INTRODUCTION:
 1. SINCE WE ARE “JUSTIFIED BY FAITH” (ROM. 5:10).
 2. “SAVED BY FAITH” (EPH. 2:8).
 3. “ARE TO LIVE BY FAITH” (ROM. 1:17).
 4. PLUS KNOWING THAT “WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD”
(HEB. 11:6)
 5. ALSO THAT AS CHRISTIANS “WE ARE TO GROW IN FAITH” (2 THESS. 1:3), IT
BECOMES IMPERATIVE THAT WE KNOW HOW FAITH IS GAINED OR GENERATED.
 6. BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY FALSE BELIEVES ABOUT HOW FAITH IS GAINED AND
HOW IT GROWS.
  a. SOME BELIEVE THAT FAITH COMES FROM HAVING A BIBLE IN THEIR HOUSE.
  b. OTHERS THAT FAITH IS GAINED FROM SOME CRISIS OR EXPERIENCE, A BETTER
FELT THAN UNDERSTAND TYPE OF FAITH.
  c. YET ANOTHER GROUP CLAIMS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO GAIN OR INCREASE
YOUR FAITH IS TO PRAY.
  d. ASK MORE PEOPLE AND YOU MIGHT HEAR, “FAITH COME DIRECTLY FROM THE
HOLY SPIRIT WORKING ON YOU.”
  e. WHILE SOME HAVE THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN INHERIT YOUR FAITH.
 7. YET WHEN YOU ASK THESE PEOPLE TO SHOW YOU IN GOD’S WORD THE BIBLE FOR
JUSTIFICATION OF THESE TYPES OF BELIEF ON HOW YOU RECEIVE AND INCREASE
YOUR FAITH AND THEY CAN NOT FIND ANY IF THEY KEEP THEIR TEXT INSIDE IT
CONTEXT.
 8. WE NEED TO REALIZE THAT WE ARE NOT BORN WITH FAITH.
 9. THAT IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS POSSESSED.
 10. THAT THERE WAS A TIME IN OUR INFANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD WHEN WE
WERE MENTALLY INCAPABLE OF FAITH.
 11. WE NEED TO ASK THE QUESTION, “HOW IS FAITH TRANSMITTED?”
 12. HOW DO WE GET FAITH AND ONCE WE GET IT HOW DO WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT
OF FAITH THAT WE HAVE?
 13. FIRST, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT OFTEN WHEN WE TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT
THE WORD “FAITH” THAT THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING FOR THE WORD THAN WE
DO.
 14. THIS MORNING I AM USING THE WORD “FAITH” TO MEAN NOT JUST MENTAL
ACCEPTING THE CONCEPT OF GOD, BUT FAITH THAT SAVES, JUSTIFIES OUR LIVES.
 15. WE SHOULD START BY REALIZING FIRST OFF THAT FAITH THAT SAVES AND
JUSTIFIES IS CREATED IN THE HUMAN HEART (NOT THE ORGAN THAT PUMPS BLOOD,
BUT THE CENTER OF OUR REASONING, OUR DRIVING FORCE).

I. OUR SCRIPTURE READING THIS MORNING IS A PASSAGE OF TREMENDOUS
REVELATION ON THIS SUBJECT BECAUSE IT POINTS OUT THAT THE PROCESS IS A
STEP BY STEP PROCEDURE.
 A. SALVATION IS THE GOAL:
  1. BUT BEFORE SALVATION COME ONE MUST CALL ON GOD (V. 13).
  2. BUT BEFORE A PERSON CAN CALL ON GOD THEY MUST BELIEVE IN HIM (V.
11).
  3. BUT BEFORE A PERSON CAN BELIEVE IN GOD THEY MUST FIRST HEAR ABOUT
HIM (V. 14)
  4. AND BEFORE A PERSON CAN HEAR ABOUT GOD THERE MUST BE A PROCLAMATION
OF THE WORD (V. 14).
 B. ROMANS 10:17 IS A VERSE THAT WE ALL SHOULD KNOW FROM THE HEART, “SO
THEN FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.”
  1. THE MESSAGE OF HEAVEN, RELAYED TO MAN, MAKES FAITH, CALLING ON GOD
AND SALVATION POSSIBLE!
  2. PLEASE NOTICE THERE IS SOMETHING BETWEEN FAITH AND SALVATION, WHICH
IS CALLING ON GOD.
  3. THIS MEANS THAT A PERSON IS NOT SAVED THE MOMENT HE OR SHE BELIEVES!
 C. IN JOHN 3:3-5 WE FIND JESUS SPEAKING TO NICODEMUS, A RULER OF THE
JEWS, “...VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE
CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.  NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HOW CAN A MAN
BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? CAN HE ENTER THE SECOND TIME INTO HIS MOTHER’S
WOMB, AND BE BORN?  JESUS ANSWERED, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE,
EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE
KINGDOM OF GOD.”
  1. THIS PASSAGE TEACHES THE NECESSITY OF BEING “BORN AGAIN.”
  2. THE APOSTLE PETER WROTE IN (1 PETER 1:23) “BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF
CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT OF INCORRUPTIBLE, BY THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH LIVETH
AND ABIDETH FOREVER.”
  3. WITHOUT THE WORD OF GOD THERE CAN BE NO NEW BIRTH, AND WITHOUT THE
NEW BIRTH, THERE IS NO ENTRANCE INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
 D. TO FURTHER PRESS THE POINT OF THE NEED FOR THE WORD IN A PERSON
SALVATION JESUS PRESENTED THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER IN (MATT. 13:1-9).
  1. HE EXPLAINED THIS PARABLE IN VERSES 18-23.
  2. IN THE PARALLEL FOUND IN LUKE 8:11 WE FIND THESE WORDS, “NOW THE
PARABLE IS THIS: THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD.”
  3. WITHOUT THE SEED THERE IS NOT PLANT, NO GROWTH, NO FRUIT AND NO
SALVATION (JOHN 15:2, 8).
 E. TO CREATE FAITH IN THE WORD, JESUS SENT FORTH HIS APOSTLES (MATT.
28:19-20; MARK 16:15-16).
  1. THIS IS THE REASON THE APOSTLE PAUL TAUGHT TIMOTHY TO “PREACH THE
WORD” (2 TIM. 4:2)
  2. GOD’S WORD REVEALS NO OTHER WAY WHEREBY FAITH IS TRANSMITTED BUT TO
CREATE IN THE HEART AND MIND OF A HUMAN BEING KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORD OF
GOD (ACTS 14:1).
  3. PAUL AND BARNABAS WENT FROM CITY TO CITY, “AND SO SPAKE THAT A GREAT
MULTITUDE BOTH OF THE JEWS AND ALSO THE GREEKS BELIEVED.”
  4. IN ACTS 15:7 WE FIND, “AND WHEN THERE HAD BEEN MUCH DISPUTING, PETER
ROSE UP, AND SAID UNTO THEM, MEN AND BRETHREN, YE KNOW HOW THAT A GOOD
WHILE AGO GOD MADE CHOICE AMONG US, THAT THE GENTILES BY MY MOUTH SHOULD
HEAR THE WORDS OF THE GOSPEL, AND BELIEVE.
  5. IN ACTS 18:8, “AND CRISPUS, THE CHIEF RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE,
BELIEVED ON THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HOUSE; AND MANY OF THE CORINTHIANS
HEARING BELIEVED, AND WERE BAPTIZED.”
  6. IN THE EPISTLE OF JAMES IT IS PUT THIS WAY, “OF HIS OWN WILL BEGAT
HE US WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH, THAT WE SHOULD BE A KIND OF FIRSTFRUITS OF
HIS CREATURES.  WHEREFORE, MY BELOVED BRETHREN, LET EVERY MAN BE SWIFT TO
HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH:  FOR THE WRATH OF MAN WORKETH NOT THE
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.  WHEREFORE LAY APART ALL FILTHINESS AND SUPERFLUITY
OF NAUGHTINESS, AND RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE ENGRAFTED WORD, WHICH IS
ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS.” (JAMES 1:18-21)
  7. PETER STATED THAT ONLY BY THE WORD CAN ONE GROW SPIRITUALLY (1 PETER
2:2).
  8. NOTICE THAT THESE VERSES ALL SPEAK OF THE WORD OF GOD HAVING TO BE
PREACHED FOR FAITH TO BE TRANSMITTED.
 F. TODAY, WE MUST TELL THE SAME APOSTOLIC TEACHINGS TO LEAD PEOPLE TO
HAVE FAITH, SO THEY CAN CALL ON GOD THROUGH OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL AND BE
SAVED.
  1. OUR MESSAGE IS EMBODIED IN THE INSPIRED, INFALLIBLE, INERRANT,
AUTHORITATIVE AND ALL SUFFICIENT WORD OF GOD (2 TIM. 3:16,17).
  2. THE APOSTLE JOHN WROTE IN (JOHN 20:30-31) “AND MANY OTHER SIGNS
TRULY DID JESUS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS DISCIPLES, WHICH ARE NOT WRITTEN
IN THIS BOOK:  BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN, THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS
THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD; AND THAT BELIEVING YE MIGHT HAVE LIFE THROUGH
HIS NAME.”
  3. EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN GOD, SOMEWHERE AT SOMETIME MUST HAVE BEEN
TAUGHT THE WORD OF GOD; BECAUSE THE WAY OF SALVATION IS THE WAY OF
TEACHING AND LEARNING.
  4. JESUS REVEALED IN (JOHN 6:44-45) “NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT THE
FATHER WHICH HATH SENT ME DRAW HIM: AND I WILL RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST
DAY.  IT IS WRITTEN IN THE PROPHETS, AND THEY SHALL BE ALL TAUGHT OF GOD.
 EVERY MAN THEREFORE THAT HATH HEARD, AND HATH LEARNED OF THE FATHER,
COMETH UNTO ME.”
  4. HOW ARE WE TAUGHT OF GOD? BY SOME DIRECT INSIGHT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
WORKING ON OUR LIVES?
  5. NO! THESE VERSES PLAINLY TEACH THAT PEOPLE ARE TAUGHT OF GOD BY
HEARING HIS WORD!

II. NOTHING FURTHER NEEDS TO BE SAID FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THE ABSOLUTE
NECESSITY OF BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE.
 A. WE CANNOT BE SAVED WITHOUT IT.
 B. WE CANNOT GROW WITHOUT IT.
 C. PLUS WE CANNOT PRODUCE FRUIT WITHOUT IT.
 D. NOW, DOESN’T IT MAKE YOU WONDER IF THESE THINGS ARE TRUE AND GOD’S
WORD REVEAL THAT THEY ARE, THEN WHY ARE OUR BIBLE CLASSES NOT FILLED EACH
TIME THEY MEET?
  1. SINCE THESE THINGS ARE TRUE DOESN’T IT MAKE YOU WONDER WHY ABOUT
HALF OF YOU PEOPLE HERE THIS MORNING CLAIMING TO BE FAITHFUL CHRISTIANS
WILL OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL DECIDE NOT TO COME BACK TONIGHT?
  2. IS YOUR FAITH AS GREAT AS IT CAN BE?  DO YOU JUST NOT LOVE GOD
ENOUGH TO COME BACK TONIGHT?
  3. EACH ACT OF WORSHIP TO GOD NOT ONLY BRINGS PRAISE, HONOR AND GLORY
TO HIS GREAT AND WONDERFUL NAME, BUT THEY CAN AND SHOULD TEACH AND
ADMONISH US INCREASING OUR LEARNING AND THUS OUR FAITH.
  4. WHEN WE PRAY TO GOD, WE NOT ONLY PRAISE AND MAKE REQUEST OF GOD, BUT
WE ALSO ENCOURAGE OTHERS WITH OUR PRAYERS AND INSTRUCT ON THE IMPORTANCE
OF PRAYERS AND HOW TO PRAY.
  5. WHEN WE SING TO GOD, WE ARE TO BE, “LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN
YOU RICHLY IN ALL WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS
AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE
LORD” (COL. 3:16).
  6. NOW YOU CAN AND SHOULD SING AT OTHER TIMES  BESIDES WORSHIP
SERVICES, BUT IT IS IN THE ASSEMBLY OF THE CONGREGATION THAT WE FULFILL
COMPLETELY THIS COMMAND TO SING TO ONE ANOTHER.
  7. IT IS NOT AS ENCOURAGING WHEN ONLY HALF OR LESS OF THE CONGREGATION
COMES TO A REGULAR SCHEDULED SERVICE.
  8. IF YOU CAR ONLY STARTED HALF THE TIME WOULD YOU CALL IT FAITHFUL AND
RELIABLE?
  9. WHEN WE PARTAKE OF THE LORD’S SUPPER NOT ONLY ARE WE REMEMBERING AND
HONORING THE GREAT SACRIFICE OF JESUS, BUT WE ARE TEACHING WHICH IN TURN
CAN INCREASE OUR FAITH.
  10. OF COURSE THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THE TEACHING PART OR PREACHING
IN SERVICE IS TO ENCOURAGE, ADMONISH AND TO TRY TO INCREASE FAITH AND
DESIRE TO SERVE GOD MORE FAITHFULLY.
  11. EVEN THE LAYING BY OF OUR MEANS THE COLLECTION, IS TWO FOLD, FIRST
TO THANK GOD FOR OUR BLESSINGS WHICH HE HAS SO GRACIOUSLY BESTOW UPON US
AND TO TEACH OTHERS THE JOY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF GIVING.
  12. THE PROPHET HOSEA HAD THESE TERRIBLE WORDS FROM GOD TO WRITE FOR
PHYSICAL ISRAEL, “MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE:  BECAUSE
THOU HAST REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I WILL ALSO REJECT THEE, THAT THOU SHALT BE
NO PRIEST TO ME: SEEING THOU HAST FORGOTTEN THE LAW OF THY GOD, I WILL
ALSO FORGET THY CHILDREN” (HOSEA 4:6).
  13. DO YOU THINK GOD WILL ALLOW SPIRITUAL ISRAEL WHICH WE MADE UP NOT
TO SUFFER ETERNAL DESTRUCTION IF WE REJECT KNOWLEDGE OF HIM?
  14. ROMANS 10:17 STILL READS, “SO THEN FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND
HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD.”

CONCLUSION:
 1. HOW IS YOUR FAITH?
 2. IS IT A SAVING FAITH?
 3. IT IS A GROWING FAITH?
 4. PLEASE UNDERSTAND IF YOUR FAITH IS NOT GROWING IT IS NOT A SAVING
FAITH!
 5. FAITH COMES FROM HEARING THE WORD OF GOD AND IF YOU ARE NOT A
CHRISTIAN, HEARING GOD’S WORD IS THE FIRST STEP IN YOUR SALVATION.
 6. WITH HEARING AND UNDERSTANDING GOD’S WORD ONE GAINS FAITH WHICH
SHOULD CAUSE A PERSON TO REALIZE THE SINFUL CONDITION THEY ARE IN OUTSIDE
OF CHRIST.
 7. CAUSING THEM TO REPENT OR TURN FROM THEIR SINS UNTO GOD.
 8. CONFESS CHRIST AND BE BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM.
 9. AS PAUL RECOUNTED HIS CONVERSION HE SPOKE OF IT IN ACTS 22:16, “AND
NOW WHY TARRIEST THOU? ARISE, AND BE BAPTIZED, AND WASH AWAY THY SINS,
CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD”
 10. ACTION ON YOUR PART OF ARISE RESPONDING TO THE INVITATION OF GOD TO
COME AND BE BAPTIZED HAVING YOUR SINS WASHED AWAY SO THAT YOU CAN CALL
UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.
 11. AS CHRISTIANS WHEN WE SINS, WE NEED TO REPENT OR TURN FROM THOSE
SINS AND CONFESS THEM TO GOD AND PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS.

© Copyright 2000 Paul D. Fisher.  All rights reserved.