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FAITH
There is no subject more basic and fundamental than the matter of God's gospel
plan of salvation for lost man. And so at this point we begin to deal with that
plan of salvation, step by step, which will bring man into a relationship with
God which will eventuate in man's eternal salvation. Paul said the gospel is God's
power to save (Rom. 1:16). Obviously then, a hearing of that gospel is vital if
one wants to be saved. A hearing of the gospel is the thing that produces faith
in man's heart (Rom. 10:17), and so we begin with faith.
WHAT IS FAITH? "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"
(Heb. 11:1). Hence we immediately see that faith relations to two areas: future and unseen. The word "substance" (KJV) is important. It denotes that which "stands under;"
i.e. and "underpinning," if one pleases. This says that true faith then rests
upon something; it is not blind in its nature. So when one possesses faith in
the true sense, there is a reason for it; it is based upon something.
Paul said, "we walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). Here is a contrast between faith and sight, and yet there are certain things that are true of both of them. First, one cannot have sight without three things. There is an organ of sight, and that is the eye. Then there is the medium of sight, and that is light. Finally there is an object of sight, and that is what is looked upon. These same things are true in principle regarding faith. Man possesses an organ of faith, and that is his capacity to believe. No other creature has that. Second, there is a medium of faith, and that is the word of God (Rom. 10:17). Then there is an object of faith, and that is Jesus Christ. ESSENTIALITY OF FAITH
In our present study we are considering faith as it relates to man's salvation to begin with; not that which keeps him right once he becomes a Christian. In Acts 16 Paul and Silas were in a prison in Philippi. Upon being released from the prison the keeper of the jail asked the question: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved" (v. 30). Paul's response was immediate and to the point: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (v. 31). Now there was more to it than that, which we will consider in a future lesson. But our point here is that the salvation the jailer was seeking was contingent upon his faith in Jesus Christ. We suppose there is no greater book in the N. T. that stresses faith more than the gospel of John. As he neared the end of the letter he said, "... Jesus did many other signs ... which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life through is name" (20:30-31). Here the essentiality of faith, or belief in Christ, is stressed. Earlier Jesus himself said, "therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins: for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24). We must point out also that belief in Jesus involves keeping his commandments. And so the first "step" in God's plan of salvation is when man comes to a point of faith in Jesus. Next, we will look at "step two." - Bill Moseley |
