True Faith in the Midst of Affliction

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that faith, initially an 'empty hand' grasping Christ, is a disposition that needs continuous growth. He contrasts this with a 'spiritual inoculation' view of faith…

Faith is described as an empty hand grasping Christ as a treasure, a robe of righteousness, or a mouth feeding on the bread of life and drinking living water, illustrating its appropriating nature.

If the Bible presents Christ as a treasure, faith is the hand that grasps that treasure. If the Bible presents Christ as a robe of righteousness, faith is the hand and the arms that take the robe and put it on. If the Bible presents Christ as the bread of life, faith is the mouth which feeds upon him. If the Scripture presents Christ as living water, faith is the mouth and the tongue that takes of that water and appropriates that water.

7:32 - 8:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin argues that faith, initially an 'empty hand' grasping Christ, is a disposition that needs continuous growth. He contrasts this with a 'spiritual inoculation' view of faith…

Martin compares a defective view of faith to a spiritual inoculation, where a past event is seen as a one-time fix, leading to complacency rather than ongoing growth and exercise of faith.

He sends Timothy to strengthen faith and he says, by the time I get along there are still areas that need to be growing and developing, so I want to be an instrument of God for the strengthening of your faith. Now immediately we're struck with the fact that Paul did not view faith like some kind of spiritual inoculation once you have it, all is well. I'll get it out again, inoculation. That's better.

9:44 - 10:11 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Paul viewed it as a living, growing principle of the soul implanted by God in regeneration, growing and developing in the process of sanctification, needing to grow and develop until it is replaced by sight in glorificat…

He compares a static view of faith to filing citizenship papers, where once the act is done, one forgets about it, rather than living out the responsibilities of citizenship, illustrating a lack of ongoing engagement with Christ.

He did not gaze to the cross. Oh no, he didn't view it this way. He didn't look upon it as simply filing your citizen papers. And once they're passed, you're a citizen, you forget about it, you act as a citizen, you don't worry about it.

11:21 - 11:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine yourself: 'Do I now believe? Is Christ the object of my hope? Do I lay hold of Christ again and again in the actings of my soul?'

Martin uses his doctor's advice to keep his weight 'static' to illustrate how spurious faith is static, reaching a plateau and lacking desire for growth, unlike true faith.

Now contrast that with what I would call today a defective or spurious faith that rather than being a growing and developing thing is a static thing. Something that is static has reached a plateau or a level. I went for a complete physical a few weeks ago and I asked the doctor about my weight and he said, no, you're alright, just keep it static. In other words, don't let it go any further than what it is.

13:06 - 13:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine yourself: 'Do I now believe? Is Christ the object of my hope? Do I lay hold of Christ again and again in the actings of my soul?'

Expecting salvation from a static faith is compared to expecting fruit from a branch torn from a tree, emphasizing that life and fruit come only from vital, continuous union with Christ.

And there's no desire for faith to grow, to develop, to expand, to deepen. To expect salvation from a static faith is as foolish as to expect fruit by going to a fruit tree and tearing off a branch from its living source and clinging to that branch and walking off with it. No. That branch will bear fruit only as long as it is vitally joined to the main source of life, to the body of that tree.

13:53 - 14:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: True faith will grow and persevere in spite of difficulties and in fact, it grows by the difficulties.

Martin quotes an old Puritan who said, 'Affliction is God's spade by which he digs into his people's hearts to find the gold of faith,' and conversely, to expose false faith.

Therefore brethren we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith for now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord and apparently they were standing fast so he says in verse 9 what thanks can we render to God for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God. You see true faith grows and perseveres in spite of yea even by difficulties and affliction. Listen to one of the old Puritans who said it in his very quaint way Affliction is God's spade by which he did into his people's hearts

17:39 - 18:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin asserts that true faith not only perseveres but actually grows by difficulties, using the analogy of affliction as 'God's spade' to reveal the gold of faith. He describes…

A hypothetical example of a new believer in an office who stops participating in dirty jokes and cutting corners at work, leading to opposition, illustrates how obedience to Christ brings affliction and tests faith.

Someone says ah I see I need this savior who offers life this savior who promises forgiveness this savior who has pledged to be sure before me the sinner plead my cause before a holy God and he professes to embrace that Christ. Now what happens? Well he begins to obey his word he begins to love his claims and walk in his laws and live them out and experience and immediately there's the reaction of a hostile world. Here he's embraced the Lord Jesus loving him he seeks to obey him and keep his word he goes back into his office and no longer does he enter into the latest round of dirty jokes and ...

20:02 - 20:45 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin asserts that true faith not only perseveres but actually grows by difficulties, using the analogy of affliction as 'God's spade' to reveal the gold of faith. He describes…

Job's response to extreme suffering, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,' is used as an example of true faith persevering despite immense heartache.

faith says no I cannot I dare not judge the heart of God by what I see of his dealings he is infinitely wiser than I infinitely more powerful infinitely more concerned infinitely more wise I will not deny this God simply because of affliction this is Job isn't it this is Job when all the affliction came and his wife said curse that God and die how can he be the God you say he is Job's faith reached through all of that heartache and affliction and he says this God gave this God take away blessed be the name of the Lord and now what happens to spurious faith it folds under the pressure of afflic...

23:51 - 24:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Welcome affliction as God's means to show you whether your faith is real, so you can do something about it if it isn't, rather than waiting until it's too late.

Martin quotes a line from a hymn by Toplady, 'Yea, I to the end shall endure as sure as the promise is given,' to underscore the perseverance of true believers.

we who are true believers will what? we will believe unto final salvation for true faith the gold of true faith will not be moved by affliction only discovered and made brighter as it is refined in the furnace of affliction and so affliction becomes to the believer that boiling pot in which the dross is skimmed off and his faith is purified the wonderful hymn I think it's one of top ladies yea I to the end shall endure as sure as the promise is given more safe more happy but not more secure

30:24 - 31:07 Read in full sermon

The point: If you profess faith, ask yourself: 'How many brothers and sisters does that faith have in your life? Is there holiness, godly sorrow for sin, sensitivity to sin, hungering for God's kingdom?'

Martin uses the analogy of faith being an 'only child' to illustrate that true faith always has accompanying virtues (brothers and sisters) like love, holiness, and obedience, never existing in isolation.

even in the midst of affliction third principle true faith will never be an only child now some of you are only children that is you are the only son or daughter of your father and your mother my wife is an only child but you know God never brought faith to bear in the heart of a man and left it an only child and we see in this passage the brothers and sisters that faith always has notice them Timothy has come back to us he says with a wonderful report of what verse 6 but now when Timotheus came from you unto us and brought us good tidings of your faith and love

32:35 - 33:17 Read in full sermon

The point: If you profess faith, ask yourself: 'How many brothers and sisters does that faith have in your life? Is there holiness, godly sorrow for sin, sensitivity to sin, hungering for God's kingdom?'

He wishes a red light would go on over the heads of those listening in faith, to illustrate that faith is an invisible grace, but it produces visible fruits.

when the soul feeds upon Christ you can't sit there and see I wish I could see how many of you are listening to the word of God in faith this morning I wish some kind of a red light would go on over the heads of those who are receiving the word with faith and I'd point my finger at the Lord and I'd point my finger at the rest of you and seek to do something to see the red light go on over your head but you see I can't tell those of you that are receiving the word with faith faith is an invisible grace and virtue but faith always produces visible fruits and virtues in the life of the belief and...

34:00 - 34:44 Read in full sermon

The point: If you profess faith, ask yourself: 'How many brothers and sisters does that faith have in your life? Is there holiness, godly sorrow for sin, sensitivity to sin, hungering for God's kingdom?'

Martin quotes a Puritan who challenges disobedient individuals to 'take your foul fingers off the promise' and stop pretending to faith, arguing that the devil himself is a greater student of scripture and trembles more, but lacks obedience.

because James says that demons also believe and tremble and he says that precisely to people who say we've got faith and since we are saved by faith and not by works we've got faith as an only child and James says you show me your faith without your works and I'll show you my faith by his brothers and sisters by his works he says that kind of faith that is without brothers and sisters is what is dead faith wilt thou not know oh man that faith without brothers and sisters is dead faith without works is dead listen again to one of the old Puritans he says take your foul fingers off the promise

36:10 - 36:54 Read in full sermon