1. Faith
All NKJV unless otherwise specified
What is faith?
Hebrews 11v1
1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(NIV) Hebrews 11v1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
(AMP) Hebrews 11v1
Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not
see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
Back to the beginning
Genesis 3v15
15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall
bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
 When God was handing out judgment on Adam, Eve and the Serpent, He also made provision for the redemption that
would come through Jesus Christ. This was the glimmer of hope which He gave to Adam and Eve, which was that at a
certain point in future, a child (Seed) would be born which would crush the head of the serpent (Satan).
 This was achieved about 4000 odd years later through the redemptive work on the cross.
 This hope for a future savior given to Adam and Eve, being the parents, was a hope applicable to the children of
Adam and Eve as well (just as the promise was to Abraham and his descendents mentioned later).
 Review the definitions of faith given above. Notice the things hoped for.
The Law
Deuteronomy 6 v1,2
1
“Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach
you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2
“that you may fear the LORD your God,
to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of
your life, and that your days may be prolonged.
Was the Law Good?
Romans 7 v7-12
7
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law.
For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” 8
But sin, taking opportunity by the
commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. 9
I was alive once without the
law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10
And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to
bring death. 11
For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12
Therefore the law is holy,
and the commandment holy and just and good.
Is the Law irrelevant?
Matthew 5 v17,18
17
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18
“For assuredly, I say
to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
God’s Word never returns to Him un-fulfilled
Isaiah 55 v10,11
10
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring
forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, And bread to the eater, 11
So shall My word be that goes forth from My
mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
 Jesus fulfilled the Law. He fulfilled the mandate as per Isaiah 55 above.

2. Apart from Jesus, can one be justified by upholding the Law?
Romans 3v10
10
As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;
And thus further….
(NIV) Romans 3 v19,20
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every month may be silenced and
the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law;
rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
 At this point, we should reflect on our past lives. God’s word says that not one is righteous.
 The law has pointed out God’s standard. This is its reasons for existence (see Isaiah 55 above). Our own
contraventions of this perfect standard should silence our mouths for we are accountable to God.
 No “excuses” can be made in the day of judgment for those under the law.
God’s Providence
(NIV) Romans 3 v21-25
21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and Prophets testify. 22
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have
sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ
Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice,
because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.
 The righteousness is from God
 This righteousness is appropriated to believers in Jesus Christ, those who have faith in Him
 Jesus fulfilled the law in the flesh
 It is not “earned”, but it is free according to God’s grace
 Jesus paid the “penalty” for our sins.
 Justification – Justice has been served, for now the penalty has been paid for every sin committed by those who
believe in Christ.
(NIV) Romans 10 v9,10
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will
be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are
saved.
Do we uphold the law?
(NIV) Romans 3v31
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
 What does this mean then? It means that the law does not pass away because we have faith in Jesus Christ. It means
that we do not come under God’s judgment according to the law, because the penalty has already been paid.
(NIV) Romans 6v14
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law but under grace.
 Therefore, the power of sin over us is broken. Believe it !
(NIV) Romans 4 v13,14
13 It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through
the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is
worthless,
 It is interesting to note that Abraham lived long before God gave the Israelites the Law
 Jacob (who later was renamed Israel) was actually the grandson of Abraham. This line of Israel became known as
Israelites. It was about +/- 400 years after this that the Israelites received the Law.
 It is thus worthy to note that Abraham’s justification was by faith and not by the law

3. It is also interesting to note that justification by faith happens for both the Jews and Gentiles, as per the below verse:
Romans 3 v29,30
29
Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30
since there is one God
who will justify the circumcised (Jews) by faith and the uncircumcised (Gentiles) through faith.
Bracket comments added.
Romans 4 v11,12
11
And he (Abraham) received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still
uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might
be imputed to them also, 12
and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in
the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
Romans 4 v18
18
who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So
shall your descendants be.”
(NIV) Hebrews 11v6(a)
And without faith it is impossible to please God,
Matthew 3 v16,17
16
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and
He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
 We can see from the above that Jesus was a son of faith.
 Not only was Jesus a natural descendant of Abraham, he was also a spiritual descendent (by faith). He could thus
represent both the Jews and the Gentiles.
 We who have faith are also spiritual descendents of Abraham, and are included in God’s promises to Abraham.
How do we get faith?
Matthew 7v7
7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Hebrews 12v2
2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Romans 10v17
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Faith and works go hand in hand
James 2v14
14
What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
James 2v17,18
17
Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18
But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.”
Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19
You believe that there is one God. You
do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20
But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22
Do you see that faith was
working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23
And 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. 24
You see then
that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

4. 1 John 5 v1-6
1
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is
begotten of Him. 2
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3
For
this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4
For whatever is born
of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5
Who is he who overcomes the
world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The Holy Spirit does this work through us
Philippians 1v6
6
being confident of this very thing, that He (Holy Spirit) who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of
Jesus Christ;
Faith has a “work”
2 Thessalonians 1 v11
11
Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure
of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12
that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you
in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 3 v16,17
16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, 17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
 Remember that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Rom 10v17 above. Re-read 2 Timothy
3v16,17 again in light of Romans 10v17.
Titus 1v16
16
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good
work.
Hebrews 13 v20,21
20
Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the
blood of the everlasting covenant, 21
make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well
pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
James 1 v25
25
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.
Summary
This at first seems confusing, but it is not. It is in perfect harmony with all of scripture. It can be explained below:
 We cannot earn our salvation by our works or deeds. Someone cannot get into heaven by all of the good things that
he/she has done. This is because without Jesus, we would have to pay the penalty for our sins ourselves. Just a single
sin would be sufficient to condemn us. No amount of good can overcome the death penalty.
 It is only by believing in Jesus, by faith in Jesus, that we are saved. This salvation is by the grace of God, nothing that
we have “earned”. Therefore we cannot boast in this faith. We see above in Hebrews 12v2, that Jesus is in fact the
author and finisher/perfector of our faith. The very faith that we have in Jesus originally came from Him. So where is
the boasting here?
 We are thus initially justified (made righteous / made right) with God by this faith in Jesus Christ.
 But this faith, if it is TRUE faith, will be accompanied by works. If it is not accompanied by works, then this faith is
dead (see James 2v17 above). This is how we know that we have true faith. We know because the works that God has
appointed us to do flow from such a faith.