Faith: The Journey from Belief to Action

Feb 17, 2014

Devotional

Day 1: Faith Is Rooted in Historical Facts, Not Feelings

Christian faith is not based on fleeting emotions or wishful thinking, but on the unchanging historical events of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. These are not just stories or spiritual metaphors, but real occurrences that form the solid foundation of our trust in God. Just as Paul emphasized, the burial of Jesus is as vital as His death and resurrection, and our faith is anchored in these unrepeatable, world-changing facts. Believing in Jesus means staking your life on what truly happened, not merely on how you feel or what you hope to be true. [05:01]

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (ESV):
"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."

Reflection: What is one historical fact about Jesus’ life, death, or resurrection that you find hardest to grasp or accept? Take time today to seek out evidence or ask God to strengthen your trust in that specific truth.

Day 2: Faith Is Personal—Trusting and Relating to the Living Jesus

Faith is not just believing that certain things happened to Jesus, but personally trusting Him as a living person who can be known, loved, and obeyed. Unlike any other religious figure, Jesus is alive, and the heart of Christian faith is a real relationship with Him. This means you can talk to Him, rely on Him, and risk your life with Him, knowing He is present and trustworthy. Until faith becomes personal, it remains incomplete; it is only when you entrust yourself to Jesus Himself that you experience the fullness of what it means to believe. [07:56]

John 20:27-29 (ESV):
"Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.' Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to move from simply believing about Jesus to actually trusting Him personally? What would it look like to risk something with Him today?

Day 3: Faith Must Be Expressed—Calling on and Confessing Jesus

True faith is not silent; it finds its voice both in calling on Jesus directly and in confessing Him openly to others. When you truly believe Jesus is alive, you will talk to Him—calling on His name in prayer, asking for help, and expressing your need. But faith also grows stronger when you speak about Jesus to others, boldly confessing your allegiance to Him. Both private prayer and public confession are vital expressions of living faith, and Jesus Himself promises to acknowledge those who acknowledge Him before others. [12:34]

Romans 10:9-13 (ESV):
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"

Reflection: Who is one person you could tell today about your faith in Jesus, or what is one way you could call on His name in a new, honest prayer?

Day 4: Faith Is Active—It Is Proven by Actions, Not Just Words

Faith is not merely agreement with the truth or verbal confession; it is demonstrated by actions that show real trust in God. Just as James teaches, faith without works is dead—true faith always leads to practical steps, risks, and obedience. Whether it’s trusting God in a difficult situation, stepping out to serve, or making a sacrificial choice, faith is alive only when it moves from thought and word to deed. The heroes of faith in Scripture were commended not for what they believed in theory, but for what they did in response to God’s word. [15:05]

James 2:14-18 (ESV):
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: What is one specific action you can take today that would require you to trust Jesus in a practical way, even if it feels risky or uncomfortable?

Day 5: Faith Is Continual—A Lifelong Journey of Trusting God

Faith is not a one-time decision or a momentary feeling, but a lifelong journey of ongoing trust and faithfulness to God. The Bible teaches that it is those who continue in faith, who keep trusting and enduring to the end, who are truly saved. Just as the righteous live by faithfulness, so we are called to go on believing, even when circumstances are hard or when God’s answers seem delayed. Faith is sustained by looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and by daily choosing to trust Him anew. [29:11]

Hebrews 10:35-39 (ESV):
"Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, 'Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls."

Reflection: What is one area where you are tempted to give up or stop trusting God? How can you choose to “go on believing” in that area today, no matter what?

Sermon Summary

Faith is the very heart of being born again, the essential step that follows repentance and leads us into true freedom in Christ. Faith is not simply an abstract belief or a fleeting feeling; it is rooted in the unchanging facts of history—Jesus died, was buried, and rose again. These are not just stories or traditions, but real events that form the foundation of our trust. Faith is not about believing in belief itself, nor is it about being swayed by our emotions. Instead, it is anchored in the reality of what God has done in Christ, and it is this historical certainty that makes Christian faith unique and exclusive.

But faith is more than intellectual assent to facts. It is deeply personal. To believe in Jesus is to trust Him with our lives, to risk ourselves in relationship with the living Lord. Unlike any other religious figure, Jesus is alive, and we are invited into a living, ongoing relationship with Him. This personal trust is what distinguishes true faith from mere knowledge—even the demons know the facts, but they do not trust the Person.

Faith also has a verbal dimension. It must be expressed, both in calling on the name of Jesus and in confessing Him before others. Speaking our faith, whether in prayer or testimony, strengthens and solidifies it. There is power in naming Jesus, in talking to Him directly, and in boldly declaring our allegiance to Him before the world.

Yet faith is not complete until it is lived out in action. True faith always results in deeds; it is practical and visible. Just as trusting a surgeon means signing the consent form and going under the knife, trusting Jesus means stepping out, taking risks, and acting on His word. Faith that is not acted upon is dead, no matter how orthodox our beliefs may be.

Finally, faith is not a one-time event but a lifelong journey. The faith that saves is the faith that endures, that keeps trusting through every season, every trial, and every day. The call is not just to start in faith, but to finish in faith, to keep running the race with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. This is the faith that brings true freedom and life.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith is anchored in historical reality, not in feelings or wishful thinking. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are the unshakeable facts upon which Christian faith stands. Without this foundation, faith becomes untethered and ultimately meaningless. Our confidence is not in our ability to believe, but in what God has already accomplished in history. [03:59]
2. True faith is personal and relational, not merely intellectual. It is not enough to believe that Jesus existed or even that He rose from the dead; we must trust Him with our lives. This means risking ourselves in relationship with the living Christ, who alone offers us a personal connection that no other religious figure can provide. [07:56]
3. Faith must be expressed verbally, both in prayer and in testimony. Calling on the name of Jesus is the first act of faith, and confessing Him before others strengthens and affirms our trust. There is a spiritual dynamic at work when we speak our faith, both to God and to the world, that deepens our relationship with Christ and emboldens our witness. [12:34]
4. Faith is only real when it is put into action. Intellectual agreement or verbal confession alone is not enough; faith must be lived out in practical deeds. Taking risks, stepping out in obedience, and acting on God’s word are the marks of genuine faith. Without action, faith is dead and powerless. [16:48]
5. Faith is a continual, lifelong journey, not a one-time decision. The New Testament calls us to keep on believing, to endure in faith from beginning to end. Salvation is not secured by a single moment of trust, but by a life that perseveres in faith, trusting Jesus daily and finishing the race with faithfulness. [25:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:08] - The Difference Between Believing In and Believing That
[03:12] - Faith in Facts, Not Feelings or Faith Itself
[03:59] - The Three Historical Facts of the Gospel
[06:03] - Faith Must Be Personal
[07:56] - The Uniqueness of Relationship with the Risen Jesus
[09:04] - The Verbal Dimension of Faith
[12:34] - Confessing Jesus Before Others
[13:29] - Faith Expressed Through Actions
[16:48] - Practical Faith: Taking Risks and Trusting Jesus
[20:05] - Faith Is Acting on God’s Word
[22:59] - Faith as a Continual, Lifelong Commitment
[25:09] - The Present Continuous Tense of Believing
[28:09] - The Just Shall Live by Faith: Old and New Testament
[31:34] - Helping Others Into Faith: Showing and Telling
[34:12] - Demonstrating the Kingdom: Testimonies of Healing
[36:54] - Changed Lives as Evidence of the Gospel
[37:54] - Encouraging Personal Prayer and Ongoing Faith
[39:02] - Next Steps: Baptism and Entering the Kingdom

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Faith—The Heart of Being Born Again

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

_“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…”_

James 2:14-19, 26

_“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? … In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. … You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. … As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”_

Hebrews 12:1-2

_“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”_

Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 15, what are the three historical facts that form the foundation of the Christian faith? ([03:59])
In James 2, what is the difference between believing that God exists and having true faith? ([06:52])
What does Hebrews 12:1-2 say about how we are to live out our faith?
In the sermon, what two ways did the speaker say faith must be expressed verbally? ([09:04])

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that faith is not just believing in facts, but trusting a person. Why is this distinction important for someone who wants to follow Jesus? ([06:03])
Why does the speaker emphasize that faith must be “acted upon” and not just agreed with? What does this reveal about the nature of real faith? ([13:29])
The sermon mentions that faith is a continual, lifelong journey. How does this challenge the idea that faith is a one-time decision? ([25:09])
Why do you think the speaker says that even demons “believe” the facts about Jesus, but do not have saving faith? ([06:52])

Application Questions

The sermon says our faith is anchored in the historical facts of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection—not in our feelings or wishful thinking. When your feelings are up and down, what helps you remember the unchanging facts of what Jesus has done? ([03:12])
The speaker shared that faith is personal and relational, not just intellectual. Is there an area of your life where you know the facts about Jesus, but haven’t yet risked trusting Him personally? What would it look like to take that step? ([07:56])
Faith must be expressed verbally—by calling on Jesus and by confessing Him before others. When was the last time you spoke to Jesus honestly in prayer, or shared your faith with someone else? What holds you back from doing this more often? ([09:04])
The sermon gave examples of faith in action, like trusting a surgeon or jumping into a father’s arms. What is one practical step of obedience or risk you sense God is asking you to take right now? ([16:48])
The speaker said that faith is a lifelong journey, not a one-time event. Are there ways you have been tempted to “coast” in your faith, or rely on past experiences instead of trusting Jesus today? How can you keep your faith active and growing? ([25:09])
The sermon encouraged helping others into faith by showing and telling—demonstrating the kingdom and sharing testimonies. Who in your life needs to see or hear about your faith in action? What is one way you could show or tell them this week? ([31:34])
The speaker discouraged “repeat after me” prayers and encouraged honest, personal prayer. If you were to pray to Jesus in your own words right now, what would you say? ([37:54])

End with prayer, asking God to help each person trust Jesus personally, express their faith boldly, and live it out in action every day.

Sermon Clips

“Believing in someone is totally different from believing that someone is or is something. It's believing in the Lord Jesus that is the second part of being born again.”

“Our faith is not in feelings, it is not in faith. We don't believe in having faith. We believe in facts. And the three facts that are at the heart of our faith are that Jesus died, that he was buried, and that he was raised.”

“If Jesus was not buried, then our faith will suffer. If he was not raised, whatever bishops say, if he was not raised from the dead with a body, then we've wasted our time becoming Christians. These are facts, and the evidence for them is as good as for any other fact in history.”

“Christian faith is exclusive. It is pinned to those events. It's not a general belief in God. There are other religions have faith in God. It's a faith in those three events and their significance.”

“The essence of Christian faith is that I can trust Jesus personally. Until we get to that personal dimension we haven't touched real faith.”

“We must get the historical facts over, but then we say now the person to whom that all happened is a person you can talk to and relate to and know as your own friend.”

“If you really believe Jesus is alive, that you can know him and have a personal relationship to him, you can talk to him. Which is why the New Testament emphasizes, whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

“If you believe He's alive and that you can know Him and relate to Him, then the first expression of that faith is to call on His name and say, Jesus, Jesus. I'm talking to you. Jesus, if you're there, Jesus, I need help. That's how most people begin to exercise their faith verbally.”

“One of the best things a new believer can do is to tell someone else they've believed in Jesus. Somehow that strengthens their faith. They're confessing with their mouth in front of unbelievers. It's amazing what it does for you to go and say to an unbeliever, do you know I believe in Jesus now? I'm a Jesus man, a Jesus woman.”

“If you claim to believe in Jesus and you're too embarrassed to say so, there's something weak in your faith. But when you say so, how many of you found out that when you talk about Jesus to others your own faith gets stronger? Is that right? Because it's a verbal dimension of faith coming out.”

“Faith is very practical. It is something you do. It's not just what you think or what you say. Just as repentance starts with what you think and moves to what you say, and then moves to your deeds, thought, word, deed. Faith does the same thing.”

“If you believe in someone, you show it. You believe in the doctor when you put your life in the hands of a surgeon and sign the paper, as I did a few years ago. And a surgeon I'd never seen before, I was taken ill in the middle of a meeting and was in agony, and a surgeon said, I will operate at midnight. It's needed, but you don't know me. He said, I'll put you in an ambulance and send you back home if you've got a doctor there that you trust, but he said, I'm willing to do it at midnight tonight. And I talked to them and looked at him, and though I'd never met him before, I said, I trust you and I'll sign the paper. And I put my life in his hands, and here I am. So he did a reasonable job. But I believed in him, therefore I signed the paper and put my life in his hands. That's what faith is. It's practical.”

“When did you last believe in Jesus? When did you last take a risk in which you'd have fallen flat on your face if Jesus wasn't there to catch you? When did you last act in faith? Because the only faith the New Testament recognises is faith that acts.”

“Faith's when you let go. Faith's when you jump. Faith's when you take the risk. Faith is when you act on the Word of God.”

“Faith is not saying you agree with the Scripture. Faith is not saying you accept the Scripture. Faith comes when you act on the Scripture.”

“It's not those who start in faith who are saved, it's those who finish in faith who are saved. Now there's a thought.”

“To have faith is to be faithful. To trust someone is to go on trusting them. In other words, it's keeping faith in someone that is real faith. Going on believing, when everything seems to contradict your faith and you still trust him.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever goes on believing in him will never perish but have everlasting life. Has that changed that verse for you all of a sudden? It should have done. Whoever goes on believing. It's not a moment of faith, it's a lifetime of faith that saves.”

“Like salvation itself, faith is a continual thing, and it has this element of keeping faith in it, of going on trusting.”

“The whole emphasis we need to communicate people to you is this, it's not this step of faith or this decision of faith that saves you. You are now starting a life of faith, and as you go on trusting the Lord, you will go on being saved and you will never perish. That's what my New Testament says. It's a life of faith that saves.”

“We need to be able to teach them the truth and answer their questions. To make it personal, we need to be able to let them see the gospel as well as hear it.”

“The principle is show them first, then let them hear it. Give it to them in the eye. Give them one in the eye first, and one in the ear second. Demonstrate the kingdom, then declare it.”

“We make it personal when we show them, when we let them see what a difference it can make to individuals. We make it, we help them to be verbal by encouraging them to pray to Jesus themselves.”

“Finally, we've got to urge them to go on believing, to encourage them to believe every day, to find some way of trusting Jesus, stretching themselves so that they find themselves doing things they could never do.”

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