I'm reading from the book of
Hebrews chapter 11, and I'm reading one verse. Hebrews 11 verse 1
says this, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen. Faith. Now, faith is. How important is faith? Well, let me read a few scriptures
to you. Romans 5, verse 1 says, being
justified by faith, we have peace with God. Romans 14, 23, whatsoever
is not of faith is sin. Hebrews 10, 38, the just shall
live by faith. And here in Hebrews 11, verse
6, without faith it is impossible to please God. So there is no
justification without faith, no peace with God, no pleasing
God, no life without faith. The second question, where does
faith come from? Faith is not an act of the human
will, not a decision nor mere head knowledge and assent
to doctrine. But Ephesians 2 says, By grace
are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of
works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 1 verse 19 says, Those
who believe according to the working of His mighty power. John 1, verses 12 and 13 says,
As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born,
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God. Them that believe were born of
God, it says. Well, Scripture says in Romans
10, verse 17, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God. Not only the word preached, or
that is the gospel, is what they hear, but the word of command,
God's word, God's command to believe. All right, what is faith? I just asked you how important
is faith and where does faith come from. What is faith? What is this faith which Scripture
says we're justified by, which Scripture says we live by, which
Scripture says it is impossible to please God without? What is
faith? Well, I've already stated faith
is not a simple act of the human will. That's what John 1 verse
13 says. It is not an act of the human
will or a mere mental agreement to facts. Faith, as we've already
quoted, is the work of God. Faith is the working of His mighty
power. Faith, in other words, is the
supernatural, spiritual work of God Almighty. And this is
how He does this work. It is God the Holy Spirit. God
the Holy Spirit is the one who brings this faith through. He uses the means of preaching
of the word of truth. That's what Ephesians 1 says,
after you heard the word of truth, after you heard the gospel, the
Holy Spirit that pleases God, 1 Corinthians 1. God had chosen
by the foolishness of preaching to save them which believe. Through
the preaching of the word of truth, that is, the gospel of
Christ, the Holy Spirit of God moves upon the minds, the hearts
of the God's elect, and He reveals to them the living and true God. Our Lord said this in John 17.
He said, life eternal, that they might
know thee the only true God." So the Holy Spirit, through the
preaching of the Word, the Word of truth, the gospel of Christ,
reveals the living and true God. And he convicts them, our Lord
said in John 14, he convicts them, John 16, verse 8, he convicts
that person whom he is operating on. Convicts them of sin, righteousness,
and judgment. Sin, righteousness, and judgment
as concerning Christ. And the Holy Spirit, this is
a supernatural life-giving work. The Holy Spirit gives ears to
hear, eyes to see, spiritual ears, spiritual eyes. And this
all comes through the preaching of the Word, the reading of God's
Word by the power of His Spirit. It's not a mental power, not
by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord. And
the Holy Spirit gives a heart to receive and love the true
God and the true Christ. Faith is believing with the heart. Romans 10 says, "...with the
heart man believeth unto righteousness." Faith is believing with the heart
that Jesus Christ is Lord. Faith doesn't make Him Lord.
Faith doesn't believe that He makes Him Lord. But faith believes
God has already made Christ Lord. Faith just bows to Christ being
Lord. Faith believes that Jesus Christ
is all in salvation. I mean all in salvation, from
start to beginning, the author and finisher. Now, this work
of faith, this faith, is a supernatural, miraculous work of God the Holy
Spirit on a human being who is dead in trespasses and sin. Scripture calls it a calling
from death to life, a high calling, a holy calling, a heavenly calling,
it says, whereby the blind see, the deaf hear, and a stony heart
is removed and a new heart given. It's a dead person being brought
to life, spiritual life. Now, there are certain fundamentals
of the faith, fundamentals of the faith. Very simply, I can
simply state what these fundamentals of the faith are. Now, faith
is not simple. I've already said, we've already
said that it's a supernatural, miraculous work of God, but simply
stated, faith The fundamentals of the faith are these. Number
one, faith believes God is God. Number two, faith believes God. And number three, faith believes
Christ. Now, the first two are not the
same. If you listen carefully, you'll
hear the difference. Number one, faith believes God
is God. In Hebrews 11, which we're reading
from, verse 6. It says, Without faith it is
impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God, or approaches
God, must believe that he is. He that cometh to God must believe
that he is. All right? Faith believes God
is God. He that cometh to God must believe
that he is. Faith believes God is God, not
trying to be God if we will let him. Oh, no. Listen to God's
word. This is the word of God in Isaiah
43. He says this in verse 1, Now
saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee,
O Israel, Fear not, for I have redeemed thee, I have called
thee by thy name, thou art mine." Verses 6 and 7. He says, give
up, I will say to the north, give up, to the south, keep not
back, bring my sons from far and my daughters from the ends
of the earth, even every one that is called by my name, for
I have created him for my glory. I have formed him, yea, I have
made him. Bring forth the blind people
that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears." Verse 10, he
says, "...you are my witnesses, saith the Lord." and my servant,
whom I have chosen, that ye may know and believe me, and understand
that I am he. Before me there was no God formed,
neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and
beside me there is no Saviour. I have declared, and I have saved."
Verse 13 says, "...before the day was, I am he, and there is
none that can deliver out of my hand. I will let work, I will
work, and who shall let it?" So faith believes God is God,
not trying to be God, not will be God if we let Him be God.
No, he says, I will work. You are my chosen. Those whom
I have chosen, you may know and believe and understand that I
am He, that I will work, and who shall let it, or who shall
let me?" Faith believes God is. He that cometh to God, he says
in Hebrews 11, he that cometh to God must believe that He is,
that He is creator. That means He owns us. That means
He is our judge. That means He can do with His
own what He will. And He is King. No one approaches
a sovereign king and tells him, I've decided to let you be my
king. I've accepted you as my personal
king. No, sir. He that cometh to God
must believe that he is, or you don't come to God. Faith believes
God. Now, there's a difference. Believing
God is God. Now, these go hand in hand, though. But faith believes God is God,
and faith believes God. In other words, faith believes
God's Word. Faith believes whatever God says
about Himself, whatever God says about ourselves, whatever God
says, faith believes. To be a believer means you believe
God, you believe His Word. There is not one word in God's
Word that one cannot believe. and still be a believer. All
of it. Not what we can reason or understand. But whatever God says. Faith
believes. Faith bows. Faith agrees. Faith loves it even. Faith loves
the Word of God because it is God's Word. Faith does not argue. Faith does not debate. Faith
does not question. Faith does not disapprove of
one word of God Almighty. Faith believes and loves the
truth of Romans 9.16 as well as John 3.16, or for that matter,
Romans 9.18 as well as John 3.18. Go read those verses. Faith believes
God. And lastly, faith and all of
this goes together. These are the fundamentals of
the faith. Faith believes God is God. Faith believes God. And faith believes Christ. Faith believes God's Christ.
Not simply believing in Jesus. Thousands believed in Jesus.
They believed he was a prophet, a miracle worker, healer, humanitarian. No, faith believes Jesus Christ
is God manifest in the flesh. Faith believes Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness. The end of the law for righteousness.
Faith believes Jesus Christ is our only acceptance with God. The only way God approves of
us is by faith in Christ. Faith believes Christ is the
only sacrifice for sin, the only remission of sin. Faith believes
Christ is the only mediator between God and men, no other mediator. Faith believes Christ is the
sovereign, successful Lord first and Savior. of all those given
to him of the Father. Yes, faith bows, believes, and
loves the Lord Jesus Christ, and esteems him as all in salvation. This is faith, and this is the
faith, Scripture says, of God's elect. I hope this is the faith
God has given you. If you have faith, this is what
you believe. If you would like this message
on cassette tape, please write to the address given. We'll send
it to you free of charge along with another message. Until next
Sunday, good day. Okay.