DO YOU KNOW WHAT FAITH IS?

THE BIBLE SPEAKS DAILY (OCTOBER 18th, 2024)

TODAY'S TOPIC: Do You Know What Faith Is?

TODAY'S VERSE: Ephesians 2:8.

"...For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,..."

The Bible has sufficiently proven salvation by faith, and many have taught this fact. 

Today, let us examine what this FAITH is:

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."   Hebrew 11:1.

The best New Testament Greek lexicons (Arndt and Gingrich, p. 669) translates the passage as follows: "The assurance of what we hoped for, the receiving of (or a conviction about) what we cannot see." (For additional studies and good discussion of the above passage sees R. Milligan's New Testament Commentary on Hebrews, p. 299-300.)

Faith Must Consist of Three Natural Elements: 

1. Intellectual Element of Faith.

Intellectual faith is the belief of things or statements as fact (e.g., "Sir Abubakar was our first Prime Minister, in Nigeria." Some of us in this particular age of history, may not have seen him or know him at all, yet we know he was truly our first Prime Minister). We believe it as a fact of History. This is the intellectual faith, in that statement.

Most everyone accepts the fact that God does exist, yet they don't serve Him or love Him, but they still agree He does exist. 

This is another kind of intellectual faith, but this type of faith cannot save a man from sin and perdition!!!

This is the only kind of "element of faith" some people possessed, and they erroneously assumed that they have automatically become a Christian!

"The Devils believed in God, and trembled" (James. 2:19), but who would say that these Devils who merely believed in His existence were saved?

To safe a man, such a belief as this is absurd, lame and insufficient to safe a man's soul.

2. Emotional Element of Faith.

Now, to the intellectual faith should be added Love, which is the emotional element of Faith.   We must believe in more than His existence alone; we must also love Him. John 14:23.        Paul states in Gal. 5:6 that faith that avails is "...faith working through love..." 

Jesus Christ preaching to the Jews, definitely states as one of the requirements of faith a "...love for God..." (Jn. 5:42). 

Read James. 1:12, 2:5 for further study). 

Thus, acceptance as fact the existence of God apart from love is not a genuine faith.

3. Volitional Element of Faith.

Faith that saves is the acceptance of the truth of the Gospel, combined with the love for God, by obeying His commands, and then, giving of "...your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2.

 Therefore intellectual faith unaccompanied can avail nothing. Faith working through love is not mixing faith and works (Rom. 11:6); love is not a work, it follows. 

Now, will faith only save a man, or must it be expressed? 

Faith remains faith-whether expressed or unexpressed. If God does not require an expression of faith, then man would be blessed upon faith only. But, if an expression of faith is required, man receives no blessing until such stipulations have been met. 

"...Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?... “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only..."

For salvation, God requires Faith, but not Faith alone. Works alone also can not save a man. Grace alone also can not save a man...

Here Are Two Lessons To Learn: 

(1.) Faith expressed, remains faith. It is not, therefore, converted into works "by faith the walls fell." 

(2.) Expression of faith does not invalidate faith. If the Israelites had refused to march around the wall, this would have proven their lack of faith, just as their marching exhibited their faith.

(3.) You need to have the saving Faith before you can approach God for His salvation, for your soul, O Man! Read Mark 16:16, "...He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned..." John 3:18, 36; Acts 2:38; 16:30-32; Romans 10:9; 1 Peter 3:21; John 12:48; lastly Acts 2:47.

The Grace that made you one of the "living soul" today has a responsibility for you also: 

"...And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us..." Acts 17:26-27.

Seek God and please Him through your obedience to His Word, in the Holy Bible.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

My Heavenly Father and of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Kindly help my faith to grow up to your recognition and to the standard of acceptance, by you. Make my heart ready through obedience to serve you in your Kingdom.

My God, make me to surrender to your Will alone, in all things necessary. Please, help me to see your Kingdom, and to enter therein. Safe me from all forms of self-deceit. Father save my soul from the imminent destruction!

Kindly heal the sick and bless the poor.

AMEN!

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This work is under the oversight of The Church of Christ Ekute Quarters Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State Nigeria.