Lesson 1.13: Faith In God

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LESSON 1.13: FAITH IN GOD

Loved one, in today’s world, there are many different ideas about how a person becomes a Christian. Some people believe one becomes a Christian by being born into a Christian home. Others think one becomes a Christian as a baby when a priest sprinkles or pours water on their head. Others contend that babies should not be baptized at all—that only mature people can be born again of water and the Spirit.

Where can we find the answers to these various ideas? How can we learn what God wants us to do? We must go to the inspired word of God, the Bible: “Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Faith

"Without faith, no one can please God. Whoever comes to God must believe that God is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him" (Hebrews 11:6). "Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see" (Hebrews 11:1).

Doubt In The Modern World

We live in a world of doubt and skepticism. In our time, science and technology are almost worshiped. Some people refuse to believe in anything that cannot be examined in a laboratory. But God can neither be seen, heard, touched, tasted, nor smelled. Therefore, some people say, "There is no God" (Psalm 14:1; 53:1).

These people forget, however, that spiritual things cannot be examined by the five physical senses. A scientist cannot weigh out a kilogram of love, measure inner peace, or study patience under a microscope. No matter how much money we have, we cannot buy a gram of joy. Spiritual things can neither be proved nor disproved in a test tube. Nevertheless, spiritual things are as real as salt and pepper.

Today, when we believe in God enough to do what He says, He ignores our faults and accepts us as if we had never sinned. In His Son, He treats us as if we were perfect.

What Is Faith?

Faith is believing that God is real. It is confidence that God rewards those who seek Him. Today, people who seek God are able to find Him. God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. When we look at Jesus, we see what God is like (Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-14, 18).

God sent His Son into the world to defeat Satan and to conquer the forces of evil. Therefore, God rewards His children (Christians) with (a) victory over sin, (b) a life that is full and good, and (c) eternal life in heaven. These rewards are given to those who seek God and find Him in Jesus Christ.

What Does Faith Mean Today?

1. Faith Means Believing that God Exists. Unless there is a God, it is hard to explain the origin of the universe. It is easier to believe that the universe was created by an intelligent and powerful God than to believe it created itself. The beauty and design in the world around us point to a designer. We can't see God, but we can see His handiwork.

Abraham Lincoln, one of America's greatest presidents, believed in God. Someone asked him, "Mr. President: isn't it hard for you to believe in a God you can't see?" The president replied, "Yes. It's hard for me to believe in God. But it's harder not to believe."

2. Faith Means Trusting in God; i.e., taking Him at His word. Jesus told His followers not to worry because God is our heavenly Father, and He takes good care of His children. To illustrate this truth, Jesus pointed to the birds. He said, "Look at the birds. They don't plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don't you know you are worth much more than they are?" (Matthew 6:26). Faith means trusting God.

3. Faith Means Believing that God Sent His Son to Rescue Us. "God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). All the plans and promises of God are fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Now, He is sitting on a throne at God's right side (Colossians 3:1). "God has made Jesus to be Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).

Peter said to us, "You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You can't see him now, but you believe in him" (1 Peter 1:8). During His ministry (which, Lord willing, we will study in another lesson), Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, calmed stormy seas, and raised people from death. Jesus died on a cross, was buried in a tomb, and was raised from death on the third day. God proved that Jesus was His Son. He proved this through the testimonies of eyewitnesses, the miracles, wonders, and miraculous signs he did through Jesus (Acts 2:22), and by raising Jesus from death (Romans 1:4). The apostles saw these things happen. Therefore, our faith in Jesus is based on the eye-witness testimony of good and honest men who risked their lives to tell us what they saw.

4. Faith Means Trusting in Jesus Enough to Confess Him as Lord and Savior. Just believing that Jesus is God's Son is NOT enough. Many Jewish leaders believed that Jesus was from God, but they were afraid to tell anyone. They "loved praise from people more than praise from God" (John 12:42-43), so they believed in Jesus secretly. They were not willing to pay the price of faith. Their faith was too weak to do them any good.

Real faith means trusting Jesus enough to submit to Him as Lord. Jesus asked some of His followers, "Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but you don't do what I say?" (Luke 6:46). We have no right to call Jesus "Lord" unless we trust Him enough to obey Him. Real faith is obedient faith (Romans 1:5). This is the faith that brings reward.

Real faith also means trusting in Jesus as Savior. "Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can never be right with God as long as we are guilty of sin. Justice demands that our sins be punished; therefore, Jesus took our punishment for us. Even though Jesus had never sinned, God put our sins upon Him and condemned the sins (Romans 8:3). Jesus died on the cross so that we could become right with God. Jesus died to save us from the power and consequences (death) of sin. There is reason to trust Him as our Lord and Savior.

Many Showed Their Faith In Jesus Christ

As Jesus was entering the town of Capernaum, a centurion army officer in charge of 100 men, came up to Him and said, "Lord, my servant is very sick. He is in such pain that he can't move his body."

Jesus said to the centurion, "I will go and heal him."

The officer answered, "Lord, I am not good enough for you to come into my house. You need only to give the order, and my servant will be healed. I know this, because I understand authority. There are people who have authority over me, and I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. I tell another soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and my servant obeys me" (Matthew 8:5-9).

When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. He said to those who were with Him, "I tell you, this man has more faith than anyone I have found, even in Israel" (Matthew 8:10).

Then, Jesus said to the officer, "Go home. Your servant will be healed the way you believed he would." Right then, his servant was healed (Matthew 8:13). The Roman officer's faith in Jesus was rewarded.

In another story, we learned about the faith of four men who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus in Capernaum. When they could not get into the house where Jesus was teaching, they went up on top of the house. They tore a hole in the roof and lowered their paralyzed friend on his mat through the hole. They believed that Jesus could heal their friend. They recognized that Jesus had the power and the heart of God.

When Jesus saw their faith He honored them and said to the paralyzed man, "Young man, your sins are forgiven" (Mark 2:5). Then He said to him, "Stand up. Take your mat and go home" (Mark 2:11).

Immediately, the paralyzed man stood up, picked up his mat, and walked out of the room. Everyone was amazed and praised God. They said, "This is the most amazing thing we have ever seen” (Mark 2:12). Jesus rewarded the faith of those believers, and He will reward you also for such faith.