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A FAITH THAT

REALLY WORKS

There are a few things about “faith” that need to be set strait. The first thing is just how important it is.

It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. Heb 11:6 (MSG)

We cannot please God without faith. I’m sure that at least one of our goals is to “please God”, or it should be. It is sad to say that the majority of people in the world are out to please themselves. Paul wrote to Timothy about these people:
  • This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves. 2 Tim 3:1-2 (KJV)
With faith being so important, one wonders, “how might I acquire faith”? Does it magically appear? As I have read and studied the Bible I have determined that faith comes through Romans 10:17 To believe something because your church does: it’s in your denomination’ creed: or because your parents do or did believe something is treading on thin ice. A little study will show that Abraham got his faith “hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord.”“by the word of the Lord”. Our link with faith should be as strong as was Abraham’s, whose faith was “imputed to him as righteousness.”  James 2:23
  • (Abraham) Being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.  Romans 4:21 (NASB)
It is what God has promised that he will perform. It is what he has promised that we must, having heard, either through our ears in hearing or through our eyes in reading, produce faith on our part. The quality of faith we must have is that of “a grain of mustard seed.” Matt 13:31/17:20.  Stephen and Barnabas were described as being “full of faith”. That says to me they were energized by what they had heard and believed.  Acts 6:8/11:24 The Ethiopian eunuch was invited to be baptized if he “believed with all his heart.” Acts 8:37 As the gospel grew in the city of Antioch, the believers (those who believed and had faith) began to be called “Christians”.  Acts 11:26 Faith is the under girder of our hope. Heb. 11:1

The propitiation (appeasement or conciliation) of our individual sins comes about because of our faith in the blood of Christ. Rom 3:25 We are “saved by grace through faith” which is a gift from God. Eph 2:8 We often hear about how we need Jesus in our heart; that is by faith. Eph. 3:17 Faith is actually the “victory that overcomes the world”. I John 5:4 We become “children of God” through faith in Jesus Christ. Gal. 3:26

Before going any further, please note Paul’s admonition to Timothy:
  • Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 1 Tim 4:1 (KJV)
Paul admonished the Colossians to be “established” in their faith, (Col. 2:7) and to continue in the faith, grounded and settled. Col. 1:23 That can only be accomplished as we “fight the good fight of faith”. I Tim. 6:12 Paul rejoiced in his letter to Timothy that he had fought that good fight and had “kept the faith”, 2 Tim. 4:7 and in that same letter commended Timothy for his “unfeigned faith which had dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice”. 2 Tim. 1:5

 
Jude was concerned:
  • Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude 1:3 (KJV)
Hebrews chapter 11 gives a long list of individuals who displayed their faith through their actions in their lives:
  • Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. 40 God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours. Heb 11:39-40 (MSG)
James, the brother of Jesus, was particularly concerned about faith absent of works. I know you can turn in your Bible and read it for yourself, but let me give you this translation containing James’ concern. It is lengthy, but spares me attempting to put into words what is already said:
  • Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? 15 For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved 16 and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? 17 Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense? 18 I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department." Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove. 19 Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? 20 Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands? 21 Wasn't our ancestor Abraham "made right with God by works" when he placed his son Isaac on the sacrificial altar? 22 Isn't it obvious that faith and works are yoked partners, that faith expresses itself in works? That the works are "works of faith"? 23 The full meaning of "believe" in the Scripture sentence, "Abraham believed God and was set right with God," includes his action. It's that mesh of believing and acting that got Abraham named "God's friend." 24 Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works? James 2:14-24 (MSG)
May I suggest that this is the type of faith that works?
  • For in Christ, neither our most conscientious religion nor disregard of religion amounts to anything. What matters is something far more interior: faith expressed in love. Gal 5:6 (MSG)
The KJV says “faith which worketh by love”. Gal 5:6 (KJV) A faith that works is a working faith. It is a faith established firmly on “thus saith the Lord”. Noah proved that, when he built the ark at God’s word of instruction. Abram proved it when he left his homeland and traveled, at God’s command, to a land where he was a stranger and at another time when he offered his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice, via God’s instruction. (That completed sacrifice was stayed)  Moses confirmed his faith by following God’s command and leading the Israelites out of the land of Egypt onto the edge of the “Land of Promise”. Ordinary people have been doing it for centuries of time. The Ethiopian eunuch responded to his faith by being baptized by Deacon Philip who met the eunuch on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza having “believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”. Do you have a “faith that works”? Are you concerned about the “faith once delivered to the saints”? If you have faith, what are you doing with it?