Faith?

Hebrews 11:1-2,6

Faith?: Faith Defined

I. Scripture

II. Introduction
-Problem of faith = multi-faceted definitions.
-Hard to grasp something so simple as faith.
-Definitions are prevalent.
-Faith can mean a positive attitude.
1. "We have faith it will turn out all right."
2. Emphasis = optimism.
-Faith as a particular religion.
1. Christian faith, Jewish faith,
2. Muslim faith, etc.
- Faith sometimes means a blind leap in the dark.
1. To believe in something w/out reason or evidence.
2. Biblical faith does not abide well with biblical ignorance. (Why?)
-1 Peter 3:15 "but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."
-Our culture values faith.
1. Atheists have a strong faith.
2. I am amazed at their faith.
-Point: It is not faith that is significant, but the object of faith.
-Everyone has some degree of faith in something.
1. Who cares?
2. What do you have faith in?
-What you believe in/ have faith in is what matters!

III. Two Kinds of Faith
-1st kind of faith is Belief
-v. 6 "...whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists...."
-Ppl in our post-modern culture have decided that belief is unessential.
1. It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe in something.
2. Sincere or sincerely wrong?
-Of course that is only applied in the realm of religion & moral values.
1. But not math.
2. No math teacher wants you to sit down & be broad minded about the rules of math.
3. Math requires precision.
4. What if your CPA was figuring your taxes arbitrarily?
-Physics, geometry, chemistry, etc. require narrow-mindedness.
-Real-life work....
1. Pharmacist, need precision.
2. Surgeon cannot decide where the heart is, it is already set!; etc.
-But our culture has decided we can pick whatever we want to believe b/c it does not matter.
-What you believe matters!
-We should be tolerant (& loving) of people who believe differently, but not tolerant of their beliefs.

IV. Basis for Faith/Belief
-Real faith/belief is bases on reasonable reason.
1. Not a hunch, not an impulse
2. Not a feeling, a fortune cookie, an inclination, etc
-If you believe that the Bible is God's Word, you need to have a reason for your belief.
1. Not just ‘in my heart I know' (that might be assurance of faith)
2. Reasonable reason why.
-If you have no reason, just ‘blind faith' you will land just as easily at Islam's Koran or Book of Mormon.
- I am not saying you have to have proof, just adequate evidence.
-Ill. Professor & student
1. Student: "Evidence of God"
2. Prof: "Don't give me evidence, give me proof!"
3. Most of what we believe is by evidence, not proof.
4. Ill. Sitting in chair w/out proof that it would hold him.
5. Ill. Eating a meal w/out proof that the food his wife fixed was not poisoned.
-Ill. I cannot prove ‘kindness.'
1. I cannot touch it, taste it, see it, heart it, etc.
2. I still believe in it.
3. Why? B/c there is evidence of it!
4. I have found that there are a few ppl who are kind in the world.
-Ill. secularist: "There is no God b/c of how evil the world is."
1. That's like saying:
2. "There are no doctors in the world b/c ppl sick."
-Ill. Atheist Doctor to patient.
1. "Can you hear God [no], can you inhale God [no], can you taste Him [no], can you see God, can you feel Him?"
2. Patient: "Oh yes, I can feel Him."
3. Dr. "Well, I have you 4 to 1, that there is no God."
4. P: "You prescribe medicine for patients in pain. Can you hear pain, can you inhale pain, can you taste pain, can you see pain, can you feel pain."
5. Dr: "Yes, I can feel pain."
6. P: "Well, I have you 4 to 1, there is no such thing as pain."
-Ill. I believe in love.
1. I cannot understand it, explain it or prove it.
2. I can demonstrate it.
3. But that is not proof?
4. Just b/c you cannot prove something does not make it unreal.
5. I can show you evidence of love.
-Ill. "I am in love."
1. "Prove to me that you are in love."
2. There is no math equation, litmus test, or physics formula that will prove it.
3. "You'll just have to take my word for it."
4. You cannot take a drop of blood and find the chemistry.
-Ill. Understand how a plane weighing tons can lift up in the air?
1. But you believe it will!
2. Why? You have evidence that it will, but not proof.
-Point: I believe in God!
1. I cannot understand God, I cannot prove God, I cannot control God, but He does exist.
2. You cannot put the omniscience of God into the human mind any more than you could put all the ocean into a coffee cup.
3. But there is evidence that there is a God!
-Evidence for God:
1. Changed lives!
2. The order of the universe (vs. randomness begets more randomness not order)!
3. As well as scientific, mathematical, physiological, etc.
-Evidence is overwhelming.
1. You would have to forfeit reason & evidence to doubt God's existence.
2. Not talking about proof, but evidence.
3. There is no proof either way (God vs. no God).
-Ill. You see, w/ a coffee cup of the ocean I would have evidence that the ocean exists, but not proof.

V. The Choice
-There is no proof that God exists or that he doesn't, but you must make the step of faith/ your decision.
-Faith must take the next step, by believing.
-The object of your faith is what is important.
-Ill. Spark plug = faith
1. Small part to start the engine
2. Faith ignites your spiritual life!
-Point: We sometimes believe faith holds us to God against reason.
1. Just the opposite is true.
2. Inner ‘feelings' can drive us away from God.
3. Faith coupled with reason helps us through.
4. Difficulty, frustration, grief, sorrow, depression, trial... can lead away from God.
5. Faith thwarts the Devils attacks.
-Ill. Has God ever failed you?
1. But our feelings dictate differently than what reason tells us.
2. Faith is not to keep you with God against the evidence, but to keep you with the evidence against the feelings that would lead you away!

VI. Faith #2: Trust
-Belief alone is inadequate for a definition of faith.
1. It requires Trust.
2. Trust = belief in action.
-Ch. 11 those with faith all did something!
1. By faith Noah built the ark.
2. ...Abraham went into a strange country.
3. ...the ppl of Israel crossed the Red Sea.
-Trust = activated faith!
-Ill. I may believe that a ladder can hold me, but I do not trust that until I get onto the ladder!
-Ill. Trust says let me hold the nail while you hammer.
1. I believe you will not hit my finger.
2. I trust you will not hit my finger.
3. Together they are faith!
4. Belief accepts the evidence.
5. Trust acts on the evidence.
-Hebrews 11:13 "These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth."
1. I not only believe in Heaven.
2. I trust in that fact, b/c I live my life like I'm going there
-Many ppl go through life just believing in God, but never trusting in Him.
-Faith (belief + trust) in God leads us to repentance b/c if we really believe in God we trust in Him!
1. That means we believe he is truth & what he says is too.
2. For example: the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life.
3. If you are living in sin you do not really have faith in God.
-Trust side of faith becomes more personal.
1. Would you really risk eternity by not forgiving your enemy?
2. ...by gossiping & slandering others?
3. ...by sexual immorality?
4. ...by refusing to support the work of God on earth?

VII. Faith for Eternity & Earth
-Faith not only has to do with our heavenly home...
-It also has to do w/ the way we live our lives!
-Faith trusts in Christ as Savior & Lord.
-We trust in Him to get eternal life.
-But do we trust in Him enough to give to Him?
1. "Don't have enough money to tithe."
2. "Don't have enough time to come to church."
3. "Don't have enough time to participate in ministry."
-Ch. 11 Faith "Hall of Fame"
-Ill. Noah had faith w/ his reputation.
1. Faith to do the ridiculous.
2. Neighbors thought Noah was crazy!
3. Poor reputation in the community.
4. We need to be less concerned about what others think about us and more concerned about what God knows about us!
-Ill. Abraham had faith w/ his future & ambition.
1. Agenda, plans, programs
2. We want to write our own script for life.
3. It's why we validate our plans by claiming they are God's will.
4. A strong faith makes obedience look easy.
-Ill. Moses had faith to be sacrificial.
1. Lifestyle, values, to God.
2. He was a prince in the royal family.
3. Ch. 11 gives four verbs to describe his sacrifice...
4. Refused- princely title
5. Chose- to suffer w/ the ppl of God
6. Considered the approach of Christ greater than the wealth of Egypt
7. Endured- by seeing him who is invisible.
8. Two options: Egypt or God.

VIII. Conclusion
-Faith = belief & trust
-Do you have faith this morning?
-Is what you have the real thing?
-Ill. You hear a lot about "death bed conversion."
1. Something we don't like to talk about is "death bed doubters."
2. Why do ppl live their whole lives, sometimes in the church, but never experience faith in God?
3. Would you be afraid of eternity?
-Maybe it is time that you took the step of faith.
-I am too much of a coward to not have Faith in Him!
1. There is too much at stake.
2. There is too much to lose.
-Maybe you have been trying to live for God w/ no avail.
1. Would you like to settle the question by faith?
2. Would you like to unite belief & trust in your life today?

Response