Biblical Faith - "The" Faith

Our study has been on the subject of faith. Faith in terms of its essence and the faith and personal faith and faith as a principle. And what we've done is look at the essence of faith and ask the question, what is the essence of biblical faith? I qualified faith as biblical faith because there is faith that is non-biblical. We looked at Hebrews 11 verse 1. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The word substance there means reality. It's the reality of things hoped for. And the word for hope there means those things which are in absolute certainty. So when we talk about biblical faith in its essence, we're talking about reality. We're talking about those things of God which are in absolute certainty.

All of this, so far, is independent of man, independent of our faith. So we're separating out the essence of faith from our personal faith in this initial part of our lesson. We said last week, as we summarized what is the essence of faith, that it's God's total revelation to man. Now, most of the revelation comes through the Bible, it comes through the Word of God.

But there is some revelation that God has given to man in terms of general revelation. And every man has been given the knowledge of God within himself. He knows by looking at creation that there is a God, that He's omnipotent, that He's all-powerful. So every person knows that there is a God and knows about His eternal power and His Godhead.

So, when we talk about faith in its essence, we're talking about that which is reality. We're talking about that which is objective truth. That. Independent of whether you or I understand them. Independent of whether we know them. Independent of whether we believe them. Independent of all that. Independent of us. They are reality. They are absolute certainty. Now, what I'd like to do is ask the question, what's the source of the essence of faith?

So I want you to turn in your Bible to Hebrews chapter 12, verse 1. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. How? by looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." I told you that we're going to be building on this basic diagram here in terms of faith. So the first thing we're going to build upon is the source of faith.

And it says here in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2 that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. And our is italicized. It was added by the interpretive. The pronoun our isn't there, but there is a definite article that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of the faith. So now the question is, what does the faith mean?

Hebrews 12.2 is in the context.

Hebrews 11.1 starts off with the essence of faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, or the reality of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, or the proof of things not seen. And then from verse 2 in chapter 11 through verse 1 in chapter 12, it's talking about personal faith. Just go back in Hebrews 11 and verse 2.

For by it the elders received witness. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear, or which are visible." And then you go through God's hall of fame of the men and women of faith. So you'll see by faith, Abel, by faith, Enoch, by faith, Sarah.

As you go down through all of chapter 11 up through verse 1 of chapter 12. And it's talking about personal faith. So now, there's a definite article there. It's talking about the faith. When there's a definite article, it's pointing out something. It's making it specific. So if I were to say there's a house, it could be any house. But if I say there is the house, you know that it's a specific house.

Now, in the context, there's the essence of faith and there's personal faith. Is it the essence of faith that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher? Or is it personal faith that he's the author and finisher? Or could it be both? that he's the author and finisher of both the essence of biblical faith and of personal faith.

Personal faith is one resting in the essence of faith. The essence of faith is the things of God, and in case of an unbeliever, there are specific things that the Holy Spirit reveals unto an unbeliever, And to a believer, the Holy Spirit's job description is to reveal all of the things of God to us. So personal faith is one just resting in the facts or the truth or the reality of what God says. In a simple definition, that's personal faith. Personal faith is where you take ownership of what God has revealed in terms of the essence of faith. You rest in it. It becomes yours. You're the owner of it. And you believe it, and you're the owner of that truth.

Hebrews 12-2 is in this context that Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of the faith. Is it the essence of faith or personal faith? The faith, as we go through all of these passages of scripture where there's a definite article, This could be referring to the essence of faith in terms of the totality of what God has revealed, or just a portion of the essence of faith, like, for example, the Gospel, that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, that he was buried and rose again the third day. The faith can also refer to personal faith, so it can refer to any of those three. what does it refer to here in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2? The word here for author is used only four times in scripture in the New Testament.

It's used in Acts 3.15, it's used in Acts 5.31, it's used in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 10, and it's used here in Hebrews 12 verse 2.

And the word author has several ideas. One is originator, another is founder, Another is prince. If we were to look at the two passages in Acts, it translates it as prince. And author could also mean leader. Author is interpreted sometimes captain. And so if we go to the other passage in Hebrews in chapter 2 verse 10, you'll see it translated captain. So which idea of the word author is it referring to? turn to chapter 3 of Acts.

Here the story is Peter and John heal a man who has been lame from birth. In verse 11 it says, As the lame man who was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering. And they would have worshipped Peter and John But look at the response. And when Peter saw that the people were probably about to do that, he answered the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this? For why look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man walk? But they're saying there was nothing in and of ourselves that made this man walk.

Verse 13, The God of Abraham and Isaac And Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his son Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just." And these are the titles that are given to the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, and they understood these titles, that this was the Messiah, the Holy One, and the Just. And he goes on to say in verse 14, And you desired a murderer to be granted unto you. You know, let Barabbas go and kill the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 15, And you killed the Prince of Light. You killed the Author of Light, whom God has raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. So, Peter and John are telling these Jews that they have killed the prince or the author of life.

What does author mean here? Does it mean originator, founder, prince, leader, captain? All of those are translations of this word. I think Jesus Christ is called the prince or the author of life because he is the beginning or the originator of God's creation.

And just to show you that, turn over to Revelation 3, verse 14. And here, John is instructed to write to the churches, and he's writing unto the church of Laodicea, verse 14, And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, these things saith the verily, verily, the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God. The word beginning is similar to the word author. And we go to John 1 3, it says, all things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made. Everything was created by the word Jesus Christ. So, in Acts 3 15, when it talks about Jesus Christ being the prince, the author of life, He is the originator of life. He's the author or originator.

Now, turn back to Hebrews, and I want you to look at one of the other passages that use the word author, and that's Hebrews chapter 2. What's interesting here is this. Not only is Jesus Christ the author or the originator of all of physical life, but He's the author and He's the originator of spiritual life. And so, look at verse 9.

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man. The message there is this, that Jesus Christ came into the world to die for the sins of the world. For everybody's sins? Yeah. for every single person. It's an inclusive term here in verse 9. It means every single person. So, he has died and he has paid the penalty for every man's sin.

And then in verse 10, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to perfect, as opposed to make, to perfect. the captain or the author of their salvation through suffering. So, he is the captain or he is the author of salvation. And I think what that's saying is that he is the originator. Salvation originates out from the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, we're back to The question is, the faith in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 2, is it talking about the essence of faith, or is it talking about personal faith, or is it talking about both? Let me say this, I think for sure it is talking about the essence of faith when it talks about the faith. And I also think that it includes personal faith, because these two are intrinsic You can't separate personal faith from the essence of faith, because personal faith is resting in the essence of faith, so they're tied together. So, I believe it's talking about those, that he's the originator of faith.

And in the case of personal faith, that he is the leader. He has shown it, and that's what he did, in totally resting upon the Father. And he totally rested upon good Christ. and he rested in God's provision. So it can be translated both. He's the author and finisher of our faith, and the word finisher there means a completer, a perfecter, one who completes and perfects the thing, one who brings through to final attainment or brings to a goal.

The word Jesus Christ brings to a goal, faith. Essence of faith? Absolutely. Personal faith? Absolutely. So I think there's no question that the faith definitely refers to the essence of faith, and I think it also includes personal faith. Now the question is this. How does God convey faith's essence? How does he convey that to man?

Turn to Romans chapter 10, and let's just look at the context for a minute in verse 1. It says, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. This is Paul's prayer for Israel, his brethren, those who are of the seed of Abraham, as Paul was the seed of Abraham, and he desired that they might be saved. And so the question is, how can they be saved? Verse 9, that is, Thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt believe in thy heart that God has raised him from the dead, Thou shalt be saved.

And there is the gospel. There is the simple gospel that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, came into this world and He came as a man. And He was both man and God. And He went to the cross. And He does. He paid the penalty for the sins of the world. And there was an agreement between the Father and the Son. And the Son agreed to shed his blood for the sins of the world.

And the Father's part of the covenant, the everlasting covenant, or the eternal covenant, over in Hebrews 13.20, he says to his Son, if you lay your life down for the sins of the world, I'll take it up again. And I'll resurrect you. So the very proof that Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world, and no one else could do that, the proof is in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And so that's what we're to believe. How do you believe? You just rest in those facts, the reality that comes out from God's essence. We just rest in that. And so you go on to verse 10. It says, For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. And then it goes on. For Scripture saith, Whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew And the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

And then in verse 14, it goes into the question that man has today. How about the people who have no clue, have never heard the gospel, look at verse 14. How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher, without one who heralds the message? Verse 15, And how shall they preach except they be sent?

As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the gospel, for Isaiah says, Lord, who hath believed our report? And in verse 17, so faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. In verse 17, there's a definite article, for the faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Now the question is this, what faith is it talking about there? Is it talking about the essence of faith? Is it talking about personal faith? Is it talking about both? The faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And so God comes at them as we build upon this, and the Word of God is what expresses the reality of who God is, the things of God. That which is absolute certainty is expressed in the Word of God. So I want to skip for a moment the faith. We'll come back to it in a minute. So the message, or at least the gospel, comes from the Word of God. So here's the Word of God, out from the essence of God, and here comes the hearing.

The hearing by a person. And in this case, what we're talking about in Romans 10, is the gospel. It's how the person's saved. Saved through the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the person hears that. They hear that by someone who heralds that message. And God desires a response. And every man is going to respond. The response may be negative.

I'm not going to believe that. That's dumb. Because as we look at 1 Corinthians chapter 1, it says, for the message of the cross is to them who are perishing, foolishness. That's a bunch of foolishness. That God would send his son to die on the cross for the sins of the world. I mean, if I were to have a plan, that wouldn't be my plan. That's right.

But the cross is the wisdom of God, and as high as the heavens are above the earth, so is his wisdom above our wisdom. So the cross represents the power of God. And we don't have that infinite power, but that's what the cross represents. And that's the essence of faith, whether we know it, whether we understand it, whether we believe it or not.

If we hear it, we're going to respond. And the response may be negative, I don't want to believe that. And that was my response for many, many years. Or the response may be believing it and putting one's total rest in the fact. God, you said you've done it. I rest in what you say. I enter in to the truth that you have revealed. So there's a response on the part of man.

He hears the word and it says, The faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I believe in this passage of scripture, it's talking about personal faith. Because there's a little preposition there, which says, the faith comes out of hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So, man hears the word of God, and responds either negatively or positively.

In verse 16, man responded negatively. It says, but they have not all obeyed the gospel. They have not all listened under the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our report? And who has heard the message? In verse 17, is one who has heard the message and by faith, by rest and trust, they believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That is rest or personal faith in the fact that Jesus Christ came, the eternal Son of God, came to this earth as a man, died on the cross for your sins, for my sins, for the sins of the entire world. And that's the good news. And the bad news is this. Every single person born into this world is born an Adam. For by one man, That is, Adam's sin entered into the world. That is, the sin nature entered into the world, and death by sin. And death there goes back to Genesis 2, verse 17.

It's talking about both spiritual death and physical death. Because God said to Adam, in the days that you eat of the fruit of the trees, knowledge of good and evil, the trees, as I told you, you can't partake. Dying, you shall surely die. Dying spiritually, the moment you eat it, you shall surely die, yet future, physically die." So 930 years later, Adam died.

Then in Romans 5.12, it says, "...for by one man the sin, nature, entered into the world, and the death, spiritual death, physical death, by the sin. And so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned." Because we're born in Adam, there's death. who were born spiritually dead.

When you were born, you were born spiritually dead. That means nothing more than separation from God. You were born spiritually dead, separated from God spiritually. And because you were, you were united to that sin nature, and God condemns sin nature. He has judged it, and because of the sin nature, there's eternal condemnation. So we're eternally condemned.

I was explaining this to a couple. This young lady said, that isn't good. I said, yeah, you're right. That isn't good. But there is good news. And the good news is that God loves them. He loves them so much that he sent his son to explain the gospel to them both. And I said, now you have a consideration, either to believe it or not. either to enter into those wonderful truths that God has paid for every one of your sins, paid the penalty, but you're still united to that sin nature which is condemned and you're going to be condemned to go to hell unless you believe. If you believe, Scripture tells us there is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Amen? Amen.