THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH - West Side Baptist Church



THE OBJECT OF OUR FAITH

2 Timothy 1:12 (NASB) For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF YOUR FAITH?

WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON FOR YOUR ETERNAL LIFE?

AT WHAT OR WHOM ARE YOU LOOKING FOR THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU CAN GO TO HEAVEN WHEN YOU DIE?

Faith has to have an object – it has to look at something – it has to have content – something that must be believed.

MOST PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING ON IN EITHER GOOD WORKS AND/OR RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES AS THE OBJECT OF THEIR FAITH.

FAITH THAT SAVES HAS AS ITS OBJECT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN GIVE ETERNAL LIFE

Paul says, “For I know whom I have believed.” The object of his faith was Jesus Christ alone Jesus alone is the One who can give eternal life as a free gift because of His finished work on the cross dying as our substitute.

“I KNOW,” “I HAVE BELIEVED” “I AM CONVINCED”: FAITH OR BELIEVE MEANS TO BE CONVINCED IT IS TRUE – I CANNOT CONTRIBUTE TO MY SALVATION AND I TRUST JESUS ALONE.

The word “believe” in the Greek is the word pisteuo. It’s a simple term that means to have confidence in, to have an inward conviction that something is true. To believe in Jesus is to be convinced that it is true that Jesus alone gives me eternal life freely, as a gift, when I simply believe Him for that gift!

We have to be convinced that this proposition is true: WE ACCEPT THE GIFT OF GRACE BY FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE. This truth alone brings eternal life. Eternal life is required to enter heaven and avoid the eternal lake of fire Revelation 20:11-15). People go to the Lake of Fire because they do not possess eternal life. They do not possess eternal life because they have not believed in Jesus alone for eternal life!

IF OUR CONTENT OF FAITH SAYS THAT WE CAN IN ANY WAY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ETERNAL LIFE THEN WE HAVE NOT YET BELIEVED IN JESUS ALONE. IF WE OUR CONTENT OF FAITH SAYS WE RECEIVE THE ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH SOME CHURCH OR RITUAL WE HAVE NOT YET BELIEVED IN JESUS ALONE.

“I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

Paul believed in Jesus for eternal life! He was convinced that it is true – he believed.

Assurance of eternal life is of the essence of the gospel. To believe in anything less than eternal life is to believe in conditional life or probationary life. The Lord Jesus Christ never, ever offered any such thing to anyone. He offered one thing and one thing only: ETERNAL LIFE! Eternal life is life that can never be lost or removed for any reason.

HE WAS NOT TRUSTING IN JESUS FOR:

Conditional life: I will receive eternal life if I eventually qualify for it and/or demonstrate by my actions through time that I have that life in me.

Probationary life: I have eternal life but only if I hang on to it

How do we receive eternal life?

John 6:47 (NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.

Believe in Jesus as the one who alone gives you eternal life and you shall be saved! The object of faith is Jesus Christ.

Some may say, “That sounds too easy…all I have to do is believe?” Biblical Christianity is unique in this sense: eternal life is absolutely free. This simple Message of Life is the most misunderstood and attacked of all the truths of the Bible. Naturally good works and being a decent, good, nice, religious person are positive things – but these do not bring eternal life. The Bible declares that no god works, no amount of personal goodness or niceness, and no religious activity can help you take one step toward heaven (Ephesians 2:8-9). There are no strings attached to salvation. Eternal life is given to those who simply believe in Jesus for it – He is the object of their faith.

What is the object of you faith?

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