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Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd.
(Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia.

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A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY


AUDIO


What is Christian faith?
(second in the series, 'Mighty Faith')

Jerry Varnado, pastor
Gateway Church, Athens GA

June 26, 2005
  • The goal is in this sermon series is to discover the path to the place of what Charles Wesley called "mighty faith."
  • Before we can move ahead, we need a common understanding of what Christian faith is.

  • I define Christian faith as:
    "A centered, personal, relational response to God, involving trust and obedience."

  • To say that Christian faith is centered means that it has a particular object. The object of Christian faith is the living God revealed in Jesus Christ. It is not centered in doctrines, rules, or creeds, but in Jesus Christ.

  • In other words, it is not believing things about Jesus that makes one a Christian, even if the things believed are true and correct.

  • Christian faith is personal because Jesus, who is a living person, calls us to Himself personally.

  • What makes Christian faith relational is that we are called and empowered to love God and to love our neighbors. In the natural we are not properly related to God and others because of sin, which results in alienation.

  • Next, the message of the gospel requires a response. A personal invitation requires a personal response.

  • This centered, personal, relational response has two dynamics:

1)

Trust.

We must trust in God's character and nature as revealed to us in Jesus. Our trust is in who God is, not necessarily in what He has done or will do. God doesn't always do what we expect or want.


2)


Obedience.

First, we obey God's laws revealed to us in the Scriptures because they are God's gracious gift to us to show us how to live.

Second, we obey His specific instructions, as they are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

  • If we have this true Christian faith, we have the solid foundation on which to grow and develop "mighty faith." Lord willing, we'll focus on that next week.


Supporting texts: John 5:39-40 | Matthew 22:36-40 | Isaiah 59:1-2 | John 14:1 | John 14:15

A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (33:00).
(Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.)

An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only).


Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office.
Please specify tape number 050626a: What is Christian Faith?


© 2005 Gerald R. Varnado

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