The Church's Internal Systems: Faith (Habakkuk 2:4)
This sermon delves into the essential spiritual attitudes that bring life to the church, moving beyond mere structure to explore the heart of God's people. It particularly illuminates how a deep trust in God, built on His revealed character, becomes foundational for navigating life's complexities.
This sermon explains that the church's true life comes from internal spiritual attitudes, especially faith. By deeply knowing God's eternal, sovereign, holy, and faithful character, believers can confidently navigate life's challenges and overcome temptation.
Overview
This sermon continues a series on the "anatomy of the church," using the metaphor of a body. After establishing that the church needs a rigid "skeleton" of five non-negotiables (honoring God, exalting Christ, pursuing holiness, proclaiming truth, and submitting to spiritual authority), the preacher moves to the church's "internal systems," which provide life. These systems are defined as spiritual attitudes within the people, emphasizing that the church's real life comes from the inside, not outward conformity.
The core argument is that the goal of ministry is inwardly transformed lives, where Christ is fully formed and the Word of Christ dwells richly. The preacher contends that external motivations, threats, or emotional manipulation are insufficient and counterproductive. Instead, the Spirit of God seeks to produce internal attitudes like love, joy, peace, and patience, as described in Galatians 5.
The sermon then criticizes modern church approaches that focus on reorganization, new styles, or downplaying preaching, arguing these methods fail to address the heart. True change comes from working on heart attitudes through consistent teaching of God's Word. This internal transformation makes structure, form, and style less important, as Spirit-filled people naturally conform to biblical patterns.
The first essential internal attitude explored is faith, or trust in God. This faith is engendered by knowing God's character. The prophet Habakkuk's dilemma, questioning God's inaction and then His use of the wicked Chaldeans, serves as a central illustration. Habakkuk finds secure footing by reaffirming God's eternal, sovereign, perfect, and faithful nature, leading to the pivotal truth that "the just will live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4) and can rejoice in God despite incomprehensible circumstances.
Key points
- The church, like a body, requires internal systems that provide life through spiritual attitudes, beyond its foundational "skeleton."
- True life in the church stems from inwardly transformed lives, not from external conformity, manipulation, or earthly prestige.
- Reorganizing church structure or adopting new styles does not address the fundamental need for proper spiritual attitudes within people's hearts.
- Faith, or trust in God, is the first and most crucial internal attitude, enabling believers to rely on God's promises.
- Faith is developed by deeply knowing God's character as eternal, sovereign, holy, and faithful, as illustrated by Habakkuk.
- The prophet Habakkuk found stability and joy amidst confusing circumstances by anchoring his understanding in God's unchanging nature.
- Faith acts as a shield against temptation because sin arises from being unsatisfied with God, a state remedied by knowing Him.
In John MacArthur's words
“The real life of the church comes from inside the church.”
“Sin is what you do when you’re not satisfied with God.”
“You could walk on any precipice that you ever face in life if you have enough confidence in your God.”
Outline
- I. Introduction: The Anatomy of the Church – From Skeleton to Internal Systems
- II. The Church's Internal Systems Provide Life
- A. Life comes from spiritual attitudes, not outward conformity.
- B. The goal is inwardly transformed lives (Galatians 4, Colossians).
- C. External threats or manipulation should not motivate the church.
- D. The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5) represents these internal attitudes.
- III. Fixing the Church: Attitudes vs. Organization
- A. Reorganization, new styles, or downplaying preaching miss the real issue (1 Thessalonians 5:20).
- B. The focus should be on heart attitudes, built through consistent teaching of God's Word.
- C. External motivations (fear, pride, legalism) are counterproductive.
- IV. The First Essential Internal Attitude: Faith
- A. Faith is trust in God, built by knowing His character (Joshua 1:8).
- B. Illustration: Habakkuk's Dilemma
- 1. Judah's wickedness and God's apparent inaction (Habakkuk 1:2-4).
- 2. God's response: raising up the Chaldeans (Habakkuk 1:5-11).
- 3. Habakkuk's second dilemma: using a worse people to judge (Habakkuk 1:12-2:3).
- 4. Finding a rock in God's character (eternal, sovereign, holy, faithful) (Habakkuk 1:12-2:3).
- 5. The righteous will live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).
- 6. Rejoicing in God despite circumstances (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
- C. Living by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20, Romans).
- D. Faith as a shield against temptation (2 Corinthians 5:7, Ephesians 6:16).
- E. Faith is foundational for asking (James 1), drawing near (Hebrews 10:22), running (Hebrews 12), and being strong (Romans 4).
Scripture references
- Galatians 4
- Colossians
- Galatians 5
- 1 Thessalonians 5:20
- Joshua 1:8
- Habakkuk 1:2-4
- Habakkuk 1:5-11
- Habakkuk 1:12-2:3
- Habakkuk 2:4
- Habakkuk 3:17-19
- Romans 1:17
- Galatians 3:11
- Hebrews 10:38
- Galatians 2:20
- Romans
- 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Ephesians 6:16
- James 1
- Hebrews 10:22
- Hebrews 12
- Romans 4
1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Insights
The church's true vitality flows from what is inside its people.
Genuine transformation begins with the heart, not with external structures.
Knowing God's character brings secure footing in life's dilemmas.
Questions & answers
What are the two main parts of the church metaphor used in this sermon?
The sermon uses the metaphor of the church as a body with a 'skeleton' providing rigid framework and 'internal systems' that provide life. This message focuses on the internal systems.
What does the preacher mean by the church's 'internal systems'?
Internal systems refer to the spiritual attitudes within the people of the church. These attitudes are the source of the church's genuine life, rather than outward conformity or organizational structures.
Why is faith considered the first essential internal attitude?
Faith is foundational because it is trust in God, enabling believers to accept and rely on His promises. Without faith, it is difficult to believe what God says or to obey His Word.
How does one develop faith, according to the sermon?
Faith is engendered by knowing God. As people are continually exposed to the character of God revealed in Scripture, they come to know Him well enough to trust Him.
What does the story of Habakkuk illustrate about faith?
Habakkuk's story shows how knowing God's character as eternal, sovereign, holy, and faithful provides a secure foundation even when circumstances are confusing or appear contradictory to one's understanding of God's ways.
How does faith help believers overcome temptation?
The sermon states that sin is what one does when not satisfied with God. Faith, built on knowing God, provides satisfaction, thereby shielding a person from the fiery darts of the wicked one and temptation.
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