Faith

I spoke to our congregation last evening concerning faith. Jude 3 was were I took my text. "ye should earnestly contend for the faith". In this passage Jude points out what was needed for the Christians of that day and one that spills over to present day as well.

What is faith? We notice in Hebrews 11:1, the author, of which I believe to be the apostle Paul, gives us both a definition and a description of what faith is and what it gives to the Christian.

1. Faith is substance. Of what? It is the substance of hope. Hope in the coming of our Lord to redeem his Church. Hope in that his word is sure. And hope of the future glorification of his saints.

2. Faith is evidence; Of what? It is the evidence of seeing the Lord work in the lives of those around us as well as in our life itself. We see the evidence of this faith when one comes to know the Lord as Saviour. We see evidence of faith when we see the Lord answer prayer.

Jude 3 again tells us to "earnestly contend for the faith" The word contend means to "fight for". I am reminded of a prize fighter who wants to win the title. He prepares himself months in advance to fight with all he has for that title. He realizes that there is possibility that he might be knocked out or be cut to the point of not being able to continue on, but the fears do not stop him. He trains and trains until the night of the fight. When he steps into the ring and now faces the opponent, he is relying on all of the training, all of his preparation to carry him through to win the title. That is what Jude is saying to us as well. We have been training and training, preparing ourselves to meet the challenges that lie ahead. Temptation is on every side, without faith in the Lord to give us the strength that we need to withstand and to resist, we would no doubt fall and fall again every time temptation is there. Test are a part of every Christians life. There have been times that the test have been tough. And times that I did not think that I would get through them. It was my faith in the Lord that carried me through. Others encouraged me to keep going on and it was there faith, directed towards me, that helped me through. When others see that our faith works, and that things are accomplished through faith, then it gives them more reason to "contend for the faith".

Jude 20 says that we are to build ourselves up in our "most holy faith". We do this through prayer and time with the Lord. We do this by getting into Gods word and not just reading it, but studying it the way we should. What great mountains are moved with just a little faith, but what greater mountains are moved with greater faith. I have never noticed in the bible where the Lord said to be mountain climbers, but he has said in his word that with faith we can tell the mountain to move and it will be done. Why then do we want to be mountain climbers when through faith the mountain can be removed? Abraham and Issac are brought to mind when speaking of mountains. Abraham is to offer Issac as a sacrifice. Now, not only was it the physical mountain Abraham and Issac were climbing, but I believe in a greater since was the spiritual mountain that they were both climbing. Issac not yet realizing that it would be he that would be offered, and not yet seeing the sacrifice that he had been used to seeing at the times of sacrifice. Abraham, wondering why God, whom he loved, would want him to do such a thing to his son, a son of promise. Abraham's obedience is no doubt seen in this truth of the word, but I see his faith as well. I see it when he says to Issac, "God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering", Gen 21:8. The Lord will never tempt us with evil but will test our faith. Abraham, after the test, would no doubt have more complete faith in God by seeing what God would do when he was faithful to God. This was also a learning lesson for Issac, that when you are faithful and obedient to God that He will supply all of your needs.

Col. 2:7, Paul says to be "stablished in the faith", meaning to be established in faith. There is one reason that Christian people cannot ever win the battles in their lives and that is that they are not established in the faith. They do not believe that the Lord will do for them what he said he would do. Therefore they never exercise their faith. Faith is like a muscle, if it is not used, then it becomes weak and then when you really have to apply it , it will not be able to hold the wait. We must be established in our faith. It was good enough to save us, it is good enough to keep us, and it will be good enough to carry us through.

Faith, what an amazing gift that the Lord gave us and continues to give us on a daily basis!