Faith is not the only thing involved in being a Christian, but the element of faith is a most significant thing.

When you obeyed the gospel, you responded to the faith (Jude 1:3.

When you were baptized, you became faithful to the Lord (Acts 16:15.

Local churches can be called “faithful” (Colossians 1:2.

All who are Christians are “of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10.

It is by faith that we live (Romans 1:16-17.

The meaning of faith involves the idea of belief

Our believing is in things concerning Jesus and His Kingdom (Acts 8:12.

That faith comes always from the word of God (Romans 10:17.

Believing was the purpose of what the Bible says about Jesus Christ (John 20:30-31.

Faith involves personal confidence in the truthfulness of the gospel message.

The idea of faith involves the willingness to place one’s trust and reliance on someone else (God).

Faith means that I am totally willing to rely on God in all things (Romans 4:3.

Abraham was fully assured that God was able to perform what he had promised (Romans 4:20-21.

If I have faith personally, I have a similar trust in God (I Peter 4:19!

Faith involves the idea of fidelity.

The Bible steward was faithful because he was loyal, committed, and trustworthy (I Corinthians 4:2.

Our faithfulness (commitment and trustworthiness) is to last even tot he point of death (Revelation 2:10.

Living by faith involves confessing our faith

This is a condition of our salvation (Romans 10:8-11.

Confessing Christ is a condition of the Christian’s daily life. Living by faith is always confessing Him (Matthew 10:32-39.

The daily confession of Christ is my tie to the fellowship of God (I John 4:15.

So if by faith we live, we conduct our lives with trust in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:20.

The life of faith trusts in the works of Jesus, especially His death, burial, and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-4.

Living by faith always involves “holding fast” the word of God (Titus 3:5-7.

I may say I believe in God, but if my life does not demonstrate that truth, my actions prove my words to be false.

So then, living by faith exercises good works (Titus 3:8.

A faith which is without good works is an unsaving, non-justifying, dead faith (James 2:14-26.

The life of faith involves trusting in the words of Jesus, and living accordingly (Matthew 6:33-34.

Living by faith involves benefitting from faith

Faith brings blessings like joy and peace, hope, and power (Romans 15:13.

Through faith we receive our spiritual blessings. We are blessed because we believe that He hears our prayers (Ephesians 3:12.

Again, the blessing of personal confidence in ourselves coming through faith in Christ (Philippians 4:13.

The life of faith does not go unrewarded in this life, even though its primary concern is the life to come.

Living by faith involves maintaining our faith.

There is a need to stand fast, for faith, if left alone, will die (I Corinthians 15:1-2.

We must take care to hold fast so that unbelief will not replace faith and we fall away (Hebrews 3:12-14.

Otherwise, we might not get to enter into the promised land because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:15-19.

If we should come short of entering His rest, it will be because the gospel was not united by faith in us (Hebrews 4:1-2.

Faith comes by the word, but the word must also be united with personal faith in those who hear it!

We live by faith when we add virtues of Christian character to it (II Peter 1:5-7.

How can one say that he has faith or is faithful, when year after year he continues to woefully lack in these virtues of Christian character? Living by faith means the addition of these virtuous traits. For that reason we need to be all the more diligent in the increasing of those qualities (II Peter 1:8-11.

To be sure we do not fall from our own steadfastness, we need to “grow in the frace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:17-18.

To summarize:

A “faithful” Christian is one who takes his faith very seriously.

Because it is essential to his salvation.

Because it is essential to receive God’s blessings now and ultimately eternal life!

A “faithful” Christian is one who lives by faith. Are you “living by faith?”

• The message is an eternal message (I Peter 1:22-25

• Men once saw Him (John 1:14.
• He has and always will be in existence (John 1:1-2.
• Today we see Him by faith as He is the author of our faith (Hebrews 12:2.

• The church in the sense of the kingdom of heaven is an eternal kingdom, as seen in prophecy (Isaiah 9:7.
• God translates the saved into Christ’s kingdom (Colossians 1:13.
• On the last day, Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father (I Corinthians 15:24.
• As Christians, we must live faithfully so that we might not fall because the kingdom is an eternal kingdom (II Peter 1:10-11.

• There is a spiritual body (I Corinthians 15:42.
• We are warned against losing our soul (Matthew 10:28.
• The soul of man is held accountable before God (Luke 12:20.
• The inherently infinite value of the soul is based upon its eternal nature (Matthew 16:26-27.
• When everything is destroyed on the last day, the eternal soul of man will live on.

• To be alive in eternity, a body and a spirit must be united. This is why there will be a general resurrection. The body of eternity will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual, and bearing the image of the heavenly (I Corinthians 15:42-49.
• The resurrection of Christ is our proof (II Corinthians 4:14.
• Our temporal, temporary, and mortal tent will be replaced by an eternally permanent house called “life” (II Corinthians 5:1-4.

• II Corinthians 4:16-17
• There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness (II Timothy 4:7-8.
• Jesus taught us to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20.

• The eternal soul of man has an anchor in the hope of heaven (Hebrews 6:18-19.
• Eternal life is promised as having a water which, having been given, one will never thirst again (John 4:14.
• It is the will of God that you have eternal life by way of the eternal word of God (John 6:40.
• In heaven, there will be no possibility of being lost (John 10:28.
• If you cannot see the yet unseen - yourself in eternity with God - they you will not see the need to be obedient to the gospel of Christ (Acts 13:46.
• What will motivate a person to obey the Lord? Seeing the unseen. Seeing Jesus the author and finisher of faith and seeing themselves in the yet unseen “eternal life” (Acts 13:48.
• What is it that motivates the Christian to persevere? Seeking “for glory, honor and immortality, eternal life” (Romans 2:7.
• Do you see the outcome of your life as a faithful Christian (Romans 6:22?
• Are you then sowing spiritual things (Galatians 6:8?
• May we all be admonished with a view of eternal life (I Timothy 6:12.
• Obeying Christ is the means to obtaining eternal life (Hebrews 5:9.
• In Christ, we have been called to His eternal glory (I Peter 5:10.
• Eternal life is our promise (I John 2:25.

The evidence: the empty tomb - Matthew 28:1-10

Why believe: thewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection - John 17:20

Number of witnesses: I Corinthians 15:3-8

Cephas - Luke 24:34

Twelve (apostles) - Luke 24:36-43

500 at one time (Galilee) - Matthew 28:10

James, the Lord’s brother

Paul (on the road to Damascus) - Acts 22:6-10

Mary Magdalene - Mark 16:9

Other women returning from the tomb - Matthew 28:9-10

Two disciples on the road to Emmaus - Luke 24:13-33

Apostles, Thomas absent - John 20:19-24

Apostles, Thomas present - John 20:26-29

Seven disciples by sea of Galilee - John 21:1-23

Apostles (His ascension) - Acts 1:3-12

Are the witnesses reliable?

Brothers in the flesh - John 7:3-5

Thomas - John 20:24-28

Saul of Tarsus, former great enemy - Acts 9:1-2

Strength of their witness: “infallible proofs” - Acts 1:3

They ate and drank with Jesus - Acts 10:41

They saw, heard, and touched Him - John 20:24-28

The witness of their transformation

Before…

Afraid at His arrest - Mark 14:50

Peter denied Him three times - Mark 14:66-72

The women mourned His crucifixion - Luke 23:27

After His death…

His disciples were sad - Luke 24:13-17

They hid behind closed doors in fear - John 20:19

After His resurrection…

They fearlessly praised God in the temple - Luke 24:52-53

They proclaimed Christ, despite persecution - Acts 5:28-32

The witness of their high moral standards afterwards

They taught others to live holy lives - I Thessalonians 4:1-7

They lived their own lives in unimpeachable ways - I Thessalonians 2:3-12

The witness of the price they paid

The apostles endured much suffering - I Corinthians 4:9-13

All, but one, died a martyr’s death

The significance of the resurrection for unbelievers

Proves that Jesus truly is the Son of God - Romans 1:4

Demonstrates that the Christ truly has all authority - Matthew 28:18

Verifies the truthfulness of Jesus - Matthew 16:21

If the truth, His other teachings are true

He was from God and spoke the words of the Father - John 8:28

No one can come to the Father but through Him - John 14:6

His blood was shed for the remission of sins - Matthew 26:28

He came to offer abundant life - John 10:10

He went to prepare a place for us - John 14:2

He shall come again - John 14:3

There will be a resurrection and judgment - John 5:28-29

What if Christ is not raised?

Gospel preaching is vain - I Corinthians 15:14

Your faith is vain - I Corinthians 15:14

The apostles were false witnesses - I Corinthians 15:15

They swore that God raised Jesus from the dead - Acts 2:32

They claimed to eat and drink with Him - Acts 10:39-41

We are still in our sins - I Corinthians 15:17

All perished at death - I Corinthians 15:18

We are to be most pitied - I Corinthians 15:19

What the resurrection of Jesus does for the Christian

It verifies our justification - Romans 4:24-25

It demonstrates power available to the Christian - Ephesians 1:18-20

The power of our conversion - Colossians 2:11-12

The power available to live the Christian life - Romans 8:11

It gives us living hope in our own resurrection - I Peter 1:3

It demands our complete loyalty to Him - Romans 14:9

He was raised and exalted to be our Lord - Acts 2:32-26

As the risen Savior, our lives and service belong to Him - Romans 14:7-8

Conclusion: Do you believe in the empty tomb? - John 8:24

The ultimate question: “Whose Son is He?” (Matthew 22:41-42

Faith comes from what is written (John 20:30-31

God is omniscient (Numbers 23:19

What God plans, He accomplishes (Isaiah 46:9-10

The Messiah would be known by prophecy (Isaiah 48:3

Fulfilled prophecy: evidence of Jesus the Messiah (Romans 1:13

The method Jesus used (Luke 24:32

The favored method of teaching about Jesus (Acts 3:18

Fulfilled prophecies concerning His birth (Genesis 3:15

Fulfilled prophecies concerning His lineage

Son of God (Psalms 2:7

Seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3

Son of Isaac (Genesis 21:12

Son of Jacob (Genesis 24:17

Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10

Family of Jesse (Isaiah 1:1

House of David (Jeremiah 23:5

Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2

From deeds of His enemies (Jeremiah 31:15

Fulfilled prophecies from one day in the life of Jesus

Betrayed by a friend (Psalms 41:9

Sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12

Money thrown down in God’s House (Zechariah 11:13

Price of potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13

Forsaken by His disciples (Zechariah 13:7

Accused by false witnesses (Psalms 35:11

Silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7

He was wounded and bruised (Isaiah 53:5

He was smitten and spat upon (Isaiah 50:6

He was mocked (Psalms 22:7-8

He fell under the weight of carrying His own cross (Psalms 109:24,25; Matthew 27:31-32

His hands and feet were pierced (Psalms 22:16

Crucified with common criminals (Isaiah 53:12

Made intercession for His persecutors (Isaiah 53:12

Rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:3

Hated without a cause prophesied (Psalms 69:4

Friends stood afar off (Psalm 38:11

The people shook their heads as prophesied (Psalms 109:25

He was stared upon (Psalms 22:17

His garments were parted and they cast lots for them (Psalms 22:18

He suffered thirst (Psalms 69:21

Gall and vinegar to drink (Psalms 69:21

He cried out about being forsaken (Psalms 22:1

He committed Himself to God as prophesied (Psalms 31:5

His bones were not broken (Psalms 34:20

His heart was broken (Psalms 22:14

His side was pierced (Zechariah 12:10

Darkness came over all the land (Amos 8:9

Buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9

Fulfilled prophecies from one day in the life of Jesus

29 specific prophecies fulfilled!

Consider the diversity of the prophets.

The diversity of the historians

The mathematical odds of fulfillment: one in 536,870,000!

What are the odds of fulfilling 440 lifetime prophecies?

Faith in the prophecies of His resurrection (Psalms 16:10

Faith in the prophecies of His ascension (Psalms 68:18

Faith in the prophecies of His reign at God’s right hand (Psalms 110:1

The last prophecy: His second coming (Acts 1:9-11