TOPIC:“A Faith Which Enables You to Sing”
by Rev. Dr. Reg Dunlap
TEXT:Acts 16:25-31
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”(16:30, 31)
The purpose of this message can be clearly stated in these words: If there is one thing which we desperately need it is a faith that will save each one of us. And I mean by that, not only a faith that will save us from harm, but from hell itself.
We must never lose sight of the fact that according to the Word of God, faith plays an active part in each of our lives. Listen to the evidence: We live by faith: “the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). We are kept by faith: “Who are kept by the power of God through faith” (I Peter 1:5).We are victorious through faith: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). We overcome by faith: “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4). We stand by faith: “for by faith ye stand” cries Paul to the Corinthians (II Corinthians 1:24).
And we can go on. We are healed by faith (Acts 14:9). We are sanctified by faith (Acts 26:18). We have access to God by faith (Romans 5:2). Now here you have some of the areas of life in which faith plays an active part. I am certain there are many more.
But there is one other area in life in which faith plays a very important part. Not only do we walk by faith. Not only do we work by faith. Not only do we worship by faith. But we are saved by faith. We are converted to Christ by faith. Recall the striking statement of Paul to the Ephesians: “For by grace are ye saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Or take the searching words of Paul to the Romans: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).
We may as well face it: The difference between Heaven and Hell, the distinction between saint and sinner, all comes down to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And what is more, this saving faith which is implanted into the human heart by God, is released to everyone. There is not a single person born who does not have it. Paul said to the Romans: “God hath given up to every many the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). How much faith? Enough faith to be saved and converted. Question: Have you exercised that faith? Let us always remember as the writer of Hebrews declared that Jesus is the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
Thus, when we see Paul and . . .