Thoughtful Things

Stephanie Blume, Pastors wife

The Family Church, Hardin, TX

The Bible itself defines what faith is and it “is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). There is an assurance in our faith and a conviction of things not seen yet known to be true. Faith is not blind but sees the evidence of the creation (Psalm 19:1-2) which makes it foolish to not believe in God (Psalm 14:1). Those who don’t believe in God actually have no excuse or as Paul writes, “what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20). They can deny God but the evidence of the creation is so clear but they still, “by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom 1:18b) however, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17b).

What is faith?

Is faith tangible?

How do the unrighteous suppress the truth?

Why do they deny the obvious existence of God?

Fearing God

Luke 8:25 “He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

This verse was just after Jesus had commanded the storm to cease and everything instantly became calm. This made the disciples even more afraid as they said that He “commands even wind and waters, and they obey him.” Why shouldn’t they obey the One Who created them? God is sovereign over nature and it is nothing for Him to supernaturally suspend the laws of nature for they are not really the laws of nature but God’s laws instilled within His creation. Jesus would ask us, “Where is your faith?” Why did they fear Jesus even more after

Why did they fear Jesus even more after He calmed the storm?

What type of fear did they have of Jesus?

Why did Jesus say “Where is your faith?”

Dead or Alive Faith?

James 2:14 “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Everyone has faith in something but for the Christian, saving faith will produce fruits of righteousness or works for God’s glory. Anyone who claims to be a Christian and has no works is lying to himself or herself because genuine faith has works that are a byproduct of their salvation. They are not saved by works but a saving faith will necessarily produce works. James goes on to explain why a faith without works is dead or not real saving faith by writing “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:15-17). James never says that we’re saved by works but is saying that “faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26b) so “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him” (James 2:14)? No, that is not real faith and we’re only saved by trusting in Christ and those who trust in Christ will do things for Him (Matt 25).

How can we be sure our faith is real?

Why type of works does our faith produce?

Do you know a Christian that professes faith but doesn’t produce any good works?

What would you tell them?

Shrinking Back in Faith

Hebrews 10:39 “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”

For those who claim to have faith but shrink back or fall away, they are not really saved because only “those who have faith [will] preserve their souls” because their faith is real. The author of Hebrews writes that “if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him” (Heb 10:38b) because the “righteous one shall live by faith” (Heb 10:38a). The author advises us to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water [so] let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb 10:22- 23).