Sermon Notes on:
The Quality of Faith
Expected of a Christian
Motivation
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We believe that Jesus is the Son of God
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We believe that Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins to satisfy God's
justice on our behalf.
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Eternal life isw obtained now through faith in Christ. (John 5:24)
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This is the content of our faith, but what is the quality of faith that
saves?
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Let me try this Christianity thing out and see what happens - Experimental
Faith?
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Is that quality of faith acceptable to God to reckon a person righteous
in God's sight?
The Parable of the Sower
Matt 13:3-8;19-23; Mark 4:3-8;14-20; Luke 8:5-8;11-15
Seed
|
|
Word of God
|
Path
|
Trampled
Birds ate |
The ways of the world
philosophy of the world
|
Taken away
(Didn't understand)
|
Rock
|
Withered
No Moisture |
Religously shallow
|
Believed but
fell away after testing
(Not rooted)
|
Thorns
|
Chocked
|
Distracted Christians
|
Worries, Riches, Lusts
|
Good
Soil |
Yielded
100 X |
Spritual Believers
|
Noble & Good heart
Retained
Produced
through Perseverance |
Which kind of a person are you?
How Can You Develop Good Soil?
Humility is the most essential characteristic
that a person must have before he can believe with the quality of faith
that saves.
Jas 1:21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil
that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you,
which can save you.
Is 66:2b This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in
spirit, and trembles at my word.
But this humility is not the same as low self esteem. And neither is it
a false humility often practiced in social relationships. [Tax Collector
& Pharisee Luke 18:9-14] The Pharisee was concerned about what other
people thought of him. He measured himself by other people. Tax Collector
was concerned about what God thought of him. If you don't care what other
people think of you, that will help you alot to live the Christian life.
Benefits of Biblical Humility
1. Social Relationships
|
2. Courage
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3. Frees from Peer Pressure
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4. Objectivity
Truth - of the Bible
Conviction of sin
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1. Social Relationships - Allows you to tolerate abuse & Forgive sin
2. Courage
3. Freed from Peer Pressure (Rom 12:2)
4. Objectivity
-
Truth - of the Bible
-
Conviction of sin
How does God develop humility? Through Humiliation, often by bring the
person through difficult or humiliating circumstances.
-
De 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with
manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that
man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the
mouth of the LORD.
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Moses Num 12:3 - Many humiliating circumstances to prepare him for his
leadership role.
-
Consider the many outstanding people in the Bible and what humilation they
faced - David, Peter, Paul even Jesus
-
Php 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
The Quality of Faith that God expects is also application oriented
Jas 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but
has no deeds? Can such faith save him?
Jas 2:17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied
by action, is dead.
The Quality of Faith that Saves
is Characterize as:
A Conviction
|
Fully Assured, Confident
|
Rom 4:20,21; Heb 3:14
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Persevering under Trial
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Jas 1:12; Matt 10:22
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Obeying the Word
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1Jn 2:3-6
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Producing Fruit
Hope
Christlike Character
Righteous Works
|
1Thess 1:3
1Jn 3:2-3
|
Confident
Heb 3:14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the
end the confidence we had at first.
Persevering
Mt 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm
to the end will be saved.
Producing
1Th 1:3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work
produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired
by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1jn 3:2,3 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will
be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope
in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources
Jan 30,2022