Attitudes Toward Faith

Introduction

Jesus said, When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth. These words are found in the Gospel of Luke in chapter 18 at verse 8. When Jesus speaks about the faith in this verse, of course he’s not talking about the objective faith. That is the faith which has been once delivered. Because the Bible tells us in the book of 1 Peter and chapter 1, verse 23, and other places that the word of God will endure forever. Now the kind of faith that Jesus speaks about is the faith of this importunate woman. Listen to the text. The book of Luke in chapter 18, Jesus tells a parable. And he tells us the reason why he tells the parable. In Luke in 18, 1, Jesus says, He spake a parable, the Bible says he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint, saying, There was in the city a judge which feared not God, nor neither regarded man.

And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith, and shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth. The question, of course, is will he find this kind of faith, the kind of faith that this woman has.

1. Different Attitudes Toward Faith

She understands what patience is. But not only that, she understands the power of prayer. She understands who is behind prayer. And God cares about his people. And I believe that one of the blessings that the people of God sometimes take for granted is the fact that God has made it possible that we can communicate with him. That’s why we’re told to cast all your cares upon him, for he cared for you. This is the kind of faith we need. And I know when we talk about faith, there are different attitudes toward faith. The Bible speaks about different degrees or different kinds of faith, if you will. The Bible speaks about a kind of faith that is little. Remember the book of Matthew in chapter 6. Jesus says, don’t worry.

Three times he says, don’t worry. Take no thought. He says, Don’t be anxious. Don’t worry about food and clothing. Don’t worry about your life. Don’t worry about tomorrow. And then he says, why do you worry, O ye of little faith? A little faith is the kind of faith that doubts God. We have every reason to trust God because God, who cannot lie, promised blessings to us before the foundation of the world. We’ve got every reason to trust God because of the evidences that God has revealed to us. And then the Bible speaks about what is called a weak faith. Romans 14 1. Romans 15 1. A weak faith is the kind of faith that doesn’t take the word of God and grow thereby. A weak faith is the kind of faith that is not strong in the Lord and the power of his might.

Takes the whole arm of God, what God has given us, not only that we might be able to withstand trials, but also temptations, that we might be able to keep ourselves unspotted in this world. When we take the word of God, I tell you what, our faith can in fact be bolstered. The Bible talks about the kind of faith that’s dead. As James says in James chapter 2, verse 26, the body without the spirit is dead. You’re talking about a dead body. It doesn’t do anything. When we give mental assent to God, like the devils do, and we don’t obey God, we’ve got the kind of faith that’s dead. And then the Bible speaks about the kind of faith we ought to have. I want you to read together with me.

Look in your Bibles in the book of Matthew in chapter 8. Begin at verse 6. Matthew chapter 8, we’re going to see the kind of faith that we ought to have. Matthew chapter 8, look at verse 6. Where I preach, I hear the same thing. You hear Bible passages turning because you hear those pages turning. And you know what that tells me? That tells me that you people are interested in the word of God. And I commend you for that. The Bible tells us that faith comes how? By hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And so we’re going to increase our faith. Look at Matthew chapter 8. Look at verse 5. When Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion beseeching him, and saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home, sick of the pulsing, grievously tormented.

And Jesus said unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof. But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this man, go and he goeth. And I said to another, Cometh and he cometh. And to my servant, do this and he doeth. Listen to Jesus. When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to them, That followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith. No, not all in Israel. I’m going to tell you, brother, this is the kind of faith we need. When Jesus says go, what do we do?

We go. When Jesus says come, what do we do? We come. When Jesus says do this, what do we do? We do whatever he says. In other words, we recognize the authority of Jesus Christ in everything that we believe and we practice. That’s the kind of faith we need. Jesus calls that a great faith. And as we talk this morning, as I introduce this lesson, we’re talking about attitudes. And let me define the word attitude for you. The word attitude, by definition, simply means a way of thinking, a feeling, or acting. It’s a mindset, it’s a disposition. The Bible says, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. The Bible says, keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it flows the issues of life.

Not talking about that organ that pumps blood. We’re talking about the Bible heart. Where man thinks and reasons and he decides. And let me tell you something. We’re not just talking about young people. It’s not just young people who have attitudes. You know, all of us have attitudes. When we talk about an attitude, we’re talking about the behavior of a person toward a situation or a cause. An example, of course, in the context of what we’re talking about is for spiritual things. As one’s knowledge of God’s word is increased, his attitude towards spiritual things is changed. And so thus I introduced this morning’s lesson. We’re going to talk about attitudes toward faith. And I must pause. And I must likewise with Brother Banning express my gratitude to Almighty God.

I am grateful. Always grateful for his exceeding great and precious promises. For the abundant love and mercy that God has manifested. For his grace towards me, towards all of us. For life itself. And the one who provides so that our lives might be sustained. I’m grateful for my bride, Bessie, who’s been able to come with me. Our years together. She’s a faithful woman. She’s a true help meet to me. And God has blessed us with three beautiful daughters who are faithful Christians as well.

For the kind invitation for me to come and work and worship together with you these few days. The fellowship that we share in the gospel. The times I know that it will be rich this week. I’ve prayed for fruit. I know you have as well. I appreciate all the work that’s been done with reference to preparation for your presence this meeting and the work that I’m grateful for the attention, and I know that you’ll give to the lesson. I’m grateful for those who’ve come to visit with us. And I know that as I talk with you, we’ll find those who know people that we know, and that’s just the way it is, and God’s great and wonderful family. I am just so glad to be with you.

And I want to talk to you this morning, during this particular time, about what I call a basic fundamental Bible lesson. Faith. And sometimes people have a hard time describing faith. We’ve already talked about different attitudes about faith. We know what kind of faith God wants us to have, that great faith. What we’re going to do is open up the book of Hebrews in chapter 11. Let me tell you about the book of Hebrews. The Hebrew writer wrote to these Hebrew Christians who had a background in Judaism. And it was hard for them to leave that system of law. You see, in the whole fast of Jesus Christ. And what you’ll find throughout the book of Hebrews are words like better than or greater than. And it conveys to us the theme of Hebrews, that is the superiority of Jesus Christ.

Of all the spokesmen that God had, Jesus Christ is God’s final spokesman. Of all those who had been sent, he is even greater than the angels. He’s greater than Moses, the lawgiver. He is greater than his brother, Aaron, the erotic priest, the high priest. And even Joshua, great man as he was, who brought the people into the promised land. He’s even greater than Joshua. And of course, he’s greater than law. Because God had in his mind that law was only temporary in the first place. And so thus, the effort of the Hebrew writer was to encourage these Christians to hold fast to Jesus Christ. And what he does in chapter 11 is he gives us some examples of faith. And of course, the example of examples is chapter 12, verse 1, Jesus Christ Himself.

2. Faith Is the Substance of Things Hoped For

But what I want to do is look at some examples in Hebrews chapter 11. We’re going to first look at a definition of faith, and then we’re going to look at the characteristics of faith. And then we’re going to look at as many examples as the time will allow. First of all, look in your Bibles in the book of Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 1. Let me point out, I’m reading from the King James Version. And oftentimes I will refer to the New King James Version, and I will also refer to the American Standard Version as well as the New American Standard Version. But I just want you to know what version I am reading from. Hebrews chapter 11, verse 1. The Bible says, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Now that ought to be a memory verse for you and I. And I know for many of us it is. One translation says faith is a substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence or the conviction of things not seen. Now this is not merely telling us what faith is, but it tells us the kind of stuff that faith is made up of. Now he says faith. Notice the connection with evidence. Faith and evidence. This faith that he speaks of is made up of stuff that we cannot see with our physical eyes, but we know are real. Now just the thought of that puts our spiritual thinking in perspective. Think about things you can you know are real. You convinced they’re real. You know they’re real.

You can’t see them with your eyes, but you know they’re real. But you know God has given us evidence so that we can believe these things. So that we can even see these things. Not with our physical eyes, but of course with the eyes of faith. Because we walk how? Not by sight, but by faith. You see. Now let me let me define this word for you. If we look at the word faith by definition, it means the desire with expectation of obtainment, to expect with confidence to hope. And of course, the book of Romans is a book of hope. It talks about man’s problems. Man’s problem is sin. And the answer to that problem is Romans 1 16, the gospel. And the writer, Paul, in the book of Romans, he talks about justification by faith.

He uses Abraham as an example. And look at Romans chapter 5, verse 1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we’ve got peace with God. And so Romans 5, he talks about freedom from wrath. And then in Romans 6, he talks about freedom from sin. Romans 7, freedom from the law. And oh, that great chapter of Romans in chapter 8. God has set us free. Look at what he says in Romans chapter 8, if you will. And I want to begin at verse 24. And we’re talking about faith now. Romans chapter 8. Look at verse 24. For we are saved by hope. Well, let me go back up to verse 23 because again, we look into the future. Things we cannot see with our eyes, but we know are real.

Not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the spirit. Even we ourselves grown within ourselves, waiting for the adoption to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For what a man see it, why does he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it? Likewise, the spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. The New King James Version says, why does one still hope for what he sees? We can see it. We know it’s real. Think about it.

What do you know is real? Can’t see with your eyes. Now sometimes little kids ask mom and dad. Dad, mom. What does God look like? Well, how do you describe God? God’s invisible. But God’s real. Well, how do you know he’s real? Well, evidences. Jesus Christ. We’re going to talk about him in our morning lesson. He’s real. What’s he look like? I know a lot of people think they know what he looks like. You got these so-called pictures of Jesus. What about the Holy Spirit? He’s a spirit. Is he real? Yes, he is real. What about heaven? Is heaven real? Is heaven real to you? Why do you live the way you live? What motivates you to live the way you live? Faith. You see. And when you pray to God, do you pray, just think of those words, just go into the air?

No. I mean, sometimes we get into situations, I tell you what, and we don’t even know what to say. But the Holy Spirit is right there, helping us to be able to communicate to God, and God knows what’s exactly in our hearts. Shall not God answer his own who cry up to him day and night? Yes. He will answer them speedily. When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith? Yes, he’s going to find faith. People like you who believe in the power of prayer, who believe in God, and know that God hears our prayers. Let me show you how important faith is. In the book of 1 Peter in chapter 1, Peter talks about the importance of faith. Peter is writing to Christians who were going through what he called a fiery trial.

Of course, at the hands of Nero. Many of them are being persecuted. He talks about the trial of the testing of the faith. Look, if you will, at verse 6. Peter said, Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaven is through manifold temptations. That the trial or the testing of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perished, though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ. You ever feel like that? You ever feel that your faith was being tested by fire, not little fire. But the kind of stuff that might consume you. The kind of stuff that might make you want to quit, make you want to stop.

Listen to what he says. Verse 8. Whom having not seen, you love, in whom, though now you see him not yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. How do you love someone you never saw? You ever saw Jesus? Do you love him? How do you know he’s real? Faith. You see. So faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence or the conviction of things not seen. And we’re going to expound on a little bit more. But look at verse 2, if you will. Well, let me give you an example, of course, of practical faith. We could go to the book of James. As a matter of fact, in one of our lessons, the text will come from the book of James.

But James talks about faith in a practical way, like Peter does. He says, faith will overcome trials. Kind of all joy. And you find the when you fall in a diverse temptation, knowing that the test of your faith does what? Produce patience. I heard somebody define patience as the ability to wait on God. I like that. In chapter 1, verse 12, he says, Blessed is the man that endures temptation. For when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life which God has promised to those that love him. Faith is not prejudice. You know what that means, brethren? We ought not treat people based upon color or race, nationality, based upon socieconomic background, or any other physical characteristic. God is not a respecter of persons, and neither should we.

We ought to be more concerned about people and their relationship to God. That’s the kind of faith we need to have. A practical kind of faith is living and it is active. It controls the tongue, it trusts God. It includes God in his plans. And it prays.

3. By Faith They Obtained a Good Testimony

But when he used the elders, I think he includes women as well. That older men and older women, by virtue of their faith, by virtue of the way that they lived, they obtained a good testimony. Or we might say they had a good reputation. Or in other words, people said good things about them because of their faith. And you know, reputation is important. And the way that we live, of course, speaks well of us. I mean, how can you know that somebody here at Bumby is faithful? Jesus says, You shall know them by the fruits. Just look at their lives. For by it, their faith, they obtain a good testimony. But now, while it is good for others to say good things about us, you know what’s even more important?

Character. What you are. What God sees within us is more important what other people see. You see, because God looks upon the heart. And God knows whether we’re faithful or not. Sometimes the criteria that we use to determine whether someone’s faithful at a local congregation, such as that. We say, well, they come to the assembly all the time. Let me tell you what, folks, coming to the assembly is required of us. And I’m not surechanging that at all. The Hebrew writer, of course, he tells these Hebrew Christians back in 1025, he says, Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as a man of some is. Some were doing it then, and I got to tell you, brother, some are doing it now. And I’m going to tell you, brother, if you’re doing that, you ought to quit.

You ought to stop. You ought to take advantage of the opportunities to come to the assembly to worship God, to be together with your brethren. Or as a Hebrew writer says, encourage one another daily. You miss out on that opportunity. And not only that, you disobey commands of God. Do you realize that when you forsake the assembly? If it’s the first day of the week, you don’t come to remember Jesus like you’re supposed to. The giving, the singing, the praying, all this stuff that we do collectively together. You don’t get to do that. But the right kind of faith will.

And if by chance someone is absent at Bumby, what will the right kind of faith do? Well, if somebody’s weak in the faith, what do those who are strong do? Romans 15 1, you that are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of those who are weak. You see, if we are strong in the faith, we need to pick up the telephone and say, Well, brother so and so, why aren’t you here? Or I missed you. I’m concerned about you. Or do you need something? You see, that’s faith. And our faith being manifested. And I tell you something, brother, we need one another. Sometimes we take one another for granted. Not only has God given us prayer, but brethren, God has given us one another. And we’ve got to learn how to help one another.

4. Through Faith We Understand the Worlds Were Framed

So that the testimony of our faith will be revealed not only to our brethren, but yet even more importantly to God. Look at verse 3. He says, through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. This verse packs power. How do we know where this world came from? Well, the Hebrew writer even tells us that. Go back in the very beginning of the book. Hebrews in chapter 1, and look at verse 2. And I like to do that. Of course, good Bibles have what you call Bible references. And let me quote, let me say this. Let me caution you. All those references are not inspired. It’s good to have those references.

Check to see if, in fact. But I like to come up with my own. Hebrews chapter 1, verse 2 says, God has in his last days spoken to others in time past, but in his last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed, heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. How do we know where this world comes from?

Well, I tell you, evidences. Remember? Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence or the conviction of things not seen. Open your Bibles in the book of Romans, chapter 1. Not a single human being has any excuse for not believing in God. Even though you can’t see him. We know that God is real. Romans chapter 1, verse 19. Invisible things of Him, of God, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. You see what he says? The things that are made. What do they reveal? They reveal God’s invisible attributes. His power. Almighty power. Omnipotent. His Godhead. You say, well, what does that mean?

Well, the word Godhead refers to what God is like. When we talk about manhood, we talk about what men are like. We’re not going to talk about what men are like. And if we talk about what women are like, that’s womanhood. We’re not going to talk about what women like. We talk about God. What’s God like? The Bible uses a figure of speech called anthropomorphism. That describes human qualities to deity. We got passages like 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 12. The eyes of the Lord over the righteous, and his ears are open to his prayers, but his face against those who do evil. Now that tells us something about God. But I tell you what, it tells us something about us. Because we were created in the image of God.

But God obviously can think and reason and decide. God makes judgments. But this power of God. This cosmos, the things of the maid, what do they reveal to us? Just look around you. The psalmist says they haven’t declared the glory of God, the firm and shortforth is handiwork. Day and today are the speech, and not and tonight. There’s no language where their voice is not heard. What is this cosmos telling us? I grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Flatlands, swamps. I remember when I was young, I said, man, I want to grow up. I want to go somewhere where there are real life mountains. I just get captivated by mountains. Real life mountains. I remember while I was serving in the military, about midway, I was transferred from Florida to California.

And Bessie and I, along with our girls, we bought some tents. Yes, we were roughing it. We wanted to go out in the wilderness. We want to see the outdoors. I remember one occasion we were at Yosemite National Park.

Here we stood before what is called half dome. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it. Mr. Ansel Adams paints a lot of these pictures of these. Half dome is like this oval mountain, and it looks like somebody took a knife and just cut that thing right in half. Now, of course, folks come up with the explanations that the glaciers did this, and you know what? We were standing here as half dome in the existence. And all of a sudden, this older gentleman walks up to the front of the ledge and he begins to sing at the top of his voice. My God, how great thou art? Boy, I tell you what, I started getting chills up my spine. When he gets to the second stanza, a young couple.

They walk up to the front of the ledge and they begin to sing with him. My God, how great thou art? Well, I tell you, here we are shaking like a leaf. And we couldn’t take it anymore. When they started the third stanza, we walked up there as well. And we sang on the top of that mountain. My God, how great the award. And when we finished, a crowd had gathered. This man turned around. He threw his fist in the air. And he said, You tell me there is no God. Folks, just look around you and you can see the evidence. You look at the sun. Mama, where did God come from? He’s eternal. God put that sun up there. Where’d the moon come from? Where did the birds come from?

God put that up there. It answers the question. Where do we come from? God is the answer. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. It answers the questions about abortion. It answers the question about evolution. And not only has God given us evidence, there are two books open, if you will. There is the book of nature. The psalm says God spoke, and it was so. And then there is the book of inspiration. First Corinthians chapter 2. Paul says, I has not seen, neither ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things that God has revealed to those that love him. Let no man say, he said, the things of a man. What man knoweth the things of a man? Except the spirit of the man that’s in him.

5. By Faith Abel Offered and Enoch Pleased God

What man knows the things of God except the Spirit of God which has revealed it? But God has revealed it. Why? That we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. It’s in the Bible. It’s in the word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. That’s how we know where this world came from. Look at verse 4. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous. God testified of his gifts, and through it he being dead yet speaketh. Go to Genesis 4. That’s where the account is. Here is a principle of life. When we die, our memory lives on. You ever ask yourself the question?

Abel’s dead. But he’s still speaking. When you die, your life will still be spoken of. I can tell you one thing the memory of the righteous is blessed. And we remember those who are faithful, don’t we?

I work with the congregation up in Columbus, Indiana for four years. And folks, during those four years, I had to preach more than ten funerals. I can tell you how easy it is when we have the right kind of faith. When Jesus says, go, we go. When Jesus says, come, we come. When Jesus says, do this, we just do what he says. When we live like that, I gotta tell you.

Abel is saying something that every last one of us know. That when we come before God by faith, we will be accepted by God. This was doing the patriarchal dispensation, I understand. And God required gifts. Sometimes people say that God required the best. I know God wants the best. What did Abel offer? Cain offered something. There are some people who won’t offer God anything. Let me tell you what, folks, this verse tells us that just offering anything to God is not acceptable. We must offer to God what he requires. Whatever it was, God spoke directly to them. Whatever it was, Abel understood it, and Abel responded. And that’s what we need to do. That’s the kind of faith we need. Look at verse 5. My faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him.

For before his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God. Two men never died. That’s what it means. He was translated. Never died. You know the other one was Elijah. Man of faith also. And just so you know, even Elijah, as great as he was, his faith wavered a while. When that wicked woman Jezebel was after him, he thought he was by himself. You ever feel like you ever have a pity party? Sometimes we need to go to the Word of God so we can bolster our faith and be the kind of people that God wants us to be. But this was a testimony that he had.

Look at what Jesus says in John 8 29. For I always do those things that pleases him. That was his attitude toward the Father. I gotta tell you, brother, and I got a confession. I don’t always do that. I know being married, I have a responsibility to please my wife. I have a responsibility towards my children. I have three beautiful grandchildren. I have a responsibility towards them. Try to please them. Maybe sometimes a little bit too much. I have a responsibility toward my brethren. Got to please them too. My number one responsibility is towards God. Let me tell you what, brother. If you live your life and you strive on a daily basis in everything that you do, striving to please God, you are following in the example of Jesus Christ.

And even Paul, listen, Paul even tells us that in view of the fact that we’re going to stand before God in the judgment. Paul says, wherefore I make it my aim, whether prisoner absent, to be well pleasing unto him. That’s the testimony that he had. Let me tell you something about Enoch. God’s going to take us to. We might die before Jesus comes back. But if we’re alive, we’re told we’re going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. But if we be dead, one day God’s going to speak. And all those people who have ever died, they’re going to be raised again. And yes, God’s going to take us home. Isn’t that what motivates us? That’s part of the reason why I wrote that article in the bulletin.

I want to go home. I want to be with my Lord. That’s what faith is all about. Living to please God so one day we can be with God. I think I have time. Verse 6. Without faith, it’s impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. This is a connection with verse 6. Faith is the substance of things hoped for.

And then a lot of people have a, especially in the religious world, they have a misunderstanding between belief and obedience. You see this with a lot of Calvinists. I want to show you quickly the connection between obedience and faith. Same book, Hebrews chapter 3. Look at Hebrews in chapter 3. And I want you to notice at verse 16. He’s talking about Israel as an example. Some, when they had heard, did provoke, howbeit, not all that came out of Israel by Egypt, by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose caucuses fell in the wilderness? And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believe not. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Now that’s the King James Version. I want to read to you from the New King James Version. Listen very carefully. Again, Hebrews in chapter 3, and I’m reading now from the King James Version, we’re talking about the relationship between obedience and faith. He says, For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses? Now with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they will not enter into his rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. You see, different attitudes toward faith. Some people have a dead faith. They believe, but they won’t obey.

That’s like the demons. You see? And when God, who demonstrated his power over all the Egyptian God, that should have caused them to believe. And when they walk through the Red Sea on dry land, that should have caused them to believe. And they get in the wilderness. We don’t have water. We don’t have food. They doubted God. Later on, God said, I made a promise to Abraham. The land’s yours. I want you to just go check it out. We can’t. We’d be like grasshoppers. And you know what? Their lack of faith had an effect on other people. Think about that, brethren. Our lack of faith will affect others. Let me translate to you. We can either be leading people to Jesus Christ, or we can be leading them astray.

6. By Faith Noah Prepared an Ark

Are you living to please God? Is your faith fully revealed in him? One more time. Do I have one more example? By faith. Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet. Moved with fear, prepared an orc to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir with the righteousness which is by faith. Noah. What an example. And I believe Noah priest by maybe 120 years. Some people would say, well, he didn’t have any success. The only people he saved was his family. Let me tell you something. If the only ones we saved were our family. Don’t stop there, brethren. If you save your family, don’t stop there. But if the only ones we saved are our families, brethren, we’ve been successful.

And let me tell you something. This wasn’t all about Noah and his wife. I call him Miss Noah. I don’t know what a name, Miss Noah. That’ll be one of the questions. What was your wife’s name? Noah. What was Gopherwood? But Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They got on that ork because they had a faith of their own. Oh, you listen, young people. You need to have a faith of your own. We’re not going to get there on our parents’ coattail. Or our grandparents. We need to believe ourselves and we need to obey. And I tell you what, the wives that Shem, Ham, and Japheth married, they were faithful to. And we know that this was a Bible type, a divine illustration of a truth. Well, what’s the truth?

God was using Noah to save the world by water. God put that rainbow in the sky. You know why it’s there, right, young folks? God made a promise. And when you see that rainbow, God said, I’m never going to destroy this world again by water. But he is going to be destroyed by fire. As long as seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, God says, I’m not going to destroy the world. And I got to tell you, God is faithful to his promise. He will not destroy this world by water, but he will by fire. But that’s an example for us. An example of how God, the Bible says there was violence on the face of the earth. The thoughts of man was evil continually, but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Why? Because of faith. He was warned by God. Another Bible, another translation says, He was warned by God. He was divinely warned. God told him. Noah tried to warn everybody else. What’s water? What’s a flood? God told Noah to build an ork. He told him how high. He told him how wide. He told him where to put the door. He told him where to put the window. And he did. Look at the very last verse of chapter 6, verse 22. Thus did Noah according to all that God commanded him. That’s the kind of faith we need. And that illustration in the Old Testament shows us today how we can have a relationship with God. Here is the connection. The like figure wherein to baptism does also now save us.

Conclusion

Not to put in away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What does that mean? And I open up my Bible and I hear what God says, and I do what God says. God’s going to save me. And he’ll save you. And you can take Him at His Word. Lesson’s yours. Thank you very much.