Faith Is The Key To Fellowship

Faith the Key to Fellowship 5/5/13

Introduction: Faith is the key for all believers in Christ Jesus it is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen as Hebrews 11:1states. By placing your faith in Christ you have Hope, Hope for all eternity. That Faith which starts our relationship with Christ begins to form our walk with Him. We can strengthen our relationship with God through the spiritual exercise of walking with God.

Core: You must first place your faith in Christ before you can walk with Him. Faith in Christ brings the believer to a walking of that Faith, which is reasonable service. When we walk with God our walk is not always easy. Our walk does bring great eternal rewards.

Body I. Without Faith in Christ all Labor for God is in vain

A. If you can present to God a life of perfect works then you will have salvation.

1. The problem is no one but Jesus Christ has ever lived that perfect life.

2. Salvation therefore cannot come by works.

3. It must come through faith.

4. That Faith must be in Christ and in His efficacious work on the Cross.

5. Romans 10:17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

6. Works of intrinsic value come only after salvation not prior to it.

B. Enoch is an example we can look to concerning works.

1. Genesis 5:24 says Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him.

2. Enoch walked or had fellowship with God daily.

3. Great was his reward because he was found fellowshipping with God.

4. God translated Enoch he was taken from walking on earth with God to walking in eternity with God.

5. For the believer today great will be our reward.

6. For we are promised eternal rewards for our service, our fellowship or walking with God.

C. As we continue in fellowship with God we begin to grow into spiritual maturity. Continued fellowship comes with practicing 1 John 1:9 confession of sin the moment we realize we have committed that sin.

1. Notice in Genesis 5 when Enoch began his walk with God.

2. Verse 22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

3. After his son was born God’s gift of life brought him to walk with God.

4. God’s gift of life for us or let’s put it like this our salvation brought us to walk with God.

5. The beginning of our fellowship or our relationship with God began at salvation

6. We started a walk with God.

D. Walking with God means the believer continues in fellowship with God.

1. Fellowship doesn’t imply status quo.

2. Fellowship with God means moving forward.

3. Fellowship with God means never retreating.

4. We are to be advancing ever advancing

5. Sin halts that advance that is why we must confess sin when we commit that sin.

6. We should enjoy a daily walk with Him and desire everyday of our lives to walk with Him.

7. In order that we can continue to grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8. Ever advancing in spiritual growth.

II. So what is your Hope based on, works or Faith?

A. Are you seeking to do things man’s way or God’s way?

1. In Hebrews 11:1 the writer stated that Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.

2. Understand what the writer meant in saying “Faith is the substance”

3. God’s way is the substance or from the original Greek word in this passage God’s way is the “assurance”

4. The original text states “Now is Faith of things Hoped for Assurance of things, (the) conviction not seen.”

5. Faith in Christ brings Great Assurance.

6. It brings conviction of truth.

B. The foundation of our Walking with God and our Assurance of Salvation is Jesus Christ.

1. This is the foundation we build upon as seen in 1 Corinthians 3:11.

2. We build on the foundation of Faith

3. Our eternal House is established on Faith.

4. Rewards for eternity are built upon Faith.

C. Faith is the substance of things not seen the KJV tells us.

1. This reminds me of the story I once heard from a black pastor friend Ivory Varner.

2. When he was a young child and they would have a family reunion.

3. His mom and other women would cook steak and from the drippings make gravy.

4. The platters would be passed first to the men who would eat their fill.

5. Then to the ladies and finally the platter would reach the children.

6. Usually the only thing left in the platter was the gravy.