Six Meanings Of Faith In Scriptures Lesson 3 Series

1. Saving Faith Principle: The Scriptures teach faith in Jesus Christ alone will save a person, plus nothing and minus nothing.

a. God loves you and has wonderful plans for your life. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NLT).

b. All need salvation. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT).

c. All will be punished. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, NLT).

d. Jesus took our punishment. “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT).

e. Jesus will save you. “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, NLT).

2. Statement of Faith Principle: When using the word faith (usually with the article “a” in Scriptures), it refers to the doctrinal content that is essential for salvation and must be embraced to receive its benefits.

a. The Bible is source of faith. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17, KJV).

b. The Bible is source of eternal life. “You have been born again . . . your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal living Word” (1 Peter 1:23, NLT).

3. Living by Faith Principle: Is total dependence on God, displayed by total commitment to the commands of Scripture, and worship of God.

a. You must live what you believe. “As you have accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, . . . continue to follow Him . . . let your lives be built on Him” (Col. 2:6-7, NLT).

b. What you believe will influence your life. “The just will live by faith” (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38).

4. Justification by Faith Principle: Is realizing your complete forgiveness of all sins was paid by the sacrificial death of Christ and that the perfect righteousness of Christ is credited to your account.

a. Double transference. First, our sins are taken away. Jesus came to “take away our sins” (1 John 3:5).

b. Second, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is added to our account. “We are made righteous through Christ” (2 Cor. 5:21, ELT).

5. Indwelling Faith Principle: Letting the faith of Jesus Christ who indwells the leader with power to solve problems or answer the crisis.

a. Christ lives in me. “I am crucified with Christ, yet . . . Christ lives in me” (Col. 2:20, KJV).

b. Christ’s faith works through me. “The life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me” (Gal. 2:20, KJV).

6. Gift of Faith Principle: Is the ability to move God to divinely intervene in an issue or crisis that is facing a ministry, so the work of God goes forward.

a. God gives us different spiritual gifts to minister for Him. “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us” (1 Cor. 12:4-6, NLT).

b. Faith is a spiritual gift with preaching and knowledge. “If I had the gift of preaching . . . and if I had the gift of knowledge and if I had the gift of faith to move mountains, but didn’t have love, I would be nothing” (Rom. 13:2, ELT).

c. Jesus challenges us to move mountains, i.e., obstacles by faith.

d. Four stages to use gifts of faith. (1) Desire, “Whatsoever things you desire” (Mark 11:24), (2) Believe, “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22), (3) Say, “You can say to this mountain” (Mark 11:23), (4) Not doubt, “no doubt” (Mark 11:23).

TAKE AWAY

1. All expressions of faith begin with Scriptures, grows because of Scriptures, and are successful when applied according to Scriptures.

2. Those who are successful in their Christian life and ministry tie everything to biblical faith.

3. Don’t expect to move mountains by faith without expressing all the other faith-experiences.

4. To know and live by faith is as easy as knowing and living by Scriptures.

5. Faith is the beginning foundation and the first measurement of successful ministry.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart: