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Sun. 12/10/2014

Quarter’s Theme: Discovering Life Foundation

Unit 1 Theme: Knowing The Only True God (Lessons 6-7)

LOYALTY CAMPAIGN MONTHS

Sunday 12/10/ 2014

LESSON 6

FAITH IN GOD

Suggested Hymns: G.H.B. 28, 213

Devotional Reading: MK. 11:19-24

Topic For Adults

HAVE FAITH IN GOD

Topic For Youths

SPEAK THE WORD OF FAITH

Topic For Intermediates

PUT YOUR FAITH IN GOD

Scripture Lessons

Heb. 11:1-6; 24-26; 1 Cor. 12:9; Eph. 2:8-9; 2 Cor. 5:7

 

Memory Verse:

But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6) NKJV.

 

 

DAILY DEVOTIONAL READING

Sun. 12/10/2014

The Just Shall Live By Faith

Rom. 1:13-17

Who are the just? The just are the saved souls, those who have been justified by God, having heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted it. Paul declared that the righteousness of God is revealed through the gospel from faith to faith, as it is written the just shall live by faith. The just is saved by faith (Eph. 2:8); justified by faith (Rom. 5:1); is walking with God by faith (2 Cor. 5:7); he is to pray in faith, give in faith, trust and hope in faith, as a matter of fact do everything in faith as revealed in the Scripture. Are you really living your life by faith or by the dictate of the surrounding circumstances?

Point of Emphasis: Walk by faith and not by sight.

Prayer Point:            Help me Lord to do everything in life by, in, and for, faith.

BACKGROUND

T

he subject of faith is very crucial in Christianity. This is because we are saved by
faith, we can only please God by faith, we claim God’s promise by faith and we
even know or believe that there is God by faith. If faith is as important as this to a Christian life, then there is need to consider what faith is, the types of faith and the sources of faith which this week’s lesson is all about.

 

NOTES ON THE TEXT

1. WHAT IS FAITH? HEB. 11:1-6

The Greek word for faith is “pistos”, which means “belief or trust”, especially in a higher power. The fundamental idea of faith in the Scripture is steadfastness and faithfulness. The word “faith” is most frequently used in the Scripture to denote the spiritual quality of individuals by virtue of which men are held in relations of confidence in God and fidelity to Him. It is also used in the sense of meaning the body of truth, moral and religious, which God has revealed.

In Hebrews chapter 11, which is the chapter that attempts the definition of faith, faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for. The word translated “substance” is also translated “confident” and “confidence” in 2 Cor. 9:4, 11:7; Heb. 3:14. The word substance properly means “that which is placed under,” it also means grounds, basis, foundation, support. Then it also means reality, substance, existence, in contrast to that which is unreal, imaginary or deceptive. Therefore, faith has reference to something which imparts reality in the view of the mind to those things which are not seen and which serves to distinguish them from those things which are unreal and illusive. It is that inner feeling and strength which enables us to feel and act as if those things we hoped for are real.

The Christian’s hopes to be admitted into heaven, to be raised up on the last day, to be made perfectly free from sin or whatever we hoped for, it is faith that gives them reality in the view of the mind.

Also faith is the evidence of things not seen. The word “evidence” means that which provides “conviction in the mind”. When we hear that there is heaven, there are angels, there is joy in heaven and we are convinced in our hearts that those things are so as declared by God and we pursue or do those things to make us qualify to get to heaven, then we have and are demonstrating faith. So, faith is believing what God has said to be true, even though we have never seen them. Faith is therefore, that inner conviction that leads us to act in confidence, in view of promises and of the things not seen, as if they were so. It is by faith that we believed that the world was created by God’s word, none of us was there. Anyone who will have a meaningful relationship with God must demonstrate this faith in all the truth God has revealed and declared in the Scripture.

1. TWO KINDS OF FAITH: 1 COR. 12:9; HEB. 11:24-26

 It is important to note that there are two kinds of faith in the Bible and there is the need to differentiate them so that we will not confuse one with the other. The first is the gift of faith which the Bible mentions in 1 Cor. 12:9. This is a sovereign impartation of a gift of faith from God to a Christian. It can come to a Christian in a given situation and a great miracle will take place. But when the situation is past, for which the person needed that gift of faith, the faith that took him or her through it may not reside in the person any longer.

The second kind of faith is the one described in part one, which is the developing faith. This is the faith that a believer has come to build up over the years through his or her walk with God. Developing faith is something that will stay with the believer and work for him or her in any situation, as long as the problem or situation does not exceed his or her level of faith in God.

III.   SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH: EPH. 2:8-9

        If anyone claims to be genuinely saved, then the person would know that faith played a pivotal role in his or her salvation. This is what is called “the saving faith”. At this point, a sinner has not known all of God’s principles and demands but heard that “all have sinned” and God has made a way of escape for sinners through Jesus and that whoever believes in the atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ shall be saved. Anyone who decides to begin a new relationship with God must demonstrate saving faith, by believing that all that God had said about the destination of sinners are true and that Jesus really died for his or her sin and invite Jesus into his or her life. At this point, a believer has demonstrated saving faith. If anybody’s salvation steps or processes are different from the one described above, then the salvation is questionable. Salvation is not by work, but by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.

1. WALK BY FAITH: 2 COR. 5:7

        While Paul was talking about living in this world and being absent from the Lord or to be absent in this world and be present with the Lord, he declared that as long as we are in this world, we must walk by faith and not by sight. This declaration is in conformity with the definition of faith in part one. Believers have not seen God face to face at anytime but we believe that there is God, this is faith. For us to enjoy our walk with God, for us to get the best from God in our earthly sojourn, we need to put our faith to action. We must please God by our faith in Him. We need faith to walk with God in this world and our sight is reserved till when we get to heaven when we will see God as He is, then, faith will no longer be needed.

 CONCLUSION

The exercise of faith in God is very paramount in a believer’s relationship with God. Faith is the basic criteria to be admitted into God’s family and without it, it is impossible to please God. Therefore, be a man and a woman of faith in God and in all that He has promised.

 QUESTIONS

1. What is the Greek word for faith and what does it mean?
2. What is faith according to Hebrews 11:1?
3. Give your own definition of faith.
4. Mention two kinds of faith discussed in this lesson.
5. Differentiate between saving faith and walking in faith.

French

DIMANCHE 12/10/2014

LE JUSTE VIVRA PAR LA FOI

RO 1:13-17

Qui sont les justes ? Ce sont ceux les âmes sauvées, celles qui ont été justifiées par Dieu, ayant écouté l’évangile du Seigneur Jésus-Christ et l’ayant accepté. Paul déclara que la justice de Dieu est révélée par l’évangile par la foi et pour la foi comme il est écrit que le juste vivra par la foi.  Le juste est sauvé par la foi. (Eph. 2:8), justifié par la foi (Ro. 5:1) ; Il marche avec Dieu par la foi. (2Co. 5 :7). Il prie par la foi, il donne par la foi. Il espère et a confiance par la foi et à vrai dire fait toute chose par la foi comme révélée par l’écriture. Vis-tu réellement ta vie par la foi ou par les exigences des circonstances qui t’environnent.                                             

Point essentiel : Marche par la foi et non par la vue.

Axe de prière : Seigneur, aide-moi à faire toute chose dans la vie par, dans et pour la foi.