Faith in God
What exactly is Faith?
What is your concept of
faith? Right now, how do you
perceive this word,
Faith, and what exactly does it mean
to you?
Faith is often talked about among Christians, and
we understand it is an important thing to have in one's life.
However, if our concept of
faith is wrong, or only half
correct, then we are missing a vital, energizing, empowering
force in our lives.
It is important to simply let the Bible speak about
faith,
and for the sake of this article, I will avoid secular helps that
often throw in personal interpretation, which shrouds the reality
of exactly what
faith means, by casting it in a typical
"religious" light. Such helps can, perhaps, support the
subject, but for this article, I prefer to stay with the word of
God alone. Let's first define the word "
Faith," and
then compare it to what many often confuse for
faith.
The word
faith is translated from Strongs #4102, which is
"pistis" {pis'-tis}, and generally means a
conviction regarding the things of God. Faith is quite often
thought of as an intellectual pursuit, or is understood as a
nebulous, hazy something that always seems just out of touch or
sight. As we progress through this study, we will see that faith
is far more than might be expected, especially if we let the
scriptures reveal its true meaning.
Hebrews 11:1 states, "Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (KJV
throughout unless noted)
Here, God tells us that Faith is "Substance," and
"Evidence." In other words, Faith is a tangible, real
element in a Christian's life. Faith is the actually evidence
of the reality of God, just as a fingerprint is evidence of a
particular person. Faith is that firm conviction, the evidence
that allows you to state absolutely, "I know."
It is important right from the start to contrast the word
"faith" with a word many people confuse for faith or
accept in the place of faith. This word is "believe."
The word translated believe is Strongs #4100, "Pisteuo"
{pist-yoo'-o} from 4102, and means:
"To think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit,
place confidence in." It also means: "Mere
acknowledgment of some fact or event: INTELLECTUAL
FAITH."(emphasis mine throughout)
The word "Faith" is used 229 times in the New
Testament. The word believe and all variations is used 159 times.
The Bible seems to make a definite distinction between
"believing" and "faith," as we will soon
see.
The world has long held to the concept that
"Belief" is all that is necessary for salvation, and
they have based this on the few scriptures that make such
statements:
John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave His
only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not
perish, but have everlasting life."
Acts 16:31, "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and you shall be saved, and your house."
This obviously states that believing is necessary, but it
doesn't tell us that this "belief" will complete
the entire salvation process. After all, as James 2:19
states;
"You believe that there is one God; you do well: the
demons also believe, and tremble."
Satan and the demons "believe," yet who could argue
that Satan or his demons have salvation? As we well know, we
can't allow a few scriptures to direct our lives, while we
ignore all the rest of the Bible. We need to take all that God
gives us regarding the subject, to properly "Divide the word
of Truth."
There is no evidence in the Bible that "belief" is
the key ingredient in our relationship with God. On the contrary,
"faith" is mentioned quite bluntly as a most important
element which needs to be nurtured:
Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith [it is] impossible to
please [Him]."
That is quite a statement. Here God tells us that belief
isn't enough. It takes genuine faith to please God. The
apostles who were with Christ for 3 & 1/2 years surely
believed Him, but even they asked Christ to increase their faith.
(Luke 17:5) They seemed to understand that there was more to the
picture than simply believing. It took many years for them to
develop the kind of faith necessary for salvation. Let's look
at some scriptures that show us clearly that faith is part of a
process, and makes possible the righteousness God desires in our
lives.
We should understand first that Faith isn't something we
can work up. Faith isn't an emotional feeling. It isn't
something that we, of ourselves, can generate. Faith has to come
from God, and is a key to developing the righteousness God speaks
of so often:
Romans 3:22. "Even the righteousness of God [which is]
by faith
of Jesus Christ to all and upon all them that
believe: for there is no difference."
Christ's faith in us makes possible the righteousness of
God. This, of course, isn't something God blindly
"imputes" to man simply for believing in Jesus Christ.
Faith is something God grants in measure. (Rom 12:3, 6). without
faith we have no righteousness, and simply obeying the outward
letter of the law in no way assures us of obtaining
righteousness.(Rom 9:30-32) Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace are
you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the
gift of God."
God is the "master potter and we are the clay." God
has a plan to shape our character, our very being, into the image
of Christ Himself. God calls us FOR A PURPOSE. That purpose
involves submitting our lives to Him, and willingly accepting His
will in our lives. By so doing, we take part in the process. As
small as it may be, we have a uniquely human, free willed
responsibility in this whole thing. We have the choice to
continue or quit. We have the choice to seek God, or to take the
easy way. We have the ability to link up with the greatest power
in existence, or to ignore or avoid the difficulties and allow
the calling to slip us by. . .
Matthew 20:16 "For many are called, but few
chosen."
We must grow in faith, because we have to live by faith. (Rom
1:17). If we don't have genuine faith, how can we live the
spiritual life God desires? Faith is described as something God
uses to purify our hearts. (Acts 15:9) It is described as a
"law," (Rom 3:27) and, "The spirit of Faith."
(2 Corr. 4:13) These scriptures further substantiate the fact that
faith is more than just a feeling or thought. It is a living,
dynamic power available to us from God. But it is something that
is the result of a growth process in our daily lives.
Romans 5:1-4, "Therefore being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also
we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only [so], but we
glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works
patience; And patience, experience; and experience,
hope."
Here we see a glimpse of how we come to receive even the
grace we understand is a free gift. Access, by faith, to the very
grace of God which saves us! Again in Ephesians 2:8;
"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God."
Through the experiences of life, we grow toward this
righteousness, and the grace which makes possible, not only
salvation, but various gifts God has given to us. (Rom 12:3, 6)
The only thing which makes all this possible is genuine
faith.
Some accuse this explanation as the same as believing in
"salvation by works." By this, they state that they
believe WE believe personal effort ALONE can bring salvation, and
we obviously understand that this is not possible, and hundreds
of scriptures make this plain. We understand that the
"works" referred to in scripture means the works of the
sacrificial laws that Christ's death abolished. Such works we
plainly understand couldn't possibly make anyone righteous,
nor have we ever thought they could.
To state that works are required for salvation IS A TRUTH,
but it isn't the same as saying works are what grant us
salvation. God requires something from us. Why else would Christ
tell us, "Strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way,
which leads to life, and few there be that find it. " (Mt.
7:14) If belief, or for that matter, faith, were all that God
required, he wouldn't have included such words as: obey,
overcome, endure, strive, resist, pray, study, be vigilant,
submit, draw near, doer, cast down, purge, fight, maintain,
wrestle, test, trial, prove, examine, ruling, stir, give... to
name some of the action words we are told to be involved with.
Faith makes all those possible, and faith comes from God, but we
still play a part.
Most Christians perceive the salvation equation as this:
Free will + "faith" (belief) = Salvation.
God makes clear throughout His word that the correct equation
is this:
Free will + God's calling + understanding + belief +
acceptance/submission + repentance + forgiveness + obedience +
faith + enduring = Salvation!
It is clearly a process and includes us. Grace is throughout
this equation. God's calling, understanding, repentance,
forgiveness, obedience and faith are all from God. without it we
would have no salvation. Yet there are aspects of this equation
that we play our part in. So we are certainly saved by God's
grace, but to say that there are no works required of us by God
for our salvation is to ignore the simple truth of God's
plan:
Phil. 2:12 "Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always
obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my
absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling." One area where faith plays an important
role is that of
health. Throughout the new testament, we see
examples where faith is mentioned as being the key ingredient in
being healed. Let's look at a few:
Matthew 9:28-29 "And when he was come into the house,
the blind men came to Him: and Jesus says to them, Believe you
that I am able to do this? They said to him, yes, Lord. 29 Then
touched he their eyes, saying,
According to your faith be it to
you."
Christ specifically states that their faith was what made the
healing possible.
Acts 3:16 "And His name through faith in His name has
made this man strong, whom you see and know: yes, the faith which
is by Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of
you all."
Acts 14:9 "The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly
beholding him, and
perceiving that he had faith to be
healed..."
Here again, we see that faith, NOT BELIEF, was necessary for
healing, and it was something Paul apparently could discern in
this person, via God's spirit.
Another contrast to look at is in Matthew 21:22;
"And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer,
believing, you shall receive."
Belief in Him is at least a form of acknowledgment and
recognition that He exists. Of course, there are qualifications
God places on people that may believe in Him:
Proverbs 28:9 "He that turns away his ear from hearing
the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination."
