What is Faith?
Hebrews 10:32-11:6
Genesis 4:1-8
Genesis 5:21-24
As we begin our walk as a church, Walk By Faith Christian Fellowship, we need to set a strong foundation on our faith. Over the next 2 months, we are going to be studying the word of God, and what it tells us about our faith. There is no better chapter to learn about faith than Hebrews 11. So as we begin, let us open our hearts and our ears to hear what God wants to teach us. Let us pray:
Faith is a very odd word. I mean to say, people use it in so many contexts. I have faith that when I get up to go to work that my car will start. When I get up and turn on the light switch, I have faith that the light will indeed come on. I have faith that when I breathe in, I will receive a supply of oxygen that will “hold me over” till my next breath. When my wife, Lisa, prepares a meal, I have faith that I will enjoy it, right?
When I go to a doctor, I have faith in his credentialing without ever confirming his ability, do I? He sends me to get a prescription of something that I have never heard of , and I have faith that those little pills are going to make me better! Yet I do not know if I am getting the right pills, do I?
We use the word faith in so many ways. “Just keep the faith, brother.” But just what does ‘faith’ really mean? Is it a slogan? Is it just a idea that we believe in? Maybe it is the belief in the right doctrine? Or is it just merely a concept?
I can tell you this much, the Bible refers to the word ‘faith’ more than 230 times. That tells us that it is a VERY important part of our Christian walk. I ask you this evening, do you now the difference between ‘having faith’, and ‘believing’? Well, Merriam-Webster defines faith as “allegiance to duty or a person: loyalty! a fidelity to one’s promises.” Believe is defined as to accept as true, genuine, or real. These two words seem very similar in meaning, don’t they?
Keep in mind that I believe in the strength of a bungee cord to hold my weight if I were to jump off a bridge while tied to one end of it? But would I have enough faith in it to jump? I don’t know! That would take a lot of faith in another person’s knowledge and experience!
Let’s see what the Word of God says.
Hebrew 11:1-6 says, “ Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. For therein the elders had witness borne to them. By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh. By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God: And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.”
Verse 1 tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. Did you catch that? The assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen! We could not see the world being made, and what it is made of, yet we believe that it is real, don’t we? I mean, is there anyone here that does not believe that we are not here? That the world does not exist? God willed it, so it is so!
Verse 3 gives a great illustration of just that. It says, “By faith, we understand that the universe was put together by God’s word. What we see was made from what we cannot see.”
Let’s read together chapter 10 vs 32-39. “Don’t ever forget those wonderful days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you kept right on with the Lord even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were laughed at and beaten, and sometimes you watched and sympathized with others suffering the same things. You suffered with those thrown into jail, and you were actually joyful when all you owned was taken from you, knowing that better things were awaiting you in heaven, things that would be yours forever. Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want him to do for you all that he has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them. But we have never turned our backs on God and sealed our fate. No, our faith in him assures our souls’ salvation.”
Understand the situation that the Hebrew Christians were facing. They were ‘under fire’ from those around them. They were not only going against the grain, but they were actually being persecuted because of their belief. They were imprisoned, beaten, ridiculed and mocked, and even striped of their very possessions. Because of their belief. And they went through all this joyously? I have to wonder, how would I react if someone took my home, my car, my savings, then ridiculed me, even through me in jail, because I believed in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior? That would be a true test of faith, wouldn’t you agree?
The writer goes on to admonish them to keep the faith in verses 35-39. He says that they need to stay confident and to trust in the Lord, no matter what happens! To remember the reward, the great reward that awaits them. In the next verses he says they need to have patient endurance so that they will continue to do God’s will. He reminds them that Christ will be coming back and that a righteous person will live by faith, and that He will have no pleasure form those who turn away.
We truly need to live our lives based on a faith in Christ and His promises. But sometimes it is so very difficult, isn’t it? It is so much easier to talk about while we are here is a worship service, or around other Christians, but what about when we are “in the world?” When we are at work and the temptations seem to strike out from all angles. When we are sitting and talking to non-Christians and they scoff at Christianity? What about when we see people who claim Christianity and show no fruits? They have vile language and sin on a whim?
We need to have faith like little children. Isn’t that what we were taught by Jesus himself? I read a story that I thought was very fitting for this message. A small boy riding a bus home from Sunday school was very proud of the card he had received, which had a picture and a caption that read: “Have Faith in God.” Then to his dismay the card slipped from his hand and fluttered out the window. “Stop the bus!” he cried. “I’ve lost my ‘faith in God!’” The driver pulled the bus to a stop, and as the lad climbed out and went to retrieve his card, one of the adult riders smiled and made a comment about the innocence of youth. A more perceptive adult observed, “All of us would be better off if we were that concerned about our faith."
Let’s turn back to Genesis 4:1-8. It reads, “Then Adam had sexual intercourse with Eve his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, Cain (meaning ``I have created’’). For, as she said, ``With God’s help, I have created a man!’’ Her next child was his brother, Abel.Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer. At harvest time Cain brought the Lord a gift of his farm produce, and Abel brought the fatty cuts of meat from his best lambs, and presented them to the Lord. And the Lord accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. This made Cain both dejected and very angry, and his face grew dark with fury. ``Why are you angry?’’ the Lord asked him. ``Why is your face so dark with rage? It can be bright with joy if you will do what you should! But if you refuse to obey, watch out. Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you. But you can conquer it!’’ One day Cain suggested to his brother, ``Let’s go out into the fields.’’ And while they were together there, Cain attacked and killed his brother. ”
While these scriptures do not say exactly why God did not accept Cain’s offering, Proverbs 21:27 says, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.” My guess is that Cain came with an ulterior motive. He was wanting something for his offering, and was not offering with a clean heart.
God was telling Cain that he was doing something wrong, but Cain became angry with God. And God said, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it."
How do you react when someone suggest that you have done something wrong? Do you become angry? Do you try to ‘justify’ your actions? Or do you sit back and think about it and go to God? That’s what we should do, isn’t it? Yet we sometimes let Satan in through a back door and listen to him. This can only lead to sin and heartache!
Abel, on the other hand was giving a sacrifice with the intent of giving to God out of gratitude. Not because he expected something in return. He was giving in faith that God was going to provide, regardless. I guess this was the first documented case of being persecuted because of one’s faith. This is why Abel was listed as one who lived by faith. Because he lived by faith. A faith in God and His infinite love.
Now let’s look at Hebrews 11:5. “Enoch trusted God too, and that is why God took him away to heaven without dying; suddenly he was gone because God took him. Before this happened God had said how pleased he was with Enoch.”
Now let’s turn to Genesis 5:21-24. “Enoch: Enoch was sixty-five years old when his son Methuselah was born. Afterwards he lived another 300 years in fellowship with God, and produced sons and daughters; then, when he was 365, and in constant touch with God, he disappeared, for God took him!”
Verse 21 says that when Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. Can you imagine that? I mean that still happens in this world, but how often? To become a father at 65, that would probably scare some men today. The next verse says that Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. Three hundred years! And he still fathered more children after Methuselah was born. More importantly we see that Enoch “walked with God” after Methuselah’s birth. He walked with God. He lived a life of faith. And then when he was 365 years old, he was no more.
I like the Living Bibles translation. It says, “Enoch was sixty-five years old when his son Methuselah was born. Afterwards he lived another 300 years in fellowship with God, and produced sons and daughters; then, when he was 365, and in constant touch with God, he disappeared, for God took him!” He lived for 30 more years in “fellowship” with God. The verb ‘fellowship’ is defined as, “community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience” He maintained an activity and feelings with God. He shared an interest with God! What a great and loving God we serve that would share His love with us.
Enoch’s faith was so strong in God, his relationship was so strong with God, that God lifted Enoch up after 30 years of fellowship! That really excites me! I could only pray for that kind of faith and that kind of relationship with our Creator.
If I were to ask you to describe someone that you know, what important details would come to mind. I mean someone that you look up to. Someone that really impresses you. Would integrity come to mind? Maybe ability? I can honestly say that I have never known a person of Enoch’s caliber, especially when it comes to his faith. I would safely assume that is the reason that God chose to only list so little else about Enoch in these scriptures.
Let’s read Hebrews 11:6 again. “And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him” Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. Faith. An assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. An assurance of things hoped for. Assurance is synonymous with confidence, as is trust. We must trust in Him. We must have confidence in Jesus Christ as our savior. We must have faith in God that we are saved by His grace, not by our deeds!
Faith is not by any means a cliché, nor is it a word that simply says we ‘kinda’ believe. Faith is a deep belief and trust in the blood of Christ as our redemption for our sins and iniquities. Without it, we are condemned. For we cannot be saved by our own deeds. It is only by the grace of God that we are allowed this gift. It is a gift from him, to you, and you, and me, and to all that would believe and have faith.
Our salvation is a gift from God. But much like a gift that I would give my wife, it is worthless to her if she does not accept it. She has to open this gift and accept it as hers. Once she accepts it, it is hers.
The amazing and sad truth about this gift of salvation is that there are so many people who will not accept it. They will not open this gift from God. They give so many reasons as to why. Like, ‘I am just to bad of a person. I have done so many wrong things in my life that God cannot love me that much anymore.’ Newsflash: God loves you today just as he did the day he counted the hairs on your head. He loved you before you were placed so lovingly in your mother’s womb. He has always loved you, He loves you now, and will always love you. He just wants for you to love him and have faith in his love for you. He has provided the answer for your sins. He has paved the way. He has even given the road map. It is up to you to accept this gift. Just simply open your heart and accept it. There is no cost to you. Your ransom has already been paid. If you are here this evening and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, I urge you to hear that voice deep within your heart. The one that is calling you back to the flock.
If you are already involved in a personal relationship with Jesus, but you have somehow been distracted by the events of this world, I encourage you to look into your heart to check your faith. See if it is as strong and intense as it should be. Ask yourself, do you have a growing faith? Is there an area in my life that I have faltered in my faith because things that I see seem more real than things that I don’t see? Are the things of this world holding more value or importance than the things of the Kingdom of God.
God’s word says that faith is the key to our salvation, and our happiness. There is nothing more important to God than your faith. Your trust. Your confidence in Him. In this world we may have many things, but when this shell of a body dies and withers away, those things will no longer be important. They have never been important to God, only to us. What matters to God is our faith in Him. The acceptance and belief in His continuous love for you. Let Him fulfill His promise to you. He promises not only to save you from your sins, but also to give you comfort in hard times. To provide for your needs. To love you with all His heart. That my brothers and sisters is an awful lot of love. All that He asks for is for you to have faith in and love Him.
2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” Let’s open the eyes to our heart, and see His love!
