Perfecting Our Faith
-
Upload
nash-richards -
Category
Documents
-
view
73 -
download
3
description
Transcript of Perfecting Our Faith
Pt. 1
“Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?” 1 Thessalonians 3:10 (KJV)
NKJV “perfect what is lacking in your faith”
NASB “complete what is lacking in your faith”
“Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”
Jude 3
in God’s existencein God’s Son as our Lordin God’s Word to direct our lives
Individual ~ “your faith”
NKJV = “perfect what is lacking in your faith”
v. 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,
v. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.
Grows and develops
Faith must be developed Gradually
Turned to God from Idols -1 Thes. 1:9 Commended - faith, patience, love -1:3 Examples - 1: 7-8 Suffered persecution - 2:14
“perfect that which is lacking in your faith”
“Lacking” = having a deficiency, that which is behind Heb.4:1 “to come short of it” John 2:3 “wanting”
“Perfect” = fit together in proper succession, mend Matt.4:21 - mending their nets
Fellowship Perfects Faith
“and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,” 1 Thes. 3:2
Strengthen, confirmLuke 22:31-32 Romans 1:11
KJV = ComfortTo call along side
Stability in Trials Perfects Faith
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4
2 Cor. 12:7-10 “thorn in the flesh”
Abraham - not born father of the faithful
Joseph and Moses - struggled to lead
Paul predicted trouble - 1 Thes. 3:2-4
It happened - Acts 17:5-9 = Jason
Did not destroy their faith - made it stronger
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:12
Resistance to Temptation Perfects Faith
Refining of faithJames 1:2-4
Destroy our faithJames 1:12-15
Paul feared for the ThessaloniansNew Converts are vulnerablePagan environment = idolatryJewish hostility
Resistance to temptation comes from within - FAITH
Paul wanted to know their faith - 1 Thes. 3:5
Timothy brought good news of their faith - 1Thes.3:6
Strength of our faith determines our success
Weak faith - tempted to evil = yield
Strong faith - tempted to evil = resist
Faith must be developed Gradually
Resistance to Temptation Perfects Faith
Stability in Trials Perfects Faith
Fellowship Perfects Faith
Sermon by Arthur Pigman
Evans Church of Christ
515 Gibbs Road
Evans, Ga. 30809
706-855-1249
[email protected]@bellsouth.net
www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org
Sunday Morning August 5, 2012