SEEKING A LIVING FAITH
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Faith
a) The influence that motivates us to obey God is a simple faith in God. Indeed we Christians hold that it is impossible to truly obey God without faith in Christ, or to truly have faith without obedience (Romans 1:5).
b) Now, as we shall notice faith is based on the promises of God. However, when we examine the promises of God, we find that they are conditional. For example the promise of forgiveness of sins is conditional upon our repentance from sin (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19). Now if we believe the promise, we will be motivated to obey the condition. We can hardly claim to have effectual faith in God if we won't do what he says. You see, therefore, that faith influences us to obey God.
2. Seeking A Living Faith
a) The gospel is the source of true faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).
b) Encourage faith’s appetite. The beatitudes teach us that we must "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).
c) Base your faith on evidence. Faith is not groundless assumption. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen". (Hebrews 11:1). Faith cannot fail if it is firmly based on God’s promises, for they cannot fail.
d) Base your faith on God's promises. Faith cannot fail if it is firmly based on God’s promises, for they cannot fail. As Paul put it, "The promises of God in Christ are yes and amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20).
e) Imitate the faith of others. When we find people whose faith is strong, we can "imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).
f) Look unto Jesus. Our faith should not be in the people whose faith we imitate, but simply in Christ, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).
The End ...
1. Faitha) The influence that motivates us to obey God is a simple faith in God. Indeed we Christians hold that it is impossible to truly obey God without faith in Christ, or to truly have faith without obedience (Romans 1:5).
b) Now, as we shall notice faith is based on the promises of God. However, when we examine the promises of God, we find that they are conditional. For example the promise of forgiveness of sins is conditional upon our repentance from sin (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19). Now if we believe the promise, we will be motivated to obey the condition. We can hardly claim to have effectual faith in God if we won't do what he says. You see, therefore, that faith influences us to obey God.
2. Seeking A Living Faith
a) The gospel is the source of true faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).
b) Encourage faith’s appetite. The beatitudes teach us that we must "hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6).
c) Base your faith on evidence. Faith is not groundless assumption. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen". (Hebrews 11:1). Faith cannot fail if it is firmly based on God’s promises, for they cannot fail.
d) Base your faith on God's promises. Faith cannot fail if it is firmly based on God’s promises, for they cannot fail. As Paul put it, "The promises of God in Christ are yes and amen" (2 Corinthians 1:20).
e) Imitate the faith of others. When we find people whose faith is strong, we can "imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).
f) Look unto Jesus. Our faith should not be in the people whose faith we imitate, but simply in Christ, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).
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