Spurred to Action by Faith

We’ve been defining faith. The words “trust,” “believe,” and “reliance” have been used.

Hebrews 11:1 was offered, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

All of these words are fitting for faith.

Back up a few lines from that definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 and see Hebrews 10:19 – 39. We are told to draw near to God in full assurance of faith, to hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, to spur one another to good actions and not to insult grace by continuing to sin. We are to become slaves to righteousness.

Verse 38 -39 say, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.  But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.”  NIV

In Hebrews 11, we see the words, “By faith” again and again. Each time, in those verses, we see actions taken by people because of their faith in God.

Faith in Jesus Christ pours out grace, giving us righteousness we can never achieve on our own. However, faith also brings on responsibility.

See Romans 1:5 – 6, “Through him (Jesus) and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”   NIV, emphasis added.

We are called to a mission. Our faith is not intended to simply be a free ticket into heaven for ourselves, something to tuck away until we die, living as we wish in the meantime. That’s counterfeit faith, it is not yielding, not submitting, not genuine faith. It may be intellectual belief without surrender.

Obedience without faith is futile. But James also wrote that faith without deeds is dead (see James 2: 14 – 19). Perhaps it is like the heart and blood. A pumping heart is necessary for life, but without blood, it won’t profit your body. Likewise, blood is necessary for life, but without a pumping heart, your body still dies.

Jesus’s words are to be put into practice. Read Matthew 7:24 – 27.

Bible teacher, Kathy Howard, has a new study out called Unshakeable Faith. It offers key characteristics of faith from God. You can read more about it on her website. www.kathyhoward.org.

And don’t forget to comment by February 8th on our faith discussion. You’ll be entered into a drawing for a free book.