These verses are about what is faith and why it’s important based on a chain of verses that are referenced in a specific order to help give clarity and context.* It has very minimal commentary so that you can do your own self-reflection and discovery of the verses. Many times the Bible explains itself if you just know where to look.
With each group of verses, there are probing questions to help you consider what is being said. Each verse in the study is linked to an online Bible, should you want to check the context of the verses around it. Also, allowing verification of what scripture says, as well as purity of a study based only on the Bible.
1. What is faith?
- Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) — “”
2. How necessary is faith?
- Hebrews 11:6 (KJV) — “”
- Romans 1:16-17 (KJV) — “”
3. Can a mere assent to the truth save any one?
- James 2:19 (KJV) — “”
- Galatians 5:6 (KJV) — “”
4. How does faith originate?
- Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) — “”
5. On what is saving faith based?
- Romans 10:17 (KJV) — “”
“There are two errors against which the children of God — particularly those who have just come to trust
in His grace — especially need to guard. The first . . . is that of looking to their own works, trusting to anything they can do, to bring themselves into harmony with God. He who is trying to become holy by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin. It is the grace of Christ alone, through faith, that can make us holy. The opposite and no less dangerous error is that belief
in Christ releases men from keeping the law of God; that since by faith alone we became partakers of the grace of Christ, our works have nothing to do with our redemption. . .“Obedience— the service and allegiance of love — is the true sign of discipleship. . . . Instead of releasing man from obedience, it is faith, and faith only, that makes us partakers of the grace of Christ, which enables us to render obedience. We do not earn salvation by our obedience; for salvation is the free gift of God, to be received by faith. But obedience is the fruit of faith. . . That so-called faith in Christ which professes to release men from the obligation of obedience to God, is not faith, but presumption.”
— “Steps to Christ,” pages 64-66.
6. How are faith and obedience related?
- Hebrews 11:8 (KJV) — “”
- James 2:20-26 (KJV) — “”
7. With what, therefore, is faith joined?
- Revelation 14:12 (KJV) — “”
- Romans 3:31 (KJV) — “”
8. What relationship is restored by faith?
- Galatians 3:26 (KJV) — “”
- Romans 5:1 (KJV) — “”
9. How do trials affect faith?
- James 1:3 (KJV) — “”
10. How does the Christian walk?
- 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) — “”
- (KJV) — “”
- (KJV) — “”
- (KJV) — “”
11. How does faith protect us against sin?
- Ephesians 6:16 (KJV) — “”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:8 (KJV) — “”
- 1 John 5:1-4 (KJV) — “”
12. What is faith’s great purpose?
- 1 Peter 1:8-9 (KJV) — “”
“Faith may be strengthened by daily exercise. It is not some great thing, done once for all, that gives an individual faith; but an every-day, simple, childlike trust in God, and an implicit obedience to His word. Some make faith a more difficult matter than God would have them, because they try to embrace too much at one time. They take on the burdens of tomorrow or next week, when the Lord supplies strength only for today. When tomorrow comes, grapple with its duties, but not until it does come. We should remember the precious promise, As thy days, so shall thy strength be.’ Deut. 33: 25.”
— “Bible Readings for the Home Circle,” page 553.
This study guide was based on Reading No. 23, pages 126-127 from Brief Bible Readings for Busy People,
prepared by the Home Missionary Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Review and Herald Publishing. Published originally in 1930.
View the original study guide, which this guide is based on, as a scanned PDF. Full credit to them.
*A Bible chain reference is a system of cross-referencing between different passages or verses of the Bible to connect and relate different concepts, themes, or topics mentioned in different parts of the Bible. It helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the overall message and meaning of the text. To use it, readers start with a particular topic or theme and then look up the corresponding list of verses, paying attention to the connections and relationships between them. Studying them in a particular order, helps one understand the topic from beginning to end. Just like peeling the layers off of an onion. It’s a useful tool for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the Bible and its teachings.
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Home Missionary Department
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