Faith: What It Is and How to Have It
March 11, 2015 Save Article"
Romans 10:17-21
(Program 2069, Airing on 1.3.10)
- INTRODUCTION
- The book of Romans tells us about the grace of God.
- Grace can be articulated as “God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense”.
- Jesus died on the cross, in agony and blood, for our sins in order to provide for us all of the riches of God.
- Faith means, “Forsaking All, I Trust Him”.
- Faith receives what grace provides. Without faith, there is no way to acquire the grace of God.
- Ephesians 2:8-9
- Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins; but we must believe and receive the Lord Jesus, or His death does us no good.
- Grace is God’s ability; faith is man’s responsibility. It is our responsibility to respond to God’s grace.
- Do you want to be saved? Romans 5:1
- Do you want to be sanctified? Acts 15:9
- Do you want your prayers answered? Mark 11:24
- Do you want to overcome the world? 1 John 5:4
- Faith is the medium of exchange in the kingdom of Heaven.
- Matthew 9:29
- A lack of faith is not weakness; it is wickedness.
- Unbelief is slander against God.
- 1 John 5:10
- John 3:18
- In Matthew 13:58, the Bible says that Jesus limited His ability to do mighty works because of the people’s unbelief.
- Hebrews 3:12
- Romans 1:17
- THE OBJECT OF FAITH: ALMIGHTY GOD – KNOW HIM
- Faith is not positive thinking or hoping for the best.
- Faith is no better than its object. Misplaced faith is a terrible thing.
- The object of our faith is God Himself.
- Mark 11:22
- Romans 10:11
- Weak faith in the right object is better than misplaced faith in any object. Weak faith in God is better than strong faith in anything else.
- In Biblical accounts, most who received a blessing from God had weak faith.
- Mark 9:23-24
- Hebrews 12:2 – The word “looking unto Jesus” in this passage literally means looking away from everything else and looking unto Jesus.
- Don’t look at circumstances; look at nothing except Jesus.
- Many people doubt their salvation because their faith is in their faith and not in Jesus Christ.
- Since the object of our faith is God, our ambition should be to know Him.
- The more we know God, the more our faith in Him will grow.
- Romans 9:33
- Psalm 9:10
- Daniel 11:32
- THE ORIGIN OF FAITH: THE WORD OF GOD – HEAR HIM
- Romans 10:8
- Romans 10:14
- We must learn to listen to God if we would have faith.
- We cannot pray outside the will of God and have our prayers answered; and in order to pray in the will of God, we have to hear the Word of God.
- We cannot generate faith; faith comes.
- Romans 10:17
- 2 Peter 1:1
- Philippians 1:29
- Faith is not a leap in the dark; it is a step in the light. The instrument God uses to enable us to believe is His Word.
- It is not simply the Bible that we hold in our hands that will give us faith; it is God speaking to us through the Bible.
- Hebrews 11:1
- THE OBJECTIVE OF FAITH: THE WILL OF GOD – YIELD TO HIM
- Faith is not man’s way of getting man’s will done in Heaven; faith is God’s way of getting God’s will done on Earth.
- It is God’s will for everyone to be saved, and He has sent messengers to carry the Gospel message.
- Romans 10:12
- Romans 10:15
- To do the will of God does not mean fewer blessings for us if we submit to His will; it means more blessings for us. It’s not that we have to do the will of God; we get to do the will of God.
- The objective of faith is that God’s will be done through us.
- How do we know His will? We know His Word. How do we trust His Word? We know Him.
- In order to have faith, we must submit to His will.
- 1 John 5:14
- THE OPERATION OF FAITH: THE WORK OF GOD – OBEY HIM
- If we say we believe God but do not obey Him, then we really do not believe Him.
- Faith is belief with legs on it. Faith obeys.
- Romans 10:17-18
- Romans 10:21 – the word “gainsaying” means “obstinate”. They refused the Word of God.
- We are not saved through faith and works; we are saved through faith that works.
- James 2:20
- We are not saved because of our works; we work because we’re saved.
- CONCLUSION
- Faith is a gift of God.
- God gives us the opportunity to either refuse or accept this gift.
- Receive Him today.
- Romans 10:13
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