Topical Bible: Faith: Faith in Christ: Through the Preaching of Jesus

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Faith in Christ, as conveyed through the preaching of Jesus, is a central tenet of Christian doctrine. The Gospels provide a rich tapestry of teachings, parables, and actions by Jesus that illuminate the nature and necessity of faith. Jesus' ministry was marked by a call to believe in Him as the Son of God and the promised Messiah, a call that was both radical and transformative for His listeners.

The Call to Faith

Jesus' preaching consistently emphasized the importance of faith. In Mark 1:15 , Jesus begins His ministry with the proclamation, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel!" This call to believe is foundational, urging individuals to trust in the good news of salvation that He brings.

Faith and Miracles

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus often links faith to the miraculous. In Matthew 9:22 , Jesus tells the woman who had been suffering from bleeding, "Take courage, daughter, your faith has healed you." Here, faith is portrayed as a conduit for divine power, a means through which individuals can experience God's intervention in their lives.

Faith as Trust in Jesus' Identity

Jesus' identity as the Son of God is a focal point of His preaching. In John 14:1 , He reassures His disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me." This statement underscores the necessity of faith in Jesus as integral to a relationship with God. Belief in Jesus is not merely intellectual assent but a deep trust in His divine nature and mission.

Parables and Teachings on Faith

Jesus frequently used parables to teach about faith. The Parable of the Mustard Seed, found in Matthew 13:31-32 , illustrates how even a small amount of faith can grow into something substantial and influential. Jesus says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree." This parable highlights the potential and power of faith, even when it begins as something seemingly insignificant.

Faith and Salvation

Central to Jesus' preaching is the message that faith in Him leads to salvation. In John 3:16 , one of the most well-known verses in the Bible, Jesus declares, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." This promise of eternal life is contingent upon faith in Jesus, underscoring its critical role in the believer's journey.

Faith in the Face of Doubt

Jesus also addresses the challenges of doubt and the need for persistent faith. In Matthew 14:31 , after Peter begins to sink while walking on water, Jesus reaches out and catches him, saying, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" This interaction highlights the human struggle with doubt and the call to maintain faith even in difficult circumstances.

The Role of Faith in Discipleship

Faith is not only the entry point into the Christian life but also a sustaining force for discipleship. In Luke 9:23 , Jesus instructs, "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." This call to follow Jesus requires a faith that is active and enduring, one that perseveres through trials and challenges.

Conclusion

Through His preaching, Jesus presents faith as essential for understanding and entering the kingdom of God. His teachings invite individuals to trust in Him fully, promising that such faith will lead to spiritual transformation and eternal life.

Nave's Topical Index

John 4:39-42
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Law Established through Faith
... 1. We establish the law, Secondly, when we so preach faith in Christ as not ... considered
by all "who would not make void the law through faith,") that faith ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 36 the law established.htm

The Law Established through Faith
... acceptance is this: The free grace of God, through the merits of Christ, gives pardon
to them that believe; that believe with such a faith as, working ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 35 the law established.htm

Salvation by Faith
... 3. But does not preaching this faith lead men ... of his grace in his kindness toward
us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 1 salvation by faith.htm

The Christian Faith
... Many men seek happiness through relaxation of their moral ... Christ came preaching the
happiness of a conqueror, the ... Hebrews 12:2). The Christian faith was never ...
/.../sell/studies in the life of the christian/study v the christian faith.htm

The Scriptures Reveal Eternal Life through Jesus Christ
... preaching often repeated,"as Christ, and God, and faith, and heaven ... Let the word
of Christ dwell in ... gets no liberty and freedom to walk through the affections ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture iv the scriptures reveal.htm

John Chapter xvii. 20
... we must so understand the expression, "through their word ... it here signified the word
of faith itself which ... word of theirs by the revelation of Jesus Christ. ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate cix john chapter xvii.htm

The Intercessory Prayers of Christians
... The disciples had a boldness in their preaching and a ... Achaia, but also in every place
your faith to God ... His office work in the world through Christ's witnesses. ...
/.../anderson/prayer availeth much/chapter 8 the intercessory prayers.htm

Concerning the Centurion's Faith the Raising of the Widow's Son. ...
... preferred finding it to be such faith, [4144] having ... prophetic gift, [4154] had been
through John preparing ... expected or thought of another Christ as teaching ...
/.../chapter xviii concerning the centurions faith.htm

In this Passage all Room for Doubt is Removed. In the Former ...
... are those who have not believed now through the preaching ... that, as it matters not
whether Christ is preached ... the rules for the confusion of our faith which you ...
/.../32 in this passage all.htm

The Gentile Christian Theology. Paul and the Gospel of Faith.
... "If Christ has not been raised then is our preaching vain, your faith also is vain."
[776] His death becomes available only through his resurrection. ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 71 the gentile christian.htm