LESSON
7
Faith Toward God
Heb. 6:1-2 Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection;
not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, Of the doctrine of
baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment.
Faith has probably been
more talked about than any other single subject in the last 20 years. However most people still struggle to grasp
what faith is.
GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR
YOU TO STRUGGLE FOR FAITH!!
FAITH IS NOT SOMETHING
YOU CAN WORK UP.
Eph. 2:8-9 For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
[it is] the gift of God: Not of
works, lest any man should boast.
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You cannot get salvation
by works and you cannot get faith by works.
Faith is not something
you can produce by struggling.
FAITH
IS A SUPERNATURAL GIFT FROM GOD. NOT
EVERYBODY HAS FAITH.
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The context of this
verse is not to the general public but to the brethren, the Christians. In verse 3 Paul is saying that to every
Christian God dealt a measure of faith.
The word “dealt” means to bestow or give. God gave it, you were not born with it.
FAITH IS AN INFALLIBLE
FORCE OF GOD.
Faith is not by chance. It is a fact.
If faith was by chance,
like sitting on a chair and hoping it holds you, then your salvation would only
be by chance.
FAITH IS AN ABSOLUTE
KNOWING THAT IT MUST COME TO PAST.
Heb. 11:1 Now faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen.
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The word ‘substance’
comes from the Greek word Hupostasis. It speaks of an absolute unwavering assurance,
a strong support for a superstructure.
In context it’s the undergirding or the
support of things hoped for.
The word ‘evidence’
means the Title deed. In other words the
Pink Slip or ownership papers. Faith is
the proof that you own what you have yet to see.
FAITH IS AN ABSOLUTE
100% KNOWING.
FAITH IS ALSO AN ACTION.
Jam. 2:20 But wilt
thou know, O vain man, that faith
without works is dead?
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The word faith comes
from the Greek word, ‘Pistis’, which means: fidelity
or loyalty.
FAITH IS SIMPLY
OBEDIENCE TO THE PLANS, PURPOSE, AND WILL OF GOD.
If you remember back to
Lesson One about the Law of First Mention, the first place a word or principle
appears sets the stream upon which it is to be interpreted throughout
scripture. Below is the first mention of
faith as attributed to any person.
Matt. 8:5-10 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum,
there came unto Him a centurion, beseeching Him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith
unto him, I will come and heal him. The
centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and
my servant shall be healed. For I am a
man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this [man], Go, and
he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to
my servant, Do this, and he doeth [it].
When Jesus heard [it], He marvelled, and said
to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great
faith, no, not in Israel.
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This is the first place
where the Bible attributes faith to anyone.
The centurion had an understanding of authority. He recognized that Jesus had a right to
command sickness to go because He was under authority.
The principle is this...
YOU ONLY HAVE THE RIGHT
TO WALK IN AUTHORITY WHEN YOU ARE UNDER AUTHORITY.
When Jesus heard what
this heathen said, He said that He had not seen such great faith anywhere.
Jesus referred to this
man's understanding of authority as the greatest measure of FAITH.
FAITH IS OBEDIENCE TO
THE PLANS AND PURPOSES OF THE WILL OF GOD.
YOU
ARE NOT UNDER AUTHORITY UNTIL YOU ARE TOTALLY OBEDIENT TO AUTHORITY.
Jesus says 47 times in
the book of John this statement in some form or fashion.
John
The centurion knew how
faith works. It is simply total
obedience to God’s authority.
Rom. 10:17 So then faith
[cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
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FAITH COMES!!!
The word hearing implies
hearing with obedience
Faith comes by obeying
the Word spoken by God.
Acts
This man was healed
because they obeyed the plans and purposes of the will of God in Jesus' Name.
The faith is inside the
Word. That is why you cannot work it up.
Faith is being under
authority which gives you the right to walk in the authority of the one that
you are under.
The word
"name" in Acts
When they obeyed Jesus'
command to heal the sick, the power was released to bring the miracle to pass.
Ezek. 36:26-27 A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take
away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my
statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do [them].
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Heb.
God has put the power of
the force of faith in His Word and said that He would write that Word in your
mind and on your heart.
God has made it so
simple. He is simply wanting us to yield
to His authority, to His Word by choice and He will cause His word to come to
pass.
Jer. 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I
will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith
the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their
hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
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FAITH IS SIMPLY ACTING ON THE WORD.
IT IS OBEDIENCE TO THE PLANS AND PURPOSES OF GOD.
In Review:
1. What
is faith?
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2.
Explain Hebrews 11:1. Define
substance and evidence.
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3. When
do you have the right to walk in authority?
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4. Explain how authority works with faith?
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