Genuine
Faith
1. Into our History:
Suggested Ice Breakers:
·
Have you
ever come across a fraud or a forgery?
What was it? Were you fooled?
·
How are we
able to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit
·
Are people
able to tell when you are being disingenuous?
Transition: Scripture clearly warns that some have a counterfeit
faith. In fact, we are challenged by God
to examine ourselves to see whether we have genuine faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). So, let’s look at (1) the importance of
faith, (2) the earmarks of genuine faith, and (3) examples of genuine faith.
2. Into the Bible: James 2: 14-25
A. How important is faith?
1) Faith is the foundation of the entire Christian life. It is the only
“admission ticket” into God’s world. Heb 11:6, II Chronicles 20:20, Gal 5:6
2) Because faith is required to please God, all that we do in Christ must
incorporate faith. Habakkuk 2:4, Heb 11:38-39
a) In the natural world, breathing is the evidence of life. In God’s
world, faith is the evidence of spiritual life.
b) Scripture exhorts us to live, walk and overcome by faith.
Rom 1:7, II Cor 5:7,
B. Looking at genuine faith
1) Faith is not believe-ism or a mental acknowledgment of God.
a) You have heard people say, “I believe in God”. This statement alone
is not faith as even demons believe in God. Ja 2:19
b) A confession of faith that has no corresponding action with it is
not Bible faith. Ja 2: 17
2) Scripture tells us that the work of God is to “believe” on Him.
John 6:28-29
a) The term “believe” in scripture involves faith coupled with action
(works) resulting in righteousness.
b) Example: If you have faith that a chair will support you yet are
unwilling to sit in it, you don’t really believe what you confess. Your faith
is dead.
However, if you add action to your faith by sitting in the chair,
“genuine faith” is shown to be real or alive.
3) In the same manner, “genuine faith” in God will be seen in what we
do.
a) Faith alone cannot save us... nor can good works apart from faith.
b) However, when we put our faith in God’s word and live according to
his instruction, we possess a living faith that pleases God.
C. Scriptural examples of “genuine faith”
1) Noah-Genesis 6,7,8
Noah built an ark because he believed what God said and as a result,
saved his household.
2) Abraham-Genesis 22:1-18, Ja
2:21-23
Abraham obeyed God when told to sacrifice his son and obtained a good
report. Abraham is known as the father of faith.
3) Moses-Exodus 12:31-42
Moses obeyed God’s instructions and delivered a nation from
bondage.
3. Into our lives:
A. Have you tried to enter God’s world with an “admission ticket” other
than genuine faith?
B. Are you learning to walk by faith and trust God with the
circumstances of your life?
C. Are you fighting a good fight of faith? I Tim 6:11-12