The Faith Of The Church

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Call To Worship Scripture

James 1:19–25 ESV
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

Scripture Reading

Hebrews 10:35–39 ESV
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Our Church Conducting & Protection Against:

This list is for the Holy Church of Christ Jesus. It is not meant to outline secular society, but rather how God has established the order and conduct of His church in order to separate her from and protect her from worldliness.
1 Timothy 3:14–16 ESV
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:
Circumstance - Prayer - Rest under God’s soverignty over all espessially earthly rulers and salvation. ()
Deception - discretion and submission to God’s order ()
Mismanagement - ()
Pirde ()
Maliciousness ()
Faithlessness (, )
When the protection of God is nought sought as Paul outlines to Timothy within the church then the maturation of these things comes to completion in apostasy. Apostasy takes place when the church begins adding to and changing or taking away from the proper conduct of the church as laid out in the Word of God. It is often a gradual drifting that leads a people to feel as though the protection that God has laid out for the church cannot be trusted in modern times or current circumstance.
1 Timothy
1 Timothy 4:1–2 ESV
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared,
Why would God have the church be about these things? What is being protected…or is there any greater mission that could be left out or any good cause that could lead us to compromise any of these things....Friends what I am speaking of or asking about is a word called evangelism. How does the proper conduct of the church tie into evangelism?
This is one of my great wrestling as it seems that most modern churches are either about good doctrine and order or about compromise and evangelism. However church this is truly a doctrine and a gospel issue…namely an issue which involves a correct doctrinal understanding of the gospel and it’s power.
1 Timothy 4:6 ESV
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
Listen to what Paul tells Timothy after giving him the proper conduct of the church:
1 Timothy
1 Timothy 4:6–16 ESV
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Now pay close attention and notice that the (public) reading of Scripture, exhortation, teaching, training in godliness and teaching of proper conduct and order of the church being practice is tied directly to the saving of ones own self and others from apostasy or abandonment of truth.
This is key because in 2 Timothy Paul will highlight the coming of difficult times. In those difficult times Paul does not tell Timothy to shift strategy but actually he tells him just the opposite. He tells him to stand his ground and actually refers to the preaching and teaching and conduct of the church as the work of evangelism.
2Timothy 4:
2 Timothy 4:1–8 ESV
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
Church evangelism has to do with keeping the faith and the faith is trusting in the Word of God and trusting in is obeying.
Now, let me remind you that in the first part of the first letter to Timothy Paul spoke of the uslesness of the law in salvation. The law cannot save, but what is drawn out as being essential for salvation is faith, which is found in Jesus Christ.
FAITH is where I want to turn our attention this morning. What we do as a church is by faith, in faith and for faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews:

This is where the book of Hebrews picks up. The early part of the book shows us the superiority of Christ over Old Testament leaders, it will display His full and perfect completion of salvation as the righteousness of the saints. It will show the sufficiency of Christ sacrifice, once for all and it shows us that Christ is the new and living way. Jesus is our confession, our unwavering hope, as we hold to the promises of He who is faithful ()
Now, having read Hebrews this past week, I want you to think on chapters 1-10, where you have been shown that Christ is the true Messiah, the true High Priest by whom we enter into the presence of the living God by faith and listen:
Hebrews 10:35–39 ESV
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Hebrews 10:
It is another call for the church to stand firm and that call is built upon a proper understanding of FAITH. Please notice that faith is not a mysterious feeling or a conjured up belief. It is a living Word spoken, believed and recieved as a covenitial promise. It is a living hope, gifting righteousness, a firm foundation and a preserving safe house.
It is....
Hebrews 11:1 ESV
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
As believers, faith is our lineage. ties faith together all the way back to how we know the creation of the world. describes faith as a blood line of saved believers as the righteous of the world all the way back to Abel through the Old Testament as he says:
Hebrews 11:32–40 ESV
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Hebrews 11:32
Now, what does this show? In each of the examples that faith which was held determined the life that was lived. Noah, spent his life building an ark…Moses led a people out of captivity....So what?
Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Hebrews 12:
The glorious gospel living faith of salvation changes our lives. It is not burdonsome for it removes the burden of the guilt of sin, but it is persevering and well disciplined. Meaning the gospel rooted in someones life is not lazy, it is not scattered when it comes to obeying the word and directives of Christ. It is supernatural in its transforming power and though the eye may not behold the how, it is very visible in it’s working out and overcoming the sin which fights to rule over us.
Hebrews 12:4–13 ESV
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
Hebrews 12:

James

Now, understand this, and you will better understand what James is writing about concerning faith.
When we get to James we are discussing a faith that is tested, a faith that is perfected, a faith that seeks wisdom, a faith that ask while doing, a faith that works, a faith that is singular minded, a faith that perseveres.
James 1:2–8 ESV
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
James 1:2-
James 1:19–25 ESV
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
And finally notice what he says about faith and works. It brings us directly back to :
James 2:14–26 ESV
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James 2:14
Now I would be remiss if I did not highlight to you that James after speaking all of this about faith and works hits on the order and leadership of the church.
My point is this my friends as we persevere onward as a church in a time of church strategy plans and goals, visions, missions and on and on. I want us to be clear and unified that our mission, our goal as a church not one that is new to this generation, nor is one that is created by this churches elders. Our church’s mission, calling and purpose is to preach, teach the Word and to exhort and encourage all in these things in the manner and discipline that we have been instructed by the Word to do that in and in that, we walk in faith and unleash the power of the true and sincere faith and love of Jesus Christ.
That is what a true, doctrinally sound church that is about the work of evangelism does. That is the true church striving to keep her lamp burning amongst a dark night. By the grace of God and faith that He has given, let that be us church. - Amen
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