THE FAITH FACTOR
ROMANS 1:17
1.INTRO. ALL OF US HAVE FAITH IN SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. AND WHILE WE ALL HAVE SOME DEGREE OF FAITH, SOME HAVE MORE THAN OTHERS. SOME HAVE MORE FAITH IN GOV’T., HUMANITY, SPOUSES, GOD ,AND CHURCH.
2.THE TEXT. PAUL WRITES THIS EPISTLE TO THE CHURCHES AT ROME, ADDRESSING SEVERAL ISSUES. ONE IN PARTICULAR IS JUSTIFICATION AND FAITH.
a)PAULS SAYS THE JUST. THE JUST ARE THOSE WHO HAVE CONFESSED CHRIST AS SAVIOR, WHICH BRINGS ABOUT ONES JUSTIFICATION.
b)JUSTIFICATION PUTS US IN A RIGHT AND RIGHTEOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
c)ALL HUMANITY IS BORN INTO A STATE OF CONDEMNATION, WHICH MEANS THAT WITHOUT AN EXPRESSED FAITH IN JESUS, MAN WILL FIND HIMSELF IN HELL WHEN HE DIES.
d)BUT WHEN WE HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED, WE ARE FREE FROM THE WRATH OF GOD, ROMANS 5:9, “MUCH MORE THEN, BEING NOW JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD, WE SHALL BE SAVED FROM WRATH THROUGH HIM.”
3.FAITH IS THE CONDITION OF JUSTIFICATION.
a)FAITH IS THE CONFIDENCE TO BELIEVE IN THE UNSEEN, AS IT RELATES TO GOD.
b)TRUSTING HIM EVEN WHEN WE CANNOT TRACE HIM.
c)FAITH IS AN EXPRESSION, BUT IT IS ALSO AN EXPERIENCE.
d)WITHOUT FAITH IN CHRIST, THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION.
e)IF THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION, THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE IS CONDEMNATION.
4.THE FIRST FAITH AREA OF EMPHASIS IS RELATIONAL.
a)GOD DESIRES TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH US, ISAIAH 43:7, “EVEN EVERY ONE THAT IS CALLED BY MY NAME: FOR I HAVE CREATED HIM FOR MY GLORY, I HAVE FORMED HIM; YEA, I HAVE MADE HIM.”
b)GOD DESIRES OUR SERVICE, MATT. 4:10, “THEN SAITH JESUS UNTO HIM, GET THEE HENCE, SATAN: FOR IT IS WRITTEN, THOU SHALT WORSHIP THE LORD THY GOD, AND HIM ONLY SHALT THOU SERVE.”
c)THE REASON THAT MANY ARE NOT ON THE BOUNTIFUL RECEIVING END OF GOD’S BLESSINGS IS REFLECTIVE OF THEIR LACK OF FAITH, HEB. 11:6, “BUT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM: FOR HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.”
d)IF WE WANT THE BLESSINGS OF GOD, WE MUST EXEMPLIFY FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE. THE ALTERNATIVE TO BLESSINGS IS CURSING, DEUT. 30:19-20, “I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH TO RECORD THIS DAY AGAINST YOU, THAT I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING: THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE, THAT BOTH THOU AND THY SEED MAY LIVE: THAT THOU MAYEST LOVE THE LORD THY GOD, AND THAT THOU MAYEST OBEY HIS VOICE, AND THAT THOU MAYEST CLEAVE UNTO HIM: FOR HE IS THY LIFE, AND THE LENGTH OF THY DAYS: THAT THOU MAYEST DWELL IN THE LAND WHICH THE LORD SWARE UNTO THY FATHERS, TO ABRAHAM, TO ISAAC, AND TO JACOB, TO GIVE THEM.”
e)GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PEOPLE.
f)EACH OF US SHOULD DO A DAILY SELF EXAMINATION FAITH CHECK, ASKING, HOW IS MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
5.LIVE BY YOUR FAITH.
a)FAITH SHOULD SHOW UP IN THE WAY WE WALK.
b)IN THE WAY WE TALK.
c)THE WAY WE PRAY.
d)THE WAY WE PREACH.
e)THE WAY WE TREAT OTHERS/ IN ALL THAT WE DO.
6.WE NEED A FAITH THAT IS NOT DILLUTED OR POLLUTED. A FAITH:
a)THAT HONORS GOD.
b)THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME.
c)THAT WILL BRING US THROUGH THE FIRE,
d)THAT WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE RED SEA.
e)THAT CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS.
f)TO SAY YES WHEN OTHERS SAY NO.
g)TO FIGHT WHEN OTHERS FLEE.
h)TO BE FAITHFUL WHEN OTHERS ARE FAITHLESS.
i)TO OBEY WHEN OTHERS DISOBEY GOD.
j)FAITH TO GO WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE GOING.
k)JESUS LIVED FAITHFUL WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS.
