I.  Understanding Faith

    A. The Bible Defines Faith: The Bible often defines itself. If ever there is a term or phrase that needs clarification, the Bible will often explain it. This is the case in understanding the meaning of faith.

         1. 

Listening to God: In Romans 10:17 it says, “So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

              a. In other words, we cannot begin to have faith until we open up God’s word and listen to what He has to say.

              b. As an example, if you were mountain climbing and found yourself hanging perilously from a ledge and suddenly heard a voice calling out from within the clouds, “Trust me, have faith in me.” You might put your trust in this person but you would need some instruction to do so. Do you continue to hang on and they will be there before any harm comes to you? Or, do you let go and trust that there is safety below? You would not know what to do unless the one in whom you have placed your trust TELLS you. Faith requires instruction.

         2. Acting Upon What God Says: In James 2:26, it says, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

              a. In other words, once I know what God says to do, faith demands that I act according to the instructions.

              b. Back to our example. If, while hanging from the ledge, the voice cries out, “Let go of the ledge and you will be saved, trust me!” Then, if I had faith in the one speaking, I would let go of the ledge. If I did NOT let go then it would mean I did not have faith in them. Faith demands action according to the one in whom faith has been placed.

              c.  Paul was a great example of this point. While on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians a bright light shone around him and Jesus appeared to him, convincing him that Jesus was the Son of God. The final words Jesus said to him were to go into the city of Damascus and it would be told to him what he must do. Of course, if he had faith, he would go into the city and follow the instructions given, he did.

    B. How Faith and Salvation are Connected

         1. God is the source of our salvation. He made it possible because of the forgiveness He offers through His Son Jesus. There is no other way we could be justified in His sight except for the blood shed by His Son. By His love and grace He calls us to come have a relationship with Him, He wants us to live with Him. There are, however, conditions on those who would receive the blessing of salvation.

         2. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2), He has given each and every person the same opportunity to make it to heaven and does not want any to perish but all to come to repent (2 Peter 3: 9). Therefore, he has given instructions on what must be done to make it to heaven and if we trust Him and follow His direction then we will make it there.

         3. Faith and salvation, then, are connected because in order for us to be saved we must follow God’s direction by faith. If we fail to follow God’s guidance then we do not have faith and we will not be saved.

II. Why I Must Have Faith

    A. Because God Gives Me a Choice

         1. God has opened the door that was once bolted. He has made heaven accessible for us through the death of Jesus. In Hebrews 10:19-21 the writer expresses this very thought: we now have confidence to enter heaven. With the entrance into heaven open to us the writer gives us three responsibilities in verses 22-25.

              a. “Let us draw near with a sincere heart...” (vs. 22).

              b. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope...” (vs. 23).

              c.  “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds...” (vs. 24-25).

              d. His point in this passage is that since God has made heaven available to us, we should be DOING something about it. In fact, the whole letter of Hebrews was written to Christians who were beginning to get lax in their service to God and were in danger of falling away from Him (see Hebrews 6:1-8). Their faith was faltering.

         2. We have the choice on what to do with God’s grace. In Hebrews 10:26 the writer of Hebrews says, “For if we go on sinning wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins...” We have the choice to go on sinning even after God has offered His grace to us, if we reject His grace then the sacrifice of Jesus will no longer benefit us. But the choice is ours.

         3. The Hebrew writer again encourages his readers to REMAIN faithful to God in DOING what God says to do: “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have DONE the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36, emphasis added). Grace is what God offers us and faith is our choice.

         4. If I would rather live my life and do my thing, whatever that may be, then God will not force me to trust Him and live for Him. Although God wants me in heaven with Him, He will never take me there against my will.

         5. Some may say, “Wait a minute! I thought we were saved by grace and not by what we DO. I thought it was completely up to God.” As we have noted, God has broken down the wall that only He could break down, He has sent His Son to die for us and pay the price that only God could pay, so, without God’s grace we would have NO hope. God has done His part, but now He has given me the opportunity to accept His offer of salvation or reject it—the choice is mine. I am not the SOURCE of my salvation but I have responsibilities if I am going to be saved.

    B. Because Grace-Motivated Lives Endure to the End

         1. The writer of Hebrews focuses on what motivated their lives when they were on fire for God and seeks to rebuild that in them. In Hebrews 10:34 he concludes a section that summarizes the life they used to live with what motivated that life: “...knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.” They were motivated by a home in heaven with the God they loved.

         2. Their actions were based on a confidence in God (see Hebrews 10:19,35) because of the GRACE shown them. This is exactly what faith is: trusting in God, listening to Him, and doing what He says. This ACTION is necessary in faith: “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have DONE the will of God, you may receive what was promised.” (Hebrews 10:36 - emphasis added).

              a. When God tells us to _______ (fill in the blank) will we do it?

                   (1)  If we live by faith, it doesn’t matter what is in the “blank”, we will follow whatever God says for us to do because faith means we will listen to God and then do what He says.

                   (2)  Abraham is a good example of this. In Hebrews 11:17-19 Abraham was told by God to offer his son as a sacrifice, he had faith in God (that He was able to raise his son from the dead) and so DID what God said to do.

              b. Faith is demonstrated in Acts 2:38 when the people were convicted of their sins and asked what they should do. Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Their faith was perfected when they repented and were baptized resulting in their salvation.

         3. Any other motivation for service to God is lacking in endurance.

              a. If we are simply motivated by fear, eventually we will resent God and turn away from Him in bitterness.

              b. If we are simply motivated by blessings, then when difficult times come and sacrifices are necessary in serving God we will turn away from Him to the momentary pleasures of life.

              c.  If we are motivated by a legalistic keeping of the law then we will either...

                   (1)  Have a false sense of security because we think we are good enough to go to heaven ourselves, or

                   (2)  Have a sense of hopelessness because we know we will never be good enough to make it to heaven.

              d. But when we are motivated by an appreciation for what God has done for us, a love for Him, and a trust in Him then we will endure the trials of life and look forward to a home in heaven with Him, living our lives by faith.

         4. God has promised us eternal life, do we believe it? If we do, then it will show in the way we live our lives.

    C. Because Every Saved Person Has Lived By Faith

         1. Chapter 11 of Hebrews gives a list of Old Testament individuals who lived by faith. Upon concluding this list of great people making great sacrifices by faith, the writer says, “Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus...” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

              a. His encouragement is for us to follow the example of these faithful men so we too can have hope.

              b. Salvation has always been by faith. People of God trusting Him, listening to what He says for them to do, and then following His exact command.

         2. We are saved the same way today. Our trust in God motivates us to listen to His direction in His word. Then, by faith, we do what He says we must do to be saved.

              a. 

We are saved by faith for two reasons

                   (1)  Because faith recognizes the source of salvation – God and His grace. Faith understands that salvation is a gift, undeserved, unmerited, and freely given by God’s kindness and love for us.

                   (2)  Because faith involves action based on what God says for us to do. God guides us for our good and for our benefit, when we follow His direction by faith, we experience the blessings He has for us, but we must obey to receive them... faith includes true obedience (see James 2:14-26).

              b. Take baptism for example.

                   (1)  Galatians 3:26-27 combines the act of baptism with our faith. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ.” He says we are sons through FAITH and then describes why–because we were baptized and clothed ourselves with Christ. Our faith motivated our obedience so that we could be clothed with Christ.

                   (2)  Another good example of this is the account of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. He was told by the prophet to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be healed of his leprosy. By faith he DID what was commanded and only after he obeyed was he cleansed of his leprosy. He was healed by faith because he did what God said to do.

                   (3)  Some may say, “We are not saved by works (Ephesians 2:8-9), therefore baptism does not save us, we are saved by faith!” Certainly, the source of our salvation is NOT ourselves. If we think we will be saved because WE earned it by being baptized or saying some prayer or any other action then we are sorely mistaken. However, if we trust God and follow what He says to do to be saved then we are living by faith and we will be saved. “And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you–not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience–through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 3:21).

III.     Conclusion: I must live by faith because...

    A. I have a part in my salvation

    B. God’s grace motivates me to live for Him, and

    C. Salvation has always been through faith in God