Faith Is a Heart Work

Q: What does the Bible say about heart faith?

The Bible teaches that with the heart, one believes unto righteousness, indicating a deep personal trust in Christ. Heart faith is central to the Christian experience, highlighting the importance of genuine belief and affection for Christ. In Romans 10:10, it states, 'For with the heart one believes unto righteousness.' This form of faith is not a mere intellectual assent but a heartfelt embrace of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It signifies that true belief arises from a heart transformed by the grace of God, which leads to a life committed to Christ. This heart-oriented faith is contrasted with a mere confession of doctrines; it is about knowing and loving a person—Christ—and recognizing His sufficiency.

Q: How do we know Jesus is Lord?

Jesus is affirmed as Lord through His divine creation, decree, and conquest over death. Scripture consistently identifies Jesus as Lord through various attributes and actions. As mentioned in Romans 14:9, 'For to this end Christ died and rose and revived, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.' This underscores His authority over all existence. Not only is He Lord by creation, as stated in John 1, where everything was made through Him, but He is also recognized as Lord through His resurrection, conquering death. Therefore, the Lordship of Christ is affirmed through biblical revelation and personal experience of His grace in the lives of believers.

Q: Why is personal confession of faith important?

Confession of faith is essential as it publicly acknowledges Christ as Lord and is linked to salvation. The personal confession of faith is articulated in Romans 10:9-10, where it emphasizes that with the heart, one believes, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. This confession is not just acknowledging a need or doctrine but a heartfelt declaration of faith in Christ's lordship. It signifies a commitment to live under His authority, recognizing Him as the Redeemer. Such a public affirmation is evidence of genuine faith and is crucial in the process of salvation, as it demonstrates the transformation that takes place within a believer's heart.

Q: How does faith come according to the Bible?

Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. The source of faith is rooted in the preaching of the Word, as articulated in Romans 10:17: 'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' This highlights the importance of the Gospel message being proclaimed. It emphasizes that God has chosen to use preaching as the means through which individuals are called to faith. The Spirit works through the Word to make sinners aware of their need for Christ and transforms them from death to life. Without the hearing of the Gospel, no one can come to believe, underscoring the vital role of sound doctrine and ministry in the life of the Church.

heart of Christ, willing to receive
Christ, the affection. If you'd be risen with Christ,
set your affection on things above, not on the things of error. When a person beholds the glory
of Christ, it influences his heart. His mind's not just taken
up with the glory of Christ, but his heart is. When a man
beholds the fullness of Christ, the richness of Christ, the power
of Christ, the ability of Christ, he wants to embrace him. He wants
to make him his. My beloved is mine, I'm his.
When he really sees him. And this heart faith leaves all
others and clings to Christ. There's never any question about
who my Redeemer is, who my Savior is. Paul said, I count everything
but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord. How long does it take a man to find that out? That Christ is all. When he does,
he embraces him with his heart, his soul, his will, his affection. I had an uncle, he and his fiancee
dated for nine years before they got married. And I thought, I
was just young, but I thought it takes him that long to decide
he loves her. If I was her, I'd back out. Nine
years? I met Darsie in May and engaged
her in July and married her in December and that wasn't quick
enough. I mean, you love somebody, you love them. Isn't that right? How long does it take till you
decide you love the Son of God? That He's everything. All fullness
dwells in Him. You'll complete Him. I must have
Christ or die. That's what it comes down to.
It's not trying to make up your mind about whether you believe
something or not. My heart is already made up, already decided.
And this heart cave, with the heart man believes unto righteousness,
He believes unto righteousness, not instead of righteousness.
I couldn't produce one so I believe so I get one. No. It's not instead
of righteousness. It's not to work out one. But
when you receive Christ, you receive his. When you receive him, you receive
his. Everything that is Christ and of Christ and in Christ is
yours. So with a heart, man believes
unto righteousness. There's a heart. Not there. It's not arguing doctrine. It's
meeting a person and falling in love with him,
all of his attributes and beauties and glories. With a heart, man
believes unto righteousness. And he's not within spitting
distance of righteousness that affects his heart. That's where
it is. And if Christ ever occupies his
heart, he'll never leave him. And with the mouth, confession
is made unto salvation. With the mouth, confession is
made unto salvation. This is not just a confession
of sin. Anybody knows we've sinned. We
all know we've sinned. It's not just a confession of
a need I have. It's not just a confession of
a doctrine that I've been taught. This is a confession of Christ. It's a confession of Christ,
Jesus, to be Lord. You know, over there in the book
of Acts, chapter 8, when that Ethiopian eunuch was riding his
chariot, and Philip joined him. I want you to look at this, Acts
8, verse 30. And Philip ran thither to him,
and heard him read the prophet Isaiah. And he said, you understand
what you're reading? Verse 31, Acts 8, he said, how
can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip
that he'd come up and sit with him. And the place in the scripture
where he's read was this, he was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
He, like a lamb done before his shearers, he opened not his mouth.
In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. who shall declare
his generation, his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch
saw one thing, a person. Philip's talking about a person,
not just the doctor. Talking about a person. Isn't
that something, that man caught that immediately. He's talking
about a person. And he asked him, he said of
who is the prophet saying this, this glorious good news. of himself
or some other man. And Philip opened his mouth and
began at the same scripture and preached to him the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ. And as
they went on their way, they came to a certain water, and
the eunuch said, Well, here's water. What doth hinder me to
be baptized? And Philip said, If you believe
with all your heart, He didn't ask this man, if you
understand all these things I've taught you now, that there's
a Trinity, and God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and God
created the world, and that Christ came into the world, and all
these doctrines. No, he said, if you believe with
all of your heart, you may. And he answered and said, listen,
I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That's what the
confession is. Can you do that? With a heart,
man embraces and receives, and though we've never seen him,
we love him. Christ Jesus, and with the mouth, that confession
is made unto salvation. I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. I believe that. It's whom I believe. Not what I believe or when I
believe. And this confession, I confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord. Is Lord. And this confession
is unto salvation. It's unto salvation. I'm not
saved by that confession. Sometimes soul winners say that.
You believe Jesus is Lord? Yes, I do. Well, you're saved.
You mean saved because he said that? I'm not saying because
I said that, here's what that confession is. It's unto salvation. My confession points where and
to whom, from whom my salvation comes. That's where that confession,
it wasn't my confession that saved me, it's Christ that saved
me. My confession points where and
in whom And by whom that salvation comes. Do you understand what
he's saying? With the heart, man believes unto righteousness.
With the mouth, he confesses Christ. He confesses Christ. Now to me that's very clear.
I hope it is to you. It's with the heart, man believes. loves Christ, embraces Christ,
must have Christ, can't live without the Savior. Must have
him. And with his mouth, confessions
made unto salvation. I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God, persuaded beyond a shadow of a doubt. My Lord,
my hope, my God, my all. Now watch. Father, Scripture
says, now this is a phrase that ought to be on our lips often,
the scripture says. That's our foundation, what the
scripture says. That's our confidence, what the
scripture says, not what we think, what we feel. This is the reason
that we have hope, what the scripture says. And so over here in Romans
4, let me show you a couple of passages. Romans 4, verse 3.
Paul asks that question, he says, what sayeth the scriptures? Abraham
believed God. That's what scripture says, and
it was counted to him for righteousness. Now that's a fact. Unquestionable,
undeniable, unchangeable fact. The scripture says, Abraham believed
God, it was counted to him for righteousness. That's what scripture
says. Alright, here he says, the scripture says in verse 11,
that whosoever believes on Christ will not be ashamed. And he's
quoting Isaiah 28. You have to look over there,
Isaiah 28, and see who Paul is quoting and what passage he's
talking about. Scripture says that a man who
believes with his heart, Christ, embraces Christ, loves him, confesses
him with his mouth, he's not going to be ashamed, he's not
going to be confounded, he's not going to be put to shame.
In Isaiah 28, verse 16. Therefore, thus saith the Lord
God, that's our foundation, what saith the scriptures. Behold,
I lay in Zion for a foundation of stone, chief cornerstone,
a rock, a triad stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation. And he that believeth shall not
make haste, shall not be confounded, shall not be ashamed, shall not
be put to shame. That's a fact. It's written.
And that is our foundation, our confidence, and our reason for
hope. Look back at the text, Romans
10, verse 11 says, the scripture says, Whosoever believeth on
Christ shall not be ashamed, shall not be put to shame, shall
not be confounded. And right across And from you
there in Romans 9, verse 33, he quotes that scripture again.
It's written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a
rock of a fence. Whosoever believeth on him will
not be ashamed. What a promise. This is the record. It is written, it is written,
it is written. I wish that we would make more
and much of the Word of God. When we're talking with someone
about any issue or any doctrine or any beliefs, use the Bible. Use the Word of God. See what
the Scriptures say. Martin Luther wrote this verse,
these verses. Now feelings come, and feelings
go, and feelings are deceiving. My want is the Word of God. Nothing else is worth believing. Though all my heart should feel
condemned for want of some sweet token, I know one greater than
my heart, whose word cannot be broken. I'll trust in God's unchanging
word till soul and body sever. The works of men will pass away. God's word abides forever. With a heart, man believes unto
righteousness. A lot of things I don't understand.
I know in part, I preach in part, I see through a glass dimly,
I don't have the answers. But I know whom I have believed.
I'm persuaded he's able to keep that which I've committed to
him against that day. And I boldly, openly confess,
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He's our Lord and our Savior.
Can you do that? Well, the Scripture's your guarantee. The Scripture
says, Whosoever believeth on him will never be ashamed. God
will never be ashamed of him, and he'll never be put to shame
before God. And he'll never be confounded. No sir. Not if he believes that
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That's right. All right, verse
12. There is no difference. Now Paul
uses this phrase twice in the book of Romans. Twice. There's no difference. He's talking
about no difference between the Jew and the Gentile. No difference. What's Paul saying? He's saying
in the matter of redemption, salvation, there's absolutely
no difference in male and female, Jew and Gentile, old and young,
black and white, rich or poor, wise or unwise, there's no difference.
No difference in this matter of redemption, salvation. I look
over here at Romans chapter 3. We'll see this phrase, there
is no difference. There is no difference. It says
in Romans 3 verse 22, the last line, there is no difference. All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. All. By one man, sin was introduced
into this world. Adam's fall. By one man, sin
entered the world. and passed upon all men, and
death passed upon all men, because of all sins. There is none good,
no not one, there is none righteous, there is none that understandeth,
there is none that seeketh after God, there is no difference. Now notice my text, there is
no difference. He says in Romans 10, verse 12,
there is no difference. For the same Lord The same Lord
over all is rich under all that call on him. There's no difference,
all have the same need, the same guilt, the same inability. But
there's no difference, the same Lord who's Lord of all. He's
Lord of all. What does that mean? Well, Jesus
Christ is Lord. He's Lord by divine creation.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. And
the word was God, and all things were made by him, and without
him was not anything made that was made. That's Christ we're
talking about. He's before all things, by him all things were
created, by him all things consist. He is the Lord of creation. Secondly,
he's Lord not only by creation, but he's Lord by divine decree.
God said, I have set my Lord, my King, on my holy hill of Zion. God has given him a name above
every name, that is the name of Jesus, Ebeneezer of Baal.
He said, Father, thou hast given me authority over all flesh. So, he's Lord by creation, the
earth is the Lord's in the fulness thereof. He's Lord by decree,
and he's Lord by Turn to Romans 14, just over a couple of pages,
verse 9. He's Lord by death. Jesus Christ
is Lord. He's the same Lord over all. In Romans 14, verse 9, to this
end, Christ died and rose and revived that he might be Lord
of the dead and the living. He's Lord of all. He's every
man's Lord. Every knee will bow. Every tongue
will confess. He's Lord! Now, here's the good
news. For the heart, men, believes
to righteousness. With the mouth, confession is
made unto salvation. For it's written in the Word
of God. Whosoever believes in him, loves him, trusts him, confesses
him, will never be put to shame. For there is no difference whether
you're a preacher or whether you're a prisoner. whether you're
a teacher or whether you're a dumb-dumb, there is no difference. The same
Lord, who has all power and all authority over all flesh, is
rich unto anybody who calls on him. See that? He's Lord over all. As God, he's
rich in power, he's rich in perfection, he's rich in glory, he's rich
in omniscience and omnipotence and omnipresent, he's rich in
all things as God. As a mediator, the man Christ
Jesus, he's rich in grace, he's rich in mercy, he's rich in pardoning,
sanctifying, justifying, grace to any sinner that will sue him
for mercy. David said, Out of the depths
have I cried unto thee, O Lord, hear my voice. Lord, if you would
mark iniquity, who would stand? But test forgiveness with me,
that thou mightest be worshipped. And I hear thee now, and I ask
for mercy. That same Lord who is over all,
sovereign, almighty, in perfection, power, and glory, is rich in
mercy. anybody who'll call. There was a blind man named Bartimaeus
sitting by the wayside, clutching his dirty rags and old blanket,
holding out a cup, hoping somebody will help him out a little. And
he heard a commotion, and he said, what's going on? He couldn't
see. They said, Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, this Lord. Lord of all, passing by, passing
by. Not telling, passing by. And
he cried out, Jesus, Son of David, Sovereign Lord, King of kings,
Lord of lords, have mercy on me! And the scripture said, he
stood still. The Lord stood still. He heard
that cry. And you hear yours. He's with
them to all that call on Him. A person told me one time, I'm
not saved. The Lord's never saved me. I
said, did you ever ask Him to? They said, what? I said, did you ever ask Him
to? No. Well, I said, I expect you have
not because you ask not. Why don't you ask Him? I can't find anywhere in this
Bible where anybody ever called on the Lord for help. They didn't
give it. Do you find any other place where they did that? I tell you, if you're blind,
you won't wait for the lightning to strike. If you're a sinner
in need, desperate need, you'll call. Peter was sinking beneath
the waves and the wind was blowing. and the clouds were heavy, and
the waves were high, and he began to sink. He said, Lord save me,
I sink, I panic! And the Lord reached down and
pulled him up. I think that's what I'd do, if
I was here tonight, with all that he said here. All that he
said, the scripture says, whosoever believeth on him be put to shame,
there's no difference, the same Lord over all is rich unto all
that call on him. He said in verse 13, for whosoever,
now that's a wide word, isn't it? That's about 50 feet from
that wall to this, and I believe that's wide enough. Whosoever,
whosoever, Jew or Gentile, male or female, teenager, you're a
young person, grandpa, it's just one requirement to come to Christ. You've got to be a sinner. That's
the only requirement. He said, I didn't come to call
the righteous, I came to call sinners. Jesus Christ came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am the chief. The Son of Man has
come to seek and save the lost. Well, everybody here is a sinner.
So whosoever, here's an easy word, whosoever shall call. I
can call. I can call. Isaiah said, I can look. I can look. Nothing said about
working or waiting, paying or giving, meriting or earning. Call. He's not deaf. He said, my ear's not heard good.
I can't hear. Don't judge the Lord by me then.
I can't hear you, but he can. Just a whisper. He can hear. You can hear. You have not because
you ask not. The Lord saved me. That's all
I'm asking. I'm asking you to save me. Give me faith. Help my unbelief. Do something for me. I can't
do it. A man can't do it. But you can. If you will, that's what that
leper dared to say. He dared to say, Lord, if you
will, you make me whole. If you will. The Lord said, I
will, be thou whole. Whosoever, the wide word, shall
call. That's an easy word. Oh, here's
an important word. On the name of the Lord. On the
name. What's in a name? Everybody has
got a name. I know just about every name.
And when somebody calls your name, what comes in my mind? You do. How you look. How you talk. What you do. Your gifts. Your beauty. Your voice. That name. That name
identifies you. But this name identifies the
one upon whom we call. His name. The Lord said, A virgin
shall conceive and bring forth a son. Call his name Immanuel. God with us. Whosoever shall
call on the name of Immanuel shall be saved. Under us a child is born. A son
is given. Call his name wonderful. Counseling,
the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
That's who you call on. Joseph, Mary's going to have
a child. Mary's with child by the Holy
Ghost. He was born for the Son. Call his name, Jesus. Jesus, he'll save his people
from their sin. That's who you call on. I know
who he's talking about. Peter said there's none other
name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.
The crucified, buried, risen Son of God. It's not somebody
up there. That won't get it. It's not hey God or whoever you
are. That won't do it. It's not he,
she or it. It's Jehovah, Java. The Lord
will provide. It's Jehovah Sidkenu, the Lord
my Rochester. It's Jehovah Shalem, the Lord
my peace. It's Emmanuel. Call on him, whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord. Now here's a sure word,
shall be saved. Now you don't have to get on
a waiting list You don't have to turn in a brochure
or resume for the elders to consider you. You shall be saved, like
the thief on the cross. Lord, remember me. Today you'll
be with me in paradise. Now a preacher has something
else to do. Says who? Tell me who says there's something
else to do. God says, whosoever. shall call on the name of the
Son of God, shall be saved." Firm as his throne, the gospel
stands. My Lord, my hope, my trust, if
I'm found in Jesus' hands, my soul will never be lost. His
honor is engaged to keep the weakest of his sheep. All that
the Heavenly Father His hands will surely say, nor death nor
hell shall ever remove his children from his breast. In the dead
bosom of his love they forever rest. Look at verse 14, let me give
you this. Shall they call on him whom they
do not believe? Tell me how. Tell me how a person
can call upon one to do for him such monumental work as saving
his soul, as satisfying a holy God, as giving him life eternal,
as putting away his sins, if he doesn't believe that that
person is able and willing. How? And how then, the next question,
shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? How
then shall anyone believe in him and have complete confidence
in such a person that he even exists? Let alone that he has
a commission from God to come down here and redeem a people,
and from God has the wisdom and power through his blood to save
all the Father gave him. How are they going to trust him,
believe him, if they haven't heard of him? How are they going to hear without
a picture? That's how they hear. That's
what we're doing. That's the very thing that you
read about tonight. God sent those men to tell those
people about Christ. And that's what I'm doing. How
shall they, look at the next verse, and how shall they preach?
Except they be sent. God has to send them. And how
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace
and bring glad tidings. This is glad tidings. This is
good news. Wonderful news. But it says in
verse 16, they haven't all obeyed the gospel. They haven't all
believed it. This is a serious problem. Folks don't believe. Well, how can they believe? I'll
tell you how, let me show you a couple of verses. Over here
in Psalm 110, it says here, verse 3, Thy people
shall be willing in the day of thy power. That's how they're
here. How shall they call on him whom
they not believe? I say they believe in him with
whom they have not heard. I say they hear without a preacher.
I say they preach except they be sent. But how shall their
preaching be effectual, lest the Holy Spirit makes people
willing? And he does. He does. A couple of other verses, and
we'll be dismissed. Ephesians chapter 1. It comes
through here in the gospel. Just what I'm doing right now. And I'll tell you this, I'm convinced
of this after 50 years in the ministry, almost 51 now. Most of the people that have
been brought to knowledge of Christ and salvation, they have
been brought to knowledge of Christ and salvation under the
preaching of the word, from the pulpit. not so much discussions
and private talks and round table discussions and sharing and witnessing. God, he pleased God with the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. You go through
the book of Acts, isn't this right John? Go through the book
of Acts and you'll find these people were saved when God sent
a preacher, preaching the gospel, preaching the word. And that's
what he said, how shall they call on him whom they hadn't
believed? And how shall we believe in him of whom we haven't heard?
And how shall we hear without a what? Preaching. Preaching
under the influence and power of the Spirit of God, preaching
the Word of God, preaching the truth of God, not trying to explain
it, but proclaiming it. And how shall they preach if
God doesn't send them? Now, we're in this very place
tonight, right here, every one of us. That this whole thing
is described in it. You're hearing the gospel. You're
hearing the preaching of the word. That is accepted time. Today is a day of salvation.
Today if you hear his voice, harden not your heart, hear his
voice. Not a man, not a woman, not a soul winner, not a conversationalist. Somebody preaching the gospel.
Hear his voice. Now listen. Ephesians 1 verse
13. in whom you trusted after you
heard the word of truth, and I've given it to you tonight,
the gospel of your salvation. In whom also, after you believed,
you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of that purchased
possession, under the praise of his glory. Thessalonians,
one more, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. It's a special time when God's people
gather on the Lord's day. when the word is open, when the
Spirit of God is there, when the messenger preaches, when
the gospel goes forth in power, that's when children are born,
that's when sinners are saved, that's when people believe, that's
when we are caught on God. Listen to 2 Thessalonians 2.13. But we are bound to give thanks
always to God for you, brethren, the love of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief in the truth. But that's not the end
of it, whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. That's how you're called,
by the gospel. He calls, and by his grace you're
called. Lord, be merciful unto me, the
sinner. Save me, or I perish. Let thy
blood be propitiation for me on the mercy seat.

Faith Is a Heart Work

What does the Bible say about heart faith?

How do we know Jesus is Lord?

Why is personal confession of faith important?

How does faith come according to the Bible?

Sermon Transcript

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Faith Is a Heart Work

What does the Bible say about heart faith?

How do we know Jesus is Lord?

Why is personal confession of faith important?

How does faith come according to the Bible?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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