THE WORD OF FAITH WHICH WE PREACH (Romans 10:1-17) “Faith” can be used in different ways. There is “personal” faith: the belief and trust in something or someone. But today we are interested in WHAT IS BELIEVED, the message, the teaching: the faith. Some today say what they preach and teach (their “faith”) comes to them DIRECTLY from God. These modern day prophets so delude the masses that people come to them in droves. To defend their sin, they call all who doubt them “false teachers”, or worse. But we must remember what Jesus said of the deluded religious leaders of HIS day, “…They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matthew 15:14) THEIR faith (teaching) comes out of their own heads, in voices they hear (they claim to hear). BUT where does the faith come from that WE PREACH? That will be the objective of this lesson: To show the source of the true Gospel, the Faith, of Christ, so we may KNOW that that is what we preach today. GOD HAS ALREADY REVEALED HIS “FAITH” TO MANKIND through a “chain”! (Don’t need to wait for a “special” leading or calling)
A. While Jesus was on earth (John 12:44-50)
B. In these “last days” (Hebrews 1:1-2) “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds…”
C. God gave the Son all power (authority) (Matthew 28:18-20) “And Jesus came and spake unto them saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the World. Amen’ “. (1) (2)
A. Promise was to his apostles
1. (John 14:16-18) “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever: Even the spirit of truth: Whom the world cannot received, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: But ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:25-26) “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 15:26-27) “But when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you From the father, even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” (John 16:5-15) (Acts 1:1-8) [NOTE: Promise was to APOSTLES only]
A. On Pentecost (Acts 2:1-8,14) [APOSTLES receive power promised]
B. Apostle Paul (Ephesian 3:1-6)
C. Laying on of APOSTLES hands (Acts 8:14-22) (3)
A. God CONFIRMED what was said with miracles (Mark 16:14-20) (Hebrews 2:3-4) “How shall we escape , if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”
B. What they SPOKE and WROTE IS God’s Word (2 Peter 1:16-21) “For we have not Followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
A. Cause us to BELIEVE (Romans 10:17) (John 20:30-31)
B. Lead us to REPENT (Acts 2:37) “Now when they heard this, they were Pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? ” (Acts 17:30)
C. Motivate us to Confess Christ (Matthew 10:32:33) (Acts 8:37)
D. Teach us to be BAPTIZED INTO Christ
1. Salvation is IN Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3)
2. We are Baptized INTO Christ (1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:26-27)
E. And will GUIDE us to Heaven (Psalms 119:105) (James 1:21-22) “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (2 Peter 1:2-11)