In this episode, we talk about the various kinds of faith referred to in the Bible. We begin by looking at the Hebrew letter where the writer defines what faith is. There are certain facts that one must know in order to develop the proper faith discussed in the Bible. We note that true faith is an essential element of salvation. Again, the Hebrew writer indicates that God is not pleased with unbelievers who ignore and disbelieve His evidence. We look at the passage where Jesus says that one who does not believe the gospel cannot be saved. Consequently, salvation is promised only to those who are obedient believers. We discuss this principle. One time, Jesus spoke to a certain woman who was a Gentile and told her she had great faith. We note what her faith consisted of. We next look at a situation where Jesus told an individual he had little faith. We note what led to this individual's small amount of faith. Unfortunately, many are spiritually like this individual. In looking at what the Bible says about this person, we find out that he developed greater faith later on in his life. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.
In this episode, we talk about the various kinds of faith referred to in the Bible. We begin by looking at the Hebrew letter where the writer defines what faith is. There are certain facts that one must know in order to develop the proper faith discussed in the Bible. We note that true faith is an essential element of salvation. Again, the Hebrew writer indicates that God is not pleased with unbelievers who ignore and disbelieve His evidence. We look at the passage where Jesus says that one who does not believe the gospel cannot be saved. Consequently, salvation is promised only to those who are obedient believers. We discuss this principle. One time, Jesus spoke to a certain woman who was a Gentile and told her she had great faith. We note what her faith consisted of. We next look at a situation where Jesus told an individual he had little faith. We note what led to this individual's small amount of faith. Unfortunately, many are spiritually like this individual. In looking at what the Bible says about this person, we find out that he developed greater faith later on in his life. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode provided for your convenience.
This is a presentation of the Woodland church of Christ meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at ten thirty am and five thirty pm. We meet for bible study at nine thirty am on Sunday, and seven pm on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net Or to Arnie Granke, at agranke440718@twc.com.
Arnie:Good afternoon. This is Arnie Granke, and Fred Gosnell, and this is what does the Bible say. It's brought to you by the church of Christ at Woodland in Sumter, South Carolina. And so we hope that you have your Bible handy. And we'll give you a couple of Bible passages as we go along probably more than a couple. And hope that you will follow along with those and then go back with whatever Bible you're using, and and check it over and maybe study it a little bit there. Fred, we've been we've been sort of talking back and forth a little bit about different kinds of, of faith. I suppose that that, to some degree, we we maybe think that, you know, in our simple way of thinking that they're just two kinds of faith, you either got it or you don't. But I think that there's more than more than that, probably quite a number of different kinds of faith as a matter of fact. What do you think?
Fred Gosnell:Yeah. And of course, the Bible tells us, there are several places the Bible talks about different kinds of faith. So since this is what does the Bible say? So we'll, we'll examine some of those. But let's start in Hebrews chapter 11. The Hebrew writer has a good deal to say about faith, a matter of fact, he gives us the definition of it. So we'll begin in Hebrews 11, we'll read verses one through 13. So let's begin verse one. Now, faith is the confidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it, the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith, Abel offered unto God and more excellent sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead, yet speaketh. By faith, Enoch was taken up that he should not see death, and was not found because God had translated him. For before he was taken up, he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith, it's impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that he is rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen, as yet moved with fear preparing an ark, to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should later receive for an inheritance, obeyed. And he went out not knowing whither he went, By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also, Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed. And she bore a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful, who had promised, Therefore sprang there even from one man and him as good as dead, so many as stars of the sky inmultitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. These all died in faith not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were assured of them, and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. So the Hebrew writer provides us with first the definition of faith. It's the confidence of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. So and you know, we might use the word Trust, trust would work as as a matter of faith. Then the writer provides all of these different faithful people from Abraham and Enoch and Abel and Sarah and Noah, and points out some of the things that God told them and the things that they did. So God told them certain things, they believed it and they trusted God that what he said he was going to make sure it came to pass.
Arnie:And so the they amount to being outstanding examples of what faith is and how it works if a person has faith, and how of course God God also responds to, to that. So, so essentially, yeah, faith would be the positive response of the mind, I suppose you could say, to important facts that God has revealed to men in in the Gospel. I'm looking in Romans chapter 10. And Paul says, as he's writing to the Romans, beginning in verse 13, he said, For whosoever shall call on the name of Lord shall be saved, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Well, it's pretty, pretty good question. You can't call on Him if you don't believe in Him. And how should they believe in him of whom they've not heard? Well, again, they can't be the faith without the without the hearing. How shall they hear without a preacher? Somebody has to provide that information. And of course, there are a lot of preachers that they create their own doctrines. They're not of any value, for peat man, have, there have, there have always been men and women that have made up their own religions. But God provides it and and the preacher needs to be the one, the teacher needs to be the one who follows what they what the Bible said, As it is written, How beautiful are the feet, and then that preach the gospel of peace, bring glad tidings of good things. But they've not all obeyed the gospel. Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Very obviously, the one who doesn't know these facts, can't have faith.
Fred Gosnell:It only comes from hearing the Word of God. That's what the Bible says. Of course, if if you don't have the information, you can't have the have faith. And Paul Paul talks about that in First Corinthians two verse 11. And of course, he's, he's talking about where, where the apostles got their information. And he says, For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man, which is in him? Even so, the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. And of course, he goes on to say that, what they preached came from God, but they were given it by the Holy Spirit. So so unless you get the information, you can't have the faith that is that it is involved. You may think something, but then it's just what you think. We're, we're not inspired. So we might think something is a particular way. But then that's our opinion, we may suppose it our supposition, we may imagine that it's just imagination, it, it may or may not be true. Of course, a stopped clock is right twice a day. But that doesn't mean the clock has any any sense at all. In the same way, you know, a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then, you know, but but that doesn't mean a thing. So unless we're told something from God, then everything that we have is guesswork and, and we're uninformed. And we cannot base our faith on that. Because it's not going to be anything that we can rely upon. Again, faith is basically faith in God is trusting God. And but but we have to know what the trust. Is that he's got to tell us and of course, all those examples that the Hebrew writer gave us there, Abraham and Noah and all of those, Enoch, God had told them certain things, and they believed what he had to say. And they had faith in it, that he would do exactly what he said. And of course, they lived their lives that way. They live faithful lives, and they died faithful people. In trusting God and trusting what he had to say,
Arnie:Yeah, they acted on on what God had told them because they had confidence in it, they had faith in it. Part of the problem is that so many individuals make up what they think about God. Think in terms of evolution, you know. Evolutionists don't even need a Bible. They sit there and they they conjure up in their mind what they what they think must have happened billions and trillions and quadrillions of years ago, and and then they kind of make up their own, there own opinion. Muslims do exactly the same thing, Muhammad was nothing but a liar and, and an immoral individual. And he he made up his own rules and gave the Quran to to the generations that follow him and, and they just follow what Muhammad said. But certainly none of that agrees with anything that God has truly, truly said. And and so, you know, if if anybody has a view of God at all based on based on his opinion based on his supposition, based on his his imagination, pure guesswork and, and not being informed about, about God then his faith isn't really faith at all, it's imagination, more than more than anything. True faith is is essential. If we want salvation, we can't make up our own religion and expect that God will, will respect that and when when we stand before Him in in judgment. He's certainly not pleased with with unbelievers, who ignore the evidence that he's given and disbelieve what he has said. I've got Hebrews chapter 11, open where you started, a few minutes ago, Fred, and verse six of that chapter says, Without faith, it's impossible to believe Him. Doesn't mean that you make up the faith
Fred Gosnell:To please Him.
Arnie:It's based on facts.
Fred Gosnell:To please Him.
Arnie:Huh?
Fred Gosnell:Without faith, it's impossible to please him. You said believe.
Arnie:Oh, yeah, With that it's impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. I didn't realize that had said that. So thank you for correcting me.
Fred Gosnell:No problem. Sometimes I'll do the same thing, and I appreciate any correction. So of course, one, if one doesn't believe the gospel, the good news that we find in the Bible that provides the evidence of a God, then He can't be saved. Jesus said in John eight, verse 24, he said, I said, Therefore unto you, that you shall die on your sins, or if you believe not, that I AM, you shall die in your sins. And you know, some of the translations add the word he in there, it's not in the text. So one must believe that Jesus is I am and all that is, is is. He is eternal. He doesn't have a beginning. He doesn't have an end. He is I AM. Of course, we find. I AM Spoke with Moses in the Old Testament. And Moses, when he was gonna go before Pharaoh or before his people, he said, Well, who shall I tell sent me. And Jehovah says, tell them that I AM sent you. So Jesus says, If you don't believe that I AM, then you'll die in your sins. You've got to believe that Jesus is the one that will save us. He is the Savior, He's the Messiah. And if you don't believe that you can't be saved. You, if you don't trust, what he has said, as God as the I Am, then there's, that's the first step you cannot be saved. Without that faith without that trust in what he says.
Arnie:Yeah. And, and the point of that has to do with the fact that there's, there's not only the Father that's I AM, but Christ is I AM, and so is the Holy Spirit as as well. That kind of takes us back to where we were, what we've been talking about in some of our recent studies, as we've looked about, looked at Jesus being Jehovah there. So So salvation is is promised to believers. But these are only be, only obedient believers. A lot of times people think that, that, well, I'm a good person, I'm a moral person, I do pretty much what I think is right, and therefore I'm saved and I'm going to heaven. No, you will be saved and go to heaven if you obey what God has has said as well as believe. Don't just believe it, put it into into action. Matthew, chapter 16. Jesus was was up in the coast of Cesarea Philippi. And he asked his disciples, in in verse, verse 13, says, Who do men say that I the Son of Man am? They said, Some say that thou art the John the Baptist, some, Elijah, others, Jeremiah are one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye than I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Was, was Peter right? Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, or Simon the son of John. For fleah and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven. Flesh and blood is not not a good authority for for God's will, we better believe what he is saying himself.
Fred Gosnell:Yes. And of course, then, in John three, verse, verse 36, John writes, and he's he states, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God, abideth on him. And so again, you have to make sure your source is right, in your belief, and then once once you see the source, Jesus said, Peter was right, and what Peter said, he got it from God. So if you, if you believe on the Son, then you have everlasting life. Of course, as you know, there's other things involved, but the first thing you have to do is believe on Him. But then again, He that believeth, not the Son, John says, shall not see life, but wrath of God abideth on him. Now remember, Jesus said, that, in John 8, 24, I said, Therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins, for if you believe not, that I AM, you shall die in your sin. So first portion of belief, or faith is believing that Jesus is the Son of God, and then you can trust what he has to say.
Arnie:But it also has to be carried out in in action. Without the action, the faith really is dead. And there are so many people that don't realize that they just think that all you got to do is believe. And the proof of belief is in, is in the action. Uh, James two is interesting in that respect. I know that Martin Luther said that, that just, the book of James was, was an epistle of straw. He didn't he didn't like what James said. And so he thought that James's epistle was, was worthless. Wait a minute, who is James? James is the brother of John, they're sons of Zebedee. He he died in Acts chapter 12. So that's 10 or 12 years after Jesus was was gone, after the after he'd returned to, to heaven. And here he is, he's a he's an apostle. Somebody wants to challenge an apostle, with a challenge? John, John writes the book of John. Would they say, Oh, well, that's a that's a gospel of straw also, there. James writes, as an apostle, what he writes, is inspired of God, it's not, it's not James's own opinion. And James says in James chapter two and verse 17, Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone The, faith alone does not save, it has to have the works. Yeah, man, they say thou hast faith and I have works. Show me thy faith, without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there's one God, thou doest well. The devils also believe, and we'll come back to that, Also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead. By the way, I said, we'd come back to that. The word for devils is not accurate. It should be demons. The devil appears in several verses in the New Testament. But demons are what are under consideration here, not the devil, himself. But demons, of course, are are evil spirits. And they tremble as well.
Fred Gosnell:Yeah. And they believe. but and of course, the reason why that they are not
Arnie:They believe. acceptable is because they haven't obeyed what the Lord says. So, you know, you, one must believe the truth, first of all, and then one must obey what it says. And Paul talks about that in Romans chapter two, verses six through 11. Notice what he says, beginning verse six, God who will render to every man according to his deeds, another word for works. Same word that James used when translated works., There's action involved in your faith.
Fred Gosnell:Yes. So,verse seven, To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious, and notice, And do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also the Gentile. But glory, honor and peace to every man that worketh good, there's the there's the working, basis of it. Worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile, for there is no respecter of persons with God. So one, one must O, to have true faith, one must obey what God says. To just believe, as the devil's do, or the demons do. Sorry about that. One, if, if you believe like them, and you don't do anything about it, then it's of no benefit. It's God is not going to reward anyone for faith alone, as James says,
Arnie:So, so with with all of this as background and understanding that there is works involved or activity that's involved, based on the faith, obedient activity, in other words, based on the faith, let's begin by looking next at at several kinds of faith. And, and one of those very obviously, would be described in in Matthew chapter 15. Matthew chapter 15. There's Jesus meets a Gentile woman, she would have counted as a Gentile because she wasn't a Jewess. She was a SyroPhoenician. woman. She didn't have the benefit of of Moses law or any of the background that that gave. Didn't have Messianic prophecies, for example. And yet she, she's a, a believer. Let's look at her in Matthew chapter, chapter 15, beginning of verse 21, Jesus went out from there departing, departed into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Well, Tyre and Sidon are on the coast of which now Lebanon, And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of that region and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David, my daughter's grievously vexed with a demon. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought, besought him saying, Send her a way, for she cries out after us. But he answered and said, I'm not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came, she and worshipped Him. In other words, he, she knelt down before Him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It's not good to take the children's bread, and to cast it to the dogs. She said, truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters table. Jesus answered and said, unto her, O woman, great is thy faith. Be it unto thee even as thou will. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour. So it was very clear that this was a woman who had faith she was willing to act that faith out and recognize Jesus for who He really, really was. He wasn't just some preacher walking through the area there. He was the Son of God. She understood that recognize that that's what faith involves.
Fred Gosnell:Right. And she trusted that Jesus could heal her daughter, trusted him to do that, even though she was not not a Jew. And, of course, she answered the, she, her answer to him Uh, when he said about not giving the food to the dogs, she said, well, even the even the dogs enjoy crumbs from the Masters table. And of course that was her answer to, she was going to trust him to do what she needed him to do. But then then then it's, it's possible to have little faith. And of course, Peter, Peter was a Jew, one of the disciples, one of the 12 apostles, when he was in the inner circle of those that followed Jesus he had selected. Of course, he was capable of much greater faith, but there was a time when he had too little, and he had doubts and allowed these doubts to interfere with, with his with his actions. And, of course, that that record is in Matthew 14,
Arnie:There you go.
Fred Gosnell:22 through 32. Sorry about that. So, beginning in verse 22, And straightway Jesus constrained His disciples to get into the ship. And to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. He had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain apart to pray. And when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled seeing, saying, It is a spirit, and they cried out for fear, but straightway Jesus spake unto them saying, Be of good cheer, it is I be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the water, and he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And Immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him and said unto him, Oh, thou of little faith. Wherefore didst thou doubt. And when they were come unto the ship, the wind ceased. So doubts, reserved, reserved, result in little faith. Peter was with Lord had seen him perform miracles, but yet even though it being in that position, he doubted what that he could walk on the water even though he had been doing that. So you know, many, many people today are in the same position, to have hearts that are Stoney, as they say, Jesus, in Matthew 13, talked about certain certain people. And he said, He who was verse 20, He who received the seed and on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it, yet he has no root in himself. But endures only for a while for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word immediately he stumbles. So faith is, is weak, and little, when we allow the things in this world to get our minds off of the Lord. And we don't listen to what he says don't trust him. We end up having doubts, and that causes our faith to be of little value.
Arnie:I think experiences like that there on the sea walking on the water were experiences that that increased in the end, increased Peters faith. He went through some difficult situations, and that nobody else would understand if they hadn't seenit happen. The other disciples wouldn't have perhaps, recognized that or, or understood it. But Peter became one of the strongest, and a leader, certainly a leader among the apostles, Let's stop at this point Fred. I think we're we're almost on the verge of running out of time here. It'd be difficult for us to say very much about little faith, other than the fact that it's spiritually sunk, I guess, you could say with regard to Peter if he had had remained weak in his faith, but he became a an example of strong faith there later on. We hope that this study will increase your faith and strengthen you and Lord willing, and we'll try to talk about some other kinds of faith as well on next words day. Have a good week.