The Real Meaning of Faith

I. Faith Is Rooted in Revelation
A. Revelation requires faith - Rom. 10:8-11
B. Revelation creates the faith it requires - Rom. 10:14, 17
1. Faith for the gospel - Rom. 1:16-17
2. Faith for the Christian life - 1 Tim. 1:3-5
3. Faith for the Church - Rom. 16:25-26; Eph. 3:3-12
4. Faith for the reward of the kingdom - Heb. 10:35; 11:6, 26; 12:1-2, 28
(cf. Matt. 5:12, 46; 6:1, 6, 18)
a) The new covenant concept of reward - Rewarding grace and faith, not fleshly works - Rom. 4:4-5; 11:5-6; Heb. 11:6
II. Faith in the Coming One and His Kingdom
A. Waiting for the Lord's coming by meeting with the church - Heb. 10:19-25
B. Waiting for the Lord's coming by experiencing the Lord in the midst of trials
- Heb. 10:32-34
C. Waiting for the Coming One by living by faith for the gaining of the soul - Heb. 10:35-39
III. The Deep Significance of Faith - Hebrews 11:1-3
A. Faith translates into action and gives substance to divine revelation - Heb. 11:1a
1. "Things hoped for" and "things not seen" = divine revelation
B. Faith is the inner conviction of unseen things - Heb. 11:1b; 2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7
C. To live in the realm of faith is to live a testimony-life on this earth by living for God's good pleasure - Heb. 11:2, 4-6, 39
D. The understanding of faith and God's plan for the universe - Heb. 11:3
IV. Examples of Revelation Creating Faith - Hebrews 11:4-40
A. The revelation of the gospel with Abel - Heb. 11:4 - "Offered to God a more
excellent sacrifice"
B. The revelation of coming judgment with Enoch - Heb. 11:5; Gen. 5:21-27; 7:11
1. Living a life well pleasing to God - Heb. 11:5-6 - "He had been well pleasing to God"
C. The revelation of God's plan of the ark with Noah - Heb. 11:7 - "Having been divinely instructed"
D. The revelation of the City with Abraham - Heb. 11:8, 10 - "Being called"
1. Living as a family for God's purpos - Heb. 11:8-9e
2. Living in the realm of revelation - Heb. 11:11-16
3. Not living in the realm of reason - Heb. 11:17-19
E. The revelation of things to come with Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph - Heb. 11:20-22
F. The revelation of the greater riches and the Unseen One with Moses - Heb. 11:23-29
G. The revelation of the promises with the overcoming saints - Heb. 11:30-39
H. The organic family of faith - Heb. 11:40