Faith That Pleases God

We hear a lot today about the importance of faith. The Bible clearly teaches the essentiality of faith in God (Heb. 11:6), Christ (Jn. 8:21-24) and the gospel (Mk. 16:15-16). The question is not, "Is faith essential?" but rather "What kind of faith saves and blesses man?" The Bible teaches the following about faith:

1. We are "saved" by faith. Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 5:1-2

2. We "stand" by faith. II Cor. 1:24

3. We "walk by faith. II Cor. 5:7

4. We "overcome" by faith. I Jn. 5:4

5. Our obedience to God should be based on faith. Heb. 11:8

In this last verse referred to above, Heb. 11:8, the Hebrew writer identifies Abraham as a man of faith. In fact, the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is referred to as the "Faith chapter" by Bible students. Notice the repetition of the phrase "by faith" (verse 2, 4, 5 ,7, 8, 9, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, etc.). In each example cited by the writer, the person under consideration first had to obey before the blessings of God were bestowed. Three times in James chapter 2, James says that faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:17, 20 and 26). The word works in James 2 does not refer to meritorious works or works of the Old Testament law which are excluded by New Testament writers (Rom. 3:28; Tit. 3:5). Hear Paul on the kind of faith that pleases God and blesses man: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6).

Did Abraham have faith? Yes. Romans 4:3 says "Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." What kind of faith did Abraham have? Answer: "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed" (Heb. 11:8). The faith of Abraham was an obedient faith. This is the only kind of faith God has ever accepted (Rom. 1:5; Jn. 14:15, 21; Heb. 5:9; Rev. 22:14; Jas. 1:22-25; Lk. 6:46; Matt. 7:21-27).

RK