Carl Witty
02/17/16
The gospel to which a person responds in becoming a Christian is called, “The Faith” (Jude 3). Those who obey the gospel are commended when judged to be “faithful to the Lord” (Acts 16:15). Paul refers to the Colosse brethren as “saints and faithful brethren” (Col. 1:2). One of the designations by which Christians are known is “the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10). Faith is the underlying principle of all of the Christian’s life. It is fundamental to our salvation through the gospel, God’s mighty power to those who believe (Romans 1:16,17). Paul was convinced that his union with the crucified Christ was based on faith: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). The great apostle believed that he would someday exchange his earthly body for a heavenly body, declaring that now we “walk by faith, and not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7).
The meaning of Bible faith is not difficult to ascertain. Bible faith involves belief, confidence or trust, and fidelity. The certainty or conviction which one has in some truth or proposition is their faith in that truth/proposition. When the people in Samaria “believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts. 8:12). Their faith prompted them to obey the gospel Phillip preached. Such faith comes from contact with the word of God (Rom. 10:17).
Faith involves confidence or trust in someone else. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness …. he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able to perform” (Rom. 4:3, 20, 21). We are to have a similar trust in God. Peter admonishes Christians to “commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful creator (I Peter 4:19).
Faith involves the idea of fidelity, that one is loyal, committed, and can be trusted. The ideal steward of God’s richest blessings demonstrates his faith in the one who has trusted him by fidelity – “moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (I Cor. 4:2). Such trustworthiness must endure until the end of life – “Be then faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
The Christian’s life of faith involves confessing, making deliberate choices, receiving God’s blessings, and maintaining our relationship with God. Paul identifies our confession as an essential part of our salvation – “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:9,10). We are assured that our confession of faith has eternal consequences – “whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 10:32).
Deliberate choices must be made in order to live a life of faith. It is no small commitment to “seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Mt. 6:33) – or to decide that one will “not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Mt. 6:34 - ESV). The words of an old song ask a question that only a certain kind of people will answer in the affirmative:
“O why won’t you come in simple, trusting faith?
Jesus will give you rest.”
Choosing a life of trust, and living accordingly, is to align oneself with the teaching of Jesus, regardless of the cost.
The life of faith involves the acceptance of many wonderful blessings. Predictions as to those blessings abound in God’s word, such as the faith-linked blessings listed in Romans 15:13 – “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Joy, peace, hope, and power are all promised as blessings we receive through our faith!
We express our faith to a benevolent God as we lift up our thoughts and voices in prayers. In our service tonight, God willing, we will specifically express our adoration to such a God, confess our sins to Him, give thanksgiving for His blessings to us, and ask for divine help. In addition to my thanking God for the privilege of prayer, Brent Romine will lead a prayer for blessings on our college students who are away from us. Greg Kiel will pray for our deacons and their work in the congregation here, and John Hendrix will pray for our loved ones who have gone astray. Already topics for future prayer services are being received. May God bless our prayers and the service tonight.
Finally, the life of faith involves constant maintenance in order for us to persevere. Many lose their faith and are not steadfast until the end. Faith can turn into unbelief. The Hebrew Christians were exhorted: “take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” The constant encouragement we receive from God and each other through collective worship, earnest study, persistent prayer, and seeking God’s way in every circumstance of life will pay rich dividends when we get to the “end of the way”!