FAITH UNTO SALVATION
Mark 16:15-18, "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
God’s Church is a church of Faith. The OT only uses the word faith twice, and one of those times it is used in the sense of “faithfulness.” The NT uses the word “faith” over 200 times. The word “believe” is used only 17 times in the OT, and over 100 in the NT. The OT clearly was a message of “works”, while the NT is based squarely on Faith. Jesus stressed the importance of faith throughout his ministry. No wonder the people marvelled at his teachings in contrast to the legalist formalism of the Scribes and Pharisees! Jesus intended His church to be a church of Faith. Six times John records Jesus’ words; “He that believeth on me…”
· John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
· John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
· John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
· John 12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
· John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
· John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
The apostles continued in Faith. Their preaching and teaching was centered in Faith. Paul went to great lenghts to explain salvation in terms of faith. Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” No wonder Jude was so adamant that we hold to the concept of faith. Jude 3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” No doubt faith was being replaced with other means even as early as the end of the first century. It is always easier for man to follow rules than to trust God! Perhaps that is why Jesus asked the question; Luke 18:8 “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
A church empowered by faith was quickly reduced to a church relying on works. “The Spirit became more and more confined to ‘the Church’ until in all but name ‘the Church’ stood above the Spirit. To all intents and purposes the Spirit became the property of the Church, with the gift of the spirit tied to a ritual act, and authority to bestow the spirit confined to the bishop” (Dunn). The reformation succeeded in lifiting the darkness from the Word of God and shifted the focus of salvation from sacrements back to faith. However, the “faith” of the reformation was “essentially an affirmation of Biblical propositions.” To most Protestants-even today-the bible is their only religion and conversion is justification by faith (mental assent) alone. They consider anyone who requires “works”-such as repentance, baptism, or holiness to be legalists. Their view fails to grasp the true meaning of faith! Their doctrine consist only in the idea that if you believe the truth of the Bible, and confess you sins you have been saved. The problem is, they do not understand true faith. I pray that by the time this message is done, we will understand what true faith is-faith that brings salvation!
First of all, we must understand that Faith requires action. We can believe many things, but if we never act on that belief, it profits us nothing. I can believe that flipping the light switch will cause the room to be illuminated, but if I don’t put some action with my belief I will remain in darkness. Faith ALWAYS demands a response. James wrote; James 2:19-20, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" Notice the context. James is not so much trying to state a doctrinal conception of the Godhead as he is trying to make us understand true faith. If believing were enough, the devils would be saved! The problem is, the devils don’t put that belief into action, therefore they have no faith! True faith understands there is one sovereign God, but then goes on to submit to the will of that God! That the difference between believing and faith!
Although the word faith is not used in the OT, the writer of Hebrews understood that much of what transpired of old was because of faith. Look at Hebrews 11:
· Hebrews 11:4, "By faith Abel offered"
· Hebrews 11:5, "By faith Enoch was translated"
· Hebrews 11:7, "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark"
· Hebrews 11:8, "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out,"
· Hebrews 11:11, "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child"
· Hebrews 11:17, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac:"
· Hebrews 11:20, "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come."
· Hebrews 11:23, "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents,"
· Hebrews 11:24, "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;"
· Hebrews 11:27, "By faith he forsook Egypt,"
· Hebrews 11:28, "Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood,"
· Hebrews 11:29, "By faith they passed through the Red sea"
· Hebrews 11:30, "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days."
By Faith! Belief that produced action! I am tired of some theological minded intellectuals telling me that all I have to do is believe! It is time that the true church stands up and says with James, James 2:18, "…shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." I’ve repented of my sins! I’ve been baptised-immersed in water in the name of Jesus! I’ve received the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I am living a life of (Hebrews 12:14), "…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" You can call that works if you want to; BUT I CALL IT FAITH!!!!
The NT contiunes in this same pattern.
· Faith caused the servants to pour the water that Jesus turned to wine.
· Faith caused the friends of the man with the palsy to tear the roof off the house.
· Faith caused the woman with the issue of blood to reach for the hem of Jesus’ garment.
· Faith caused Peter to jump out of the boat and walk on water.
· Faith caused the disciples to distribute seven loaves and two (small) fishes to feed a multitude.
· Faith caused the blind man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam.
· Faith caused the disciples to cast their nets on the other side of the boat.
Easy believism may have acknowledged that God was able to answer, but faith prompted action!
Second, Faith must be based on the Word of the Lord. Calvin wrote; “The…Word is the basis whereby Faith is supported and sustained; if it turns away from the Word, it falls. Therefore, take away the Word and no faith will then remain.” Specifically, faith rests on the preached, or spoken word of God. Paul wrote; Romans 10:13-17, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The word “word” is not logos, as we so often hear used, rather it is rhema-that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word-any sound produced by the voice and having definite meaning.
You can believe in anything, but you can only have true faith if it rests on the Word of God. You can believe in philosophy, you can believe in theology, you can believe in education, you can believe in the Democrats/Republicans, you can believe in yourself, you can even believe in a lie or mere speculation. But you can never say you have faith in those things, because faith requires the Word. All paths do not lead to God! The doctrine in which you place your trust does matter. Psalms 119:89, "For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." Matthew 24:35, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." The one thing that is constant is God’s word. That is why our faith is there. Nothing else is sure. The familiar description of faith that we find in Hebrews 11:1, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The word substance means “that which has actual existence.” It speaks of something that it sure, or foundational, and is sometimes translated “confidence.” Why, because God’s Word is our foundation.
Let me bring this sermon home with our text. Many have taken the verse from Mark 16:16, and made it a doctrine of salvation without any qualification. They feel that simply believing on the Lord Jesus Christ as their “personal saviour” quailifes them for salvation. Some even deny the role of baptism, relying only on what the term a “confession of faith.” Of course, the remainder of the passage speaks of signs that follow the believer, but I think a better answer might be to look at the record of the early church. Turn to Acts 8:5-23. Acts 8:5-10, "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God."
· The people “gave heed to Philip’s preaching-just as they “gave heed” to Simon. They believed-but were not yet saved.
Acts 8:11-13, "And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done."
· Simon believed and was baptized-meeting both the conditions set forth in Mark 16:16!
Acts 8:14-17, "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
· The apostles were not satisfied that the Samaritans had believed, they want to see faith that brought the Spirit!
Acts 8:18-23, "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."
· It is apparent that Simon was not saved, seeing that his heart was not right in the sight of God!
We need a faith that is unto salvation! Acts 19:1-2, "And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Saving faith is always accompanied by the Spirit! Mental assent to God’s word may be a start, but it will not bring salvation. We must act on that belief by letting Jesus be the Lord of our life. It is as we do that that we move from the realm of belief to the realm of Faith. A faith unto salvation.
This Salvation is for “whosoever will.” Romans 12:3, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." This salvation is not to a few. It is not for the priviledged, or those that think they are good enough. God has given everyone “the measure.” You have the faith, but it will require you to take action! Why not come tonight?
