Focus: Doctrinal Faith (Pt.3)

Text: Rom.10:17

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Faith originates from and is generated by the word of God. The word of God is faith's doctrine. The Scripture says that Abraham "believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen.15:6). Verse 1 of Genesis 15 says, "After these things the WORD of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision…" 

Abraham believed in the Lord on account of His word. His faith did not exist in a vacuum. God said something, and Abraham believed in God and held onto Him by His word. In chapter 12:1, we read, "Now the LORD had SAID unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee." Verse 4 says, "So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him." Abraham believed and obeyed the word of God. God said something, and Abraham believed in and obeyed God. 

Faith is born, bred and bourne by the word of God. Faith feeds on divine truth. The words spoken by God form the doctrine of faith.

We live by the word. Jesus Christ said to Satan, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Mt.4:4). Faith lives by every word of God. The psalmist says, "Then believed they his words; they sang his praise" (Ps.106:12). The word of God forms the doctrine of faith. Faith is generated by God and His word. It is not self-originated. Faith is not fashioned by human tradition or opinion, but by the word of God. Faith is not a function of human sentiments or whims. It comes by consciously, intently, constantly and consistently hearing the word of God. Going back into history, the psalmist declares, "Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word" (Ps.106:24). Faith and God's word are eternally linked. You either believe in God's word or faith loses validity. Isaiah says, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" (Isa.53:1). 

Faith is not faith unless there is a divine report to believe, and faith is not faith until there is a revelation of the arm of the Lord. Divine revelation imparts the faith to believe it. Faith comes when the word of God is heard.

The believer lives by his faith. Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal.2:20). The faith of the Son of God is the body of truth relating to Christ. It is the Christocentric theology. Paul tells us that "the just shall live by faith" (Gal.3:11). The believer also walks by faith. Paul says, "(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (2Cor.5:7). Faith believes, lives and walks. Faith hears, sees and talks.

Paul says, "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak" (2Cor.4:13). Paul was quoting from the Psalms: "I believed, therefore have I spoken…" (Ps.116:10). When it comes to God, He speaks first, and then we believe. But when it comes to us, we believe first, and then we speak. 

Faith banks on God's word. Faith confesses God's word. Doctrinal faith acknowledges God's word as supreme and as critical, central and crucial to our Christian beliefs and behavior, creed and conduct, charisma and character. Our whole life depends on our faith, and our whole faith depends on God's word - the whole word of God. God's word is the foundation of our faith. That's doctrinal faith.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter