Alive in
Christ
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The
Principles of the Doctrine of Christ
Faith Toward
God
Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,
let us go on
unto perfection; not laying again the foundation
of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God,
Of the
doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands,
and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment.
Hebrews 6:1-2
Faith towards God is probably the most basic doctrine in Christianity. It is your faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the cross that saves you. Without faith, you cannot overcome this world. Faith in God means believing Him, trusting Him, and obeying Him.
Faith is believing and trusting in Christ while we cannot see Him at the present time. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1). For we walk by faith, not by sight (2Cor 5:7). Even though we cannot see Him know, we know He is there, guiding our daily lives. He will guide you if you let Him. We believe that there is a God, yet have not seen Him. We believe in a Heaven, but have never been there. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God (1 Cor 2:9,10). Although we have not seen it, we accept it though faith.
Likewise, we believe in God though faith. Sometimes He may not seem to make any since; the Bible hard to understand (2 Pet 3:16). Yet we believe God out of faith. So when we fine things in the Bible that we can’t fully comprehend, we still believe the rest of it. When we find things that seem improvable, or contradict everything we have ever been taught, we believe it, for Thy word is the truth (Jn 17:17). The statements in the Bible that have been proven scientifically or otherwise help increase our faith in those things that haven’t been proven. (For a good faith increaser, read “That Amazing Book” by Terry Watkins. Another good on is Kent Hovind’s Creation Seminar. You can watch it in it’s entirety for free on his website.)
Faith doesn’t just mean believing in a God. Faith also means Trusting and OBEYING God.
You can “believe” in God all you want, but it will not do you any
good. The devils also believe in
God: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the
devils also believe, and tremble” (James 2:19).
You show your faith by trusting and obeying Him. By works is your faith made manifest. Jesus said “Ye are my friends, if ye do
whatsoever I command you” (Jn
15:10) and “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (Jn 14:5). Just reading the Bible and listening to sermons is not
enough. You can’t say you believe it
if you don’t obey it. “But be ye
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).
Hebrews
Chapter 11 is known as the “Faith Chapter.”
In it are many examples of people, who throught faith, trusted and
obeyed God. For example, Noah building
the ark (Heb 11:7), and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea (Heb 11:29). These all showed their faith in God by
trusting and obeying Him.
5 Trust in the LORD with all
thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Prov 3:5,6
Trusting in and obeying God will help you, not hinder you. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (1Jn 5:3). Christ’s burden is light:
28 Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls.
30 For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matt 11:28-30
When you put your trust fully in God, He will take away the fear of man, which prevents you from doing His will. “In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me” (Ps 56:4, see also Heb 13:6). Trusting in God is your protection and your shield: “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him” (Ps 18:30). Ephesians 6:16 says that the SHIELD OF FAITH is your protection from the fiery darts of the devil: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” “Above all” hints that faith is the greatest weapon in the believer’s arsenal.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (Ps 55:22)
Miracles happen by faith, and they don’t happen without it. If you ask without doubting, you will get your request. Examples are breakthroughs in your life, help with troublesome Scriptures, and receiving the Holy Ghost.
7 Ask, and it shall be given
you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matt 7:7,8
21 Jesus answered and said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only
do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this
mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matt 21:21,22
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.
James 1:6
You have to be asking according to the will of God. If you are asking for a huge mansion or a
million dollars, or a big screen TV, you probably will not get it. God is not your genie, and He will not give
you your every whim and desire. Those
who tell you that He will are liars.
God will not grant your requests so that you can satisfy your own carnal
lusts: “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3).
Faith is
the most important doctrine in Christianity.
It is the substance of things we hope for, the evidence of things not
seen. So lets all have faith in God.
Next, the
Doctrine of Baptisms
Alive in Christ
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