Identifying Biblical Faith (November 27, 2022)

So much as been said about faith over the past few years, so let’s take a look at Biblical Faith; what is Biblical Faith and how do we recognize it?

First, faith is the identifying mark of a Christian. Prior to being called Christians, we were called “believers”.

John 6:29 ~ “Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.””

• Our chief duty is to believe

• All other duties and responsibilities of a Christian follows our ability to believe and have faith

• Unbelief is the supreme evil and source of all other evils.

So, what is Biblical Faith?

• The Greek ~ the leaning of the entire personality upon God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness.

• Faith is primarily an activity of the mind and our will

• Contrary to popular notion, the exercise of biblical faith does not involve emotion

• Biblical Faith means that we having been intellectually convinced and persuaded, commit ourselves totally to that of which we are convinced

New Testament Faith:

• The whole body of Christian truth; the total revelation of God to man

Philippians 1:27 ~ “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,”

Titus 1:13 ~ “This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,”

Jude 1:3 ~ “Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

• The act of believing, trusting, and relying upon God

Matthew 9:2 ~ “And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.””

Romans 5:1 ~ “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 3:9 ~ “and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”

Hebrews 11:1 ~ “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

• The quality of trustworthiness and steadfastness

Matthew 25:21 ~ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

Galatians 5:22 ~ “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

Revelation 2:10 ~ “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Faith is an action – not only do we believe all that God has said, but we also commit ourselves to obey Him.

Faith is an attitude – as a result of our conviction and commitment, we accept His blueprint for our lives and live in dependence on Him.

So, how do we recognize Biblical Faith?

• Faith’s object:

• True faith is authenticated by its object

• Faith in itself has no power – the power of faith rests in its object

• The object of Biblical Faith is God

Mark 11:22 ~ “And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.”

• Positive thinking says have faith in yourself – Biblical Faith says have faith in God!

• Faith’s objective:

• Genuine faith is born out of a knowledge of the will of God and exists only to fulfill that will.

• Everything in the Christian life is by grace through faith

Ephesians 2:8 ~ “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”

Colossians 1:6 ~ “which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,”

• Faith’s origin:

• Biblical Faith is not something man can produce

• Biblical Faith is a gift from God

• Biblical Faith comes by hearing

Romans 10:17 ~ “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

• Biblical Faith requires a personal encounter with God