EDR 1988 D EFINITION Faith = allegiance to duty or a person. Fidelity to one’s promises, complete trust, without doubt or question. Faithful = Full of faith. Steadfast in affection or allegiance; LOYAL, Firm adherence to promises or in observance of duty. A firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray. A steady and unwavering course in love, allegiance, or conviction. Firm determination to adhere to a cause or purpose. DUAL NATURE OF SAVING FAITH Attitude/Mind (Proverbs 23:7) “..as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” Abraham (Nehemiah 9:7-8) “Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of the Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him…” Actions/Lifestyle (James 2:14-17) “What doth it profit my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them ‘Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled’; nothwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Abraham (Hebrews 11:8) “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and so he went out, not knowing whither he went.” (1) (2) FAITHFULNESS often equated with ATTENDANCE (Hebrews 10:24-25) “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much more as ye see the day approaching.” NOT necessarily Faithful (Matthew 15:8) “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” FAITHFULNESS = COMMITMENT Marriage Should decide before: Divorce not an option. Christianity Should decide before. Count the Cost. Unfaithfulness NOT an option WE LEAVE JESUS, NOT VICE-VERSA Jesus Won’t leave us (Romans 8:38-39) “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor thing present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We separate ourselves from Jesus by our attitude/actions (Isaiah 59:1-4) “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies: they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.” (3) Prophesied that some would depart from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1) “Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” TO BE FAITHFUL…. Commitment to Christ (Galatians 2:20) “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Obedience To God’s will (John 14:15) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (1 Corinthians 16:22) “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.” Perseverance For LIFE (2 Timothy 4:7-8) “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: And not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”