The Life of Faith
Hebrews 11:6-7
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
A Living Faith
Obstacles or problems
Of a conscious existance.
May impede my progress
But it does not decay
The embedded righteousness
Desired within my heart
Nor the sacrifices of my living
For within every obstacle
Is a reward.
And to every problem
There is a success.
A rose remains a rose
A fountain is still a fountain
And life is still living.
Nothing should be impossible
For it is Thought
That gives life to the mind.
And A Living Faith
Justifies itself
By living today
In tomorrow’s dreams
Think in your faith...
Talk in your faith...
See things in your faith...
Listen in your faith...
Learn in your faith...
Walk in your faith...
Live in your Faith.
A Living Faith that stands.
So Live in the faith of how you think
Live in the faith of how you talk
Live in the faith of how you see
Live in the faith of how you listen
Live in the faith of what you learn
Live in the faith of how you walk
For you are A Living Faith.
Cecelia Weir
I. Faiths Reward
As we read the text one might assume that we are rewarded for the works that a life of faith produces
Or the he rewards those who seek him with material possessions
If the exercise of faith is pleasing to God, does this signify that it is a thing merit?
If it is there is a conflict with pure grace
And what is the doctrinal force of the next verse?
Does the case of Noah teach salvation by works?
If he had not gone to so much expense and labor in building the ark, would he and his house have escaped the flood?
Was his becoming “heir of righteousness’’ something that he earned by his obedient toil?
On the contrary he does reward
But He is the reward
Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
There is a threefold “coming to God”: an initial, a continuous, and a final.
The first takes place at conversion, the second is repeated throughout the
Christian’s life, the third occurs at death or the second coming of Christ.
To come to God signifies to seek and have fellowship with Him.
It denotes a desire to enter into His favor and become a partaker of His blessings in
this life and of His salvation in the life to come.
It is the heart’s approach unto Him in and through Christ.
But before there is a conscious access to Him, God has to be diligently sought
And how does God “reward” the diligent seeker?
By offering Himself graciously to be found of them who penitently, earnestly, trustfully approach Him through the appointed Mediator.
By granting them access into His favor:
The faith seeker is not alone is his or her search
Scripture implies that God is searching too.
For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NIV)
V.7 Faith Witnesses
I. The life of faith is a witness (example)
The person living the life of faith is a witness (testimony)
a. Noah Heard the voice of God
Faith comes by hearing;
He was sensitive to the promptings and leading of God
b. He warned (revealed the message of God hebrew).
He witnessed
c. He obeyed the voice of God
Matthew Henry says, “Faith first influences our affections and then our actions.”
Privilege and duty are inseparably connected, yet duty will never be performed where faith is absent.
His life was a living epistle/example of the benefits of obeying the voice of God
II. The life of faith removes the fear of risk taking
a. God assumes all the risks
III. 7b. The life of faith ushers you into uncharted territory/new horizons
God wants to take you places you’ve never been
He wants to show you things you’ve never seen
IV. The life of faith set you apart
V. 7c. The life of faith puts God in His place (reverential fear hebrew.)
VI .7d, e Faith has its own reward built in
a. Salvation
b. sonship
