OUTLINE:

The Faithful Keep On Believing…
…waiting on God over time. “Through faith” implies patience if it's going to show itself as true faith. Eventually, we will receive the things of God. If everything were given to us at once, there’s no real test of faith, therefore, no faith required.

1Ti 2:4
[God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Perseverance Of the Saints
Simply stated, a true believer will always persevere by grace through faith (as opposed to an apostate, for example, who eventually fails due to lack of true faith).

“take care how you listen"
Those who refuse the Light in time will not have the opportunity at the great white throne judgment. It will be too late, and all Light will be removed from them as they are thrown into the outer darkness, the Lake of Fire.

2Co 13:5
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless indeed you fail the test?

Faith In the Rock
If there’s one outstanding quality of rock, it’s that it is solid in its standing - ’tis why we use the term ‘rock-solid’ to describe unwavering things. If your faith is in the Rock, you will persevere (just like a rock does). (e.g., Lk 6:47-49; 8:15)

Faith and Fruit
True faith always precedes godly fruit-bearing (ala Lk 6:43-44). Religion supposes that faith is the fruit of fruit-bearing, as if it is somehow achievable through works (supposed fruit-bearing). The latter is the work of the flesh.

Faith and Fruit
Trying to see/understand spiritual things by making natural sense is a lost cause. Sadly, there is NO SURRENDER to Christ in many Christian churches because their doctrines appeal to human rationalism. This is like starting to run a race in the opposite direction!

Futility
The flesh wants to stake a claim to life, but it's dead, and therefore literally incapable of doing so. A corpse cannot get up and walk, can it? Trying to use human rationalism to “find your faith” is supposing this very thing!

Breaking Fleshly Cords
Jesus broke the flesh’s desire to “profit” by stating that unless the Father draws a person, they are not saved, no matter how their flesh exerts itself. Therefore, with broken flesh, many “withdrew” (proving their lack of faith, being unsaved).

Faith is a grace gift given to the humble.

“through faith”
Paul wrote about “through faith” being contiguous for every form of deliverance given by grace from the Lord:

Sending the Apostles Out
- Jesus called them
- Jesus trained them (academically & OJT)
- Jesus sent them out

What the Apostles Lacked
- Understanding (e.g., Lk 18:31-34)
- Humility (e.g., Mt 20:20ff; Mk 9)
- Faith (e.g., Mt 16:5-11)
- Commitment (e.g., Lk 5:11; 22:31ff)
- Power (e.g., Mt 17:16-17; Jn 20; Ac 1:8)

Peter, Petros – A Chip Off the Ol’ Block
What an amazing bit of encouragement Peter received from “the Rock”, Jesus Christ! The Apostles were among the first “living stones” (1Pe 2:5), but Christ is the “cornerstone” (1Pe 2:6-7).