Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of God 0613
Faith Comes by Hearing the Word of God
Most people believe in God. Some people don’t. A lot of people aren’t sure. Most people see themselves as basically good. Nobody is perfect. We read the news and wonder how an all powerful God can permit such evil to exist. The Bible makes claims that contradict what scientist tell us. The world is filled with so many different religions that conflict with each other. Even Christians claim the Bible teaches different things. The Bible claims to be the Word of God. It says that faith comes by hearing (or reading) the Word of God.
That is my experience. When I was a child, My parents took me to church, baptized me, and insisted that I get confirmed. I agreed on the condition that I wouldn’t have to go to church, after I was confirmed. They agreed. I was 13 and I didn’t attend church again until I left college. That is when God started working in my heart. I was growing more depressed, without any apparent cause. Without direction from anyone, I prayed that if God exists, He will prove it to me. I felt compelled to return to church, and did. My lifestyle didn’t change initially. I was like most college-aged people, I dated. I was carnal. I was pro-abortion, pro-liberty, and worldly. When I was 26, I broke up with a girl and decided to stop dating. I wasn’t meeting anyone of quality and realized that I would dump myself if I met a girl who acted like I did. God led me to actually read the Bible, cover to cover that year. I didn’t actively choose to change. God’s Word changed my will. By the time I finished reading, I was a different person. I had become pro-life, conservative, and deeply cared more what God wanted, than what I did. It was a miracle performed by God. I repented who I was, and joyfully lived my new life in Christ.
Faith comes my the Word of God. I challenge you to begin with the book of John, continue with Romans, and then follow God’s direction through the rest of the New Testament. Somewhere along the way, Lord willing, you will meet the real God.
Here are some special verses to wet your spiritual appetite!:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5 NKJV)
Jesus saves the elect. Many people cheapen god’s salvation of sinners. Biblically, God gives us faith, which leads us to repentance. Repentance and faith that Jesus pay for our sin and rose to lead us to eternal life. This is called redemption. Our will is significantly changed from living to sin to living to follow Christ. The Bible is our guide, not what others who claim to be saved do. At times, there is a struggle between our old man and our new man, but we seek to keep God’s standard and repent when we fall short.
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 NKJV)
Confess your sin and believe that Jesus came to save you and can remove your sin. This isn’t universal, its personal.
But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:8-10 NKJV)
Then Jesus answered and said to them, Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (John 5:19 NKJV)
God Loves You
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 KJV)
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:8-10 KJV)
All Are Sinners
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 NKJV)
As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one. to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:10-12, 26 NKJV)
God’s Remedy for Sin
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23 KJV)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12, 13 KJV)
How do we know we are saved and a new creature in christ?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)
For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. (1 John 5:7-9 NKJV)
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12, 13 KJV)
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:14 KJV)
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever. (Psalm 23:1-6 ESV)
In Jesus’ Name,
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