Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel. It is necessary to our salvation. King Benjamin declared, "Salvation cometh to none.....except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ" You may ask "What is Faith?" Faith is a "hope for things which are not seen, which are true"
Read text: Hebrews 11:1
Faith is a principle that motivates our day-to-day activities. Would we study and learn if we did not believe we could obtain wisdom and knowledge? Would we work each day if we did not hope that by doing so we could accomplish something? Would a farmer plant if he did not expect to harvest? Each day we act upon thngs we hope for when we cannot see the end result. This is faith.
Read text: Hebrews 11:3
Many scriptural stories tell how grat things wer accomplished through faith. By faith Noah built and ark and saved his family from the flood. Moses parted the waters of the Red Sea. Elijah called down fire from heaven. Seas have been calmed, visions opened, and prayers answered, all through the power of faith. As we carefully study the scriptures, we learn that faith is a strong belief of truth within our souls that motivates us to do good. This causes us to ask: In whom should we have faith?
We must center our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. To have faith in Jesus Christ means t ohave such trust in him that we obey whatever he commands. There is no faith where there is no obedience. Likewise, there is true obedience only where there is faith. As we place our faith in Jesus Christ, becoming hse obedient disciples, God will forgive our sins and prepare us to return to him. The apostle Peter preached that "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved!" Jacob taught that men must have "perfec faith in the Holy one of Israel [Jesus Christ], or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God".
Through faith in the savior and through repentance, we make his atonement fully effective in our lives. Through faith we can also receive strength and overcome tempations. We cannot have faith in Jesus Christ without also having faith in God. If we have faith in them, we will also have faith in the Holy Ghost, whom they send, will teach us all truth and will comfort us.
Knowing of the many blesings that come through exercising faith in Jesus Christ, we should seek to increase our faith in him. The savior said, "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed....nothing shall be impossible unto you"
Read text Matthew 17:20
A mustard seed is very small, but it grows into a very large tree. How can we increase our faith? The same way we increase or develop any other skill. We study and practice and work at it. As we do, we improve. So it is with faith. If we want to increase our faith in Jesus Christ, we must work at it. So we can increase our faith in God by acting on our desire to have faith in him.
Read text: Mark 5:25-34
