Jim Parker
Member
Words we throw around just like we knew what they meant
(Eph 2:8-10)
For by grace
you have been saved
through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift from God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Four items: 1. Grace
2. Saved
3. Faith
4. Works
And one more 5. Everlasting (Eternal) Life.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Faith
1. Faith and faithfulness
a. Faith as trust
i. Having faith means that we trust that Jesus will do what He
said He would do.
ii. Having faith means we trust that what Jesus told us to do is the best thing to do.
> We trust His judgment more than our own.
iii. Having faith means that we trust in Jesus as our LORD so we do
whatever He commands us to do.
> He commands us to love one another (Jhn 13:34; 15:12)
> He said that if we want to receive mercy then we need
to be merciful (Mat 5:7)
> He said that if we want to be forgiven then we have to
forgive. (Mat 6:15; 18:35)
b. Faith as action
i. Having faith is meaningless unless one acts in accordance with
that faith.
ii. Hebrews 11 gives us examples of Old Testament saints who
“by faith – did” something.
Imagine someone saying to God something like this: “I have faith that what you say I should do is the best thing for me to do but, I’m going to do it my way anyway.”
Wouldn’t that be the same as saying: “I really do NOT think you know the best way; I think I know better than you, God, so I’m going to do it my way.”?
And God says; “Ok. Let me know how that works out for you. Call me.”
Jesus said:
Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46)
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
So faith is not just believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Even the demons in the possessed man of the Gadarenes believed who Jesus is and correctly identified Him as "Jesus, Son of the Most High God"
The concept of having faith includes acting like we have faith.
(Eph 2:8-10)
For by grace
you have been saved
through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift from God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Four items: 1. Grace
2. Saved
3. Faith
4. Works
And one more 5. Everlasting (Eternal) Life.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Faith
1. Faith and faithfulness
a. Faith as trust
i. Having faith means that we trust that Jesus will do what He
said He would do.
ii. Having faith means we trust that what Jesus told us to do is the best thing to do.
> We trust His judgment more than our own.
iii. Having faith means that we trust in Jesus as our LORD so we do
whatever He commands us to do.
> He commands us to love one another (Jhn 13:34; 15:12)
> He said that if we want to receive mercy then we need
to be merciful (Mat 5:7)
> He said that if we want to be forgiven then we have to
forgive. (Mat 6:15; 18:35)
b. Faith as action
i. Having faith is meaningless unless one acts in accordance with
that faith.
ii. Hebrews 11 gives us examples of Old Testament saints who
“by faith – did” something.
Imagine someone saying to God something like this: “I have faith that what you say I should do is the best thing for me to do but, I’m going to do it my way anyway.”
Wouldn’t that be the same as saying: “I really do NOT think you know the best way; I think I know better than you, God, so I’m going to do it my way.”?
And God says; “Ok. Let me know how that works out for you. Call me.”
Jesus said:
Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46)
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15)
So faith is not just believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Even the demons in the possessed man of the Gadarenes believed who Jesus is and correctly identified Him as "Jesus, Son of the Most High God"
The concept of having faith includes acting like we have faith.