Sermon Tone Analysis

2) Do I own my faith?

Is your faith the result of a cultural or family tradition — something you were raised with — or because you know it makes your girlfriend happy, or because your seminary scholarship depends on it, or because you live in a religious society where it's advantageous to be a "Christian?"Deep down, what do you really believe?

Is following Jesus your decision, or are you vicariously living out Christianity because of an allegiance to someone — or something — else?

What is Faith?

Three dimensions of Faith

Covenantal

Epistemological

Eschatological

Covenantal

Covenant is central to the language and culture of the Bible especially the Old Testament.

This faith is demonstrated in proper stewardship of the bond established by covenant agreement

Faith is not an exercise but a command with full expectation of fidelity and trust.

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Epistemological

This faith enables the believer to interpret the world in a godly way.

It give fresh perspective on life and the challenges we face.

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Eschatological

This faith is connected Christian hope.

This is a clear understanding that all hidden things will be revealed when Christ returns.

The destiny of both the wicked and the righteous.

The body of Christ is the present reality of this hope.

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Old Testament Faith

Much of what is taught about faith is based upon distinctives made in the New Testament.

Remember New testament teaching is built on the foundation of the Old Testament.

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Hebrew words:

1. אמן ('mn), “trust” or “reliability.”

2. אֱמוּנָה (emunah), “trust” or “reliability.”

In contexts related to human relationships, this term “often refers to those who have the capacity to remain stable (i.e., faithful) amid the unsettling circumstances of life, realizing God’s truth has established them” (Wilson, 183).

For example, the term is used of Moses’ hands as Aaron and Hur supported him on the hill at Rephidim (Exod 17:12).

Thus, his hands were firm, steady, and reliable.

3. אֱמֶת (emeth), “faithfulness” or “truth.”

Sakenfeld glosses this term as “loyalty” when it regards covenantal relationship and defines it as demonstrated loyalty, or “faithfulness in action.”

The term frequently appears alongside the Hebrew term for “lovingkindness”(חֶ֫סֶד, chesed) in describing Israel’s God (e.g., Gen 32:10; Neh 9:17; Pss 25:10; 86:15; 98:3).

Hebrew terms

++‘mn and emunah means _trust or reliability_

++emeth means _Faithfulness or truth_

++emeth can also mean _loyalty_

Greek word _Pistis_

++Conviction, Commitment

++Faithfulness

++Guarantee, security

++Trueness

How did this faith become their faith?

The Foundation of Faith

++Hearing

++and Hearing

The Focus of faith

++That which comes by the word of God

++Closeness, Intimacy, knowledge

The text speak of three objectives of the word

++Getting Wisdom

++Knowledge

++Understanding

To get the most from the Word we must

++Receive the word

++Re-tune our ears to Biblical wisdom

++Apply Biblical understanding to our heart

++Desire Biblical knowledge more than riches

Who was responsible for Timothy’s Faith?

My Faith?

My faith?

Contributors to faith

++Forefathers

++Grandmother

++Mother

++Faith is passed on

What does training do?

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Why invest time training a child?

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The Personal nature of Paul’s writing cannot be underestimated.

Personal

6 times he used I Statement

6 times he used thee (You) Statments

3 times He used my statements

1 time He spoke and us statement