Living By Faith - Part 2 Series

Living by Faith – Part 2

Scripture text: Hebrews 10:36-11:2.

Intro: We live to some degree by faith everyday. Food safe to eat ? Water safe to drink? Prescription safe to take? We exercise in the “natural” daily. The bible instructs us to exercise a faith in “supernatural” ie, a faith in God!

What does it look like? The bible passages paints a picture for us. It starts with:

I. The Expectation to Live by Faith.

Q: Who expects us to live by faith?

A: God!

1. No matter what the problem, age, God has always expected it.

a) Habakkuk 2:4 is quoted in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11 & Hebrews 10: 38 – it is meant to be a life principle!

II. The Expression of Living by Faith.

Q: What does it “look” like in daily life?

Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.-NIV

Hebrews 10:36a For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, -NASB

A) Endurance and perseverance!

1. Endurance literally means abiding under.

a) The idea is that you remain under some difficulty, some discipline perhaps something that you would naturally rebel against, run from, and not stay under!

III. The Edict to Live by Faith!

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

A) Commanded!

1. Christ Himself said:

Revelation 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. – ( Great Tribulation!)

Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.-NKJV

Andrew Murray - "This is one of the great practical lessons of the Epistle of Hebrews. Without perseverance, endurance, steadfastness, faith is vain; the only proof that it is a living, saving faith, is that it holds fast its boldness firm unto the end."

B) Consistency

Hebrews 10:38a But the just shall live by faith- The constant exercise of faith!

1. Living by faith is not a single and transient act, but something habitual and permanent"

IV. The Expense (Cost) of NOT Living by faith?

Hebrews 10: 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”39a But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, -NKJV

A) Perdition!

1. Describes the eternal state of death, destruction, annihilation, or ruin.

2. Eternal separation from God!

Hebrews 10:38 BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH!

V. The Exhortation/Encouragement to Live by Faith.

Exhort- "to call to a person" to entreat;" "to admonish, to urge.

Encourage -"to urge forward, persuade,"

Hebrews 10:39a But (WE - With this pronoun the writer identifies himself with the reader) do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed,

Hebrews 10:39b but of those who believe to the saving of the soul! - NKJV.

V. The Explanation of Faith.

Q: If I’m to live by faith – What is it?

A) The definition of faith:

Hebrews 11:1a Now faith is…Faith -belief, trust, confidence, the conviction of the truth about anything.

Puritan theology explains it had 3 aspects to it I find helpful in understanding faith:

1. Knowing, knowledge aspect to it!

a) You are mentally convinced or the truth about something.

b). The bible informs our faith.

John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Acts 24:14b I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,

2. Assent

a) Knowledge – the mind/my head recognizes and understands that truth about something

b) The Heart - gives assent to it.

Hebrews 11:1b Now faith is….the substance… [IT HAS SUBSTANCE]

i. Substance - (hypo-stasis) derived from 2 words:

a. Hypo = under (Illustration- Hypodermic needle! Something you use to inject something under your skin!)

b.to stand

i. It literally means a standing, or a setting under, a support, a foundation.

Q: Point?

A: Saving faith gets “under one’s skin” it moves from the head to the heart, to the innermost part of you!

Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved

Act 8:36b What hinders me from being baptized?” 37a Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

3. Trust

a) Trust is the voluntary aspect of saving faith, the volitional element. It has to do with the will.

b) It’s when you make the commitment to what your head knows, and what warms your heart!