Faith the Substance of All
Hebrews 10:39 & 11:1
Intro: Faith is the key for all believers in Christ Jesus. Because of placing our faith in Christ we have Hope, Hope for all eternity and Hope is all we need.
Core: In Hebrews 10:39 & 11:1 we see these words, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (11:1), Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Through faith we have overcome. (1st John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
Body I. Mankind has tried for years to come to God by works.
A. But, unless you can present to God perfect works with no sin in your life you can have no hope.
1. Hope for eternity has always been from the same source.
2. That source is from God.
3. The only way to have true Hope is to have True salvation.
4. True salvation comes only by faith not by works. Ephesians 2:8 & 9 states, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast."
B. What is your Hope based on, mans way or Gods way?
1. Understand what the writer of Hebrews is saying "Faith is the substance,"
2. God’s way is the substance or from the original Greek text it is the "Assurance."
3. The original text puts it like this, "Now is Faith of things Hoped for Assurance of things, (the) conviction not seen."
4. Faith in Christ brings Great assurance and conviction of truth.
C. Many people try to make salvation more complex than it actually is.
1. They think it is a leap in the dark.
2. An uncertainty,
3. Or a gamble.
4. But faith, rest on a foundation.
D. That foundation is Jesus Christ.
1. This is the foundation we build on as seen in 1st Corinthians 3:11, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
2. We build on that foundation.
3. Our eternal house is established upon Faith.
4. Rewards for eternity are built upon this foundation.
II. Faith is the substance of things not seen the KJV tells us.
A. This reminds me of the story I once heard from a black pastor friend.
1. When he was a young child and they would have a family reunion.
2. His mom would cook steak and from the drippings make gravy.
3. The platters would be passed first to the men who would eat their fill.
4. Then to the ladies and finally the platter would reach the children.
5. Usually the only thing left in the platter was the gravy.
6. But, he thought, the gravy represented the steak (meat), which he did not see, but he had hope of receiving when he grew into maturity.
B. That is faith in action.
1. Understand it is faith not works that saves you.
2. Faith is not something that is added to good works.
3. It produces them.
4. Good works for the believer come after salvation.
C. Faith gives assurance.
1. You should have assurance of salvation, if you have placed your faith and trust in Christ.
2. Because salvation is by faith alone.
3. John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."
4. The key here as in the other 101 references in the Gospel of John that declares a person’s salvation on the basis of faith is just that faith.
D. Notice that the one who believes,
1. Has everlasting Life.
2. Will never be condemned (i.e. judged).
3. Has already passed from death unto life.
4. At the moment of salvation you have a change in position.
III. Faith having assurance (i.e. substance) is like the meat in the story of the family Reunion it is something you can sink your teeth into.
A. Faith brings conviction.
1. Conviction of the truth.
2. Truth that Jesus Christ was the saviour sent from God to bring all that place their faith in Christ, salvation.
3. That conviction brings eternal life to the believing one.
4. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17.
B. So that the substance of faith which Paul speaks of is Conviction.
1. That conviction is the foundation that is Christ Jesus.
2. Christ is the one whom you and I must have our faith in.
3. That is the evidence we take to be judged by.
4. That is evidence that will stand, (i.e. has substance).
C. God will accept that evidence in His courtroom.
1. He will not accept good works for salvation.
2. He only accepts faith.
3. Those who believe will never perish.
4. We are sealed until the day of judgement.
D. God will judge all in the end.
1. His judgement is the final say for all.
2. His judgement is eternal.
3. Faith in Christ means your penalty is paid in full.
4. Which means you are no longer condemned.
IV. As we saw in 1st John 5:4 we have overcome.
A. We overcame the domination of the Old Sin Nature by our faith.
1. That means we have overcome the world.
2. We are dead to sin and alive to Christ.
3. We are free to serve Christ.
4. Free to carry for the Word of God to the World.
B. We still sin because we still have an Old Sin Nature.
1. But just because we sin doesn’t mean we are lost again.
2. We can never be lost again.
3. We can never lose our salvation.
4. Because faith has made us overcomers and overcomers have eternal victory.
C. Faith is the victory we find.
1. Victory is in Christ.
2. By our faith in Him we have overcome the world,
3. We have overcome the domination of the O. S. N.
4. And we have gained eternal life in Him.
D. All the world has to offer is swallowed up in Christ victory.
1. Death is no longer to be feared.
2. Paul said, "For to me to live is Christ, to die is gain." Philippians 1:21.
3. And 1st Corinthians 15:54-56 also show us how we have gained the victory.
4. Revelation 2:11 tells us those who overcome will not face the second death, (i.e. eternal separation from God).
Conc: We cannot overcome sin and death on our own. These are only conquered by faith, that faith must be in Jesus Christ. It is only through our faith in Him that we have victory over all. Because of faith we will eat of the tree of life in the midst of paradise. So now faith is the substance of everything for all mankind.
