Sermon 11/16/03 pm

Jim Huskey, Obedience to THE Faith

In some respects it might be difficult to know how to follow a

series on the book of Philippians. There are a number of other books

that were written to instruct us how to live as children of God and

what all that involves. We've selected the book of Romans as a

follow-up, and there are some reasons for that, believe it or not.

The book of Romans deals in a very detailed way with the subject of

salvation by faith, but it doesn't deal with it in the way a lot of

folks wish it had. It's an amazing thing how folks will run to the

book of Romans to try to find the doctrine of salvation by faith

only, and the book teaches everything BUT that.

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated

unto the gospel of God, (which he had promised afore by his prophets

in the holy scriptures) concerning his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord,

which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and

delcared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of

holiness, by the resurrection from the dead; by whom we have received

grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations,

for his name; among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ; to all

that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints; Grace to you

and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 1:1-7.

I want you to notice a key phrase in verse 5. "...by whom we have

received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith." Now Paul

set the tone. Let's see if he maintained it. Now turn over to the

very end of the book, last chapter, and look at verse beginning. "Now

to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and

the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the

mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made

manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the

commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the

obedience of faith." Rom. 16:25,26. He started out with the subject

of obedience to the faith. He ended the book with the subject of

obedience to the faith. I sometimes have a difficult time really

comprehending how those who claim to believe and to know the scriptures

run so often to the book of Romans to get away from the idea of

obedience. The book of Romans teaches everything BUT that. It

teaches in a very concrete way from the first chapter to the last

chapter the essential nature of obedience. Over in the book of Acts,

chapter 6, verse 7, we read, "And the word of God increased; and the

number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great

company of priests were obedient to the faith." Now just hold that in

your mind for a moment while we back up to John, chapter 12. Let's

read beginning in verse 42. "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also

many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess

him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the

praise of men more than the praise of God." John 12:42,43. I want you

to contrast the two groups - the priests and the rulers. Acts says

they were obedient to the faith. John says concerning this group,

they believed on him (Jesus) but they wouldn't obey him. So they might

as well have not believed. They might as well have not believed.

Now I want you to notice something else Paul said in that fifth verse

of Romans 1. He didn't just say "obedient to faith", he said

"obedient to THE faith." Well, Jude, in verse 3, said "Beloved, when

I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was

needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should

earnestly contend for THE faith which was once delivered unto the

saints." Did you notice that? "...contend for THE faith which was

once delivered unto the saints." The tense of the Greek word there

which is translated "delivered" suggests that it was once for all time

delivered. Well, that would compare favorably with what the apostle

Paul said in I Corinthians 13:10. "But when that which is perfect is

come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Jude said the

faith was once delivered to the saints. Paul in the Roman letter

pointed out that they had received grace and apostleship for obedience

to the faith. Well how is that going to happen? He went into great

depth in the book of Romans to explain that process. It involved

first of all the preaching of the gospel, which he would talk about

later in this very same chapter, and the power it has. He would talk

about some Old Testament examples; and every one of the Old Testament

he used, as in the Hebrew author's role of faith, when Paul wrote to

the Roman brethren he began to mention these various people who were

saved by faith and who, by faith, did this and thus and so. In

every one of the examples they were obedient to the instructions that

were delivered to them. So Paul said 'I'm writing this and the

gospel is being made known, I was commissioned as an apostle to bring

about obedience to the faith.' Paul, writing to the Thessalonian

brethren, II Thess. l:7, said, "And to you who are troubled rest

with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his

mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not

God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." In

Matthew chapter 7, Jesus gave a story about men who built houses. One

built a house on a rock, another built on the sand. But the important

part of the lesson is to build your house on the rock. What did

Jesus say about the man who built his house on the rock? "Therefore

whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken

him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. And the

rain descened, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon

that house; and it fell not; (why) for it was founded upon a rock."

What did the man do? He heard these sayings and did them. What is

that? That's obedience to the faith. Then he said, "And every one

that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be

likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; and

the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat

upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

Matt. 7:24-27.

So Paul began by saying "To all that be in Rome..." What were those

folks? "...beloved of God, called to be saints." Well I wonder how

they were called to be saints. Very simply, Paul wrote to the

Thessalonian brethren saying 'they were called by our gospel'. That's

how men are called to be saints; by the gospel of Christ.

But there are those who contend, even though Paul talked about obedience

to the faith, that there is nothing of the gospel that can be obeyed.

In a sense, that is true. You cannot obey the death, burial and

resurrection of Jesus. But notice what Paul said, explaining that

principle in chapter 6 of Romans. He said, "What shall we say then?

Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?" You see, there

were some who contended that Paul taught that because of the abundance

of grace they could sin a lot. As a matter of fact, if they sinned

more, they got more grace. There must be some still practicing that

today. But Paul said "God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin

live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were

baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we

are buried with him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was

raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also

should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together

in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his

resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,

that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not

serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin." Rom. 6:1-7.

Now, then verse 15, "What then? shall we sin, because we are not

under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to

whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to

whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto

righteousness. But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin,

but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was

delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants

of righteousness." Rom. 6:15-18. Did you get that? "..you have

obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine." In the likeness of it.

I've been amazed watching them put this Wal-Mart building up down here

on highway 27. It's amazing how they can put that thing up that fast.

I noticed yesterday as I passed by they have a number of concrete

trucks pulled inside the building pouring the floor. Now they don't

go in there and just start dumping concrete out. They have forms set.

You know what? When they pour the concrete in the form, work it like

they do, finishing it, then they come and take the form up. Guess

what. The concrete that was poured is in the shape the form was in.

So Paul said, 'you obey (what) the form'. What's the form? It is a

death unto sin, a baptism in a watery grave, and a resurrection up

out of that watery grave to walk in newness of life. That is in, Paul

said, the likeness of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

What did you do? You obeyed from the heart that form of teaching or

doctrine. But guess what else he said happens. "Being then made

free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness." I'd like for

one of the preaching fellows to explain to me how Paul said that's

when you're made free from sin. When? When you have obeyed from the

heart that form of teaching. Now get one of those preaching fellows

to explain the first six verses of the book of Romans without water

baptism. They can't do it. They have to admit that the form of

teaching he was talking about is baptism. Well, that being the case,

and it IS the case, you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine

which was delivered you, being THEN made free from sin." I didn't

write that. Paul did!!!! Oh, baptism doesn't have anything to do

with man's salvation. It doesn't??????? Well, then pray tell me

how are you made free from sin and when. Somebody says, 'Oh, by the

blood of Christ.' That's exactly right; but when? The eunuch didn't

go on his way rejoicing until after he came up out of the watery grave.

The Philippian jailor did not rejoice with his household until after

he had been baptized the same hour of the night. Paul was told when

he was Saul of Tarsus, as he was blind and praying and penitent,

"Arise and be baptized and (what?) wash away thy sins, calling on the

name of the Lord." Acts 8, 9, 16. I heard of one preacher who said

"Paul was saved the minute he fell off his horse." Now I've read

Acts 9, 16, 22. You know what? I "ain't" found a horse in any of

those chapters. But one preacher in debate said, "Why, Paul was saved

when he fell of his horse, before he hit the ground." Well I guess

anybody who can put a horse in that chapter probably doesn't have

too much problem reading a lot of other things into it either. But when

Ananias who had been commission of the Holy Spirit to go to Saul and

tell him what he must do, he said "Arise, be baptized, and wash away

thy sins." Now my question is, if he was saved on the road to

Damascus, how did he have any sins left to wash away? Poor old

Ananias, fool that he was, didn't have any better sense than to tell

him to do what the Lord said do; and Paul didn't have any better sense

than to do it. You just stop and think about the predicament in which

some of the would-be preachers put poor old Paul and Ananias. "Arise,

be baptized, wash away thy sins." Why? Because Paul himself would

later write that's when you are made free from sin, just like Ananias

would say wash away your sins. What is that? That's obedience to the

faith. Notice it's THE faith, not just faith. Jude said he needed to

write concerning THE faith once for all delivered to the saints. It's

a system whereby man, when he obeys, does the things his God has

commanded he must do, is saved from his sins. But it involves

obedience. The Hebrew author would write, concerning Jesus, "Though he

were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered,

and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation

unto all them that obey him." Heb. 5:8,9. Little four-letter word.

Is made saved by faith? Absolutely!!! There's never been a question

of that. The question is, when is he saved by faith. Paul told us in

the Roman letter, if men will listen - when he obeys from the heart.

Not before, nor until.