Faith Toward God

Our last lesson identified faith, i.e., believing in and trusting Christ alone for salvation, as the first step toward salvation. Faith is an e in coming to God; without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

The faith is the and established by Christ, by the apostles, and to the saints (Jude 3). When the Bible speaks of “contending for the faith,” “one Lord, one faith, one baptism,” and “some shall depart from the faith,” this is not in the same sense as “faith toward God.” Listed below are many of the verses relating to the faith; we should learn to differentiate between these two terms.

A good thing to remember in helping to differentiate these two terms is that one can have faith and not be in the faith, but one cannot be in the faith without having faith toward God.

I. HOW DO WE OBTAIN FAITH?

Both Satan and demons believe (James 2:19), but their belief does not save them. It takes more than this type of believing to be saved, yet we can never be without believing. Faith is the first step, the beginning ingredient, and a necessary part of salvation. Every step toward God must be by faith.

We can acquire great things from God through faith. The most important is salvation from sin. Some additional benefits accompany salvation, but they are constantly dependent on faith to keep them alive in our heart and soul.

II. SALVATION

1. “He that cometh to God must believe that he is” (Hebrews 11:6).

2. “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

3. “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8).

4. “To them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

5. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth . . . in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

6. “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood” (Romans 3:25).

7. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God” (Colossians 2:12).

8. “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21).

9. “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand” (Romans 5:2).

10. “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Galatians 3:2).

III. HEALING

1. “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick” (James 5:15).

2. To the woman with the issue of blood, Jesus said, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole” (Matthew 9:22).

3. “And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong” (Acts 3:16).

4. “According to your faith be it unto you” (Matthew 9:29).

IV. PLEASING GOD

1. “But without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6).

2. Enoch “had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

V. VICTORY

1. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4).

2. We should study the things that constitute the world, with the view of being victorious over them. (See I John 2:15-17.)

VI. UNDERSTANDING

1. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God” (Hebrews 11:3).

2. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20) (Study Genesis 1-2 in conjunction with this verse.)

VII. SANCTIFICATION

1. “That they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).

2. “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:9).

VIII. JUSTIFICATION

1. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

2. “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 2:16).

3. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28).

4. “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).

IX. DIRECTION

1. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7).

2. “Walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham” (Romans 4:12).

X. RIGHTEOUSNESS

1. “The Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith” (Romans 9:30).

2. “But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise . . .” (Romans 10:6). (See Romans 10:1-6.)

XI. FACTS OF FAITH

Below are some pertinent facts concerning faith that we would do well to commit to memory.

1. Faith works by (Galatians 5:6).

2. All people do not have (II Thessalonians 3:2).

3. Faith without is dead (James 2:14-26).

4. Without faith we cannot God (Hebrews 11:6).

5. Only is greater than faith (I Corinthians 13:13).

6. Faith is a weightier matter than (Matthew 23:23).

7. The church is the of faith (Galatians 6:10).

8. Faith comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

9. The shield of faith is part of the Christian’s (Ephesians 6:16).

10. Faith is one of the nine gifts (I Corinthians 12:9).

11. Faith is part of the of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

12. We are to hold to faith lest we make of our lives (I Timothy 1:18- 20).

13. There is a (principle) of faith (Romans 3:27).

14. We are to add to our faith seven (II Peter 1:5-10).

Faith toward God is a virtually inexhaustible subject. I encourage you, with Bible and concordance in hand, to explore the depths of faith. The first goal of this lesson is to establish faith in your heart for salvation. The second goal is to increase your faith, causing you to build upon it so that you will never fall (II Peter 1:10).