Faith Beyond the Seen

The Bible Teaching Ministry of HOPE Church

What is Faith?

Hebrews 11:6 NIV 

And without faith it is impossible to please God…

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see…

Faith is the Confident Expectation that God Will.

Hebrews 11:1-7 NIV

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

1. God Pleasing Faith .

It is Assured of God’s Working.

Hebrews 11:3 NIV

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Hebrews 10:32-39 NIV

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For, “In just a little while he who is coming will come and will not delay.” 38 And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

NOTES:

All death can do to Christians

is make their lives infinitely better.

Timothy Keller

2. God Pleasing Faith .

It Acts Confidently on His Commands

Hebrews 11:4-5 NIV

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 

1 John 3:21& 23 NIV

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God…

23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 

NOTES:

As worship begins in holy expectancy,

it ends in holy obedience.

Richard Foster

Celebration of Discipline

3. God Pleasing Faith, .

It Builds Based on God’s Promises

Hebrews 11:7 NIV

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark 

Hebrews 10:23 NIV

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 

2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NIV

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

NOTES:

Faith is the “yes” of the heart,

a conviction on which one stakes one’s life.

Martin Luther,