Our subject this morning is living
by faith. I want you to open your Bibles
to the book of Hebrews. I'll be reading from the 10th
chapter, Hebrews chapter 10, and we'll read verses 38 and
39. Now here's the text, Hebrews
10, 38. Now the just shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him. Four times in the Word of
God we read these words, the just or the justified or the
redeemed shall live by faith. Our Lord was pleased to record
this sentence four times in his Word, in the Book of Habakkuk,
in the Book of Romans, in the Book of Galatians, and in the
Book of Hebrews. The just shall live by faith. I wish I had the ability to describe
to you the importance of faith. the importance of believing in
the Lord Jesus Christ. I do know Hebrews chapter 11
verse 6 says this, without faith it is impossible. It doesn't
say it's difficult or hard to do. Without faith it's impossible
to please God. He that cometh to God must believe
that he is and that he's the reward of them that diligently
seek him. Our Master said all things are
possible to them that believe. Let's look at this statement
a moment. The just or the justified shall live by faith. That is,
the just begin life by faith. We begin the spiritual journey
by faith. We enter into eternal life by
faith. He that believeth on the Son
of God hath everlasting life. He that believeth not the Son
of God, whatever he does, whatever he knows, he that believeth not
The Son of God shall not see light, but the wrath of God abideth
on him. When the Philippian jailer came
to the Apostle Paul and fell down trembling, he cried, Sirs,
what must I do to be saved? Or how can I acquire or obtain
eternal life? And this is the answer of the
Apostle. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved in thy house. When our Lord gathered his disciples
about him before he ascended back to the Father, after he
died on the cross and was buried and rose again and the disciples
assembled around about him, the Master gave them this commission.
He said, All authority, all power is given unto me in heaven and
earth. Go ye therefore and preach the
gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be
damned." Now, look at our text again, Hebrews 10, verse 38.
Paul says, "...the just shall live by faith." He begins to
live by faith. "...if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him." Now, watch this next verse,
verse 39. Paul says, "...we are of them
that believe to the saving of the soul." We are of them that
believe to the saving of the soul, not of them that worketh
or earneth the salvation of the soul. We are of them that believe
to the salvation of the soul. So the just begin to live by
faith. And then secondly, the just continue
to live by faith. We're not justified by faith
and then perfected by the flesh. We're not justified by faith
and then made pure or sanctified by the law. We continue to live
by faith. We walk by faith, Paul said,
and not by sight. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless,
I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me. And the life which I now live,
in the flesh, I live by faith. I live by faith in the Son of
God who loved me and gave himself for me. Listen to Paul in Colossians
1. The Lord Jesus, by the body of
his sacrifice and his blood, hath reconciled us to the Father.
He hath reconciled us and will present us holy and unblameable
in God's sight, if we continue in the faith. You see that in
Colossians 1.22, if we continue in the faith. There's no promise
to those who depart from faith. There's no promise to those who,
though they begin in faith, but do not continue in faith. There
is no promise. So the believer, the justified,
he begins by faith. He continues by faith. He shall
live, and he shall live by faith. Two or three times in Romans
8, Paul says, we walk by faith. We walk by faith. We walk by
faith and not by sight. And then thirdly, the justified
shall die in faith. He continues to live in faith,
and this is the way he dies. In Hebrews 11, verse 13, speaking
of all of those great men of faith, it says, and these all
died in faith. They died in faith. They died
not having had faith on one occasion, not having had faith sometime
in the past. They died in the faith. That's
how they lived, that's how they began, that's how they continued,
and that's how they died. They died in faith. Our Lord
said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that liveth and
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. So you
see the importance of faith. without faith, impossible to
please God. Now, here's the question. What
is saving faith? What is this true and living
faith? How can I know that I have the
faith of God's elect? What are the marks of saving
faith? Now, there are all kinds of faith.
There's mental faith and material faith and temporary faith and
all kinds of faith. But what are the marks of saving
faith? Let me give you some words that
might help. Now, listen to these words. I've
got five or six or seven of them. First of all, we know this. We're confident of this. This
is true from the Word of God. This is not what I suppose or
what I think or what I heard somebody say. I know this for
a fact, that God is the source of faith. That's where faith
comes from. God is the source of faith. Now,
why do I say that? Well, faith is a grace. Faith,
like love and hope, is a grace. And all grace is of God. And
then secondly, faith is a gift. There's no question about that.
For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself,
it is the gift of God. And if faith is a gift, we know
that every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from God.
And then, my friend, faith is a blessing. And God is the author
of every blessing. There's no question about that.
If any man lacked faith, there's one place to go. The same place
where you go for everything else that's good and holy and beautiful,
and that's to God. James says, If any man lack wisdom,
let him ask of God. And I say to you, if any man
needs faith or lacks faith or desires faith, let him go to
God. God is the source of all faith. Listen to Philippians
1.29, For unto you is given, is given, that's a gift. Unto
you is given in the behalf of Christ, for the sake of Christ. and on the merits of his work
unto you is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe
on him, but to suffer for his sake. So you see, it's very clear
from scripture that faith is the gift of God, and God is the
source of all faith. The gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. The wages of sin, there's no
question about this, we earn judgment, we earn condemnation. We earn God's wrath. We deserve
it. But faith, Robert Murray McShane
discovered, that's the gift of God. Now notice this second word. That's the first word, the source.
God is the source of faith. Now secondly, I know that Christ
is the object of faith. Faith's got to have an object.
We believe in someone. Or we believe on someone, or
we believe in something. You see, faith has to have an
object, just like love. It's got to have an object. You
may love yourself, but you love somebody. You may love a friend,
but you love somebody. Faith has got to have an object.
And faith doesn't look to an experience. True faith does not
look to a feeling. True faith does not look to a
time or a place. Listen to me. I'm telling you
the truth. Faith does not look to a feeling,
an experience, a time or a place. Faith looks to a person. The
object of true and saving faith is a person. And if your faith
has any other object than Jesus Christ, it's a false faith. There's
no question about it. Christ is the object of faith.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. He that
believeth on the Son hath life. That's clear all the way through
the Scripture. Why is Christ the object of faith? Well, here's
the reason. First of all, he's the surety
of the everlasting covenant. He's our surety. What is a surety?
It's a guarantor. Back in eternity past, Almighty
God made Christ the surety of the everlasting covenant, the
surety of his people. Christ became the surety. There's
a story in the Old Testament when Joseph was down in Egypt
and his brothers came to Egypt to buy corn. They didn't know
Joseph, but he knew them. And they'd left their little
brother Benjamin at home. And so Joseph kept one of the
brethren, I believe he kept Reuben. And he said, you, the other nine
of you go back, and you bring your little brother. And when
you bring him, I'll let this fellow go. They told him they
had a little brother at home. He said, well, go get him. That
was Joseph's brother Benjamin. He wanted to see him. They said,
you fellas go back and get this little brother of yours and bring
him up here, and then I'll let Reuben go. So the brethren went
home and they told their father Jacob, they said, this king in
Egypt, he's got plenty of corn and plenty of food, and he's
glad to give it to us. But he doesn't believe us. He doesn't
take us at our word. We told him we had a little brother,
and he told us to go get him and bring him up here. And he
let Reuben, he kept Reuben. He kept him in jail, and he let
him go. We bring the little brother.
And Jacob said no. Joseph is not, now Reuben is
not, and would I lose Benjamin too? He told him no. So Judah
stepped forth. And Judah is the tribe from which
Christ came. The scepter shall not leave the
tribe of Judah till Shiloh come. And Judah stepped forth and he
said, My father, let me be surety for Benjamin. I'll take him to
Egypt, and if I don't bring him back, you hold me responsible,
me and my wife and all my children. and everything I have, I will
be responsible to bring Benjamin back home. That's a surety. I'll
stand for him. I will go on the line for him. I will bring him back, or you
hold me responsible. Now, the reason Christ is the
object of faith, he is our surety. The Heavenly Father had committed
into his care, into his trust, all of his people. And Christ
said, all that my Father giveth me shall come to me. And I came
down from heaven not to do my will, but the will of him that
sent me. And this is the will of him that sent me, that of
all he hath given me I lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day."
He's the surety. Now, another reason why he's
the object of faith is he's our representative. He was not only
the surety in eternity past, the surety of the everlasting
covenant, the guarantor of his people, but he came down here
to this earth in the likeness of sinful flesh. He took on himself
the likeness of sinful flesh. He was tested, tempted in all
points as we are, yet without sin. Christ became a man, God
in human flesh, and he met and obeyed perfectly God's holy law
as our representative. And all that he did was imputed
to us, or reckoned to us, or charged to our account, so that
in Christ we have a perfect righteousness. That's the reason he's the object
of faith. He's our charioteer, He's our representative, not
only that, He's our substitute. You see, the law of God in salvation
must be honored, but so must the justice of God. Not only
did God command us to obey the law perfectly, inwardly and outwardly,
but He commanded us to satisfy His justice in death. For the
soul that sinneth, it shall die. And Christ came down here and
made His soul an offering for sin, not only His soul, but His
body. And he bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we,
being dead to sin, might live and heal. We are redeemed with
the precious blood of Christ. He who was without sin was made
sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God
in him. So that's why he's the object of faith. He's our substitute. And then another reason why he's
the object of faith, he's our mediator. Now, the Heavenly Father
says there's one God. You believe that? Well, sure
I believe that, Preacher, there's one God. And there's one Mediator
between God and man, and that's the man Christ Jesus. You see,
one Mediator. No one else is the Mediator.
No one else is the great high priest. Christ is the Mediator.
He's the object of faith. And not only that, but he's that
prophet. God told Moses, he said, I'll raise up from among the
people one like unto you, and him shall you hear. He's that
prophet to reveal God. He'll tell everything about God.
He'll reveal God to the people. He's not only that, but he's
our King to reign over us, and he is our life. I'm the way,
the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but
by me. So what is saving faith? Where does it come from? How
do you acquire it? Number one, God's the source. Secondly, Christ
is the object of saving faith. Our eyes must be turned to Christ.
We must look to him. He said, look unto me and be
you saved. As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
that whosoever believeth on the Son might have life. Now watch
this word, foundation. We know not only that God is
the source of faith and Christ is the object of faith, but the
Bible is the foundation of faith. Now nature reveals to you there's
a God. You can go out on a summer night
and stand under the starry sky and see the moon and the stars
and all the other planets and the wonders of nature, and you
can know beyond a doubt there is a God. In fact, in Romans
1, that's one of the charges against the pagan Gentiles, is
that that which may be known of God is revealed unto them,
being revealed by the things that are made, so they're without
excuse. But nature will not reveal to you the mercy of God in Christ.
You could stand and look at the stars and the moon and the trees
and the sun and the planets and all the things that are made
until you died, and it still wouldn't tell you, will God forgive
sin? How does God forgive sin? Who
is Jesus Christ? What did he do? Why did he do
it? Where is he now? Will God show mercy to the chief
of sin? You can't find those answers in the stars and the
moon. And another thing, conscience. Conscience reveals the holiness
of God. You'll find that in Romans 2, that the Gentiles who have
not the law, Reveal the law written on their hearts when they do
the things that are commanded in the law, when their conscience
bothers them when they do wrong. Every man knows right from wrong,
whether he's ever seen a Bible or heard a preacher or heard
the law read. He knows. How does he know? His conscience.
But the only way, now listen to me, only the Bible, only the
scripture can reveal the mercy of God and the grace of God. and the salvation and redemption
of God in Jesus Christ. There's no other way. I'm not
being hard-headed and I'm not being dogmatic, overly dogmatic,
I'm not being fanatical or radical, I'm just stating a fact. That
nature will reveal the existence of God, yea, even the power of
God, yea, even the wisdom of God. And conscience will reveal
to you the holiness of God, and the righteousness of God, and
the law of God. But only the Bible can reveal
to you the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. How do I know that God
will forgive sin? I read it in the Word. How do
I know that Christ is the Messiah? He is the fulfillment of every
Old Testament promise, prophecy, and picture, ceremony, type,
and tradition. How do I know that? The Bible
tells me that. How do I know that he died for
my sins? The Bible tells me that. I know that faith is the way
to God. The Bible is the foundation of faith. It's the foundation.
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. That's
the foundation of faith. How firm a foundation, ye saints
of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word.
What more can he say than to you he hath said, to you who
unto Jesus for refuge had fled? When our Lord himself, was tempted
of Satan on that mountain. Jesus Christ stood on that mountain
and was tempted of Satan. How did he answer Satan? How
did he reply to his temptations? Every time he spoke, he quoted
the scriptures. When Satan tempted him, he replied
with this comment, it is written, it is written, it is written.
And brethren, I tell you, that's the only foundation of faith.
It is written. And the Apostle Peter, The Apostle
Peter, James, and John went with our Lord to the Mount of Transfiguration
where they saw with their own eyes the Lord Jesus transfigured
right before them. And appearing with him were Moses
and Elijah who discussed with him the way that he should die.
And Peter, telling about that later on, I believe it's over
in 2 Peter 1, 19, you can read it, telling about it later on,
said he was in that Holy Mount. He saw that great miracle. He
saw the transfiguration of the Son of God. But, he said, we
have a more sure word of prophecy, more sure than a vision, more
sure than a transfiguration, more sure than a personal revelation.
What is that, Peter? It's the written word of God.
That's what he said. It's a more sure word of prophecy.
I'd rather have one verse of God's Word than ten dreams. I'd rather have one verse from
the Scripture than ten visions, because you can be deceived by
a vision and deceived by a dream, but God's Word stands it sure. Having this seal, the Lord knoweth
them that are his, and let him that belongs to God depart from
iniquity. All right, here's another word.
The word tried. We know that true faith is going
to be tried. It's going to be tried. It's
going to be tried by sorrow and heartache and trouble and tribulation. It's chastisement. It's going
to be tried. Faith that is not tried is not
faith at all. I'm telling you the truth. James
1, listen to it. My brethren, count it all joy
when you fall into different trials, knowing this, that the
trial of your faith worketh patient. God never had but one son without
sin. That's the Lord Jesus Christ.
He never has had any son without suffering. They all suffer. They
that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
And this is the attitude that David took toward trial and affliction. He said, it's good for me. Psalm
119, verse 71, it's good for me that I've been afflicted,
that I might learn thy statutes. Here's another word about faith.
It'll be tried, but that's the word precious. It goes right
along with three other precious things. The Word of God talks
about the precious blood and the precious promises, and he
is precious, and then it says, we have obtained precious faith. Oh, boy, I tell you, faith is
important, isn't it? Now, listen to this. Turn to
Hebrews 11. Let me show you something. This
chapter of faith, somebody called it the roll call of faith. or
the hall of faith. At least there is in this 11th
chapter of Hebrews an account of Old Testament men and women
and in studying men and women of faith and in studying this
account of their faith, I see some marks of saving faith. I
want to give them to you just briefly. In Hebrews 11.3, first
of all, faith understands. I hear people say, well, blind
faith. No, faith is not blind. Faith
sees. Now listen to Hebrews 11, 3.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word
of God. You ever heard somebody talk
about blind faith? Well, faith's not blind. Faith sees. Faith understands. By faith we
understand. We understand. Listen to 1 John
5, 20. We know that the Son of God hath come and hath given
us an understanding that we may know him that is true. Listen
to this in John 6.40, He that seeth the Son, and believeth
on him. He that seeth. Faith understands
that which is revealed by the scripture and the Holy Spirit.
Now look at Hebrews 11.4, By faith Abel offered a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain. Faith not only understands, but
faith offers a sacrifice. Not of works, not of religious
service, not of material substance, but the sacrifice of Christ.
Faith looks to his sacrifice. Faith does not dare to come to
God without a sacrifice. Faith knows that without the
shedding of blood, there's no remission. Faith speaks with
Isaac as he walked up the hill there on Mount Moriah with Abraham,
and he says, here's the altar and here's the fire. Father,
where is the Lamb? Faith doesn't dare approach God
without a sacrifice. It's shown all the way through
the scripture. No man comes to God without a
sacrifice. And that's because sin must be
put away. Listen to what it says in Hebrews 10, 14. By one offering,
one sacrifice, Christ hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Faith understands. Faith understands
my sins. Faith understands God's justice
and holiness to a degree, not perfectly. I don't understand
all of it, and neither do you. We understand what's been revealed.
Faith sees Christ as the only sacrifice, and faith doesn't
dare approach God, not on a promise, not on a resolution, not on a
vow, not on anything but the blood of Christ. He dares not
come. And then notice this, Hebrews
11, 5. Faith walks with God. By faith, Enoch walked with God. My friends, true faith is not
a creed. True faith is not a profession.
I hear people talk about a profession of faith. It's more than that.
True faith is not a system of doctrine. True faith is a living
principle. True faith is a living, vital
union with the Son of God. We don't go to a church building
and meet God. We fellowship with Him who dwells
in us. Our Lord said, My Father and
I will come and take up our abode in Him. That's true faith. True
faith walks with God. Show you something else, look
at verse 7, Hebrews 11, 7. Now watch this, by faith Noah,
now what we're looking at all the way through this 11th chapter,
these men of faith, these men of faith, by faith Noah, being
warned of God, moved with fear and prepared in art. True faith
obeys God. True faith understands. True
faith doesn't dare come without a sacrifice. True faith walks
day by day with God and true faith obeys God. He that saith
he is of God and walks in darkness, John said no way. He that saith
he loves God and hates his brother, no way. He's a liar and the truth's
not in him. True faith loves God. True faith
fears God. True faith serves God. True faith
obeys God. True faith finds obeying the
Word of God to be the greatest delight and pleasure. He finds
his greatest joy in obeying his Lord. Just like Saul of Tarsus
on the road to Damascus, who saw, who understood, who cried
for mercy, and who replied, Lord, what will you have me do? Now
watch this. Hebrews 11, verse 9, by faith, Abraham looked for
a city, Abraham looked for a city which hath foundations whose
builder and maker is God. Faith, what are the marks of
faith? It understands. It's not blind. It understands.
It brings a sacrifice, not of its own making, Christ's sacrifice. And it walks with God and obeys
God. It looks for eternal mercies
and eternal life. We're sojourners here, and we
know it. Abraham never owned a foot of land here. He had a
promise. He had a promise. That was it, God's promise. And
he believed God's promise. He believed God was able to do
all that he promised. And like Abraham, I'm a sojourner
here dwelling in a temporary tent. Oh, how fragile is that
tent. This is not my home. I'm always
looking for that home. I'm looking for his return and
the day I shall be like him. Like David said, I'll be satisfied
when I awake with his likeness. And faith, true faith, expects
that day to come. He looks for a city.