Season 4 Podcast 95 “The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 9”

Season 4 Podcast 95 “The Stories of the New Testament, Matthew Ch 9”We offer a weekly podcast, Monday thru Friday. Each Friday we discuss the New Testament, King James’ Version. We are now on Matthew Chapter 9.Chapter Nine begins with Jesus healing a man who was paralyzed.Matthew 9:6-8But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. And he arose, and departed to his house. But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.Faith is the first principle of the gospel because it is the principle of power. However, not only is faith the principle of power. Faith is also the principle of action.2 Corinthians 5:7For we walk by faith, not by sight:As we see from the healing of the paralytic, faith, which is the principle of action and power, always precedes the miracle. Without faith there can be no miracle. Even Christ was restricted by the faith of those whom he healed.  But faith also precedes hope. In fact, as we increase in faith we increase in hope.2 Corinthians 10:15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly.Galatians 5:5For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.Faith even precedes charity,1 Timothy 1:5Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:Faith also precedes salvation.Ephesians 2:8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Paul tells us that faith is a law.Romans 3:27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.So what is faith?  Again we look to PaulHebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.The key words are substance and evidence. Synonyms for substances are matter, material, element, mass, reality, actuality, realness, factuality, essence, essential part, solidity, significance.  Synonyms for evidence are proof, confirmation, verification, validation, authentication, testimony, witness, substantiate, corroborate, confirm, validate, authenticate.Faith then gives reality or factuality to that which we hope for. That is why faith must precede hope. Without faith hope is merely a wish, a want, or a desire without substance or essence or materiality.  Hope must be compounded with faith for it to be real.  The second part, evidence, is even stronger. Faith provides the proof or confirmation or validation for that which is unseen. Faith allows us to see it with spiritual eyes. Faith is why we are able to bear testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ without ever having seen him. Paul also said,