The Test Most Christians Fail

our relationship with God is defined by our faith so it's important for us to understand what faith is so we're going to take a deep dive into what the Bible says about faith my name is Lex and welcome to un learn Romans 10:17 says so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God the word of God creates faith in us we don't create faith in ourselves it comes only by hearing the word of God this is why it's so important for us to read and study the Scriptures Daily if you want to walk by faith you need to spend time daily in the Bible faith is both belief and Trust having both an intellectual ascent and a relational Reliance upon God it's not one or the other it's both believing the word of God transforms our mind and trusting God's word transforms our character and our actions our faith is rooted in the character of God understanding that God is faithful and knowing that he keeps his word we can safely trust whatever he says in his word that's why faith comes from hearing the word word of God we also learn that faith is active not passive thus also Faith by itself if it does not have works is dead but some will say you have faith but I have Works show me your faith without your works and I will show you my faith by my works you believe there's one God you do well even the demons believe and tremble but do you want to know oh foolish man that faith without works is dead was not Abraham Our Father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar do you see that Faith was was working together with his works and by works Faith was made perfect and as the scripture was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone likewise was not Rahab the Harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also passive faith is dead faith our faith must be active and producing change in our life dead faith is like empty words without substance it speaks of trust in God but fails to act on his Commandments Living Faith is visible it manifests in Acts of Love service and obedience to God's word so how do we reconcile this with what Paul said about faith not by works What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh for If Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God for what does Scripture say Abraham believe God and it was accounted to him for righteousness now to him who works the wages are not counted as Grace but as debt Paul's using works in the same sense that we speak about going to our job we go to work to earn a paycheck we do our job because we want to earn money our wages are owed to us for the labor we do Paul's explaining that Faith isn't like a job we don't obey to earn a wage we don't earn our salvation by obedience we can't do anything to earn salvation that's why Paul emphasizes that it's a free gift from God if we think that our obedience earns us salvation then we aren't walking by faith we're walking by our own righteousness this doesn't contradict what James said about faith without works being dead they actually complement each other and show us a fuller understanding of what faith is Faith produces good works Faith produces obedience however people can have good works apart from Faith which is what Paul is rebuking we need to understand that our works and our obedience is a byproduct of our faith faith without works is dead but works without faith is also dead Paul understands this and he even makes sure to explain it do we then make void the law through faith certainly not on the contrary we establish the law Faith doesn't nullify the law of God we establish and uphold the law because we have faith what shall we say then that Gentiles who do not pursue righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness of Faith but Israel pursuing the law of righteousness has not attained to the law of righteousness why because they did not seek it by faith but as it were by The Works of the law for they stumbled at The Stumbling Stone as it is written behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense and whoever believes on him will not be put to shame Paul is explaining that the Jewish people fell short because they didn't obey through faith they were obeying the law but not by faith this is what Paul calls The Works of the law it's called works because it's not by faith they were doing it hoping to earn a reward for their efforts faith is based on trust in God not trusting in our own efforts faith-based obedience is a loving response to the grace of God in contrast works-based obedience is an effort to gain grace and favor from God now to him who works the wages are not counted as Grace but as debt but to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness we have to understand that there's nothing we can do to earn our Salvation it's only by grace that we're saved and not by our works knowing that a man is not justified by The Works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by The Works of the law for by The Works of the law no flesh shall be justified we cannot be justified by our obedience to the law that's not what saves us this is a core principle that we need to understand salvation is not given because of our obedience because our obedience is not perfect for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God sent forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus the law can't save because we can't keep it perfectly we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God Yeshua is the only person who has ever been completely sinless therefore by the Deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin God's law teaches us what sin is so that we can see how sinful we truly are the law of God is good and we should seek to obey his Commandments but our obedience can never save us is the law then against the promises of God certainly not for if there had been a law given which could have given life truly rightous would have been by the law when we try to justify ourselves and rely on our own righteousness we are spitting in the face of Yeshua and rejecting his gift of Salvation that's why Paul speaks so strongly against Works based salvation I do not set aside the grace of God for if righteousness comes through the law then Christ died in vain we have to realize that our Salvation is only by the grace and mercy of God and our righteousness can never attain it not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit however Paul also explains that we are created for good works done through faith in Yeshua for by Grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God not of Works lest anyone should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them Paul even tells us that he labored more than others but he credits his work to the grace of of God and not his own efforts which shows us that it was Faith producing good works through him but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace towards me was not in vain but I labored more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me many Christians seem to think that faith and works are opposing Concepts but the Bible shows us that they complement each other and work together Faith produces good works but Faith must be the source of the works or else The Works are dead likewise faith without works is also dead the Bible describes the Saints as those who have faith in Yeshua and who keep the Commandments of God here is the patience of the Saints here are those who keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus if we have faith we walk in obedience to God's Commandments because it's our faith that compels us to obey him Paul even argues that those who do the things in the law are justified by God for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God but the doers of the law will be Justified for when Gentiles who do not have the law by Nature do the things in the law these although not having the law are a law to themselves who show the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them he's speaking about Gentile believers who are led by the Holy Spirit to walk in obedience to the law of God and he says that they are justified by God because of it this is because they're walking by faith James says it this way in James 1:2 2 2 but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves but he who looks into the perfect law of Liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work this one will be blessed in what he does faith comes by hearing the word but we can't just be hearers of the word we have to be doers of the word even when it's difficult in fact faith is best demonstrated in the face of fear and trials believing and trusting in God when we Face difficult situations shows us what our faith is actually worth this is referred to as the testing of our faith it's important for us to understand that the testing of our faith actually produces stronger faith my brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience but let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing the testing of our faith can have two basic outcomes it will either prove our faith to be true or it will show us that we really don't have faith the Bible is full of stories about men of God who stood firm in their faith during trials and tribulations Noah Abraham Moses David Daniel and many more faced difficult situations and overcame them because of their faith in God and they're given to us as examples of how we should walk out our faith Yeshua told a parable about a man sewing seed on different types of soil he explained that the seed is the word of God and that the different soils represent how different people respond to the word the first type of soil is called the Wayside a s went out to se sew a seed and as he sowed some fell by the wayside and it was trampled down and the birds of the air devoured it Yeshua explains that the word does not produce Faith at all in these people those by the wayside are the ones who hear then the Devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts lest they should believe and be saved they don't believe the word and that's why they're not saved the next type of soil is Rocky ground some fell on rock and as soon as it sprang up it withered away because it lacked moisture these people people believe the word for a time but when their faith is tested they're shown to have no roots to sustain their faith so they fall away but the ones on the Rock are those who when they hear receive the word with joy and these having no root who believe for a while and in time of Temptation Fall Away next we come to the thorny soil and some fell among thorns and the thorn sprang up with it and choked it these people hear the word and they have faith for a time but worldliness destroys their faith and they never mature to produce fruit now the ones that fell among the Thorns are those who when they have heard go out and are choked with the cares riches and pleasures of life and bring no fruit to maturity no one wants to think of themselves as these types of soil but the testing of your faith will show you what kind of soil you really are when difficulties persecutions trials Temptations and the cares of the world come to test your faith will you have faith that endures and produces fruit but others fell on good ground sprang up and yielded a crop 100 fold when he had said said these things he cried he who has ears to hear Let Him hear these people have faith that holds tight to the word of God that's how their faith endures and produces fruit but the ones that fell on the good ground are those who having heard the word with a noble and good heart keep it and bear fruit with patience they hear the word and keep it meaning they possess the word and hold on tightly to it remaining faithful in every circumstance this is how they're able to produce fruit the Bible encourages us to examine ourselves to see if we truly have faith are you a hearer only or a doer of the word is your faith active or passive is your faith producing obedience and righteousness or the cares of the world choking you out so that you aren't producing any fruit examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith test yourselves do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you are disqualified after you examine yourself and you realize that you have stagnant or dead Faith it's not too late you can make changes to cultivate a living faith that produces fruit as we already discussed faith comes by hearing the word of God so we need to be reading and studying the Scriptures Daily to increase our faith let the word of God transform your mind and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God reading the word isn't enough though we must believe it and let it transform our thinking and guide our steps become doers of the word and not hearers only look for ways to live out your faith help those in need share the gospel with others and start walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit as he guides you through the word the difference between dead faith and Living Faith really is life and death don't settle for faith that is merely intellectual or verbal pursue a living active faith that produces good fruit if your faith is lifeless remember that we serve a God that can resurrect the dead make a commitment to trust him obey him and live a faith that is alive and producing fruit