02.12. Faith

FAITH. lesson text:Hebrews 11:1-30. memory verses:James 2:14-24.

Faith is sometimes defined as the belief of a proposition supported by testimony. This is true with reference to facts and things. You believe the Kaiser was driven from his throne, and that there is a city in Italy called "Rome;" but faith in a person means more than to just believe that such a man lived. Frequently one says: "I believe in that man, because I know him." Here faith contains an element of trust, or confidence. To believe in your physician is to have confidence in him, and you show your confidence in him by committing your case into his hands and doing what he says. To believe in God is to commit ourselves, our ways, into his hands and to diligently follow his directions.

CAIN AND ABEL.

Cain believed in the existence of Jehovah, and made an offering to him, but instead of offering the thing commanded, he trusted to his own wisdom and offered of the first-fruits of the ground (see Genesis 4:1). But Abel showed his faith, his confidence in Jehovah, by doing what he said.

MOSES. On one occasion Moses failed to trust God. "Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle. And Jehovah said unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed not in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them" (Numbers 20:11-12). Now Moses certainly believed in the existence of God; but his over confidence in self and lack of confidence in Jehovah led him to adopt his own way instead of the Lord’s and God said: "Because ye believed not in me."

WHY FAILURE TO OBEY?

Only one of three things could cause a person to fail to follow the directions of his physician: (1) Inability to do so; (2) failure to understand him; or (3) a lack of confidence in him. The same is true of our obeying God. But we can do what he says, for God requires no impossibilities. And as we have God’s revealed will, it is not necessary to disobey through ignorance. Your disobedience is attributable to- lack of confidence in Jehovah. To set aside the physician’s directions is to take the case in your own hands, to become your own physician. To set aside God’s directions for your salvation is to take the matter out of his hands and become your own savior. What we need is full confidence in God’s love, mercy, grace, and wisdom. This would eliminate all desires to depart from his way.

FAITH IN MEN AND INSTITUTIONS.

Faith is essential in all the relationships of life. Business is conducted, and credit is extended, on the basis of faith. Should we lose confidence in our financial institutions, withdraw our money from the banks, and refuse to extend credit, chaos would follow. An element of faith enters into all our business transactions. Our social relations are based on faith. There can be no satisfactory association with another without faith. Men have faith in their wives, wives believe in their husbands. Destroy this faith and the home is ruined.

Harmony with God is necessary to salvation, and there can be no harmony, no walking with God, without a whole-hearted faith in him. A lack of faith in God has been the cause of all the departures, sin, and disobedience of all ages. "Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart and unbelief, in falling away from the living God" (Hebrews 3:12).

FAITH ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION. That faith is necessary to salvation is hardly questioned by those who profess to believe the Bible. Faith is clearly demanded as a condition of salvation.

"He that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:16).

"Without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him" (Hebrews 11:6).

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house" (Acts 16:30-31; see Hebrews 10:39; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:21).

WHAT MUST ONE BELIEVE?

You must believe certain things to become a Methodist, and certain other things to become a Baptist, and still other things to become a Presbyterian. The Methodist declares that the man who is a Baptist will be saved, though he does not believe the peculiar things one must believe to become a Methodist. In making such a declaration the Methodist clearly declares that the things peculiar to Methodism are not necessary to salvation. The Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians concede that the things peculiar to their respective churches, things which one must believe to become a member of their respective churches, are not necessary to salvation. It must follow, then, that it is not necessary for one to believe the peculiar doctrines of these churches unless it is desired to become a member of the particular church. Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians insist that one can be saved without being in either of their respective churches. This is a free admission that belief of their peculiar doctrines is not necessary to salvation.

Since it is not necessary to believe the distinctive doctrines of Methodists, Baptists, or Presbyterians to be saved, what must one believe?

ONE MUST BELIEVE IN CHRIST.

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou arid thy house" (Acts 16:30-31).

"Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31).

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved" (Romans 10:9).

"And this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith. And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5:4-5).

HOW DOES FAITH COME?

Faith is the result of testimony. If you wish one to believe a proposition, it is necessary for the evidence to be submitted to that person, attesting the truthfulness of the proposition to be believed. The evidence may be presented orally or in writing. written evidence. "Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye may have life in his name" (John 20:30-31). "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so. Many of them therefore believed; also of the Greek women of honorable estate, and of men, not a few" (Acts 17:11-12). oral testimony. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? ... So belief cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:14-17). "Ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel, and believe" (Acts 15:7) .

DEGREES OF FAITH.

There is one faith (Ephesians 4:4), but this one faith may exist in different degrees. All have not the same degree of faith, as is evidenced by the Bible. little faith. "O ye of little faith" (Matthew 8:26). great faith. "I have not found so great faith, no not in Israel" (Matthew 8:10). weak faith. "Him that is weak in faith" (Romans 14:1). strong faith. Abraham "waxed strong through faith" (Romans 4:20). dead faith. "Faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26). perfect faith. "By works was faith* made perfect" (James 2:22) BELIEVE WITH ALL THE HEART. To believe with all the heart is more than to give intellectual assent to the truthfulness of a proposition. The heart includes the intellect, the emotions, and the will. With the heart we think (Matthew 9:4), reason

(Mark 2:6), understand (Isaiah 32:4). These processes are purely intellectual. With the heart we sorrow (Nehemiah 2:2), despise (2 Samuel 8:16), love (Matthew 22:37). These are emotional processes. With the heart we purpose

(2 Corinthians 9:7). This is a determining process. To believe with all the heart involves all of these. You accept many things as true which do not involve either the emotions or the will. You believe that the Pharaohs ruled in Egypt, but you never love them nor are you determined to serve them. You do not believe it with all your heart. Many believe in God and Jesus Christ, his Son, in the same way. They have no doubt of Jehovah’s existence, but they neither love him nor are they determined to serve him. They do not believe with all their heart. If one believes with all the heart, he will serve.

Frequently one hears the statement: "Mr. X believes as strong as you, but, for some cause, he will not obey." Such a statement is not true, for the degree of one’s faith is shown by the services rendered. In the mind of Neighbor X there may not be a doubt as to the truthfulness of certain doctrines, or all that Jesus said. Such is commendable as far as it goes. You should remember, though, the intellect is not all the heart; his faith must include his emotions and his will—that is, he must have involved his whole heart, which will give his love and service to the Master. The demons believed

(James 2:19), but they neither loved God nor were they determined to serve him. They did not believe with all the heart, neither does your disobedient neighbor. "If a man love me, he will keep my word" (John 14:23). "If you love me, ye will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). "He that loveth me not keepeth not my words" (John 14:24).

Faith that does not involve the will so as to control the life never benefitted a son or daughter of Adam.

SALVATION IS NOT BY FAITH ONLY. That we are saved by faith no one doubts. But some contend that we are saved by faith only—that is, that we are saved the very moment we believe. In the Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal, Church, South, Article IX., the doctrine is avowed in these words: "Wherefore that we are justified by faith only is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort." BY FAITH ONLY. NOT BY FAITH ONLY.

"We are justified by faith only," — "By works a man is justified, and M. E. Discipline, Art. IX. not by faith only" (James 2:24). Does it seem strange to you that any one would teach a doctrine which in such plain terms contradicts the Bible?

BELIEVERS GIVEN POWER TO BECOME SONS.

"He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God. even to them that believed on his name" (John 1:11-12). He gave the believers the right to become the children of God. (1) Believed; (2) given right to (3) become children of God. If one is saved the moment he believes, he is saved before he becomes a child of God, for the believer is given the right to become the child.

SAVED WITHOUT THE NEW BIRTH?

If one is saved the moment he believes, he is saved without the new birth. Believers are given the "right to become the children of God." It must be evident, then, that if one is saved the moment ’he believes, he is saved before he becomes a child of God; and if saved before he becomes a child of God, he is saved without being born again, for one cannot be born again without in the birth becoming a child of God.

SAVED BY IMPERFECT FAITH?

If one is saved the moment he believes, he is saved by an imperfect faith. "Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect" (James 2:22). Are you prepared to contend that man is saved by an imperfect faith? He who contends that man is saved the moment he believes claims salvation by an imperfect faith, for "by works was faith made perfect." Of course you understand that faith must exist before it can work, and till it works it is not perfect; and if salvation is by faith before it works, it is salvation by an imperfect faith.

SALVATION BY DEAD FAITH?

If one is saved the moment he believes, if he is saved by "faith only," he is saved by "faith apart from works," and that would be salvation by a dead faith. "As the body without the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead" (James 2:26). The body, when the spirit has left it, is dead; it is worthless so far as blessing man is concerned. Just so it is with faith apart from works—"faith apart from works is dead." The dead faith—faith apart from works—can no more bless man than can the body without the spirit bless men.

SAVED WITHOUT CONFESSING?

If one is saved the moment he believes, he is saved without the necessity of loving God’s praise, or confessing him.

"Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God" (John 12:42-43). These cowardly rulers believed—that is plainly stated—but they refused to confess it. Do you tell us that God will save a man who is too cowardly to confess it, ashamed to confess Christ, a man who loves the glory that is of men more than he loves the glory that is of God? Though these rulers believed, they would not confess. They had "faith only;" and if one is saved by "faith only," if one is saved the moment he believes, the rulers were saved. Do you insist that one is saved without confessing Christ? I understand that "faith only" does not include confessing Christ. But are men saved who refuse to confess Christ? Men must believe before they can confess Christ, and men must confess Christ to be saved: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:9-10). Are people saved who refuse to confess Christ?

FAITH ONLY WILL NOT AVAIL.

If one is saved the moment he believes; if one is saved by "faith only," then faith only avails, whereas God declares that "faith only" does not avail. "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6). (1) Circumcision does not avail. (2) Uncircumcision does not avail. (3) But faith which works by love does avail. (4) Faith must exist before it can work. (5) Faith must work before it avails. (6) It must follow that faith alone, "faith only," cannot avail, for "faith only" is faith without works.

FAITH ONLY DOES NOT PROFIT.

"What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?" (James 2:14). Again: "If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet ye give not them the things needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself" (James 2:15-17). This should settle the matter with every unbiased student. "Faith only" can profit one no more than saying to the hungry, "Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled," when not a mouthful is given to eat; or to say to the naked, "Be ye warmed," when not a thing in the form of clothing is supplied.

SAVED AND NOT PARDONED?

If one is saved the moment he believes, he is saved before he turns to the Lord; and if saved before he turns to the Lord, he is saved before he is pardoned.

Men must believe before they turn to the Lord. "And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number that believed turned unto the Lord" (Acts 11:21). (1) Believed and (2) turned unto the Lord. Clearly, after they believed, they "turned unto the Lord." Is one saved before he "turns unto the Lord?" "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7). Men must turn unto the Lord before he pardons them, but they believe before they turn. If one is saved the moment he believes, he is saved before he turns; and if saved before he turns, he is saved before he is pardoned.

God has never saved a man on the condition of faith till that faith has expressed itself in some act.

TOPICS FOR INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION.

• Can an alien sinner believe?

• Opinion, Faith, Knowledge.

• Faithful men.

• Walking by faith.

• Faith in social and business world.

QUESTIONS ON FAITH.

to believe the things peculiar to them.

functions of the heart.

new birth.