The Works of Faith

The Word teaches us that we are to live by faith. The just shall live by faith. Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17, Gal 3:11, and Heb 10:38. It is both an Old and New Testament concept. (Not surprising really seeing as God does not change). What does it mean to live by faith? What does it look like? How do we know if we are living by faith? In this article we will explore answers to these questions and discover that faith is a very practical, down-to-earth, easy to understand and easy to perform aspect of our Christianity. Some other contextualising Scriptures in relation to faith are: James 1:3-4; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.1 James 1:17, 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone Hebrews 11:6, 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In our Western cultures particularly, we have become impatient. We want instant coffee, microwave dinners and fast-foods. God however has a different agenda when it comes to faith. We tend to think that faith should produce instant results. We want instant financial increase, instant healings and miracles, instant changes to our circumstances, whereas the Word makes it clear that faith and patience have a relationship. Not only do faith and patience have a relationship, but faith and works have a relationship as well. James tells us that the trying of our faith develops patience. He goes on to say that faith that is not accompanied by works is dead. Hebrews 11:6 also makes it clear that faith is related to diligently seeking God. Doing something diligently brings to mind perseverance and doing something for a period of time. It certainly does not conjure up a mental picture of instant gratification. So where in the Word to we see examples of peoples faith being tested? Where are the works? Where is diligence displayed? What does it all mean for us? Hebrews in chapter 11 gives us some great illustrations and lessons in faith. In verse 7 we read: 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 the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. In this verse the some of the key words are, By faith Noah. This verse also makes clear the following:
1

Noah heard from God and was fully persuaded of what God told him and asked him to do. Noah made a decision to yield to what God instructed him to do.

All Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible: King James Version. 1995 (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.) (Jas 1:24). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Noah obeyed God and carried out Gods instructions.

In this we see the three vital ingredients of faith. 1. Full persuasion 2. Yielding or surrender 3. Behaviour inspired by surrender. We also see the trying of Noahs faith, the works of Noahs faith, the diligence of Noahs faith, and the rewards of Noahs faith. Dealing with each in turn; The trying of Noahs faith Up until the time of Noah the earth was watered by a mist that rose from the ground. It had never rained on the earth. Noah was instructed to build a huge boat on dry land, possibly a long way from any water to cater for an event that was incomprehensible and it was going to take him 55 to 75 years to complete the task. The entire period of construction he was abused by the other inhabitants of the area and laughed at. All this would have been very trying indeed. There were not many hightech tools or cranes in Noahs day. He would have needed a lot of patience to build the Ark. Just imagine the effort involved in placing even one heavy beam into place. There would have been elaborate preparations made for every lift. Noah had to learn new things. He had never built an Ark before. The entire undertaking, that was probably initially daunting, almost overwhelming, required immense patience over a prolonged period. The works of Noahs faith For 55 to 75 years Noahs faith was measured by sleeping, eating breakfast, going to the work of building the ark, having dinner and going to bed. For many years Noah did the same things over and over and over again. How did he do it? He did it in faith. There was nothing supernatural occurring on a daily basis. It was all quite routine. His life comprised much the same sort of routine that we may be subject to today with our work. This routine of doing the same thing each day comprised the works of faith. The works of faith did not consist of raising people from the dead or performing amazing miracles on a regular basis. Rather the works of faith consisted of diligent repetition on a daily basis for a long period. The diligence of Noahs faith Noah didnt work for 35 years and then say to God, Its all too hard Lord. Im giving up. He was diligent for 55 to 75 years doing the same thing over and over and over again. His work was repetitive, challenging, difficult and hard, but he stuck to it. He did not entertain any thought of giving up. Every day Noah had to get out of bed and face another day of construction. The rewards of Noahs faith Because Noah persevered and continued in faith for a very long period, he received the rewards of his faith which included his salvation, the salvation of his household and the salvation of the animals of the earth. Did the rewards come instantly? Certainly not! Even after Noah completed the ark there was another period in which his faith was tried. He had to endure the flood and patiently wait for the waters to recede before he could enter into the fullness of his reward. All through this time

he was working, feeding animals, diligently. Even after the ark came to rest and Noah and his family left the ark, he was still working. He planted a vineyard. No doubt he planted other things as well and he did it all diligently. As if the example of Noah isnt enough, Hebrews goes on to talk about Abraham. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: In these verses we see how Abraham heard from God and was fully persuaded of what God told him. He made a decision to yield to what God told him and he followed through by being obedient to what God instructed him to do. Pretty simple really, but lets look at what all this entailed and how Abrahams faith is displayed. Is his faith tested? Did he learn patience? Are there works associated with his faith, was he diligent and did he receive rewards for his diligence? First off, Abraham was asked to do something that he had never done before. This no doubt tested him and his faith. Then his faith was further tested and his patience was developed when he waited for the land that he was to afterward inherit. Verse 9 says that he lived in the land of promise by faith. So we see the works of faith firstly being Abraham leaving home and journeying to the land of promise and secondly living in the land. How did he dwell in the land? In tents with Isaac and Jacob! The point of this is that there is nothing too supernatural about leaving home, going on a journey and then living in a place for many years with your children and grandchildren. Yet the Word describes this as faith. Essentially the Word is saying that Abraham went to bed, slept, got up, went to work, raised a family and did everything that normal people would do and that because he did it in obedience to an instruction from God it is faith. He lived a routine and normal life for his time. Because almost an entire lifetime is compressed into just two verses of Scripture and each verse commences with the words, By faith, there is a tendance to envision something profoundly supernatural. This is not the case. A careful reading of these two verses reveals a routine and normal life for the time, living in tents with his children and grandchildren. Now Sara, Abrahams wife is mentioned as well. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. We know that Saras faith was tested. She waited 25 years to conceive. But what was she doing for those 25 years that demonstrated faith. Simple really, she continued to engage in the act of marriage with Abraham and she did it diligently. This is a pretty normal thing for married people to do, yet in this instance this act is the works of faith. Sara judged God faithful (she was fully persuaded), she decided to yield and engaged in the works of faith diligently. In due course she received the reward of her faith in Isaac. What we gauge from these examples of faith is that faith is a very practical, down-to-earth, easy to do, uncomplicated aspect of our Christianity. It is our way of life because the just shall live by faith. To put it into context it is as simple as hearing from God, being fully persuaded of what God says, deciding to yield to what God says and obeying God by doing what he said. We hear from God by

reading the Word or listening to inspired preaching. We choose to be fully persuaded of what God says in his Word and we choose to yield to it. We then do what it says and we do it diligently day after day after day. This is the life of faith. It is also why we not only live by faith, but die by faith. If we live by faith, we shall certainly die by faith. Hebrews expresses it in verse 13 where it says 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. In like manner those of us who live by faith will all die in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and are persuaded of them and embrace them and we confess that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Why is this so? We are promised an eternal habitation kept in Heaven for us. We cannot and will not receive this promise in this life, but we see it afar off. We are fully persuaded of the promises of a glorious future and we embrace the promises. Because we are children of a Heavenly kingdom and children of the King we are indeed strangers and pilgrims on the earth as we journey towards our Heavenly home. While we are here we live by faith. Hebrews goes on to talk about many other heroes of faith. In every instance it is possible to see the trying of their faith, patience being worked out in their lives, the works of faith that they undertook and continued to undertake diligently; and the rewards of their faith. I encourage you to read Hebrews chapter 11 and study each faith hero carefully. Now there is one very practical example and outworking of faith that I want to touch on and that is Holy Communion. Christ gave us communion to proclaim his death until he comes again. 1 Cor 11:26. In 1 Pet 2:24 we are told that by his stripes we were healed. How do we respond to this in faith? Taking a lesson from our heroes of faith we should do the following: Hear what God says to us about healing and his instructions regarding communion. Choose to be fully persuaded that in the atonement we were healed and that we can appropriate that healing today in the same way that we can appropriate Christs forgiveness. Choose to yield to what God instructs us to do. Take communion regularly, daily or several time a day as this is the works of faith.

What happens if we do the above? Well our faith will be tested. We may have patience worked out in us. If we do the works of faith and we do them diligently and we do not give up then we receive the reward of our faith. With faith and patience we inherit the promises. In this case the promise of healing. Remember Noah and Abraham, were diligent in doing the same things over and over and over again for many years. We should do the same with communion. A fully persuaded man will not give up. Dont give up. Never; never, never give up!