Faith

(#17, ?)

Read Mark 11:22; Heb. 11.

Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). 

Without faith there is no...

w   Salvation (Acts 16:31).

w   Spiritual life (Gal. 2:20).

w   Access to God (Eph. 3:12).

Unbelief, on the other hand, is the greatest sin (John 16:9; Rom. 14:23).  Faith cannot be substituted; all depends on faith.

ƒ    What is faith? Heb. 11:1.

Negatively...

w   Not blind credulity, supposition; not sight; not feeling or emotion.

w   Faith does not use "I expect" or "I hope" but "I know".

Positively...

w   Faith is of things hoped for, a confidence of facts, a conviction when they are not seen.  (Rotherham)

w   Faith is confidence in things hoped for.  Noah, Abraham and the like didn't have the substance of things promised but they had confidence.  They became a reality.

w   Faith is such an adventure as every sailor makes when he sets out for an unseen port.  Faith is a conviction of things not seen.

w   Faith accepts things now.  Faith believes...not that God can or will do it, but that God has done it.

ƒ    The object of our faith.  "In God".

w   God never asks us to put our faith in things or experiences but in Christ and Him alone.

w   Men misplace their faith by putting it in men, money, leaders, etc. (Jer. 17:5-6).

ƒ    What faith does.

    1.  It calls for a life of separation.  Abraham was separated from home, people, country.  Read of Moses (11:24-27).

    2.  It demands obedience.  They go together (Heb. 11:8).

    3.  It means sacrifice (Heb. 11:17).

    4.  It means victory (1 John 5:4).

The Bible is the secret to faith.  Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).