Sunday, March 31,2013 am
DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE?
In scripture we are clearly taught the importance of belief.
Virtually everyone who is here today understands the need for
belief. We know that
without belief we cannot be saved.
In fact, belief is at the very foundation of our lives as
Christians. But do we
TRULY believe? In our lesson
this morning we will discuss the subject of TRUE belief.
a.
Defined, πιστεύω (pisteuo),
“to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance – ‘to believe
in, to have confidence in, to have faith in, to trust,…” (L&N, 31.85)
Vines says it means, “to believe, also ‘to be persuaded of’ and hence,
‘to place confidence in, to trust’, signifies, in this sense of the
word, reliance upon, not mere credence.”
b.
The word “believe” is
used more 220 times in the New Testament.
It’s companion word, “faith” is found about the same amount.
Both words are based upon the same original Greek word.
AS a rule, the difference is that believe is normally its verb
(action) form and faith is its noun form (thing).
The amount of usage of the words believe and faith in the New Testament
demonstrates how important it is – both that we understand it and seek
to apply it to our lives.
c.
Simplified, to believe,
as typically used in the New Testament, means that you are fully
convinced of a something as fact to the point that you respond to it
(either positively or negatively).
We shall see this as our lesson develops.
d.
A case study – Abraham
believed God –
i.
Abraham is known for his
belief (faith). His life as
recorded in the Bible is a demonstration of what true belief is about.
ii.
We find a trust early
on. We find a faith that
struggles at times. but eventually his faith matures to the point that
it is unstoppable. In
Genesis 15:6 we find an occasion where he has been promised by Jehovah
God that he would have a son.
The Lord appears to him in a vision and promises protection and
posterity. But his wife
Sarah was barren and they were both old.
Abraham sees this as impossible (and for man alone, indeed it is)
and offers to God the one of his household (an heir of Eliezer).
But the Lord reassures him that he will have an heir himself and
that his descendants will be as the stars of heaven.
Vs. 6 then demonstrated
Abraham’s faith. It says, “And
he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”
EVEN though the promise seemed impossible, Abraham trusted God’s word
and accepted it (though he didn’t know how it would be fulfilled).
His belief in God continues to be demonstrated and eventually
Isaac is born. AND of course
we read of Abraham’s greatest test of faith when he is asked to offer up
Isaac, “his only begotten son” (Heb. 11:17).
TRULY his belief was one that did not merely accept facts but he trusted
God with complete confidence and responded in obedience.
iii.
It is no wonder that
when the New Testament speaks of faith, Abraham is often referred to.
Hebrews 11: 8-19 makes reference to several things Abraham did
“by faith”.
“Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness” is found 3 times in the New
Testament.
1.
Rom. 4:3 is in a context that
speaks of the importance of faith in our justification.
2.
Gal. 3:6 is in a context
where Paul is contrasting the Law of Moses (and any similar law) and our
faith.
3.
James 2:23 is in a
context where the type of faith we must have is demonstrated by our
works. In other words, TRUE
belief is active belief.
When you study the Bible, where our response to God’s call is concerned,
you really cannot separate belief from what we do.
e.
WITH this understanding,
do we truly believe? For the
remainder of our time, I want to talk about what it means to TRULY
believe.
a.
While that statement
sounds redundant it is not.
Throughout this world there are many different beliefs.
These beliefs are often contradictory.
There are hundreds of different world religions, many of which
are diametrically opposed to each other.
By definition they CANNOT all be true.
In fact, when TRUTH is discovered, by its very nature, it
declares everything else to be false.
While Pilate was certainly indifferent in his motives, his
question “what is truth?” is certainly a valid one.
b.
TRUTH is found in the
word of God.
John 17:17, In His prayer, Jesus said to the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth.”
While time will not permit a discussion of why I believe the
Bible to be THE Word of God and thereby the exclusive source of truth
(in matters of salvation), suffice it to say that when the light of the
Bible is compared to the alternatives, it stands far above.
Our study today is based
upon the belief that the Bible IS the word of God.
c.
Rom. 1:16 says of the
gospel of Christ, “For it is the
power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first
and also for the Greek.”
d.
In Mark 1:15 we find
Jesus in Galilee, “preaching the
gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and
the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel’.”
e.
Sadly there are many who
are deceived. They believe,
but it is NOT the truth. 2
Thess. 2:9-12 warns of deception, “The
coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all
power, signs, and lying wonders,
and with all unrighteous
deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the
love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this reason God will send them strong delusion,
that they should believe the lie,
that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had
pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Galatians 1:6-9 finds Paul rebuking these brethren for going after a “different
gospel which is NOT another.”
f.
How can we know what is true? SEARCH the
scriptures!
Acts 17:11-12, “These were more
fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word
will all readiness, and searched
the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
Therefore many of them
believed…”
2 Tim. 2:15. But forth diligent effort and STUDY!
ONLY then can you truly believe!
Heb. 5:14, in a passage where the author is concerned that these
brethren have not matured as they ought he notes, “But
solid food belongs to those who are full age, that is, those who by
reason of use have their senses
exercised to discern both
good and evil.”
g.
Rom. 10:14-17 – the
message must be preached.
We sometimes appeal to vs. 17, “So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God.”
But notice that for faith to come, it must be preached so that it
can be believed. Will we do
our part in this?
a.
Our belief must be a
conviction that is powerful enough to change our lives.
It is not simply about what we
believe. IT is about making
application!
b.
Matt. 7:21, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My father in heaven.”
c.
Rom. 1:5, 16:26 – In his
letter dealing with faith and belief, Paul “bookends” with commendation
for their “obedience to the faith.”
d.
James 1:21-25, James
challenges his audience to lay aside sinful conduct and “receive
with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls.
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving
yourselves…But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and
continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,
this one will be blessed in what he does.”
e.
James 2:14-26 is dealing
with this very point. Faith
without works is dead!
a.
True belief is not
ashamed of the gospel. Again
we are reminded of Paul in Rom. 1:16.
b.
Matt. 5:16 – let you
light so shine. Don’t put it
under a basket!
c.
In John 12:42, we find
there were many who believed in Jesus but they were afraid to confess
Him because of the consequences.
d.
Jesus said, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be
ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the
holy angels.” (Luke
9:26).
Matt. 10:32-33, to confess Him is to be confessed, to deny Him is to be
denied.
e. If we truly believe, we will not be ashamed of Him.
a.
To truly believe means
that you have knowledge.
Knowing truth and its source – what must we believe?
Here are a few essentials (not an exhaustive list).
b.
That God is –
John 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and
believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come
into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”
Heb. 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who
comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him.”
John 6:29, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him who sent
Me.”
c.
That God so loved the
world - John
3:16, “God so loved the world…”
John 17:20-21, “I do not pray for
these alone, but also for those who will
believe in Me through their
word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in
You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may
believe that You sent Me.”
d.
That Jesus is our only hope of salvation
- John 8: 24, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not
believe that I am He, you
will die in your sins.”
1 John 5:5, “Who is he who
overcomes the world, but he who
believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
e.
That it is through His blood that we are saved.
We must come in contact with that blood. But how? Rom. 6:3-4 ties
the death of Jesus (through His shed blood) to our salvation.
Acts 16:31-34 describes the household of the Jailer.
He was told, “Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”
Notice what he did!
He was baptized!
Mark 16:16 says, “HE who
believes and is baptized
shall be saved.”
f.
That Jesus arose from
the dead - 1
Cor. 15:1-4* (See note – depending on audience)
Rom. 10:9-10, “that if you confess
with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that
God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. HE died
for our sins – It is through
Him that we have a hope of salvation.
g.
That He is coming again
– 1 Thess. 4:14,
“For if we
believe that Jesus died and
rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
“
2 Tim. 1:12, “I know whom I have
believed…”
For many this lesson is simply a reminder of what our belief
is about. But it is also
designed to help us examine ourselves to see if we TRULY believe in Him.
In Mark 9:24, we find a man whose son was demon possessed.
The disciples of Jesus failed to cast it out (an indictment of
the level of their belief).
But Jesus spoke to the man who expressed belief that Jesus could
cast out this demon.
Jesus told him, “If you can
believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
The father cried out, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”
This man did believe, but there was room for improvement.
What about us? Do we
TRULY believe? If our faith
is not as it ought to be, let us resolve that we will move forward from
this day seeking to increase our faith.
Think about it!
*NOTE: Today, a substantial portion of the religious world (especially
Christendom) is remembering the resurrection of Jesus.
What we are doing today is no different than any other Sunday.
In God’s word we are instructed to remember His resurrection.
There are many things we do that remind us of His resurrection –
we partake of the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week (Acts 20:7, 1
Cor. 11:23-26), in obeying the gospel we come in contact with the blood
He shed on the cross. We have
hope not just in His death but in His resurrection – baptism symbolizes
that process. As we noted
last week, even our assembling on the first day of the week is connected
to His resurrection.
Furthermore in our preaching it is emphasized.
We TRULY BELIEVE in the resurrection of Jesus.
But we do so, not with man-made customs and observances, but by
believing the truth of His word.
WE invite you to do the same thing.
Does your life demonstrate that belief?