Thursday, August 8, 2013

What is Faith?

 Praise be to the God and Father of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed 
us in the heavenly realms with every 
spiritual blessing in Christ.
                                                   Ephesians 1:3

Our lesson today is taken from Ephesians 1:3 – 10, among other verses which will be given to you. It comes from a message that my pastor preached some months ago.  We will be asking and answering questions that will answer the big question of "What is faith?". 

1. What is the definition of faith? - Biblical faith is taking God at His word  (comes  from Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.")

We can only have biblical faith if we have a Bible. The Bible gives us revelation to God's characteristics, power, love, etc.  The Bible is our evidence that there is a God. Miraculous unity is our evidence that the Bible is true.  In other words, this is a book that is written by many different men from different many times, who did not know each other. They wrote about the same events that came to the same ends.  For instance, Psalms 22 prophesied  that they would gamble for the Christ's clothes in the future.

2.  What is the process of faith in our hearts? - There are three aspects of faith that men have talked about for years: 

   1) Knowledge -  We can't believe in something that we don't know is there.

   2) Assent - We need to accept that it is true.

   3) Trust - A personal commitment to and reliance on subject of faith.

3. How does faith fit us for heaven? - There is a "package" of salvation that we receive from God when we choose to make a personal commitment to Him. In this package are:

   1) Regeneration - When the Holy Spirit goes to work in our lives.

   2) Faith - Ephesians 2:8 and 9 says that, ..."it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so no one can boast."

  3) Union with Christ - We have eternal bond with Christ.

  4) Justification - We are declared fit for heaven because of the righteousness of Christ.

Saving faith follows with us throughout our lives, and leads to personal sanctification.

Thank you for joining me this morning.  God bless.