A Commentary On Faith
gtcotr/ws060706
Our text for tonight comes from the book of Romans and is a testimony of the life and faith of Abraham, our father of faith.
Romans 4 & 5 (KJV)
17 ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,)before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
In the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s, the faith message got a bad reputation because of some of the misunderstandings and abuses of scripture and doctrine. In some circles the ‘name it claim it’ message made God out to be some spiritual Santa Clause or Jeannie in a bottle, existing only to fill our shopping lists with ever increasing desires of the flesh and mind. The bible became little more than a promise book or shopping list containing formulas which, if applied correctly, would lead to riches, fame and fortune.
Not but a few bible teachers actually espoused this self serving doctrine, but it seemed that the devil, wishing to pervert the gospel and attempting to rob believers of access to faith, made every attempt to twist and distort the truths contained in the faith message and deceive the listeners into trusting in formulas which would not work. Many sincere believers ended up disappointed and discouraged and dead.
There is a true faith and the bible is filled with wonderful promises for God’s covenant people. God is good and wants to bless His children. None of these things are in any dispute. There are things we can do to actuate our faith and steps we can take to make things happen. We don’t have to minimize the power and effect of our faith, not shrink back from the adventures of faith, God wishes to bring us on, to speak about the misconceptions in pasts faith teachings.
There is more to making faith work than just finding a promise God gave to someone in the bible and chanting it three times each day. So, allow me to set the record straight by the word of God and its clear and consistent doctrine of faith. First lets look at one of the most misunderstood applications, The Doctrine of ‘Faith and Confession’. What I call the:
* It Ain’t Dark Theology
The first lesson on faith was given by God Himself in the very beginning.
Genesis 1 (KJV)
1 ¶ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 ¶ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
1. God acknowledged the situation as it was.
2. God considered what He wanted.
3. God spoke in faith.
God said, “let there be light.” He did not say, “It ain’t dark.”
This is what the Apostle Paul was confirming when he wrote to the believers in Rome and said that God called those things which be not as though they were. The clear reverse implication is that God did not call those things which were as though they were not!
The ‘It Ain’t Dark Theology’ is false doctrine at best. It will not work. There is a world of difference between those two statements and a world of difference in the results.
Faith speaks above the circumstances and conditions of life, not denying their existence but denying their right to continue to exist.
Faith in action exercises the power to change current affairs. This is the testimony of Abraham who called himself the father of many nations for years before he ever had a child.
Romans 4
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Abraham took God at His word.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 tells us that these temporary light afflictions work for us when we do not focus on the circumstances of life.
Another word on being weak in faith. Scriptures tell us to receive those who are weak in faith. Receive them, not so we can dispute with them or judge them or ridicule them about how weak they are, but so that we can bear their infirmities ourselves. (Romans 14&15)
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
To stagger in this sense is to hesitate or waver in opinion or judgment. The Greek word translated stagger here is ‘diakrino’. To vacillate or halt between two opinions. Of the 19 times this word is used in the New Testament it is most often translated ‘doubt’.
‘Giving glory to God’ means - giving credit to God. Give God some credit for being able to do miracles.
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Imputed means reckoned. Like the established fact that a bank account has been reconciled and the correct amount verified. That amount is the imputed amount, not supposed, not thought to be, not hoped for, but imputed. Righteousness is the undeniable result of completely trusting in God’s word as full and final say.
23 ¶ Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Those who believe on God Who raised up Jesus from the dead are reconciled to God by the righteousness which is imputed to them through that faith in God’s word.
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Romans 5
1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Justified - big word! Means: Just If I’d Never Sinned! This is the pathway to peace with God, justification by faith. Right with God!
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Access by faith into this grace. This gives us the picture of the process of obtaining through faith.
Grace Provides
Hope Envisions
Faith Lays Hold On
Patience Possesses
Hebrews 6:12 tells us that it is through faith and patience we inherit
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
See, I told you that faith works. Faith works throughout the process of testing, tribulations, trials and temptations.
James 1 KJV
2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
How does faith work?
Galatians 5:6 Faith works by love
Philemon 6 Faith works by acknowledging every good thing which is already in you in Christ.
James 3:20 & 26 Faith works by application
