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Last week, we began a new series on the five solas.
The five solas are the five basic tenets of the Reformation.
The Reformers realized there were some problems with the teachings and practice of the church and desired for people to turn back to the sound foundations of God’s Word.
"Why shouldn't I?" he said.
I said, "Well, there's so much to live for!"
"Like what?"
"Well ... are you religious or atheist?"
"Religious."
"Me too!
Are you Christian or Jewish?"
"Christian."
"Me too!
Are you Catholic or Protestant?"
"Protestant."
"Me too!
Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"
"Baptist."
"Baptist."
"Wow!
Me too!
Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"
"Baptist Church of God."
"Me too!
Are you Original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God."
"Me too!
Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915?"
"Reformed Baptist Church of God, reformation of 1915!"
To which I said, "Die, heretic scum!" and pushed him off.
That’s a terrible joke, but sometimes we become so narrowly focused and divided that we end up hurting the cause of Christ.
Last week, we began a new series on the five solas.
The five solas are the five basic tenets of the Reformation.
The Reformers realized there were some problems with the teachings and practice of the church and desired for people to turn back to the sound foundations of God’s Word.
Last week, we looked at the doctrine of sola scriptura or the Scriptures alone.
God’s Word is our final authority.
It is sufficient for all matters of life and godliness.
It is clear in what it says.
Today, we are going to look at a second teaching, sola fide or faith alone.
Every other religion in the world is based on what man does.
Man needs to do something to earn favor and curry blessing with the one being worshipped.
Maybe it is about participating in communion or going to confession.
Perhaps the religion teaches the necessity of making a pilgrimage to a particular location.
Some religions think that doing what is deemed morally good is the way of salvation.
Others put their trust in how much money is given to fund the religion’s efforts.
The point is that religions are based on man’s efforts.
Man has to do something to earn favor with the one being worshipped.
Biblical Christianity is distinct in that it is centered on what God has accomplished through Christ’s finished work.
It is not about what we do.
It is about what God has done.
We have faith in what God has done for us.
The writer of Hebrews said,
Biblical Christianity is distinct from every other religion in that it is centered on what God has accomplished through Christ’s finished work, while all other religions are based on human achievement.
If we abandon the doctrine of justification by faith, we abandon the only way of salvation.
Faith must have an object.
The object of someone’s faith isn’t always God, of course.
People have faith in their family, in their career, in their gifts, in their religion, and in themselves.
But faith is always in something, and it is that something that provides faith its worth.
The Scripture writer stated, “without faith it is impossible to please God”.
He didn’t say, “Without keeping all the rules” or “without right doctrine”.
He didn’t even say, “without love”.
He said, “without faith”.
The word “impossible is used in 7 different passages of Scripture.
Three times it is used in the gospels to say that salvation is impossible without God’s intervention.
Salvation cannot be obtained through man’s effort.
Salvation is only made possible by God.
1.
We are saved by faith
The word “impossible” is used in 7 different passages of Scripture.
Three times it is used in the gospels to say that salvation is impossible without God’s intervention.
Salvation cannot be obtained through man’s effort.
Salvation is only made possible by God.
On one occasion a rich young man came to Jesus and wanted to know how he have eternal life.
Jesus told him to keep the commandments and the young man said that he had kept all of them.
He wanted to know what was still lacking in his life.
Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give it to the poor.
Jesus exposed what the rich young man was really worshipping.
He wasn’t worshipping God alone.
He heart was set on earthly possessions.
Then Jesus said this...
The more material wealth you have, the harder it is to trust in God alone and not in the power of what your wealth can achieve.
The disciples thought, as is commonly thought, wealth was a sign of God’s blessing and if you are being blessed by God, then you are loved by God.
If you are loved by God, then you are saved.
Jesus flipped all of this on its head.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
This word “impossible” is also used three other times in the book of Hebrews.
says that it is impossible to be saved if you reject the way of salvation.
says it is impossible for God to lie. says it is impossible for animal blood to take away our sins.
This same word is used in to say that it was impossible for a man to walk who had been born lame.
The point is it can’t be done.
It is not possible.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
You must have faith to please God.
So then, what is faith?
- it is impossible for God to lie
Hebrews 11:
To the author of Hebrews, faith is the “reality” and “proof” of the existence of something that at the moment cannot be seen.
Faith is having complete confidence.
Faith is living as if something is real, even if it hasn’t happened yet.
Faith is choosing to trust even when the circumstances are not clear.
This is why in , Paul said that the Old Testament patriarchs were justified by their faith in the promise—a promise that was yet to be seen.
These Old Testament saints hadn’t seen the object of their salvation yet, but they trusted in God’s promise to one day provide it, which He did in Jesus Christ.
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