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MY COMMENTS:
To paraphrase dictionary definitions of faith, it is a
strong or complete belief or trust in something or someone. Faith is also described in dictionaries as a
strong belief in God, or a system of religious belief, that is based upon
spiritual insight rather than proof.
Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to
believe. (Voltaire)
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith,
no explanation is possible. (Thomas Aquinas)
Faith is different from proof; the latter is human, the former is a Gift
from God. (Blaise Pascal)
I see faith in two categories: spiritual faith and faith
in worldly things. Like it or not, we
all have some degree of faith in material things and the ideas of mankind. When we vote, we are placing our faith in the
ideas and programs espoused by a candidate.
We trust that he or she will do in office what they say they will do
before they are elected. We trust that
the money we get paid for our work will have value when we exchange it for
goods and services; even though our money really is just pieces of paper and
base metal. We trust our friends to act in ways that will not hurt us.
We swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States because we believe in
it and our country. Sometimes, worldly
faith is well placed, and sometimes it is not.
Regarding religious faith, not everything that is
portrayed to be of God, or from God, really is.
Some are presenting their faith as a path to world domination. They are justifying murder, terrorism, and
other crimes in the name of God, and they expect God to reward them for it when
they get to heaven.
Some kinds of “Christian” faith may not be “the real
deal,” as well. People go door to door with a gospel that is not the same as
the gospel given to us by the Holy Bible. The “Word of Faith” movement preachers on TV promote
Christianity as a way to get rich or be healed.
Indeed, God does prosper or heal those whom he chooses to, but he is not
compelled to do so, and cannot be extorted into it by ‘claiming” His promises. (2Corinthians 12:7-10) Acts 3:16 says, “… It is Jesus’ name and the
faith that comes through Him that has given complete healing to him …” Some liberal theologians are even saying that
there is more than one way to find God; which is antithetical to what Jesus
taught. These doctrines are condemned in
the Holy Bible. (John 14:6, 1 Timothy 6:3-10,
Galatians 1:6-9, 2Corinthians 12:7-9) This calls for discernment, and a
careful examination of scripture.
I am a layman, not an ordained minister, and I have not
been to a theological seminary. So, I
will try to confine my comments on religious faith to what can be supported
from the Holy Bible. As Paul said, “All
scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped
for every good work.” (2Timothy 3:16-17)
The early Christian movement, and the system of belief
that came to be known as Christianity, are repeatedly referred to as “the Way”
and “the faith” in the New Testament.
Books have been written about faith.
To limit the scope of my comments here, I want to focus on the personal
faith that leads to salvation.
Throughout history, people have always sought to know
God, to fellowship with Him, to find His favor, and to gain eternal life. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9) Jesus gave His life so
that anyone who believes in Him will be saved. (John
3:16, Romans 10:9) God knew from the beginning who would accept His
offer of salvation, and He calls us. (Ephesians
1:11, John 15:16) He provides salvation by grace to those who accept it
by believing in His Son. (Romans 10:13,
Ephesians 2: 8-9) When the Holy Spirit calls us to God (Ephesians 4:4), and we deny ourselves, take up
our cross, and follow Jesus the Spirit will give us the faith and power to
believe in Him. (Mark 8:34, Romans 8:28-30)
After Jesus rose from the dead, Thomas refused to believe
it until he saw him. Jesus told him,
“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not
seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29) The Spirit
tells us, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we
do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) Again, He says
“We will live by faith, not by sight.” (2Corinthians
5:7) This kind of faith is not something we can work up within
ourselves. “Faith comes by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17), and Jesus is the Living Word. (John 1:1-2) Faith is a Gift of God. (Romans 12:3), and it is
through Him that we believe. (1Peter 1:21)
It is, then, all God. If we seek Him, he calls us. If we yield to His calling, He gives us the
faith we need to believe in Jesus, and it is by belief in Jesus that we are
saved. Once we are saved, we follow Jesus, and obey him, by that same faith
and the leading of the Holy Spirit. This
is a lengthy quote from Romans, Chapter 8, but I can’t do it justice by trying
to summarize it:
…
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that
nature desires; but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set
on what the Spirit desires. The mind of
sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace;
the sinful mind is hostile to God. It
does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
Those controlled by the sinful mind cannot please God.
You,
however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the
Spirit of God lives in you. And if
anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ …
(See also Galatians 5:16-25)
(See also Galatians 5:16-25)
Christianity is not a system of rules and good deeds. It is a way of living by faith to please God. The evidence of faith in our lives is
righteous living and doing the good deeds that God has prepared in advance for
us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10, James 2:17-18) By faith we
know with certainty that we will spend eternity in complete communion with
God. How are we so certain? As R.W. Shambach once said, “I know it in my
knower.” That is what faith means to me.
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