Exploring the Meaning of Faith

Scripture: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Hebrews 11:1-3

General explanation

Faith is not merely what a person believes, i.e., accurate doctrine or creed, but also and more importantly, that the object of his faith is valid. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Faith is the subsistence of things hoped for. It is the demonstration of things not seen. Faith signifies substance that becomes a foundation for another thing to stand on. It also means such a conviction as is produced in the mind by the demonstration of a problem, after which no doubt remains and no demonstration is required.

Faith is to trust in or reliance on God who is himself trustworthy. God stands at the centre and faith is to be true to him. Throughout the Old Testament the focus of faith is exclusively on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God's mighty acts on behalf of Israel call for trust and belief in him. In the New Testament, fidelity to God is the sign of the righteous person. God alone can be the object of trust and faithfulness. Faith in Jesus is the manifestation of God's power. Paul explains that faith must be active in love. Without love faith is empty. Faith must also be grounded in hope so that it recognizes that the first-fruits of God's promises manifested in the death and resurrection of Christ will be fulfilled on the last day. He also links faith with righteousness and justification. By faith we see that the thing is, that it cannot but be and that it cannot be otherwise than as it is. Such is the faith by which the soul is justified. On it lives the peace of God which passes all understanding and the Spirit of God witnesses to those who have faith that their sins are blotted out.

The Value of Faith

People are kept secure by faith. We are established faith. We are saved by faith. Sicknesses are healed by faith. We are sanctified by faith. We receive the Holy Spirit by faith. We live by faith. Faith causes men to be a blessing to others. Faith tells us that disbelieving God is a great sin and faith is necessary to please God.

Faith is the Gift of God

Faith is a gift of God. The apostles ask Jesus to increase their faith. Faith is given by the Spirit.

The Purpose of Faith

Faith is necessary to gain understanding and to grow in the truth. Faith is needed to grow in the grace of God. Faith helps us to rejoice.

The effect of Faith

Faith produces internal change and good works. The test of faith produces perseverance and spiritual endurance. Healings are received by faith. Miracles are accomplished by faith.

A story of mountain-moving Faith

A small congregation in the foothills of the Great Smokies built a new sanctuary on a piece of land willed to them by a church member. Ten days before the new church was to open, the local building inspector informed the pastor that the parking lot was inadequate for the size of the building. Until the church doubled the size of the parking lot, they would not be able to use the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the church with its undersized parking lot had used every inch of their land except for the mountain against which it had been built. In order to build more parking spaces, they would have to move the mountain out of the back yard.

Undaunted, the pastor announced the next Sunday morning that he would meet that evening with all members who had "mountain moving faith." They would hold a prayer session asking God to remove the mountain from the back yard and to somehow provide enough money to have it paved and painted before the scheduled opening dedication service the following week. At the appointed time, 24 of the congregation's 300 members assembled for prayer. They prayed for nearly three hours. At ten o'clock the pastor said the final "Amen." "We'll open next Sunday as scheduled," he assured everyone. "God has never let us down before, and I believe He will be faithful this time too."

The next morning, as he was working in his study, there came a loud knock at the pastor's door. When he called, "Come in," a rough looking construction foreman appeared, removing his hard hat as he entered. "Excuse me, Reverend. I'm from Acme Construction Company, over in the next county. We're building a huge new shopping mall over there and we need some fill dirt. Would you be willing to sell us a chunk of that mountain behind the church? We'll pay you for the dirt we remove and pave all the exposed areas free of charge, if we can have it right away. We can't do anything else until we get the dirt in and allow it to settle properly."

The little church was dedicated the next Sunday as originally planned and there were far more members with "mountain moving faith" on opening Sunday than there had been the previous week!

Faith is not blind faith

Faith is seen in the examples of the ancient servants of God. They are the ancestors, forefathers, such as the patriarchs and prophets who committed their lives to him in unwavering trust and obedience.

By the natural worlds, the earth and visible heavens, we are able to understand the material fabric of the universe. We see trees of different kinds are produced from trees; beasts, birds, and fishes, from others of the same kind; and man, from man. Through faith we understand that God made all these out of nothing. His word tells us so, and we credit that word. Faith is not doubting but having complete confidence in what God has already done and is capable of doing.

Faith is a present and continuing reality, not simply a virtue sometimes practiced in antiquity. It is a living thing, a way of life. There are realities for which we have no material evidence, though they are not the least real for that. Faith enables us to know that they exist and, while we have no certainty apart from faith, faith does give us genuine certainty. Faith is the basis, the substructure of all that the Christian life means, all that the Christian hopes for. Faith is trust in the person of Jesus, the truth of his teaching, and the redemptive work which he accomplished at Calvary.

Faith in God is not taking a blind step into an unknown darkness; it is taking a safe step into a well-lit room. It is jumping into seemingly empty space and landing on solid ground. It is not a blind leap into the dark; it is a sure and confident leap into the arms of God…the safest place to be.

Selie Visa