Faith comes in many forms 543 - 4 - 3

CM lists Three kinds of faith:

1. Dead faith

James 2:17-18, “17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James is describing the man who has nothing but a profession of faith. He says he has faith, but there is nothing about his life that demonstrates it, no resulting fruits.

2. Demonic faith

James 2:19, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” Demons believe in the existence of God, have a sense of time, and fear their eventual punishment/ destination as evidenced in Matthew 8:29.

3. Dynamic faith

According to CM, Dynamic faith involves the whole person: the intellect, the emotions, and the will.

On the road to Damascus, Saul had a vision of Jesus and shortly thereafter became an apostle. Not only had he seen the risen Christ, but it has been suggested that he spent three years in the Arabian Desert being tutored by Jesus. Whether a brief vision or a three-year discipleship, Paul became a tenacious warrior and witness for the risen Jesus.

Paul often spoke about justification (salvation) as a gift through faith, nothing that we do adds to it. Next comes sanctification (inheritance). I’m a pro-active work in progress relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit working to overcome sin on the road to sanctification.”

4. A lapse of faith

Abraham had a lapse in faith that God would provide a son of promise through Sarah. Abraham had a son born of Hager, Sarah’s handmaid. Ishmael was born while Hager sat on Sarah’s lap, as was the custom with a barren woman. Ishmael would be Abraham’s son but not the son of promise, rather the son of the flesh. The result of the birth of the son of flesh is seen on the nightly news.

5. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Abraham was willing to obey God and offer his son Isaac, James 2:21-22, “21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22, Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”

6. Falling away faith

Luke 18:7-8, “7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Good question in these the days of the Church of the Laodiceans. Unless there is a great revival I fear that there will be very little faith on earth when the Son of Man comes.

6. Faith through trials

Perhaps the time between suffering persecution and God avenging his own elect is a trial of one’s faith.