1. Evangelical Free Church
Welcome to the
Evangelical Free Church
of Goodlow
29 April, 2018

2. F A I T H

9. 1a:  allegiance to duty or a person; loyalty
e.g. lost faith in the company's
president
1b:  (1) :fidelity to one's promises 
(2) :sincerity of intentions acted in
good faith

10. 2a (1): belief and trust in and loyalty to God 
(2): belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion

11. 1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for;
Hebrews 11
NKJV
1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
NLT
1Faith shows the reality of what we hope for;
it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

12. 6…without faith it is impossible for he who comes to God must believe
Hebrews 11
NKJV
6…without faith it is impossible
to please Him, 
for he who comes to God must believe
that He is…

13. …and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11
NKJV
…and that He is a rewarder
of those who diligently seek Him.

14. Justification
The action – by God – whereby one is declared just or righteous in God’s sight

15. One’s legal status is changed from guilty to not guilty
Justification
One’s legal status is changed from guilty to not guilty
This is a one-time occurrence

16. justified by faith 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is
Romans 3 NKJV
 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith
apart from the deeds of the law.

18. What we are not justified by
What we are justified by
What this requires of us all

19. We are not justified by
works (1-2)

20. Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation.
Romans 4 NLT
 Abraham was, humanly speaking,
the founder of our Jewish nation.
What did he discover about
being made right with God? 

21. But that was not God’s way.
2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about.
But that was not God’s way. 

22. We are not justified by
works (1-2)
religious rites [circumcision] (9-12)

23. 9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews,
or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles? 
Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his faith.  

24. before he was circumcised!
10 But how did this happen? Was he counted as righteous only after he was circumcised,
or was it before he was circumcised?
Clearly, God accepted Abraham
before he was circumcised! 

25. and declared him to be righteous— even before he was circumcised.
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had faith and that God had already accepted him
and declared him to be righteous—
even before he was circumcised.

26. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those
who have faith but have not been circumcised.
They are counted as righteous
because of their faith. 

27. 12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father
of those who have been circumcised,
but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised.

28. We are not justified by
works (1-2)
religious rites [circumcision] (9-12)
the Law (13-15)

29. 13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth
to Abraham and his descendants
was based not on his obedience to God’s law,
but on a right relationship with God
that comes by faith. 

30. 14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law,
then faith is not necessary and
the promise is pointless [lifeless]. 

31. 15 For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it.
(The only way to avoid breaking the law
is to have no law to break!)

32. What we are justified by
By faith (3-5)

33. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, and God counted him as righteous
“Abraham believed God,
and God counted him as righteous
because of his faith.”

34. 4 When people work, their wages are not a gift,
but something they have earned. 
5 But people are counted as righteous,
not because of their work, but because of
their faith in God who forgives sinners.

35. What we are justified by
By faith (3-5 Mp235)
By God’s grace (16-17)

36. 16 So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift.
And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses… 

37. …if we have faith like Abraham’s.
For Abraham is the father of all who believe. 

38. the father of many nations.”
 17 That is what the Scriptures mean when God told him, [Abraham] “I have made you
the father of many nations.” 

39. This happened because Abraham believed in the God
who brings the dead back to life
and who creates new things out of nothing.

41. 12 And He [the Angel of the LORD] said,
Genesis 22
12 And He [the Angel of the LORD] said,
“Do not lay your hand on the lad,
or do anything to him; for now I know
that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

42. What we are justified by
By faith (3-5 Mp235)
By God’s grace (16-17)
By Divine Power (4:18-22)

43. through faith, 8 For by grace you have been saved
Ephesians 2
8 For by grace you have been saved
through faith,
and that not of yourselves; 
it is the gift of God, 9 not of works,
lest anyone should boast.

44. 18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—
believing that he would become
the father of many nations.
For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 

45. 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken,
even though, at about 100 years of age,
he figured his body was as good as dead—
and so was Sarah’s womb.  

46. in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger,
20 Abraham never wavered
in believing God’s promise.
In fact, his faith grew stronger,
and in this he brought glory to God. 

47. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able

49. He’s able, He’s able, I know He’s able, I know my Lord is able To carry me through.

50. He healed the broken-hearted And set the captive free, He made the lame to walk again And caused the blind to see.

51. He’s able, He’s able, I know He’s able, I know my Lord is able To carry me through.

52. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.
22 And because of Abraham’s faith,
God counted him as righteous.  

53. What we are not justified by
What we are justified by
What this requires of us all

54. 23 And when God counted him as righteous,
it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit.
It was recorded 24 for our benefit, too,
assuring us that God will also count us
as righteous if we believe in Him…

55. Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was handed over to die
…the One Who raised
Jesus our Lord from the dead. 
25 He was handed over to die
because of our sins,
and He was raised to life
to make us right with God.

57. We live in unsettling times in a troubled world.
In so many ways it seems like things are spinning out of control

58. BUT We know that our sovereign God is in control
Events unfold in keeping with His timeless plans

59. Jesus our Lord from the dead… …the One Who made us right with Himself…
BUT
…the One who raised
Jesus our Lord from the dead…
…the One Who made us right with Himself…
IS IN CONTROL

61. 2 Timothy 1
…I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 12For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed,

62. for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able
to keep what I have committed to Him
until that Day

63. I Know Whom I Have Believed
409

64. I know not why God's wondrous grace  To me He hath made known,  Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love  Redeemed me for His own. 

65. But I know whom I have believed,  And am persuaded that He is able  To keep that which I've committed  Unto Him against that day. 

66. Wrought peace within my heart.
I know not how this saving faith  To me He did impart,  Nor how believing in His word 
Wrought peace within my heart.  

67. But I know whom I have believed,  And am persuaded that He is able  To keep that which I've committed  Unto Him against that day. 

68. I know not how the Spirit moves,  Convincing us of sin,  Revealing Jesus through the word,  Creating faith in Him.   

69. But I know whom I have believed,  And am persuaded that He is able  To keep that which I've committed  Unto Him against that day. 

70. I know not when my Lord may come, At night or noonday fair,
Nor if I walk the vale with Him,  Or meet him in the air.    

71. But I know whom I have believed,  And am persuaded that He is able  To keep that which I've committed  Unto Him against that day. 

75. (May) Christ dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted
Ephesians 3
(May) Christ dwell in your hearts
through faith—that you, being rooted
and grounded in love, may have strength
to comprehend with all the saints…

76. that surpasses knowledge, that you
…what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ
that surpasses knowledge, that you
may be filled with all the fullness of God.

77. Evangelical Free Church
Welcome to the
Evangelical Free Church
of Goodlow
29 April, 2018