Faith Alone

[0:00] Faith, faith alone, faith.

[0:21] Salvation is by faith, through God's grace.! We're looking at that dimension of faith just now. Faith comes from God.

[0:32] It originates from Him. Do we know authentic faith? Biblical faith? Bible faith? Saving faith? It's a common thread right through, from Genesis through Revelation.

[0:47] Faith! Faith! Someone said this, Faith sees Christ on high and throne, the cruel cross on which He groaned, the crown which now His brow adorns, was once a cruel crown of thorns.

[1:05] And while the ages roll away, faith sees the increase of His sway, till crowns and thrones and kingdoms fall, and Christ is King and Lord of all.

[1:17] Faith! Faith realises that. Faith grasps that. And faith is granted to man as a response to God. We see in Acts 11, verse 21, it says, And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

[1:36] God was present. His hand was upon them. A great number believed, a great number had faith, and turned unto the Lord. We see the response of faith.

[1:48] The response of faith. Right through the pages of Scripture. The response of faith. I'll put it to you, there's three things we could see in that response of faith.

[1:59] The response of a believing life. Number one is hear Him. Number two is see Him. Number three is trust Him. It starts, number one, with hearing Him.

[2:12] Hear Him. We read in these verses here, in Romans 10, verse 17, it says, So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

[2:26] Faith starts with the Word. It starts with God, with His Word that He gives to us. And faith has an intellectual basis. Faith is not just faith, some airy, fairy kind of faith, some generic kind of faith.

[2:40] It's faith in what God says. It's faith in His truth, upon His true Word. It says in Hebrews 4, and likewise in Hebrews 4, it talks about the Word of God as being alive, as being quick, and active, powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword.

[2:57] And likewise in Hebrews 4, it says that the Word is mixed with faith in those who received it. It starts with the Word, and man's faith is prompted, it stirs, realised, as the Word is preached.

[3:14] And sinner, will you hear Him cry? Will you hear Him cry? Through the preacher, Be ye reconciled unto God. Be ye reconciled unto God.

[3:27] Be joined together with God. That great divide, that great separation of your sin, that it can be taken, it can be removed. Be ye reconciled to God.

[3:39] His voice is still speaking that today, as it says in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 20, Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us.

[3:52] We pray you, In Christ's stead, be ye reconciled unto God. The Gospel offer is still extended. The Word is still preached, and by His mercy, faith is still being mixed with the Word.

[4:09] Hear Him, hear Him today, hear Him. Above the deafening crowd of other voices, hear His voice. The Gospel offer is still extended.

[4:20] The offer of divine peace and mercy. And we stand, in Christ's stead, every one of you, as you're personally witnessing us, as was said, as you're corporately gathering together, exalting one another, as you see the day approaching, be ye reconciled to God.

[4:38] We're standing, in Christ's stead, in Christ's place, Christ is still pleading, with sinners today. We beseech you, as though Christ, as though God did, beseech you, by us.

[4:54] Christ is still pleading, He's still inviting. And we stand, in His place, extending that invitation. But God does not exercise faith for you.

[5:05] Faith is taking God, at His Word. It's His Word, being mixed with faith. And thank God, that even we, who are dead, dead, in trespasses and sins, dead, as a dodo, dead, as a body in a morgue, dead, with us, found us of our sin, yet, God, by His grace, can, speak to us.

[5:31] Amen. And the dead, can still hear His voice. Thank God for that. We read of that, in John 5, even we, who are spiritually dead, can yet have ears to hear.

[5:46] Now, the context of John 5, is of course, of the raising of the dead, of the end days. But, we know, it can still happen spiritually, I believe today, that you, who are dead, in trespasses and sins, the dead, can hear His voice, as it says, in John 5, 25, verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead, shall hear, the voice, of the Son of God, and they that hear, shall live.

[6:16] So, faith, it starts with the Word. Faith is mixed with the Word. Faith is the Word, preached, and heard. Faith, has ears to hear, and faith, has eyes to see.

[6:32] There is only one, to whom we can look, who has the message, who has that means of life, that one who can save us. As we read in Hebrews 12, verse 2, where it says, looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher, of our faith, who for the joy, that was set before Him, enjoyed the cross, despising the shame, and is set down, at the right hand, of the throne of God.

[6:57] Faith, hears His voice, faith, looks unto Jesus, looks unto Him, faith comes from Him, He is the beginning of it, and the ending of it, He is the author, and the finisher, the concluder of it, the completer of our faith, and thank God today, we can look, and live.

[7:17] We can look, and live. I think, they use that in the electricity industry, don't they? As far as, you look, and you can live. You've got to watch out, for those electric wires, you've got to look, to be safe, and you've got to look, to be saved.

[7:30] You've got to look, to Christ, to be saved. Look to the blood, look to that one, look to that one, who became sin, for us, who knew no sin, that one, look, and live.

[7:42] As God's people, we read that, in Numbers 21, when Moses, lifted up, the brazen serpent, this golden, brazen serpent, on a stick, was a figure, a type, a picture, of Christ to come, and it says, when he looketh upon it, he shall live.

[8:03] Numbers 21, verse 8, and it's a type, a picture, a snapshot beforehand, of Calvary's cross, of the rugged cross, where the bleeding lamb, paid for your sin.

[8:16] It's a picture of that. If you can but look, you can live. They saw Calvary, before, before, it came to be. Will you look up?

[8:27] Will you look up today? I plead you, plead with you, look up, with the eyes of faith, this morning. Look up to Christ today. He says unto you, Isaiah 45, 22, look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else.

[8:48] Hear him, see him. We have need of faith. We have need of faith. Ever increasing faith. We can't have too much faith. I was just, happened to, to turn onto the radio, this morning, and there was someone speaking about faith, and they said, we can't have too much faith.

[9:07] You know, the Lord Jesus never rebukes anyone, for having too much faith. Did he? We need more, more, more of faith. More of him. More of him. Not be as those of little faith.

[9:21] Yet, even a grain of mustard seed of faith, is something he counts as very powerful. Faith. Faith is needed all the way. Faith to toil, and faith to pray.

[9:32] Faith to learn, and faith to teach. Faith to practice, faith to preach. Faith to start, each day anew. Faith to do, our duty to.

[9:43] Faith to help, the weak along. Faith to bear, in patience strong. Faith to smile, though sad within. Faith to conquer, every sin.

[9:54] Faith to ask him, for his care, while we earthly trials bear. Faith to smother, every sigh, faith to live, and faith to die.

[10:06] The response of faith, is to hear him, to see him, and to trust him. To trust him. Hebrews 11, 1. Now faith is, the substance, of things hoped for, the evidence, of things, not seeing.

[10:21] Faith is both, the substance, hoped for, and the evidence, of things, not yet, visible, to the eye. And amazingly, though, it be desperately, wicked, desperately wicked, the human heart, can trust him.

[10:39] The human heart, man's foul, stained, wicked heart, can trust him still. Thank God, for with the heart, man believeth unto righteousness.

[10:52] With the heart, though it be inclined, to be desperately wicked, though it be deceitful, yet, God, can transform, that heart, to a new heart.

[11:04] The object of faith, is Christ. The object of faith, is him. And to the question, what must I do, to be saved? The answer is still, believe, believe, believe, on the Lord, Jesus Christ, and thou, shalt be saved.

[11:21] It's still the same answer today, this morning, this very moment, that is still the answer for you. If you want to be saved, believe, believe.

[11:32] Faith in Christ, is essential, we must trust him, trust him. Our faith is from him, and unto him. Faith is not worked up, by our own self, by our own working, that we can claim, any credit for it, at all.

[11:48] But yet, faith, must be that response, lest, we die. God, doesn't, repent, and believe, for us. that response, must come, from you, for you to be saved.

[12:04] And Christ will receive, all, who come to him. John 6, 37, all that the Father, giveth me, shall come, to me. He's the one, who knows, who will come, and where they will come to, to me.

[12:22] And here's the good news, him, that cometh to me, I will, in no wise, cast down. If you will, but trust him, if you will, but come unto him, he says, I will not, cast you away.

[12:35] That's good news, isn't it? That's good news today. And it's news for you today. John 5, 40, it says, of some, he says, you will, not come, to me.

[12:48] Some, will not come. That's still true today too. Some still refuse, to come. Unbelief, is an act of the will.

[13:00] Unbelief, is active faith. But unfortunately, it is faith, in yourself. Don't have faith, in yourself. Don't believe, in yourself. Believe in Christ.

[13:11] Believe in him. Believe in the saviour. Faith. Faith, is the assurance, that God's promises, will never fail. He that cometh to me, I will in no wise, cast out.

[13:22] No way, in the world, will he cast you out, if you but come to him, with faith. What is faith? A missionary, John Patton, was in the New Hebrides, trying to translate, the gospel of John.

[13:41] And there was a word, that he couldn't, quite find, the, native, phrase for. He couldn't work out, how to, translate faith.

[13:53] How to translate, believe. What, would he use, to translate, believe. And he was grappling, with this, and he had to put, his transcript, aside.

[14:04] He had to put, his manuscript, aside. Because he couldn't find, how to translate, believe. And it occurs, some 90 times, plus, in the gospel of John. How could he, translate this word, believe?

[14:16] He grappled, with it, and he had to put, the manuscript, aside. But one day, one of the native, workers came. They'd just been out, doing some, Christian service.

[14:27] And they came in, to where John Patton, was sitting. And one of them, sat down, on a chair, and put his feet, up on another. He was tired.

[14:37] He'd been doing, some, strenuous work. And he used, a word, which meant, I am resting, my whole weight, on these two chairs.

[14:48] I'm resting, my whole weight, upon these two chairs. And here was a word, that John could use. I'm resting, my whole weight, upon.

[15:00] I have my word, he said, for believe. I'm resting, my whole weight, upon. For example, you could see it, in John 3, 16.

[15:10] For God so loved, the world, that he gave, his only begotten son, that whosoever resteth, his whole weight, upon him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

[15:24] John 1, 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he the power, to become the sons of God, even to them, that rest, their whole weight, upon him.

[15:35] What must I do, to be saved? Rest, your whole weight, upon, the Lord, Jesus Christ, and thou, shalt be saved. Will you rest, your whole weight, upon him?

[15:48] Stop trying to live, your own life, and do your own thing. Faith is dependence, upon God. That is the ultimate. By faith, by faith, Abel, offered a more excellent, sacrifice.

[16:01] By faith, Enoch, was translated. By faith, Noah, was moved, with fear, and he built an ark. By faith, Abraham, went out, not knowing where he was going.

[16:13] He offered up Isaac, by faith. By faith, Sarah, received life, into her womb. By faith, strangers, and pilgrims, on the earth. By faith, Moses, refused to be called the son, of Pharaoh's daughter.

[16:28] By faith, Moses, forsook Egypt. By faith, Moses, traversed the Red Sea, as by dry land. By faith, Rahab, the prostitute, perished not, with them, that believed not.

[16:45] Faith, faith, faith, faith, it's right through the book, right through, from start to end, and it's, now, faith, faith, faith, faith lifts, lifts, its hand up, through the threatening clouds, lay holds on him, who has power in heaven, and on earth.

[17:09] Faith makes, the outlook, bright. Faith makes, the outlook, good. The outlook, favorable, and the future, glorious. Faith, will you have that response?

[17:21] The response of faith, to hear him, to hear his word, to see Christ crucified, to look unto Jesus, the author, the finisher of your faith, faith to see him, faith to trust him, the response of faith, and think, friends, to close, of the result of faith.

[17:40] Faith prompts us to obey him. Obedience is the evidence of true faith. And when you believe, when you trust him, when you're a man, a woman of faith, you will have a fight, that you will face.

[17:55] It says that we should, earnestly contend, for the faith, once delivered, to the saints. That we should stand fast, in the faith.

[18:06] 1 Corinthians 16, 13. Faith, is challenging. You have a fight, on your hands. O for a faith, that will not shrink, though pressed by every foe, a faith that shines more bright, and clear, when tempests rage without, that when in danger, knows no fear, in darkness, feels no doubt.

[18:30] In those times of testing, that your faith will glow, it will shine, it will radiate. The fight, will lead to victory, because, what is, the thing that will overcome the world?

[18:43] For whatsoever, is born of God, overcometh the world, and this, is, the victory, that overcometh, the world, even, our faith.

[18:53] The result, of our faith, it will be obedience, it will be a willingness, to enter the fight, to realise the victory, and the reward of faith, is yet to come.

[19:04] The reward of faith, one day, we shall see him, not through the eyes of faith, but in reality, the reward of our faith, to see him, and we'll be like him, we'll be transformed, into his likeness, and we can be, meantime, established in our faith, grounded, assured, certain, sure, because faith, it's not a leap into the dark, but a leap into the light.

[19:32] Faith is a leap, into the light. It's a certain hope, we've got God's sure word, his certain promise. Friends, consider your stand, now.

[19:46] Consider, the quality, the condition, of your faith. When testing times come, will it shine stronger, brighter?

[19:57] Will you stand firmer, more resolute? Is it authentic faith, living faith, growing faith, personal faith? In 2 Corinthians 8, verse 7, it says, we ought to abound, in faith.

[20:10] Faith should abound, it should flourish, we should walk by faith, so that, the steps that we take, are not just on a Sunday morning, but through our life, that we will walk by faith, we will live by faith, every step, in concert with him, in union with Christ, and that we'll build up ourselves, on our most holy faith.

[20:36] Jude 1, verse 20, friends, it's a growing, living relationship. Faith, this is not faith, in some idol, in some philosophy of man, in some religious system, it's faith in a living saviour, who wants to know you, and you to know him.

[20:53] A relationship, that you can grow in, and mature in. To recap, the response, of faith.

[21:05] Don't close your ears. You must hear him, you must hear him. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by, the word of God. Open these pages, and, seek his face, seek to know him more.

[21:20] The response of faith, to hear him, to look unto him, to see him, to trust him. The result, is obedience, it's fight, it's victory, and the reward, is your union with Christ, your eternal, relationship with him, never dying, never ending, eternal, everlasting.

[21:40] Faith, realises that, wonderful relationship, and you have that, wonderful assurance, that he promises, everlasting life, as you trust him.

[21:51] You have rest, in Christ. Friends, I urge you, Christians, non-Christians, this message, is to us all, and Christians, you're his messenger, take the message, we've been challenged already, there's a word, and it's on your lips, it's in your hands, share it, don't hold it, to yourself, pass it on, let us pray.

[22:18] heavenly father, we praise you that, we have, the joy, of believing, lord, we thank you, for the, mercy, undeserving, sinners, such as we, can have, everlasting, life, life, more abundant, life, eternal, we can't fathom it, lord, why, you would, deign to, come, that you would, lay your life down, but most of all, to bear, sinful man's sin, such as we, lord, we praise you for that, we thank you lord, for the mercy, and grace, that you go, to us, help us to hear you, to see you, to trust you, to follow you, help us not to be, stirred, away from, not to falter, to walk strong, to grow stronger, in that faith, help us lord, to grow, that our faith, not be dying, but flourishing, and ever growing, help each one, if they have doubts, to find faith, help us lord, if there's any, here present, they've yet to trust you, for that very first, moment, of salvation, they've yet to, see that, wonder, of it all, and realise it, personally, lord, we pray, that each one, might know that today, to have that assurance, of everlasting life, by your great work, of Calvary's cross, lord, in Jesus name, amen.

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