- Ben Stewart
- Feb 28, 2025
- 15 min read
Without faith it is impossible to please God
Introduction:
Without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb 11:6. Anyone who wants to please God must use faith to please Him. So since it is impossible to please God without faith I thought I would do a little study of the Holy Scriptures to determine what real faith is and what it is not.
In this lesson I want to talk to you about what faith is and how it is created and exercised. I want to talk about what faith looks like to God by rendering obedience to His word. I want to talk to you about how faith trusts in God to perform His duties towards all of His faithful children.
God loves faith because it rests in the exercise of His Divine Greatness and not that found in ourselves.
I. Faith
A. First you have to hear a message (Rom 10:7-17)
1. How do you hear?
a. Rom 10:14, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of who they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
b. God does not preach the good news of salvation in Christ through angels or from speaking from heaven but through the mouths of men.
c. Mathew 7:24, Jesus said, “therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock”
2. What do you hear?
a. Rom 10:17, “faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God”
b. Mathew 4:4, “but he (Jesus) answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”
c. Luke 11:28, “but he (Jesus) said, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it”
3. How to determine truth from error?
a. Mark 7:09,13, “and he(Jesus) said unto them, full well you reject the commandment of God that you may keep your own tradition”. 13, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered and many such like things do you”
b. Mark 16:20, “and they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following, amen (may it be so)”
c. 1 Cor 1:6, “even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you”
d. When there is confusion about the truth from God, then ask God to confirm His word of truth so that you will not be led astray. He did it for the first people that became Christians and there is no reason He will not do it now.
B. Second you have to believe the message is from God
1. What is faith?
a. Heb 11:1, “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen”
b. Rom 4:5, “but to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness”
c. Rom 12:3, “for I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith”
2. Faith is knowing God’s word and trusting in it to guide you to salvation in Christ.
a. Col 1:23, “if you continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister”
b. 2 Tim 1:13, “hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ”
c. 2 Tim 3:15-17, “and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works”
3. Example of real faith
a. Faith is believing God will, look at the centurion, who said only speak the word (Matt 8:8)
b. Heb 11:7, “by faith Noah, being warned of God of things not yet seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and became the heir of righteousness which is by faith”
c. Romans 1:17, “for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written the just shall live by faith”
C. What Faith is not
1. Faith is not a feeling
a. Paul is an example that our feelings can lead us astray, he persecuted the Christians as a Jew in good conscience, but was fighting against Jesus Christ. Jesus appeared to him and Paul repented and began to preach Jesus. (Acts 22:4, Gal 1:23)
b. Your conscience, or feeling good about yourself can be corrupted, listen, 1 Tim 4:1-2, "Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared with a hot iron”
c. Eph 4:17-20,” this I say therefore and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the emptiness of their minds, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness (lusts) to work all uncleanness with greediness but you have not so learned Christ”
2. Faith is not by works or outside of Christ
a. Rom 9:32, “wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it was by the works of the law, for they stumbled at the stumbling stone”
b. Heb 11:7, “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, by which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith”
c. Eph 3:17, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you might be filled with the fullness of God”
3. Faith is not signs and wonders
a. Mark 13:22, “for false Christs and false prophets shall arise and shall show signs and wonders to seduce if it were possible even the elect”
b. 2 Thes 2:9-12, “even him whose coming is after the working of satan with all power and signs and wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved”
c. Why would God allow people to experience signs and wonders from the power of satan? Listen: 2 Thes 2:11-12, “and for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness” God says you will not believe me and my words so I will allow satan to convince you that your ways are right. Faith is knowing God and His words are right. God is not the author of confusion, the devil is.
II. Obedience
A. Faith is doing what God has said because God said it
1. Faith and works
a. Our faith must work by love, listen: Gal 5:6, “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love”
b. Titus 3:8, “this is a faithful saying, and these things I will that you affirm constantly, that they that have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men”
c. James 2:17-19, “even so faith, if it has not works is dead, being alone. Yes, a man may say, you have faith and I have works, show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe there is one God you do well the devils also believe and tremble”
2. Faith is not experienced but is unseen
a. Rom 8:24, “for we are saved by hope but hope that is seen is not hope, for what a man sees why does he yet hope for?
b. 2 Cor 4:18, “while we look not at the things seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal”
c. Heb 11:1, “faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen”
3. Faith is salvation
a. 1 Pet 1:9, “receiving the end of your faith the salvation of your souls”
b. Eph 2:8, “for by grace (unmerited favor) are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God” Salvation that brought Jesus from heaven to the cross and from the cross to the grave and from the grave to resurrected and then to Heaven is a gift from God. Those actions from Jesus and the Father is unmerited favor to all of us who believe.
c. The woman whose sorrow for her sins caused her to wipe the feet of the Lord with her tears and anoint him with perfume, Jesus said unto her, Luke 7:50, “and he said unto the woman, your faith has saved you go in peace”
B. Obedience is better than sacrifice
1. Saul and his example of rebellion1 Sam 15:1-23
a. Saul was told by Samuel to go and kill the Ameleks and all of their cattle and spoil.
b. 1 Samuel 15:9, “but Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good and would not utterly destroy them, but everything that was vile and refuse that they destroyed”
c. Saul was told by a prophet to kill everything including beasts, man, woman, and child but he went through and decided to keep all that was good and destroy all that was bad. When Samuel was telling Saul his sin, he summarized with this, 1 Sam 15:22-23, “and Samuel said, has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…”
2. The Scribe’s answer “better than burnt offerings”
a. Mark 12:32-33, “and the scribe said unto him, well Master you have said the truth for there is one God and there is none other but He and to love Him with all of the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all of the soul, and with all of the strength and to love his neighbor as himself is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices”
b. Look what Jesus answered, Mark 12:34, “and when Jesus saw he answered discreetly, he said unto him, you are not far from the kingdom of God…”
c. Jesus agreed with the scribe that to love God with your all and your neighbor as yourself is above all material sacrifices, such as burnt offerings.
3. The doers of God’s will are justified
a. Rom 6:16, “know you not that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey, whether sin unto death or obedience unto righteousness?” “for not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified” Rom 2:13.
b. Sometimes we must pray, for God to remove what hinders us from obeying the truth, listen: Gal 5:7, “you did run well, who did hinder you from obeying the truth?”
c. Jesus is our example of faithful obedience, listen: “though He were a son, yet he learned he obedience by the things he suffered and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him”
C. Consequences of not obeying
1. God corrects His children
a. Prov 3:12 “for whom the Lord loves he corrects, even as a Father the son in whom he delights”
b. Heb 12:5-6, “and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as children, My son, despise not you the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of him for whom the Lord loves he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives”
c. 2 Tim 3:16, “all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for instruction in righteousness”
2. Hell is a place for the unprepared
a. John 12:48, Jesus said, “He that rejects Me and receives not My words, has one that judges him, the word that I have spoken the same will judge him in the last day”
b. Heb 4:11, “Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief”
c. Luke 12:46, “the lord of that servant will come in a day when he looks not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers”
3. Hell is a place for the rebellious
a. 2 Thes 1:7-9, “and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power”
b. Rev 20:10, “and the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”
c. Rev 21:8, “but the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murders, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death”
III. Trust
A. What does trust have to do with faith?
1. Faith is knowing Jesus will not fail you
a. 1 John 1:9, “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness”
b. 1 Cor 10:13, “there has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also will make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it”
c. 1 Pet 4:19. “wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator”
2. Faith is like a child
a. Matt 18:3-6, “and said, truly I say unto you except you be converted and become as little children you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and whoso shall receive one such child in my name receives me but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it would be better for him that a millstone was hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the sea”
b. Luke 19:13-15, “then there were brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them and pray and the disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, allow little children and forbid them not to come unto Me for such is the kingdom of heaven and He laid his hands on them and departed from there”
c. Mark 9:36-37, “and He took a child and set Him in the midst of them and when He had taken Him in his arms He said unto them, whosoever shall receive one such children in My name, receives me and whosoever shall receive Me receives not me but him that sent Me”
3. Faith is trusting in Jesus to save
a. Mark 8:34-35, “and when He called the people unto Him with his disciples also He said unto them, whosever will come after Me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me and whosever will save His life shall lose it, but whosoever shall lose His life for my sake and the gospel’s the same shall save it”
b. Rom 5:10, “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”
c. Heb 7:25, “wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by Him, seeing He lives to make intercession for them”
B. When God delays we must wait
1. The persistent widow
a. Luke 18:2-3, “saying there was in a city a judge which feared not God nor regarded man and there was a widow in that city and she came unto him saying avenge me my adversary”
b. Luke 18:4-5, “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 troubles me I will avenge her unless by her continual coming she weary me”
c. Luke 18:6-7, “and the Lord said, hear what the unjust judge said and shall not God avenge His own elect which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”
2. Those that wait on the Lord
a. Psalm 130:5-6, “I wait on the Lord my soul does and in His word do I hope my soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning”
b. Isa 26:8, “yes in the way of your judgements O Lord have we waited for You, the desire of our soul is to Your name and to the remembrance of You”
c. Isa 40:31, “but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint”
3. Zacharias and his example
a. Zacharias was well stricken in years and had been praying for a child, as was his wife Elisabeth. An angel told him that he was going to have a son and his prayers have finally been answered.
b. He did not believe the angel and was unable to speak until the child was born and it was time to name him. He named him John just as the angel told him the name of the child was to be.
c. The child was John the Baptist
C. What trust is not
1. Trust is not based on emotional experiences but on truth
a. Paul is an example of misguided trust. Paul trusted in the Lord that he was living in all good conscience, persecuting Christians yet his trust and faith was not based upon the truth. He was fighting against God thinking himself doing God a favor.
b. You can trust in people that deceive you, but that trust is not based upon truth but rather deception and lies.
c. Trust is not based upon a feeling but based upon faithfulness of a relationship that is built upon good reputations. Jesus has the best reputation for being a faithful High Priest.
2. Trust is like a contract
a. In all simplicity, is that not what the New Covenant of Jesus Christ is? It is a covenant, and agreement between two parties to perform stated duties. There are all types of agreements or covenants. Marriage covenants, real estate covenants, business agreements.
b. Becoming a Christian is an agreement between you and God handled through the hands of a faithful Savior, Mediator, and Lord named Jesus Christ. In this agreement, you have certain promises and rights as a Christian, but you have to hold up your end of the agreement to God. Jesus Christ our Mediator works out the any discrepancies between the two parties to keep both parties in harmony and peace.
c. Talking of Jesus the Hebrew writer says, Heb 8:6, “but now has He obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises”
3. Trust in Christ is like a family
a. In most families you can trust each other because you know their characters. You can see how your brothers are and know what they will do. You can see how you dad is and know what he will do. Christ is that faithful big brother that is always taking up for his younger children. God the Father is that faithful dad that never lets you down.
b. Listen to what Paul begins his prayer with, Eph 3:14-15, “for this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth are named…”
c. Matt 10:32-34, “whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven but whosoever shall deny Me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven think not that I come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword”. You would never deny that your mom and dad are your family or that your brother and sister are indeed your family, would you?
Conclusion:
So, do you believe in God and His revealed word? That is how faith starts. Then that knowing God’s will results in either of two decisions: to do what God has said or to ignore what God has revealed. God’s word is never sown or told and produces no result. God’s word always produces a result, when obeyed it produces faithfulness and when ignored it produces rebellion.
So, do you want to ignore the truth from God or do you want to secure your salvation from hell and torment? Do you want eternal life and to have everything you need for this life provided for you? Jesus came to earth and was crucified dying and being resurrected the third day to provide you with everything you need for this life and to be godly. In other words, He has already done the work for you to have everything you need physically and spiritually.
In order to make Jesus your Only Shepherd and Lord, you must confess Him as Lord and Savior and repent by amending your ways to follow His ways, and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. After you are baptized for the forgiveness of sin then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to help you with all of this life. However, it is a decision you must make for the rest of eternity. To become a Christian and turn away from the truth would be worse than never becoming a Christian. This is a decision to make for the rest of your life.
My prayer is that Jesus will confirm this word to you and that He will remove every obstacle that is in the way of you becoming a Christian. May it be so in Christ name.
