The Only Way to Live

Known for his unique ability to simplify profound truth so that it can be applied to everyday life, Adrian Rogers was one of the most effective preachers, respected Bible teachers, and Christian leaders of our time. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here's Adrian Rogers. I'm going to be talking to you today about heroes, Bible heroes. Champions of Faith, and we're going to study primarily in the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews.

But that chapter is set up by Hebrews chapter 10, if you'll find that for just a moment. And I want you to notice verse 38. Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 38. Here is a great statement. And it is so abundantly and eminently true.

Now the just shall live By faith. The just shall live By faith.

Now that Friend, is a quotation from the Old Testament. It's a quotation from the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk was perplexed. He lived in a day of violence. A day of degradation.

A day of apostasy. A day of danger. And he bombarded heaven and He wanted God to answer. He wanted God to explain things so he could get along in life as it is. God said, Habakkuk.

You couldn't understand if I told you what I'm up to. You think I'm not working? I'm working and Habakkuk, here is your responsibility. You are to live in this uncertain age. By faith.

You want me to tell you how to live? Don't live by explanations. Live. By faith. Now that's not a lot of hocus pocus.

Smoke and mirrors, we're going to see that has spiritual steel and concrete in it. But the just shall live by faith. That is the only way to live. As a matter of fact, This scripture is quoted here in Hebrews. It's quoted again in the Bible in other places.

As a matter of fact, it is quoted three times in the Word of God. I wonder if God is trying to tell us something.

Well, I know He is. The just. shall live.

So we're going to be talking about faith today.

Now You have some problems. And I have some problems. There's not a problem that we have that does not relate itself some way to faith as the answer. For example, worry. Anyone here?

Worry?

Well, why do we worry? Lack of faith. Worry is a mile form of atheism. Worry is a way of saying, God, this problem is too big for you. or if there is a God at all, you're not able to handle it.

And so worry is just faith turned inside out, and faith is worry turned inside out. And if you're prone to worry, you need to strengthen your faith. Are you lonely? You say, nobody, my children don't call, I don't have any friends, my friends have all gone to heaven, or I'm a student here. Faith makes God real to you.

You're never alone. when you have genuine faith because faith brings him so near.

Some people here are Burdened with guilt. You did something.

So terrible, so horrible. You hope the world never finds out, but you're not able to forget. You're not able somehow to set yourself free from that burden. that you carry around like a sack full of stones.

Well, why do we have this guilt? Lack of faith. Because faith understands that the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has atoned for that. But you can believe that intellectually or you can hear about it theologically, but faith lays hold of it. Matter of what faith is.

Faith is my acceptance of God's acceptance of me. God receives us not because of our own goodness, but when we come to Him just in faith, therefore being justified by faith. We have peace with God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ. Disobedience.

Do you have trouble obeying the word of God? Do you want me to tell you why you don't obey the Word of God? You don't believe it? Let me give you an example. The Bible says, Bring all the tithe into the storehouse and prove me now with, herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I'll not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, there not be room enough to receive it.

All of us want that. But not all of us tie. Why? because we don't believe that promise. You can't tell me if we believe that promise we would do it.

I mean, if you believe that, wouldn't you do it? Doesn't everyone want the heavens opened and doesn't everyone want a blessing? They just simply don't believe the Word of God. Have you ever passed? a wall and it has a sign on it says Wet paint, don't touch.

What do you do? Why? You just don't believe the sign.

Somehow you just say, oh, I don't believe it's wet, and you're going to touch it.

Now, why do we disobey? Because we do not believe the Word of God.

So, in our study today, we're going to leave chapter 10. We're going to come over to chapter 11 and we're going to think about faith, what it is, and how to have it, and the elements of faith.

Now, first of all, I want us to look in chapter 11 at what I'm going to call the description of a life of faith.

Now, faith is the only way to live, the just shall live by faith. And here God describes faith. Notice in Hebrews 11, verses 1 and 2.

Now, faith. is the substance of things hoped for. the evidence of things not seen, for by it The elders obtained A good report.

Now, as we describe faith today, I think it's very important, first of all, that we understand what faith is not. before we learn what faith is. You know. I'm amazed not only at what people won't believe, But what they will believe. Faith is not blind superstition, nor is faith closing your eyes to reality.

The little boy said, faith is believing what you know ain't so. No, no. That's not faith. Faith is not positive thinking or feeling of optimism. I like to be around positive thinkers.

I like to be around optimists. I don't like to drive and get behind a person who thinks before they get there the light's going to turn red and by the time they do it has. Do you ever get behind those kind of people? I was I don't like to be around negative people. I know people who brighten up a room by leaving it.

I like to be around optimistic people. But faith and optimism may be in some way tangential, but they're not the same. Faith is not positive thinking or optimism, it may lead to that. Faith is not a leap in the dark. To the contrary, it is stepping in the light.

And faith is not faith in faith. The Bible says have faith in God. It doesn't say have faith in faith.

Sometimes people will tell you just Believe. As if believing will make it so. Believing will not make it so.

Now we're talking about what faith is.

Now what is faith?

Well, he tells us here that faith is three things, and I want you to get these words down in your heart. First of all, confidence. conviction and confession.

Now, first of all, it is a confidence that rests in hope. Look at it. Faith is the substance of things hoped for.

Well, Pastor, why did you call it confidence?

Well, because confidence, and that's the way it's translated in some Bibles, New American Standard, for example, gives it as confidence. Confidence. Why do I use the word confidence?

Well this word Is akin to substance, and substance is an acceptable translation. I certainly believe that. But if I could just hone it a little bit more, it means assurance. Actually, it was used in the language of this day for a tidal V.

Now, if you had a piece of property or an inheritance that you'd not yet seen, But you had the deed, you had the assurance. of that which you've not yet seen but you want to have, that's something that your hope is in. And so faith is a confidence. It is not a will of the wisp sort of a thing. It is substance, substands, something beneath that we stand on.

When we live by faith, It's not smoke and mirrors. We're not walking around on eggshells and jello. It is, as I've said, Substance, confidence.

Now it is the confidence that rests in hope. The word hope. Look at it there. The word hope. It doesn't mean perhaps.

Nor does it even mean wish. Nor does it mean desire. Listen very carefully. Or you missed the whole thing. The word hope in the Bible.

means rock. Ribbed Assurance. based on divine revelation. For example, the second coming of Jesus is called the blessed what? The Blessed Hope.

Is that the Blessed? Maybe. No, it is rock rib assurance. Beast. on the promises.

The Word of God.

Now Faith, therefore, is the title D. The confidence that what God has said is true and God will perform it.

Now, listen very carefully. There is no legitimate faith without hope. And there is no legitimate hope. without faith. These cannot be separated.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for.

Put down the word confidence. Secondly, Now think not only of confidence, but conviction. Faith is a conviction. that sees the invisible.

Now here we read it here, faith is the evidence. of things not seen.

Now that word evidence may remind you of a Colombo. kind of in his rumpled overcoat looking around for something.

Well, it's akin to that. But actually this word evidence literally means conviction. Conviction. Jesus Christ used the same word when He challenged those who were challenging Him, and He said, Which of you? convicts me of sin.

Who? can convict me of sin. Of course, obviously, no one. I wouldn't dare ask my friends that question, much less my enemies. Which of you convicts me of sin?

But the word here has the idea of conviction.

Now, what it means is that if you have faith in your heart, There is a conviction of something that you've not yet seen. But it is there. It is an absolute confidence. That leads to a conviction. even though you've not yet seen it.

You don't have to see it for it to be real. Friend, there is an invisible world. That invisible world is electronically all around us right now. There are movies and newscasts and music and all of that in the air, but we just don't tune it in right now. But it's all there.

There is an invisible world out there. Listen to Colossians 1:16. For by Him, by Jesus, were all things created. that are in heaven and that are in earth. Visible.

and invisible. Don't make a mistake of thinking that everything that is real is communicated to us by the five senses. No, there is a sixth sense. There is another world. There is an invisible world.

Now, what does faith do? Listen carefully. This is important to you. It's the only way to live. Faith enables the believing soul to treat the future As present, And the invisible as seen.

You can treat The future. as present. And you can treat the invisible as seen. By faith. Now, the Bible says you're to live by faith.

And then the third thing is it is a communication. that comes from heaven.

Now, Hebrews 11 and verse 2 says, for by it. That is by faith. the elders received a good report. That doesn't mean they made straight A's. As a matter of fact, it doesn't talk about what they did at all.

It talks about what happened to them. They received a good report. That is, God spoke to them out of heaven. It doesn't deal with their reputation.

Now, maybe they should have gotten straight A's, but that's not what it deals with. The good report means that they heard from heaven that God spoke to them. It is not their reputation, but God's revelation that is spoken of here, that God speaks to them. They were conscious. of God testifying to them.

Now, if you put this confidence and this conviction and this communication together, when they come together, then you have something in your heart, inexplicable but glorious and wonderful, and it is called faith, and that is the only way to live. You will live by faith.

Now When you put these things together Then you're going to understand First of all, that faith should not be altered by appearances. Faith. Should not be altered by appearances. Look again in 11, verse 1.

Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence. of things not Scene. When you live by faith, you live above sea level. You live above the level of what you can see. We live in a world that says Our seeing is believing.

The Bible says believing is seeing. Put this verse down, John 20, verse 29. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen. and yet have believed.

That's you, friend. Thomas they examined. The nail prints in Jesus' hand, the wound in his side. Jesus said, blessed are those who have not seen yet have believed. 1 Peter 1.8, put that down, speaking of Jesus, whom having not seen, ye love.

You see, by faith we see the invisible, so faith should not be altered by appearances. Don't let any so-called appearance make a lie out of the word of God in your heart and in your mind. Number two, faith should not be fettered by feelings. Faith is confidence. That goes beyond emotions.

I have told you before. That your emotions are the shallowest part of your nature. Faith is the deepest work of God, and God doesn't do the deepest work in the shallowest part. Don't live your life under the tyranny of emotions. By feelings.

Now it feels good to feel good. And nothing wrong with feeling good, but feelings are fickle.

Sometimes you wake up with a dull headache.

Sometimes things will happen and you get all bent out of shape because of. feelings.

Sometimes that happens to preachers.

Now, you know, when I come up here on the platform, I always try to look like I'm having a good time and I feel good, but sometimes I don't. Surprised? Maybe I didn't get any sleep last night. Maybe I've got an upset stomach. Maybe I've got a dull headache.

And I come up here, but it's time to preach, and I'm going to preach. And then, you know, sometimes you think it's going to be a good service, and you get your foot in a lard bucket and can't get it out while you're preaching. You try to say something and you get your tang all tungled up. And the ushers won't ush? The choir sounds like a couple of calves dying in a hailstorm.

And you say, good night. God is light years from this place. And yet heaven comes down. Your emotions had nothing to do with that. You see, listen.

Faith should not be fettered by feelings. I'll tell you something else about faith. Faith is not limited by logic. Faith just goes beyond logic.

Now. If this rug is a ditch. And I'm over here. And I'm moving step by step by step by step to this ditch. And let my walk be Logic.

Then I come to a place where logic Now I need to get over there. I need to take a leap of faith.

Now, I could completely jump over this rug, but I don't want to show off. And uh And I come across I come across By a leap? There comes a time when you have to make a leap of faith. Faith is rooted in logic. Faith goes beyond logic.

Faith becomes its own best logic. It is not contrary. It is not limited by logic. When Jesus was there with those people following him and they were tired and hungry and he called Philip and he said, Philip, how are we going to feed these people? There are 5,000 there.

How are we going to feed them? Philip got out his pocket calculator. Oh, he said, well, uh It take a laboring man a year's wages to feed these. Technically, he was right. But any good red-blooded atheist could have done the same thing.

Now, when Jesus asked Philip how we are going to feed these people, he wasn't asking for information because the Bible says he knew what he would do. He was just wanting Philip to learn something. about a miracle. Of course there was a little boy there. with a lad's lunch and fed the whole multitude with that couple of fish and and loaves.

Now You see, if you're adding up an equation, you're never going to get the right answer if you leave out one of the elements. You see. What Philip did, he left out God. He just figured without God.

Now, logically it was right. But faith is not limited by logic. Are you trying to figure out something?

Some of you, I mentioned tithing a while back, some of you are trying to figure out how. You tithe and you get all the figures and say, we can't do it. Did you add God in? Did you add God in? I mean, is God a part of the equation?

Faith is not limited by logic. Bring God into your calculations.

Now, we've talked about the description of faith. Let's talk about the dynamics of a life of faith. Let me tell you how dynamic faith is. You see, we live by faith. First of all, faith is the dynamic of spiritual wisdom.

There are things that you will never understand apart from faith.

Now, look, if you will, in verse 3: through faith we understand. Don't you like that? Through faith we understand. that the worlds were framed by the Word of God.

so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Plain English, the visible was made out of the invisible.

Now God in the Bible Is not explained, God is not argued, God is just simply presented, and God must be accepted by faith. Go down to verse 6, Hebrews 11 and verse 6. For without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe That he is. We're talking about wisdom now. The skeptic will say to you, Prove there's a God.

Don't ever try it. Never. Why? Because the finite cannot prove the infinite. And you say, Well, I can't do it, and he will smirk.

But it's not over yet. You say, now, friend, prove there is no God. Of course he can't prove there is no God. He accepts by faith there is no God. All people are believers.

There are those who believe in God, and those who believe there is no God.

Now, faith, listen, we're talking about the dynamic of faith. Faith is the dynamic in spiritual wisdom, it is the dynamic in spiritual worship. Look again in verse 6, but without faith it is impossible to please Him. Worship is pleasing to God. For he that cometh to God must believe that He is.

Now you say, God, you prove yourself to me and I'll serve you. No, no, no, no. God's not going to prove himself to you. He's not under any obligation to prove himself to you. Faith is not a response to proof.

That's what Thomas demanded. And Jesus said, Thomas, you've seen and you've believed. Blessed are they have not seen, but they believe. What is faith? Faith is the heart's response to the character of God.

When Jesus Christ came to this earth, he left all of the splendor, all of the glory, all of that in heaven. And came to this earth and came in a very ordinary, nondescript way. The Bible says when we see him. There's no beauty that we should desire him. What do you think Jesus looked like?

You think Jesus looked like the paintings that the painters paint, like he just stepped out of a beauty salon? white flowing robes. Moving around. with a dinner plate behind his head. Do you think that's the way to look?

If that's the way he looked, why did Judas have to point him out?

So they could take him away. Hey, no beauty. that we should desire him. very ordinary nondescript person. But yet there was in him all of the glory all of the serenity, all of the dignity, all of the majesty, all of the purity, all of the character of God in human flesh.

But not because of outward extravagance. He didn't come in a jeweled chariot. Down to this earth, born in a palace. Born rather in a stable. And when he did miracles.

They were not publicity stunts. Often he would say, Don't tell anybody about this. I think if we did them. We'd hit the road, wouldn't we? Don't tell anybody about this.

I don't want that kind of fellowship. Oh, he did miracles that attested to the fact that he was who he said he was. Why did he come as he did? Because he wanted what he wanted, which is faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please him.

He could buy us, he could bribe us, he could convince us, he could take the roof off this building and say, boo. You'd say, I believe. But he didn't want that. Faith. is the heart's response to the character of God.

When your eye is right, it responds to light. When your ear is right, it responds to sound. When your heart is right, it responds to God, and that response is called F-A-R-T-H, faith. Faith. And so Faith, friend.

is the heart's response to God. That's the reason the Bible says, beware lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. Unbelief never comes out of the head. Unbelief comes out of the heart. Faith is the dynamic of spiritual worship.

Faith honors God. And God honors faith.

Now here's the third thing. We're talking about the dynamic of faith. And we say it's the dynamic in spiritual wisdom, it's the dynamic in spiritual worship. And it is the dynamic in spiritual wealth. In spiritual wealth.

Look again in Hebrews 11:6. But without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is.

Now, watch this. and that he is a rewarder. of them that diligently seek him.

Well, how do you seek him? By faith. Jesus said, be it unto you according to your faith. Not according to your fame. Not according to your feeling, not according to your future, not according to your fortune, not according to your friends, not according to your fate.

But according to your faiths be it unto you. Faith is the medium of exchange. in the kingdom of heaven. If you pray without faith, you don't get an answer. What things ever you desire when you pray, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.

Pray, believe, you receive. Pray and doubt, you do without.

Now, God is a rewarder. of those who diligently seek him. Faith is the dynamic of spiritual wealth. How spiritually strong are you? How wealthy are you?

How many, what kind of reserves do you have?

Well, it is all according to your faith.

Now. Let's move to the third and final point. And we've talked about the description of faith. We've talked about the dynamic of faith. Let's talk about the destination of a life of faith.

You see, life is a journey. We're headed somewhere. And it is not a casual journey, it is a race.

Now notice here in Hebrews 12, we're going to skip all of these champions of faith because we're going to come back and take them one by one. All we're doing now is just laying the groundwork, okay? All right, now here in chapter 12. It's kind of a conclusion to all of this. Verses one and two.

Wherefore, Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us lay aside every weight. And the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, now watch this, the author and finisher of our faith. who for the joy that was set before him.

endured the cross. Despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Now, the life of faith, the only way to live, is a life that has a destination. It is like a race. It has a goal.

Now faith. helps us to find that goal which is the will of God. Do you know what life is all about? It is defined to follow and a finish. The will of God.

Define To follow And a finish. The will of God. That, my friend, is the destination of faith. That's what faith is all about.

Now How are we going to do that?

Well, very quickly, I want to mention some ways. First of all, we're to be motivated by the saints around us. We're to be motivated by the saints around us. Listen, he says, seeing we're compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, there they are. You can't see them.

all around us in the heavenly gallery. They're in the stands. A great cloud of witnesses. These are the champions of faith who've gone before and now there they are in the ring of honor. up there looking down and we happen to be on the field being watched by the Gallery of the Great.

And they are Cheering us on as we run the race. Abraham, Moses, Daniel, they're up there in heaven saying, Go, Adrian, go, go. Cheering us on. And that's the reason I'm going to bring this series of messages on these champions of faith. And so they can encourage you.

We're to be motivated by the saints around us. Number two. we're to be separated from the surplus upon us.

Now many of us are carrying extra weight. The Bible says we are to lay aside Every weight.

Now these are not sins, these are weights. In the olden days, I used to be on the track team. Tehran. And When I would run, I would get the lightest shoes I could get. And just a pair of Very light.

Shorts to wear. and a shirt that didn't even have sleeves in it.

Now one thing I did not do. I never ran with an overcoat on. Anything wrong with overcoats? Not a thing in the world. Nice to wear in cold weather.

But if you're in a race, what do you do? You lay aside every weight. Everything that is superfluous. If you want to be a success in life, Don't get in the kindergarten stage of saying, is this right or is this wrong? Is this lawful or is this unlawful?

Forget that. You ask yourself, is this thing a weight or is it a wing? And friend never exchanged. Wings. for weights.

There's some things that are not bad in and of themselves. But you just have to say, that's not for me. Not if I want to run this race. There are certain things that I am going to do without. I'm to be motivated by the saints around me.

I am to be separated from the surplus. that is upon me. Any extra baggage. Number three. I'm to be liberated from the snares beneath me.

We are to be liberated from the snares beneath us. The Bible also mentions and the sin. which does so easily beset us. All of us know what a besetting sin is. It's something we've been wrestling with.

for a long time. Actually, this word beset means to entangle you. It's something that would trip you up. When you're running a race. Ask what it is that keeps tripping you up.

Where do you keep falling?

Now notice what it says. It says, lay it aside. Come to grips with it. Be done with it. Do you know what the great enemy of faith is?

It is sin. Beware, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief. You say, I have intellectual problems. No, you don't. You have dirty, rotten sin.

I told you that your heart will respond in faith when your heart is right.

Now if you're having trouble With faith. Try repentance. In the Bible, it always comes this way: repentance and faith. Never faith and repentance, repentance and faith. Try repentance.

Get your heart right. Get the sin out of your life, and you'll be surprised how quickly the flowers of faith will grow. When you get the sin out of the soil. of your life. Lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us.

Or you say, you know, this little sin I have is so precious. Is it? Is it worth God not answering your prayers? Is it worth it? A right relationship with God.

Is it worth not being a mighty power for God? Is it worth it? No! Lay it aside. Be done with it.

Now next. Friend, we're to be activated for the race before us. Notice. He says we're to run with patience the race that is before us. Patience means determination.

God does business with those who do business. God has a course for you. God has set a race before you and you to get on the track. Last of all. Be dedicated to the Savior above us.

Look, if you will. in Hebrews 12, 2, looking unto Jesus. The author. and the finisher. of our faith.

looking unto Jesus. Friend, listen to me. It's not great faith in God that you need. Oh, we all want great faith in God. But that's a byproduct.

It's not great faith in God that you need. It is faith in a great God. Did that sink in? It is faith in a great God. Do you know what faith is?

It is the byproduct of looking unto Jesus. Who is the author? And the finisher of our faith. He's the Alpha, the Omega. He's the one that fires the gun.

He's the goal to which we run. He's the coach that coaches us as we run. Put your eyes upon Jesus Christ. If you needed to cross a bridge, You're not sure it could hold you. You could tremble and try to screw up your courage.

That would be one way to do it. Afraid the bridge might fall. But on the other hand, you could step back and look at it and see semi-trucks, 18-wheelers going back and forth, and automobiles. You can see the great pylons and the steel and the girders. Then you don't have to make yourself believe.

You just go across the bridge. Because you see what it is. and what it can do. Look to Jesus. Fall in love with Jesus.

Study Jesus. And you'll find him in the word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you would like to learn more about how you can know Jesus or deepen your relationship with him, simply click the Discover Jesus link on our website, lwf.org. For a copy of this message or additional resources, visit our online store at lwf.org or call 1-800-274-5683.

Thank you.