Confidence through living by faith

By Nehemiah Fischer

 

Hebrews 10:35-39

Hebrews 10:35

  1. Confidence = parresia - This word means to speak freely and has and idea of confidence.

            Examples of parresia in Scripture:

    1. It is the manner in which Christ spoke which is very direct and open speech.  John 18:20
    2. Confidence to present the gospel. Ephesians 6:19, Acts 4:13
    3. The manner in which you exalt/magnify Christ in your life.  Philippians 1:20

                                                              i.      Although the parresia connotes confidence in speech, it is revealed in your actions.  Titus 1:15, 16, Revelation 3:1-6, James 1:22

    1. The manner in which we pray.  Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 5:14
    2. The manner in which we should be able to approach Christ at His coming.  1 John 2:28
    3. Enabled by the Holy Spirit.  Acts 4:31

            Destroyers of parresia:

1.      Fear - John 7:13 (persecution, approbation lust)

2.      Guilt - 1 John 3:21 - remedied by loving in deed and truth.  1 John 3:18

3.      Arrogance.  It’s not about proclaiming or proving confidence but having confidence.  Habakkuk 2:4

4.      False doctrine often leads to a pseudo confidence.

Parresia has a great reward.

a.       Action based on Biblical faith is always rewarded!  Hebrews 11:6, James 1:25

b.      A reward and salvation are 2 separate things.

2.      We need endurance/hupomone to maintain confidence.  Hebrews 10:36

a.       Endurance is sometimes developed through difficulties.  Romans 5:3, James 1:3

b.      Hupomone means to maintain in a course of action regardless of the circumstances.  A basic breakdown of the word means to abide under something.

c.       Endurance is abiding under the Word of God in difficulties and not just bearing through a difficulty.  Rev. 14:12

d.      The real difficulty in this period of the church age is that we often must persevere without the assistance of tribulation.  Revelation 3:18, 1 Peter 1:7

3.      Receive what was promised.  Eternal rewards.  Overcomers of the 7 churches. 1 John 5:4

 

We maintain our confidence, and maintain our rewards through living by faith.  Heb. 10:38.

1.      Ultimately what displeases God is not our lack of works but our lack of trust in Him.  This should cause a serious evaluation of our own faith.

a.       Faith in the gospel.  Romans 1:16-17

b.      Faith in the plan of God

c.       Faith in the sovereignty of God

d.      Faith in the grace of God

e.       Faith in the relevance of every instruction found in the Word of God.

f.       Faith that the Holy Spirit in you is real and fellowship is real. 2 Corinthians 13:5.

 

What is Biblical Christian Faith?

  1. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
    1. Therefore faith does not come through miracles and signs.
    2. Much of the faith found in the gospels would not fit the category of Biblical Christian faith.
  2. Faith requires substance/hupostasis.  Hebrews 11:1
    1. Hupostasis - is a substructure, a foundation, something that has real substance
    2. The substance is the Word of God.  Romans 10:17
    3. Faith that is not grounded in the WOG is not Biblical faith.
  1. Faith requires evidence/elegchos
    1. Elegchos is that by which a thing is proved. 
    2. Used of reproof which makes the WOG a source of proof.  2 Timothy 3:16
    3. The verb form is used of convicting someone of wrongdoing.
    4. The Holy Spirit enables us to put together the Biblical evidence.  1 Cor. 2:13
    5. Walking by faith and not by sight is not blind faith. 2 Cor. 5:7
    6. The difference between the substance and the evidence using Romans 8:28.
  2. Believing is a choice
    1. The ability to develop faith requires a willingness to believe.  John 7:17, 12:37, 12:39
    2. The willingness to believe enables God to give you further capacity to believe.  Mark 9:24
    3. Hardness of heart is an unwillingness to believe.  Mark 8:17, Hebrews 3:12

                                                              i.      It also reflects an unwillingness to use the mind(noeo) and put together(suniemi) the evidence for faith.

                                                            ii.      Luke 24:41-45

  1. The evidence of your faith is in your actions.  James 2:14-26
    1. Salvation is a gift provided by grace and received by faith.  You cannot work for grace or for a gift!  Romans 3:24,  Romans 11:6, Ephesians 2:8
    2. We cannot multiply or change God’s grace but how we use God’s grace will impact our rewards.
    3. James 2:14-26 - Having faith comes after salvation.  Salvation is received by an act of  believing.  This is shown in the gospel of John where faith as a noun is never used.  John 20:31
    4. Believing the faith we develop always produces action.  We always act on what we believe.