THE THREE ANGELS’ MESSAGES

17. THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST

WHAT KIND OF FAITH WILL THE SAINTS POSSESS?

REVELATION 13:10

…Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

REVELATION 14:12

Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

THE BIBLE’S CONCEPT OF FAITH

GENESIS 5:5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 27, 31And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

All BUT ONE: DEATHGENESIS 9:29

And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

GENESIS 5:22-24And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him.

HEBREWS 11:5, 6…For before his translation he had this testimony,

that he pleased God. But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PLEASE GOD?

HEBREWS 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

• Faith: Trusting without knowing

• Faith: Surety

• Faith: Evidence not visible

• Faith: Proof that God will carry out his work

• Faith: Substance

• Faith: Key that opens the door

DYNAMICS OF FAITHMARK 11:22 [Faith: trusting in God]

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

HEBREWS 11:1 [Faith: Hope]Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith: Active response to God’s word.

Faith: Believing enough to do• Faith: Seeing the invisible as visible• Faith: Making the impossible quite possible• Faith: Is a reward

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF FAITHHEBREWS11:7 [Noah]

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;…

HEBREWS 1:8 [Abraham]By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

HEBREWS 11:11 [Sara]Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

MOSES: FAITHHEBREWS 11:29 [Moses]

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry [land]: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

HEBREWS 11:13

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

• Faith is confessing that earth is not your eternal home

FAITH BRINGS TO FRUITION WHAT HAS BEEN SAID…

ISAIAH 55:11

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.

ROMANS 8:24

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

FAITH: ACTION VERB

JAMES 2:17, 20Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

• Enoch walked with God• Abel offered a better sacrifice• Abraham offered up his only son• Moses chose affliction with Israel• Rahab received the spiesIn the name “GOD,” there are two action verbs.

FAITH SEES THE INVISIBLEHEBREWS 11:27

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

• JUDE 9Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

• 1400 years later, Moses appears on the mount of transfiguration.

Note: The world says, “Seeing is believing.” Christians say, “Believing is seeing.”

REWARDS OF FAITHHEBREWS 11:26

Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

1. Case in Point:1 KINGS 17:8-24 [The widow at Zarephath] Vs.16 [Barrel of meal and cruse of oil never fail]Vs.17 [The widow’s son fell sick]Vs.22 [Her son is healed and revived]

2. Case in Point:JOHN 4: 46-53 [Nobleman’s son was healed at the

exact time]

SAINTS: FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST?JOHN 8:29

And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

MATTHEW 27:46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

• He had no clothes• He had no friends• He had no home

HOW MUST THE SAINTS LIVE?

HEBREWS 5:7, 8Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

ACTS 14:22Confirming the souls of the disciples, [and] exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

WHY MUST THE SAINTS SUFFER?

Six Reasons:

1. To develop faith2. To expose wrong

3. To learn obedience4. To cultivate humility

5. To glorify God6. For simply being a disciple of Christ

WHO ARE THOSE WHO WILL HAVE THE FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST?

REVELATION 14:12Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

ROMANS 10:17So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

WHO DOES ENOCH REPRESENT?

2 CORINTHIANS 4:17, 18

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen [are] temporal; but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.

FAITH: POWER OF ENTHUSIASM

Things Real and Imaginary“On a certain occasion, when Betterton, a celebrated actor, was dining with Dr. Sheldon, [then] archbishop of Canterbury, the archbishop said to him, "Pray, Mr. Betterton, tell me why it is that you actors affect your audiences so powerfully by speaking of things imaginary." "My lord," replied Betterton, "with due submission to Your Grace, permit me to say that the reason is plain: It all lies in the power of enthusiasm. We on the stage speak of things imaginary as if they were real; and you in the pulpit speak of things real as if they were imaginary." ELLEN G. WHITE, COUNSELS TO PARENTS,

TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS, p. 255.1

QUESTIONS THAT NEED ANSWERS

HAS IT EVER OCCURRED TO YOU, THAT THE AN AUDIENCE WOULD PLACE MORE FAITH IN AN ACTOR ON A STAGE, THAN THEY WOULD IN GOD WHO CREATED THEM?

•JESUS DEATH: REAL

•ACTORS DEATH ARE FAKE & IMAGINARY: ACCEPT