Introduction
False faith:
Blind submission to church leaders. Trusting in men, trusting in our works, trusting the prayer of a priest or a confession of a priest. Trusting the sign of baptism.
“Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”” Matthew 15:7-9 NKJV
True faith is a sure knowledge, submissive ascent, and whole hearted trust.
True faith is trusting in Christ alone. Jesus is the special object of faith. Faith is not the ground it’s the cause.
Acts 16:31 (NKJV) So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
What must we believe?
True Faith believes;
1 Christ’s righteousness
You must believe in His merit alone. True faith is not a work.
Romans 4:4-5 (NKJV) 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
2 Forgiveness
We believe we have our sins forgiven by Christ. Acknowledge we are sinners and require Christ’s forgiveness. We have offended a Holy & Righteous God.
We need His active obedience and His sacrificial death. Righteousness and forgiveness.
3 – Scripture
Everything contained within scripture and that it is His Word.
4 – Trinity
You must believe the Trinity – Father – Son – & Holy Spirit
John 8:24 (NKJV) “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am [He,] you will die in your sins.”
John 14:9 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
1 John 2:23 (NKJV) Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
5 – Death Burial and Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (NKJV) 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV) 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,