Faith is why we do everything we do and hope for

HEBREWS 11:1-3 SAYS now FAITH IS the substance of things hoped for, the evidence (surety) of things not seen. For by faith 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 do appear.  The Greek word for substance means to stand under. This is the support of faith. Faith is to support every thing we do, because whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Faith is WHY we do everything we do and hope for.

 James 1:22 says be ye doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own self like Noah. Noah was told to build an ark. Noah made a choice and became a doer of the word and not a hearer only. Jonah knew there was a God. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. He was not a doer of the word and he did not get the substance hoped for. Neither do we. In order to have the substance of things hoped for we must have faith and be a doer of the word. Faith is the WORKING assurance of things hoped for, it is the evidence of what I am doing ( like Noah) of things not seen for if seen it is not hope. Noah`s ark was evidence of faith. I will show you my faith by my works. This passage is not telling us what produces faith. It is shown by the seen evidence. People did not seen Noah`s working faith until the water got about two feet high and rising. People only see faith today when Christians are doers of the word. The heavens and the earth are pieces of evidence that we can base our faith on God.

HEBREWS 1:1-3 says God, who at sundry times and in divers’ manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things, by the word of his power when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high? By faith in God, we UNDERSTAND how the world was made.

Psalms 19:1 says the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handywork. The evidence of things not seen with the eye of faith. THE book of Hebrews was written to stop the apostasy of the Christian Jews. The epistles were written in the reign of Nero and his persecutions. The book of Revelations was written before the destruction of Jerusalem.

In Matthew 24:21 Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem as the tribulation. Romans 16:20 says the God of peace shall bruise Satan under his feet SHORTLY. The persecution would suffer a complete defeat by the power of the gospel. The Judaizers taught that the Jewish Christians would forfeit being Abraham`s seed if they accepted the gospel of JESUS CHRIST.

SO, I John 3:9 says  whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed (Abraham`s seed) remanieth in him and he can not sin because he is born of God. The word can not does not mean impossible, it is a prohibition. A parent may tell a child you can not do that because they know they can. God sent Moses down a rugged Mt. Sinai to tell the people you can not come up to the mountain. It was prohibited not impossible.

In II Peter 2:14 some of God`s children had become cursed children that could not cease from sin. If that means impossible  then we have people that can not sin and some that can not stop from sinning. The reason was their eyes were full of adultery.

So, a preacher teaching I John 3:9 a child of God can not sin was asked, can a child of God get drunk? He yes but will not let him die drunk? So, here we have the formula for eternal life. Get drunk and stay drunk and you will never die and not be killed in a car wreck.

 II John 7 says there are many deceivers in the world which are the antichrist.

I John 8-11 says look to yourselves (be on guard) that we lose not those things which we have worked for, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever trangresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your HOUSE, neither bid him God -speed, for he that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Romans 10:17 says so then FAITH COMETH BY HEARING and hearing by the WORD OF GOD.

ROMANS 14:23 says whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

HEBREWS 11:6 says without faith it is impossible  to please him.

JAMES 2:26 says for as the body without the spirit is DEAD, so faith without WORKS (DOING) is DEAD ALSO.

Come join us at Piney Church of Christ, in Spencer, on Rhinehart Parkway, at 10:30 Sunday morning for worship and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.