Faith Towards God: A) Key Scriptures

THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHRISTIAN LIVING Section B: THE FOUNDATIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP
3. Faith Towards God

a) Key Scriptures
Hebrews 11:1-3 & 6 Matthew 17:20

Romans 10:17 Romans 1:17
b) Introduction
This is a natural progression on from repentance from dead works. Whereas our focus of
attention had been self, now our focus of attention is God. Dead works always interfere with
faith towards God. We have to ‘turn from’ to enable us to ‘turn to’. There must be a repentance
from dead works to enable faith towards God to develop. In fact, anything apart from faith in
God is dead (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 14:23).
Faith, in the context of this foundational truth, can be defined as ‘having trust, assurance or
confidence in another person’s word’. Having faith in God involves an exchange of trust from
self to Him.
c) How does Faith Towards God Develop?
i. Having the right attitudes of mind

Faith is a persuasion. The word ‘faith’ comes from the Greek word ‘pistis’ which means
‘firm persuasion; strong and welcome belief; the conviction of the truth of anything’ (2
Timothy 1:12). We need to realize the futility of everything without God. Faith involves
an attitude of humility and submission to the will of God (Philippians 2:5-8) and we
need to confess this attitude.
ii. Realizing faith is substance and reality

Faith is not the imagination or the wishing of things into being. It is the conviction of
the truth by the inner working of the Holy Spirit. If God gives us the faith for something,
we can be sure that in the mind of God that thing really exists and is as good as ours
(Hebrews 11:1; Numbers 23:19).
iii. Realizing faith is a gift from God

We cannot work ourselves up into believing. It is not the result of mental gymnastics.
The Holy Spirit must place the ability to believe in God within our hearts (Ephesians
2:8).
iv. Faith develops through our knowledge of God

You cannot trust anyone you do not know. The more we know God and His
faithfulness, His love, His character, His ways and how great He is etc., the more we
will able to trust Him. This is a basis for true faith towards God (Deuteronomy 7:9;
Psalm 9:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:24). We get to know God as the Holy Spirit gives us
revelation of Him through the Scriptures, and through direct revelation to us that is in
line with the Scriptures. This is reinforced through life’s experiences as we, by faith,
November 22-23, 2020 1 Class Proverbs

prove God (Hebrews 11:6). We cannot really get to know anyone unless we speak to
them. Prayer, therefore, is a wonderful means of getting to know God. Prayer always
manifests two things: firstly, a heart desire that all we do is in the will of God, and
second, a confession of our total dependence on Him. Remember, God’s faithfulness
is great and unfailing (Psalm 89:34) and eternal (Psalm 119:90). We need to commit
ourselves to His faithfulness (1 Peter 4:19; Hebrews 10:23), and we need to magnify
His faithfulness (Psalm 92:1-2; Psalm 89:1).
v. Faith is response to hearing

God communicates His thought through His word. When He enables us to hear what
He is saying to us by the Spirit, this should create within us the response of believing
or being persuaded that what He is saying is indeed true and is for us. “Faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the (specific) word of God.” (Romans 10:17 AV). As we
confess the word of faith given to us and stand upon it and, when appropriate, act on it,
we will find the creative power of God working in and through that word to bring to
pass what has been promised. Jesus tells us that by faith nothing shall be impossible to
us (Mathew 17:20). Having faith involves an exchange from only relying on one source
of knowledge, i.e. sense knowledge (which we need), relying on a higher source of
knowledge, i.e. revelation knowledge.
Sense knowledge is all knowledge that comes to the natural man through his five
senses. This is limited knowledge and is described as the wisdom of man (1 Corinthians
2:4-6). Revelation knowledge is knowledge, not based on the five sense or natural
reasonings, but upon a higher source, the truth of the Word of God. It is revealed by
the Holy Spirit to the spirit of man and it is described as the wisdom of God (1
Corinthians 3:7-16)
“Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things (we) hope
for, being the proof of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality - faith
perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.”
(Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Version)
vi. Faith comes from experiencing God and His faithfulness

The more we have faith towards God, the more we experience of His faithfulness and
the more our faith grows. God has also given us the gifts of healing and miracles etc.,
which should point us to Him and increase our faith (John 2:11; John 11:15).
vii. Faith grows as we remember past faithfulness
d) Conclusion
Faith is not a mental attitude towards problems. It is the very nature of God. God is a faith
God: He created the universe by faith (Hebrews 11:3). The person who is born again by the
Spirit of God has received the potential of the nature of God. The old nature of every man is
dominated by negative forces such as fear, doubt, confusion and error, but the new nature is
God’s nature which is creative, brining order out of chaos (Genesis 1:2), life out of death,

health out sickness, prosperity out of poverty, truth out of error, and righteousness out of sin.
Faith is this nature expressed (Romans 1:17). Faith towards God is the lifestyle of the disciple
of Jesus.
e) Questions and Discussion Points
1. Why is anything void of faith, dead?
2. Are we doing anything that is void towards God and what are we going to do about it?
3. What do 1 John 5:4-5 and 1 Peter 1:5 say about faith?
4. Can we claim to have faith without the actions to back it up? (James 2:14-26).
5. Who is the author and perfector of our faith? (Hebrews 12:2).
6. What does ‘we live by faith and not by sight’ mean? (2 Corinthians 5:7).
7. How should faith express itself? (Galatians 5:6).
f) Summary and Application
1. Repentance from dead works is necessary for faith towards God to develop.
2. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
3. Faith is believing that what God has said will happen.
4. Faith involves trusting God more that we trust ourselves.
5. Faith towards God should be the lifestyle of the disciple of Jesus.
6. Faith comes from God.
7. Faith grows as our knowledge of God grows.

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THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHRISTIAN LIVING Section B: THE FOUNDATIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP

3. Faith Towards God

Hebrews 11:1-3 & 6 Matthew 17:20

c) How does Faith Towards God Develop?

i. Having the right attitudes of mind

ii. Realizing faith is substance and reality

iii. Realizing faith is a gift from God

iv. Faith develops through our knowledge of God

November 22-23, 2020 1 Class Proverbs

v. Faith is response to hearing

vi. Faith comes from experiencing God and His faithfulness

vii. Faith grows as we remember past faithfulness

November 22-23, 2020 2 Class Proverbs

e) Questions and Discussion Points

1. Why is anything void of faith, dead?

3. What do 1 John 5:4-5 and 1 Peter 1:5 say about faith?

5. Who is the author and perfector of our faith? (Hebrews 12:2).

7. How should faith express itself? (Galatians 5:6).

f) Summary and Application

2. Without faith it is impossible to please God.

3. Faith is believing that what God has said will happen.

4. Faith involves trusting God more that we trust ourselves.

5. Faith towards God should be the lifestyle of the disciple of Jesus.

6. Faith comes from God.

7. Faith grows as our knowledge of God grows.

November 22-23, 2020 3 Class Proverbs

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