What Faith Does

Introduction:

The Bible informs us that we are saved by grace through faith.  Ephesians 2:8  “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” NKJV  We are justified [declared not guilty] by faith.  So it is of supreme importance that we know what biblical faith is as well as what it does.  Our destiny depends upon it.

Text:  Hebrews 11:1-3  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” NKJV

Body: 

I.   What Is Biblical Faith?

· Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”  CSB

·  Biblical faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen; it is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.  Hebrews 10:32-34 “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:  partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.” NKJV

· “Things hoped for” – blessings, both temporal and eternal, that are the inheritance of the faithful.  Hebrews 10:35-36 “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” NKJV  “Things not seen” – such as the creation of the universe, the incarnation of Christ, the flood . . .  [Coffman]  Romans 8:24-25 “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.” NKJV

 

·  True biblical faith is not blind optimism or an “I-hope-so” feeling.  Nor is it wishful thinking or some vague hope.  Neither is it a “leap in the dark” but a confident trust in an all-powerful God.  True faith comes from teaching.  Romans 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” NKJV

· Remember Hebrews 11:1 is connected to Hebrews 10:39.

(Hebrews 10:39) “But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”  (Hebrews 11:1) “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” NKJV

 

II. What Does Biblical Faith Do?

· Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.” NKJV  Faith led Abel to worship God.  Genesis 4:1-7 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the Lord.’  Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.  Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.  Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.  And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.  And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.  So the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry?  And why has your countenance fallen?  If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do  not do well, sin lies at the door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’ ” NKJV  I John 3:11-13 “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.  Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.” NKJV  This verse informs us that Cain’s deeds were evil.  Abel had acted in accordance with God’s command, in other words, by faith.  In some way, Cain did not.  Abel’s offering, an act of worship, was acceptable and pleasing to God while Cain’s worship was unacceptable.  We learn from this that it does make a difference how people worship.  Not all worship is acceptable.

 Matthew 15:7-9 “Hypocrites!  Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:  ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me.  Teaching us doctrines the commandments of men.’” NKJV  Walking by faith means not following our own desires and feelings.  Romans 8:4-5 “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” NKJV

 

· Hebrews 11:5-6 “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’:  for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is  a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” NKJV  Faith led Enoch to walk with God.  Genesis 5:22-24 “After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters.  So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.  And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” NKJV  The text says that he “pleased God.”  Is God pleased with the words that you say, the shows you watch, the games you play, the friends you have?  Enoch’s walk of faith delivered him from experiencing physical death.  Will your walk of faith deliver you from spiritual death?  John 5:25-29 “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and  now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God:  and those who hear will live.  For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.  Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” NKJV

 

· Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” NKJV  Faith led Noah to work for God.  Genesis 6:14-22 “ ‘Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch.  And this is how you shall make it:  The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.  You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side.  You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.  And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.  But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark – you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.  And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.  Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.  And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.’  Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” NKJV  Noah believed God; he accepted God’s Word concerning a universal flood.  Nothing like this had ever been heard of before.  His faith kept him working all those years, building the ark and preaching to the people.  His preaching reminds us of II Corinthians 2:15-16.  “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.  To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.  And who is sufficient for these things?”  NKJV  We understand that Noah was not saved by his works, but by faith when it worked.

Conclusion:

When you honestly examine your life, what has your faith led you to do?  What are the evidences for faith in your life?

 

Bobby Stafford 

 

September 24, 2017