If you would, please turn with
me to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. We'll read the first five verses. Finally, brethren, pray for us
that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified,
even as it is with you. And that we may be delivered
from unreasonable and wicked men, for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who
shall establish you and keep you from evil. And we have confidence
in the Lord touching you that you both do and will do the things
which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts
into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ. I want to talk about faith. And it concerns here in our text
where it says all men have not faith. Hebrews 11.1 of faith
says, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen. Faith is the foundation of those
things we trust, our substance. That means faith points to those
things of which it is what grounds us in salvation. It is our evidence
of things not seen. We do not walk by sight, but
by faith. It is that which God has revealed
to us that is our evidence. It is our hope. So what does
that foundation of faith give us hope for? Hope for the promises,
which includes hope for the redemption of the body, hope for righteousness,
hope for utter salvation, hope for grace, hope for the appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and more. So I just want to ask the
question, what is faith? Scripture tells us that Jesus
Christ is the author and finisher or that is perfecter of faith
It is he who authored it he authored it by his actions by his thoughts
when he came down to this earth and That for the purpose of going
to the cross in Which the ultimate sacrifice that he would make
is to be forsaken of God the father He loved the father wholly
and completely But he endured the cross all the way to the
end, if I can say it that way, taking our sins in his own body. He did this knowing this, that
he would be raised to life again. That is faith. He was, that is,
raised to life, him ascending to the Father's right hand on
high, seated till his enemies be made his footstool. Jesus
Christ perfected faith. It is this faith you must have
if you are going to have faith at all. If you do, then he must
give it. First of all, because it is his
faith, and because of that, he must give it. Faith is the gift
of God. It is not fallen man's to give
or to take for himself. I cannot give a man faith. Man
cannot work up faith. It is the gift of God. So let's
look at a couple of things this morning concerning faith. Works
of faith and great faith. Now first, something about works
of faith I want to mention. I'm not gonna be able to tell
you exactly what works of faith are, other than what the scripture
tells us about what those works of faith are. Even in the passage
I'm going to read here in a few minutes, the writer says he will
show you his faith by his works, but then he does not mention
his works specifically, but those from God's word. However, there
is but one faith that has any value. That is the faith of Jesus
Christ. If your works are done with any
other kind of faith, then they are condemning works. because
that faith is a man-centered faith. So when James speaks about
those works of faith, it is those same works which by faith we
do. And I'll have a little bit more
on that in a minute. There are works of faith. In fact, faith
without works is dead, James tells us. And if you would turn
with me to James 2, James 2. James 2, and I want to read 14
through 26. What doth it profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, and hath not works? Can faith
save him? If a brother or sister be naked
and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them,
Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled. Notwithstanding ye
give them not those things which are needful to the body, what
doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not
works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, thou hast
faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy
works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest
that there is one God, thou doest well. The devils also believe
and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man,
that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified
by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect? and the scripture was fulfilled
which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him
for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. You
see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith
only. Likewise also was not Rahab the
harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers
and had sent them out another way. For as the body without
the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. So this is talking about someone
needing help, and those who know and see a brother or sister in
need, and they have the ability to help them, but just tell them,
I hope everything works out for you. The one who does this has
dead faith. because faith in Jesus Christ
does not do this to a brother or a sister in Christ. If you
do not give them what is needed to make things work out for them,
when you could, you do not have the faith of Jesus Christ. Jesus
Christ gave all for his people because he loved them. That same
faith is what is given to each of his own. Faith brings with
it works. Without any works, then it is
a dead faith, James tells us. If you think all faith is is
to just believe God, James tells us that the devils believe and
tremble. So how well are you going to
deal with that kind of faith? If you think that being a child
of God is just about believing God while you go about your daily
lives just caring for yourself and not the things of God, which
includes the family of God, But if you have no concern to help
no other brother or sister in Christ, especially when they
have need, then you are a vain man. James goes on to tell us
in James 4, 17, therefore to him that knoweth to do good and
doeth it not, to him it is sin. Then James goes on and says,
he will show us faith by his works, which he does not. He
shows us faith by other works in verses 21 and 22. was not
Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered
up Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? So we
see that Abraham believed God and it showed in his works, because
although he was going to take his son and kill him, he believed
God, that God would bring Isaac back to life. Genesis 22 5 says,
and Abraham said unto his young men, abide ye here with the ass,
and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to
you. Now we know this was a good work,
and a work done in faith. This was done in the faith of
Jesus Christ, believing God, that through his loins would
he, that is God, raise up that one who would come into the world
to save sinners. I want to make a point here.
Don't think you're going to go out and kill one of your kids
and this be okay, or this be a work of faith. It would be
a wicked act. We are also instructed by God
to obey magistrates. We should be law abiding citizens. We are to pray for those who
God has put in place that we might live peaceable lives. Are
there times, will there come a time when we cannot do this
and we obey God rather than men? Yes, and there has been those
times and there will be those times. What is being said here
by James is an act of belief that God would do what he said
he would do. Jesus Christ has already come. God is not going
to have us or ask us to do this thing, this kind of thing as
he did Abraham. If you think this, then I think
you might need to go see a doctor. The weapons of our warfare are
not carnal, but spiritual. We have God's word and we have
those things that are told us that we should do in his word.
Some of those things include to help one another help one
another out, right here in the text, as brothers and sisters
in Jesus Christ, but you also have things like assembling yourselves
together, and many other things that God commands us to do. As
the people of God, we do not begrudgingly do these things.
We love to do these things. I do not have to be talked into
listening to the gospel. My believing is energized by
love. We love it to be this way. If
you do not have this, then you have a dead faith. We must not
think too highly of ourselves in what we know and call that
faith. We read in 1 Corinthians 8 of
a brother whose conscience is defiled when eating meat offered
to idols. We do not all have the same knowledge. We have knowledge as Jesus Christ
has given to each of us. So there might be something that
you know that in doing it, you know we have liberty to do so.
But another brother may not know this. His conscience may be defiled
by that thing. This is also true, 1 Corinthians
8.8. But meek commendeth us not to
God. For neither, if we eat, are we
the better. Neither, if we eat not, are we
the worse. So forcing this on a brother
or a sister is not what we should be doing. You may feel at liberty
to do some things of which God does not condemn in his word.
If so, do them. But do not think that what is
okay for you to do is okay for others to do. For those who do
things with offense, that is those who think something is
wrong in doing them, then it is sin to that individual. What
does it say in Romans 14? Romans 14, if you'll turn there,
if you wanna follow along. We got several passages. Romans 14, verses 20 through
23. For meat destroy not the work
of God. All things indeed are pure, but
it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither
to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother
stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God.
Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he
alloweth. So when it comes to faith, we
should look to what God says about faith. Do we feel we are
at liberty to do this or that? Then do it to yourself. Don't
go bragging about what you can do in faith. God gives to every
man the measure of faith which he is pleased to give. God gives
to each of his the knowledge which he is pleased to give them.
Be not high minded, but fear. What do you have that you have
not received? 1 Corinthians 11 31 says, for
if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. We should
not be judged. Now in 1 Corinthians 11 31 here,
what I just read, the context is them taking the Lord's table
and most of them were drinking to get drunk and having a feast
at the Lord's table. There was no remembrance of Christ.
But you and what you do or do not do by faith should point
you to Jesus Christ. It is all pointing to Him and
I would say especially our faith points us to Him. So if you're
doing something by faith in Jesus Christ, having liberty, don't
go bragging on it and telling everyone else this is what they
should do. It may be wrong for them to do
it, and there is doubt whether what you are doing is in faith
with that kind of attitude. Romans 14 and verses 3 through
19, I want to read that now. Let not him that eateth despise
him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge
him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who art thou that
judges another man's servant? To his own master he standeth
or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up, for
God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above
another, another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth
it unto the Lord. And he that regardeth not the
day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth
to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks. And he that eateth not
to the Lord, he eateth not and giveth God thanks. For none of
us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether
we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto
the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or
die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died
and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead
and the living. But why dost thou judge thy brother
or why dost thou set it not thy brother? For we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, as I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall
confess to God. So then every one of us shall
give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one
another anymore, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling
block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know
and I am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean
of itself, but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him
it is unclean. But if thy brother be greed with
thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with
thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil
spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not
meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost. For he that in these things serveth
Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. Let us therefore
follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith
one may edify another. I'm not standing here to tell
you this is wrong or that is wrong. or this is right and that
is right. Make no mistake about it though,
God tells us in his word those things which we ought not to
do. It is clear that those things none of us are to do. We should
not do them. If we see someone doing them
or not doing them, if the case might be, then something should
be done. But as we go about our daily lives, there are things
that men of this world like to tell us, touch not, taste not,
handle not. For some, this might be true
if their conscience offend them doing those things, then they
should not do them. Those who do, do these things
in the liberty they have in Christ Jesus, should not be condemning
those who do not do them. On the other side, those who
do not do these things should not be condemning those who do
do these things. What we do, we do unto the Lord,
giving thanks for what He has given. Romans 12.3 says, for
I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to
every man the measure of faith. Now, what I have given you up
to this point is not really an answer to anyone as to what they
can do in faith or cannot do. The reason being is I cannot
know what is okay for someone else to do or to not do. The
only way I am able to do this is if God gives us a thus saith
the Lord in scripture. What is okay for one person may
be wrong for another. What is wrong for one person
may be okay for another. But know this, every one of us
should not use our liberty in Jesus Christ as an occasion to
the flesh. But talking about faith, when
we read in Scripture, there's a lot of things spoken of about
faith, and I'm just covering a very small portion. The word
for faith, pistis, is used 244 times, and this is only in the
New Testament. And that's one form of the word.
There's other forms of that word in Scripture. But we have all
read in Scripture where it talks about ye of little faith. But
there are at least a couple of places in scripture where Jesus
Christ himself tells us of great faith. And that's my next and
last point. What is great faith? We have
a couple of places that I found where Jesus Christ, our glorious
Redeemer, has spoken to us about great faith and what it looks
like. If he says it is great faith, then I know it is great
faith. He is after all the author and
perfecter of faith. So now if you would, turn with
me to Matthew eight. Matthew eight. Matthew eight
and verses eight through 10. Eight through 10. The centurion
answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest
come under my roof. but speak the word only, and
my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority,
having soldiers under me, and I say to this man, go, and he
goeth, and to another, come, and he cometh, and to my servant,
do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marveled,
and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have
not found so great faith, no, not in Israel, We see here someone
who our Lord says has great faith. What does this man's faith look
like? What did this man think of himself?
Do not get confused where he tells us he is over men and they
do what he tells them. What it is saying here is this
man knows he has been put in a position where these things
are so. He is not bragging on himself. He is saying, I have
been put in this place. But although this is the place
I am in before men, before Jesus Christ, nothing I have, nothing
I am is even worthy of your presence. I don't even want to talk to
you personally because of my worthiness. We'll see that in a minute. He
sees the absolute worthiness of Jesus Christ and the power
of Jesus Christ that he knows that he, that is Jesus Christ,
can just say the words and his servant would be healed. This
man was asking for something for someone else, not even himself. He cared for one of his servants.
This was not a proud man, but one that had been abased by God,
that is Jesus Christ for who he is. This man did not even
speak to Jesus Christ himself, because if we read in Luke 7,
you can see a little bit more detail about the account. It
says this. Then Jesus went with them, and
when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent
friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself, for
I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof. Wherefore,
neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee, but say it
in a word, and my servant shall be healed. For I also am a man
set under authority, having under me soldiers. And I say unto one,
go, and he goeth. And to another, come, and he
cometh. And to my servant, do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus
heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about,
and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you,
I have not found so great faith, not in Israel, Now, one more
example, Matthew 15, in Matthew 15, if you wanna turn there.
Matthew 15, in verses 22 through 28. And behold, a woman of Canaan
came out of the same coast and cried unto him, saying, Have
mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. My daughter is grievously
vexed with the devil. But he answered her not a word,
and his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for
she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am
not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then
came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, it
is not meet to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said, truth, Lord, yet
the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto
her, O woman, great is thy faith. Be it unto thee, even as thou
wilt. And her daughter was made whole
from that very hour. I'm telling you, there is no
pride when it comes to the faith of Jesus Christ and it be given
to a man or a woman. This faith does not brag on what
one does for God. This faith admits and agrees
with Jesus Christ that I am a dog and unworthy to sit at your table,
Lord. But as your dog, I will be glad
to sit at your feet and just get crumbs from my master's table. Faith bows us down to Jesus Christ
confessing all of our utter worthlessness and all of his utter worthiness. If you have a problem with bowing
down to Jesus Christ at his feet, then you are one of those spoken
of as all men have not faith. Christ says of these two examples
that I have given that this is great faith. This faith that is given is energized
by love. I mean a love for Christ and
a love for his people and the gospel. Even those who speak
the gospel, that is, proclaim the gospel, what does it say
in 1 Corinthians 13 one? Though I speak with the tongues
of men and angels and have not charity, I am become a sounding
brass and tinkling cymbal. What else does it say, 1 Corinthians
13 too? And though I have the gift of
prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though
I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not
charity, I am nothing. Faith is energized by love. If you do not have love for Jesus
Christ and his gospel and his people, then it is a dead faith. 1 Corinthians 13, 13 says, and
now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest
of these is charity. So it should be the cry of every
believer, Lord, increase our faith and increase our love.
It does not matter what you think faith is. It matters what God
says faith is. To say, well, I believe and that
is all that matters, but you never gather with God's people
when you can, you never care about hearing the gospel when
you can, you persist in wanting to be involved in communications
that are not godly, that is not faith. It is at best a dead faith
which is of no value. You in fact are one that has
no faith at all. We are enabled by God through
the gift of faith to see the promises. That is the promise
of Jesus Christ and being union with him, him being our righteousness,
our life, our salvation. Though we be just as saved and
union with him now as it will be then if you are in Jesus Christ. We do not see it yet. We do not
see by sight right now, but we see by faith. That expectation
that we have to see him causes us to search him out. constantly. Faith, which is that faith of
Jesus Christ, is that which God gives to His people to see these
things and believe them. Being energized by love, they
do the works of faith, which God works in them both to will
and to do of His good pleasure. Ultimately, we will actually
see by sight, seeing Him as He is. What a glorious sight that
will be. a nothing dog like myself to
be ultimately and finally joined with him by sight. That is what
the believer hopes for because Jesus Christ is all these things
to us. The final appointed time of his
return gathering us together with him. I look forward to that
day, don't you? Don't be fooled. Don't be fooled
by others who just talk the talk, and don't fool yourself if you
do not walk the walk. Faith without works is dead,
and all men have not the faith of Jesus Christ. Do you have
great faith? Amen. Mighty, sovereign, merciful God,
our Father. Thank you for all things that
you have given us in Christ Jesus, for he is all. Allow us to see him, dear Lord. Allow us to love him and want
to be with his people, hear his gospel. We know we do not always
do this, we have this flesh. It's only by your power, dear
Lord, that we'll do this. Allow Walter, as he gets up there
to speak, to speak boldly the truth of Jesus Christ and Him
crucified. Be with any of those who might
have troubles, dear Lord. We've had some that's had some
troubles. Be with them. Heal them if you're pleased to
do that, and you are pleased to do that in one way or the
other. And all these things we ask in Christ's name, amen.