Faith

FAITH

By:  Randy Kea

We hear a lot, today, about the importance of faith.  The Bible clearly teaches the essentiality of faith in God (Hebrews 11:6), Christ (John 8:21-24), and the gospel (Mark 16:15-16).  The question is not “Is faith essential?” but “What kind of faith saves and blesses man?”

The Bible teaches the following about faith:

1.  We are “saved” by faith.  Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 5:1-2
2.  We “stand” by faith.  II Corinthians 1:24
3.  We “walk” by faith.  II Corinthians 5:7
4.  Our obedience to God should be based on faith.  Hebrews 11:8

In the last verse referenced above, Hebrews 11:8, the Hebrew writer identifies Abraham as a man of faith.  In fact, the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is referred to as the “Faith Chapter” by Bible students.  Notice the repetition of the phrase “by faith” (Verse 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, etc.)  In each example cited by the writer, the person under consideration first had to obey before the blessings of God were bestowed.  Three times in James Chapter 2, James says that faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 20, 26).  The word works, in James 2, does not refer to meritorious works or works of the Old Testament law, which are excluded by New Testament writers (Romans 3:28; Titus 3:5).  Hear Paul on the kind of faith that pleases God and blesses man:  “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Galatians 5:6).

Did Abraham have faith?  Yes.  Romans 4:3 says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”  What kind of faith did Abraham have?  Answer:  “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed” (Hebrews 11:8).  The faith of Abraham was an obedient faith.  This is the only kind of faith God has ever accepted (Romans 1:5; John 14:15; John 14:21; Hebrews 5:9; Revelation 22:14; James 1:22-25; Luke 6:46; Matthew 7:21-27).