Firm Foundations – Session 6 : Faith

Notes:

Faith

‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith”’ (Rom.1:16-17).

The gospel reveals a righteousness which goes from faith to faith. Any teaching of righteousness that goes from faith to works is a false gospel.

1) Faith is the partner of grace

  • Man’s response to God under the law was works; our response under grace is faith, Jn.6:29.
  • Grace is what God has done for us; faith is how we experience what He has done.
  • Faith is our response to what God has provided for us in Christ.
  • ‘We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand’ (Rom.5:2).
  • Faith does not save us. Jesus saves us; faith enables us to lay hold of Him.
  • It is by grace that we are saved, through faith. But even our faith is a gift from God.
  • As we have received Christ by faith, so we live by faith.
  • Paul needed to rebuke the Galatians because they had been tricked into going from faith back into works for their righteousness. He asked them, ‘Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?’ (Gal.3:3).
  • Without faith it is impossible to please Him. Whatever is not of faith is sin.

2) Christ is the prime focus of our faith.

  • People try to live by faith in faith. But faith must have an object in which to trust.
  • That you believe is not the issue; what you believe, is.
  • The strength of our faith is determined by the strength of the object we trust in.
  • The prime object of our faith is Christ.
  • In the entire Old Testament, about 75-80% of the Bible, faith is mentioned only about 15 times. The reason is that the prime object of our faith, Jesus Christ, had not yet come, ‘But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor’ (Gal. 3:22-23).
  • Approximately 115 verses in the New Testament teach that when a person believes in Christ (verb) they are saved, have eternal life, are justified, etc. In addition there are approximately 35 verses which say that a person is saved, justified or becomes righteous by faith (noun). Total = approximately 150 times faith alone is presented as our response to God’s grace.
  • In each of these verses no other condition is demanded. Nothing is mixed with or added to faith as a prerequisite for salvation.
  • Our faith is not in the Bible, but in Christ. The Bible is God’s revelation of Him.
  • We can know the Bible but not know Christ, as did the Pharisees. Jesus said to them: ‘You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life‘ (Jn.5:39-40). If they really understood the Bible they would have known Him, see Jn.5:46-47.
  • Genuine biblical faith looks to Christ. Forsaking All I Trust H
  • Those who have faith, highly value Christ. ‘…to you who believe,He is precious…’ (1 Pet.2:7).
  • To increase your faith in God you must increase your knowledge of Him, your faith object.

3) Thanksgiving is the language of faith

  • Murmuring and complaining are the language of unbelief; thanksgiving is the language of faith.
  • We express our faith by giving thanks to God for the finished work of Christ, which makes us complete and sufficient for all things.
  • ‘Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name’ (Heb.13:15).
  • Jesus expressed His faith in the Father by giving thanks.
  • For example, at the feeding of the 5,000: ‘And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributedthem to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted’ (Jn. 6:11). ‘…however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks’ (Jn.6:23).
  • Also, at the raising of Lazarus, ‘Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me”’ (Jn.11:41).
  • In both situations Jesus gave evidence to His faith in the Father’s control over the circumstances.
  • We express our faith continuously in a similar way, ‘In everything give thanks’ (1 Thes.5:18).
  • We give thanks not just for what He has done but for what He is going to do.
  • He has made us sufficient for all things. God, who gave us salvation in Christ, has made provision for every other need in Him, Rom.8:32.
  • ‘As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving’ (Col.2:6&7).
  • Therefore, we are to offer ‘supplications with thanksgivings’ (Phil.4:6); and ‘continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving’ (Col.4:2).