an evangelist, it is still by faith that I go to various churches to preach revivals. Believe me, when I tell you it is strictly by faith. God is good. He supplies the needs. He is never too early, never too late, but always on time. The principle of faith leads us to consider the –
II. POWER OF FAITH Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God -Heb. 11:3 The power of faith is not so much a question of “do we believe,” but “whom do we believe.” It is not a case of sincerity of belief, but the truth in what is believed. Faith moves mountains. “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place….”(Matt. 17:20). It does not take a huge amount of faith to have great power with God. Just a mustard seed size of faith will remove a mountain of unbelief. Trust the Lord for mountain moving faith. The power of saving faith has three sides. The salvation experience always involves the intellect, the will, and the emotions. The intellect says that Jesus Christ is God –”I accept Christ.” The will makes a surrender to Him as Master and Lord — “I will follow Christ.” The emotions are the outward expression of the heart’s inward response to God’s love — The heart responds to the love of God; The will submits to the demands of God; The life obeys in the service of God. Together we witness the power of saving faith.
I. PRINCIPLE OF FAITH
II. POWER OF FAITH
III. PRACTICE OF FAITH If you learn the principle of faith and see its power you will practice it… Things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 11:3. FAITH IS A PARADOX: Faith believes beyond reason. Faith believes without understanding why it believes.
A. FAITH SAYS IN PRACTICE: The way to find life is to lose it — Matt. 10:39. The way to live is to die — John 12:24. The way to gain is to lose– Matt. 19:21. The way to be first is to be last — Mark 9:35. The way to win is to lose — Phil. 3:8. The way to become rich is to become poor –Matt. 19:21. The way to become strong is to become weak –II Cor. 12:10. The way to become wise is to become a fool -I Cor. 1:27.
B. FAITH SINGS IN PRISON: We think of Paul and Silas. Someone has observed that when Paul arrived in a new city to preach Jesus Christ, he did not inquire as to the best hotel or motel. Rather he asked which was the best jail. He had such faith in and power with God, that when leaving town he left with a convert under one arm and a jail door under the other. Such was their experience at Philippi. Beaten within an inch of their lives, we find them at mid- night in a deep, dark, damp, dreary, dingy, dirty dungeon. I think a conversation took place between Paul and Silas. I think they gave glory and praise to the Lord for being counted worthy to suffer for Christ and the gospel. Then, Silas said, “Paul do you feel like
SAYS A SON OF HIS MOTHER Caught in the prison house of dire need during the great depression of the thirties, she never lost faith in God. It grieved her that she could not give her boy material advantages. As she prepared supper in the little side-room kitchen, over the old wood burning cook stove - and as a little boy, I heard her at times weeping. Yet, at the same time she sang - sang through her tears. Some of the old songs were her favorites –such as: “Footsteps of Jesus,” “Oh they tell me of an unCloudy Day,” “All the Way my Saviour Leads me,” and “Beautiful Lights Along the Shore.” What an example depicting the practice of faith! What living above circumstances! What singing through adversities!
C.FAITH SHINES IN PROBLEMS: Have you ever prayed for patience - yet it seemed that you received tribulation instead? Perhaps this is biblical. “Tribulation worketh patience; and patience experience, and experience hope” (Rom. 5:3,4).
AUGUSTINE said, “Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward is to see what we believe.
CHARLES KINGSLEY said, “I do not want merely to possess a faith; I want a faith that possesses me.”
WILLIAM NEWTON CLARK said, “Faith is the daring of the heart to go farther than it can see.” “Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible.”
It takes Faith to live and faith to die,
Faith that asks not why
Faith to learn and faith to teach,
Faith to practice what we preach.
Faith to work and faith to pray,
Faith to trust and obey.
Topic: Faith Luther adds comments on the interior character of faith: Faith is a living well-founded confidence in the grace of God, so perfectly certain that it would die a thousand times rather than surrender its conviction. Such confidence and personal knowledge of divine grace makes its possessor joyful, bold, and full of warm affection toward God and all created things — all of which the Holy Spirit works in faith. Hence, such a man becomes without constraint willing and eager to do good to everyone, to serve everyone, to suffer all manner of ills, in order to please and glorify God, who has shown toward him such grace.
Topic: Faith When a man hath liberty to go into the treasure-house of a king, to enrich himself, he will first seek the keys wherewith to open the doors; so, if we desire to be enriched with God’s grace, we must first labor to have faith, which is the only key of God’s treasure-house, and secures us all graces needful both for body and soul.
Posts