Faith for Christian Living

MEMORY VERSES: James 1:22; 2:26; Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6

Hebrews 11 is one of those special passages that brings together all of the major teaching on one subject in one place. Other examples of this are the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 and the resurrection chapter in 1 Corinthians 15.

 

Following are eight major lessons on the subject of faith.

 

1.  Faith is essential (Heb. 11:6).

 

The words “faith” and “believe” are mentioned 771 times in the Bible. The Christian life is “from faith to faith” (Romans 1:17). Jesus often reproved His disciples for lack of faith (Mat. 6:30; 8:26; 14:31: 16:8).

 

2.  Faith is based on God’s Word (Heb. 11:1).

 

Compare Romans 10:17.

 

Faith is simply believing God’s Word. This is the most important fact about faith. Consider Noah (Heb. 11:7), Abraham (Heb. 11:8), and Sarah (Heb. 11:11).

 

Biblical faith is not blind; it has evidence and substance (Heb. 11:1) and that is God’s Word itself, which is based upon “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3). This is in contrast to the “faith” of this world, which is based upon nothing substantive.

Biblical faith does not come by miracles or by feelings or by mystical experiences. Abraham told the rich man in hell that if men do not believe God’s Word, they will not believe even if one rose from the dead before them (Luke 16:31).

 

That faith is based on God’s Word means that the Bible is essential for Christian living. If we want our faith to grow, we must read and study the Bible (Rev. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:15) and hear the Bible (faithfulness to the preaching and teaching) and memorize the Bible (Psa. 119:11).

 

3.  Faith steps out in obedience (Heb. 11:8).

 

See James 1:22. True faith is not something that is just in the mind and heart; it is something that acts on God’s Word. James teaches us that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). It is not real faith.

 

Faith steps out to develop godly habits (e.g., church attendance, Heb. 10:25; Bible study, 2 Tim. 2:12; intercessory prayer, 1 Tim. 2:1-2).

 

Faith steps out when God calls. Jesus warned about putting off the call of God (Lk. 9:59-62).

 

4.  Faith looks beyond this life (Heb. 11:10).

 

It looks at treasures laid up in heaven (Mat. 6:20). It looks at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10).

 

This will keep me from being lazy, selfish, carnal, lukewarm. Young people need to do this. New believers need to do this. Businessmen need to do this. Elderly believers need to do this. My mom starting reading the Bible every day when she was in her 70s and has read it through twice a year since then.

When the Bible commentator William Kelly’s nephew attended university, his Greek professor learned that his uncle had taught him this language and offered him a position on the faculty of Trinity College, a Roman Catholic institution. He was offered prestige and was told he “would make a fortune.” His wise reply was “For which world?”

 

5.  Faith is tested (Heb. 11:17).

 

Faith is always tested. It is tested to see if it is real and it is tested to purify it. We see this in the lives of the Jews in the wilderness (Ex. 4:29-31; 5:4-23).

 

Faith is tested as soon as an individual believes in Christ (Mk. 4:18-19) and there is a process of testing and strengthening throughout the Christian life (1 Pet. 5:10). Faith is tested each time a new step of faith is taken, such as the decision to attend church faithfully or to read the Bible every day or to give a portion of my income to the Lord regularly or to love my wife as Christ loves the church. God wants to see if our faith is real or only superficial.

 

6.  Faith gives us courage (Heb. 11:23).

 

Life is full of fears but faith in Christ overcomes every fear. We don’t have to fear any problem or situation, because everything is in God’s hands (Rom. 8:28). We don’t have to fear for food and clothing (Mat. 6:33; Heb. 13:5-6). We don’t have to fear for old age (Psa. 37:25).

 

7.  Faith makes wise choices (Heb. 11:24-26).

 

Moses made a wise choice by faith, choosing to suffer affliction with God’s people for a short season instead of living the life of ease as a son of Pharaoh. Faith can give us the same wisdom to make major decisions, such as these:

Whether to follow the crowd or to follow Christ. Whether to be wholehearted for Christ or not (Rom. 12:1). Whether to separate from the world or not (Rom. 12:2). Whether to serve God or mammon (Mat. 6:24). Whether to be lazy or diligent (Prov. 13:4). Whether to give to God’s work richly or to keep it for myself (2 Cor. 9:6).

 

8.  Faith overcomes and also endures (Heb. 11:32-38).

 

Some receive faith to overcome life’s trials, while others receive faith to endure the trials. We can have faith whether the fire is quenched or whether it burns us, whether the lion’s mouth is shut or whether he eats us, whether the jail doors are opened or whether we die there. We must trust God whether we are healed or not, whether the house sells or not, whether the bullet is stopped or not.

 

God gives faith according to His will; we must accept His will. This is why Jesus called Scripture “the word of my patience” (Rev. 3:10).

 

Conclusion

 

Thank God for His grace and the privilege of exercising faith in this wicked generation. Do you have saving faith in Christ? A faith that has changed your life (2 Cor. 5:17)?

 

Do you have an intimate relationship with the Bible so that your faith is growing?

 

Is your faith being tested? Just keep on keeping on!

 

What will be the story of my life in regard to faith? Every life is written in God’s books (Heb. 11:39-40).

REVIEW QUESTIONS ON FAITH FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING

 

1.  What is the major chapter in the Bible on faith?

 

2.  What verse says that without faith it is impossible to please God?

 

3.  What verse says that faith is the evidence of things not seen?

 

4.  What verse says there are many infallible proofs for biblical faith?

 

5.  What was the rich man in hell told when he asked for Lazarus to be raised from the dead so that his lost brothers would believe?

 

6.  What must I do if I want my faith to grow?

 

7.  What verse says "be ye doers of the word and not hearers only"?

 

8.  What verse says "as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead"?

 

9.  Why is faith tested?

 

10.  What verse says that all things work together for good to those who love God?

 

11.  What verse says, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken"?

 

12.  What wise choice did Moses make?

 

13.  What is enduring faith?