1. Relevance of this study 1.1. Unbelief wb at an all-time high at the return of Christ (Luk 18:8).1.2. Without sustaining belief (or faith) in God, His Person and Words (1Ti 1:5 [“love” = For God and others – loyalty/equity]; Heb 10:37-39 [w/Heb 11:6]; 1Jo 5:4-5; 1Pe 1:5-7), it is impossible to sustain faithfulness to God and others (the other necessary instrument of salvation and to receiving divine blessings) (Jam 2:14-24; Luk 17:3-10; hence 2Pe 1:5-11; our examples – Heb 11:33 and 12:2). 1.3. Transformation from a foolish, spiritually darkened, deceived person led by their flesh/feelings to a person who is wise, discerning, enlightened and led by the Spirit, is also impossible without sustained belief (or faith) in God (Psa 119:66; 2Co 4:4; Eph 6:16; 1Th 2:13, 3:5-7, 5:8; 1Pe 5:9). 1.4. Un-sustained belief (or faith) in God will eventually lead to apostasy (Heb 3:12-14; Rom 11:20-23).1.5. Every weapon in Satan’s arsenal has this as its goal: the destruction of belief in God, His Person and Words (Gen 3:1-5; Satan continues to operate from the original playbook. Hence the reason Paul can say “we are not ignorant of his schemes – 2Co 2:6-11 [w/2Sa 24:1 w/2Sa 7:8-16 – most eps. vv14-16]).2. Definition of belief (or faith) in God (the action not the object or religion – e.g., Jud 1:3) 2.1. What belief in God is not: mere mental ascent or agreement to His existence or the Bible as His words.2.2. What belief in God is (the biblical definition): The choice (Mar 16:11 “refused to believe” = Made a choice not to believe) to give unquestioned trust and allegiance exclusively to God, His Person and Words as eternally and infinitely perfect in truth, beauty, righteousness, justice, mercy, love, power, wisdom and knowledge (versus self, others or anything in Creation – e.g., Rom 1:18-25 “honor…give thanks” = Acts demonstrating allegiance; “worshipped” = Acts demonstrating where – or w/whom, we place our highest trust/allegiance; Heb 11:1; belief = Trust/Allegiance – Exo 19:9; Num 14:11, 20:12; Deu 1:30-35 w/Heb 3:19; Deu 9:23, 32:51; 2Ki 17:14; Psa 27:13, 78:22 w/32, 106:12 w/24; Psa 146:6 “keeps faith” = Allegiance; Joh 1:12 [“believe in His name”] = Trust/Allegiance to that person and their word]//unquestioned trust and allegiance - Act 8:37 “believe with all your heart” = No division in your heart [in your trust/allegiance]). 2.3. Our choice to believe in God (to give unquestioned trust and allegiance exclusively to Him) is an operation of the will that must not be governed by: 1) earthly thinking (Luk 24:11; Joh 3:12 “earthly things” versus “heavenly things” = Belief in only what can be seen or is common/comfortable to the natural world/way of thinking [materialism or naturalism] versus belief also in the unseen or what is uncommon/uncomfortable to the natural world/way of thinking [belief in the immaterial and supernatural]; Isa 53:1; 1Co 1:21; hence 2Co 5:7 and 1Pe 1:8; [Lam 3:65; Eph 4:18; Mar 16:14 “hardness of heart”] = Refusal to believe in the unseen/unrealized – Pro 22:3; e.g. From an ability perspective, this is the brain function of animals. We however possess the higher faculties and function [ability] of foresight, forecasting and faith – belief in what is yet to be seen or realized. Our failure to use such faculties/function is therefore not due to ability but our will. We refuse -or choose not to do so for immoral reasons – Mat 16:1-4; hence Luk 16:31), 2) emotions (Rom 4:18-20; Mat 17:17 “sign” = emotional experience). To say that our choice is not governed by natural thinking is not the same as saying there is no evidence to support what we believe. There is enough to leave every person w/o excuse on Judgment Day (Rom 1:19-20; Consider also Joh 2:22 w/Joh 20:27-31). To say that the trust/allegiance we give to God must be unquestioned is not the same as saying God expects blind trust. IOW: God does not expect us to trust Him if He fails to be or do what He has promised in His Word (the Bible) (e.g., Mal 3:10).3. How we sustain/strengthen our belief in God.(Luk 8:15) “hold it fast” = Belief in God will be met w/challenges and therefore requires the constant and consistent practice of certain things to preserve it: 1) removal of all stumbling blocks/overcompensation (Mat 13:44-48, 18:7-9; Luk 19:8; 2Co 7:1 w/11; Col 2:5 w/8; 1Ti 4:1, 6:20-21; Heb 12:1), 2) apologetics (1Pe 3:15; 2Ti 2:15-18; Jud 20), 3) spending time receiving spiritual bread from others (Rom 1:11-12; 1Th 3:2 w/10; Eph 4:11-13), 4) sharing our spiritual bread w/others (Heb 3:12-14), 5) self-discipline (body and mind) (1Co 9:27; 1Ti 4:6-10), 6) being doers of God’s Word (Jam 1:22-25 “prove yourself doers [“one who looks intently at the perfect law…and abides by it”] versus “hearers who delude themselves” [who deceive themselves into thinking they believe but instead are “like a man who looks…in a mirror…and…immediately [forgets] ...
