How Biblical Is Your Faith

Intro.

· The problem with some people’s faith is ….where and with whom, they have placed it!

o Ill.: Titanic

§ April 11, 1912 @ 1:30 pm: 2,227 passengers and crew members left the ports of Southampton England on the maiden voyage of the ‘Unsinkable Ship’

§ Only 705 people survived. Two-thirds of the 2,227 perished the night the ‘Unsinkable Ship’ sunk!

§ On April 11, 1912, 2,227 people learned a t lesson, which is still being taught today, ‘We should always place our trust in the Lord, and not in man!’

· However, today, people continue to place their trust in man:

o I John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets (religious imposters) are gone out into the world.”

o The members of People’s Temple place their trust in Jim Jones!

o The Branch Davidians placed their trust in David Koresh!

o Today, many Christians place their trust in thus saith ‘so & so, only to find out that ‘so & so’ wasn’t teaching or preaching ‘thus saith the Lord’

§ 98% of their message is true… it’s the 2% error that should scare us

§ Ill.: Brownie’s with 2% Secret ingredient!

· II Tim. 3:16 says that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

· II Pet. 1:20-21 says this: “…that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

· So, when we read I John 5:14-15, we must conclude the following

o 1) It too, is given by inspiration of God, just like the rest of the Bible

o 2) It too, is ‘profitable’ (advantageous) for us

o 3) It too, was given by the ‘moving’… (or bringing forth) of the Holy Ghost

· With that said, How Biblical is your faith?

o 25% Biblical, 75% un-Biblical?

o 50% Biblical, 50% un-Biblical?

o 98% Biblical, 2% un-Biblical?

· So, what does a Biblical Faith look like?

I. Biblical Faith Is An Asking Faith, 14a

A. Asking Requires Submission

i. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

ii. Submission means ‘to put oneself under the authority of another’

1. Like a wife does when she marries her husband

2. Like a soldier does when he enlists in the military

3. Like a player does when he joins a sports team

iii. Biblical Faith requires that a Christian put themselves under the authority of …

1. The Word Of God

2. The Spirit Of God

iv. Apart from 100% submission, we are in rebellion

1. I Sam. 15:23, ‘Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft’

2. Rebellion is “Reserving for myself the right to make the final decision’

a. (I may ask for your opinion, but if I don’t like it, I’m doing what I want to do anyway)

b. Rebellion cost Lucifer a place in heaven!

c. Rebellion reserve you a place in hell!

B. Asking Requires Patience

i. Fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace….Longsuffering (i.e. ‘Patience’)

ii. II Tim. 2:24-26

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

iii. Mt. 7:7, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive’ … but probably not today!

C. Asking Requires Satisfaction

i. I Tim. 6:6 Godliness with contentment is great gain!

ii. The Bible of Satisfaction

1. Meekness brings satisfaction, Ps. 22: 26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: ....

2. Trust brings satisfaction, Ps. 36:7-8 7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

3. The fear of the Lord brings satisfaction, Prov. 19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

II. Biblical Faith Is An Agreeing Faith, 14b ‘according to His will’

A. We Must Agree With Our Hearts, Eph. 6:6

i. Mt. 15:17-20 ‘Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.’