What is Faith?
In this lesson we will talk about faith, and will try to answer such questions, as, "What is true faith in God? How important is faith for our salvation? How faith matters in our everyday practical life?"
The word, translated from Hebrew and Greek as "faith", could also be translated as: faithfulness, trust, belief, conviction. So, what is true faith, according to the Bible? In the Epistle to Hebrew there is a verse, which gives us an explanation of what faith is.
Heb. 11:1 "Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen."
So, faith is assurance of things hoped for. It is a reliable basis, essence, reality, the foundation of what we expect, and what we hope for, and rely on. Faith is the reliable, firm foundation of our hope. Secondly, faith is also "proof of things not seen." Faith, like hope, deals with an invisible world, and with an invisible future.
Rom. 8:24 "For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?"
Let's look at the examples of Noah and Moses, which are mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews. We read of them, that both of these righteous men had faith. They believed and were confident in what they did not see.
Heb. 11:7 "By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."
Heb. 11:24-27 "By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible."
So, faith is the reliable foundation of what we hope for and expect, and what will necessarily come true; and this is a firm, confident belief in what we do not see, but what is reality.
What is the Foundation of Faith?
Faith is assurance of things hoped for. It is a firm, reliable foundation for what we expect from God and what we hope for. But what is the foundation of the faith itself? What does the true, Biblical faith assert? After all, faith can be different. You can have the greatest faith in the most unreliable things, and then our hopes and expectations will not come true.
The only reliable bases for the Biblical faith are the Word of God and the power of God. If our faith is based on the Word of God, then our expectation, our hope will come true.
Biblical faith comes from the Word of God. To prosper and to be successful, we must believe in God, believe what He said in His Word - the Bible, and believe His prophets proclaiming His Word. Our faith is also affirmed in the power of God. When we see the real actions of God, such as healing, casting out demons, explicit answers to prayer, and God's help in situations that seem hopeless, our faith becomes firm and strong. We are convinced that God really is, and that He is all-powerful. The manifestation of the power of God strengthens our faith.
Rom.10:17 "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
2Chr.20:20 "They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, so you shall be established! Believe his prophets, so you shall prosper."
1Cor.2:1-5 "When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
How Can We Strengthen Our Faith?
We saw from the Scriptures we examined that faith is based on the Word of God and faith is based on the power of God. When we see clear manifestations of God's power, our faith becomes solid. In practice, we are convinced that God exists, that He answers prayers, and that He can powerfully, really and visibly act in this world. How else can you strengthen your faith? How to make your faith stronger? Scripture teaches us that our faith is strengthened when we praise and thank God. Let's look at a few verses that support this:
Rom.4:20 "Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God."
Col. 2:6-7 "As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving."
When we praise God, we proclaim who He is and what we know about Him from the Bible and from our own experience. When praising God, we proclaim that God is the Creator of everything, that He is Almighty, that He is holy, that He does everything He wants in heaven and on earth, that He is long-suffering, merciful, loving, true, forgiving. When we do this, we think about God, focus our attention on Him and His qualities, and from this our faith grows stronger, and our problems no longer seem so big and insoluble to us.
When we thank God for what He has done and is doing for us and for other people, we remember His actions and His power. This also strengthens our faith. We become more and more confident that if God answered our prayers in the past and did His miracles, He can do it for us now. Therefore, praising and giving thanks to God is very important for strengthening our faith.
Author and Perfecter of Our Faith
If faith is so important in our life and for our salvation, then naturally we should have a question, "Where and how can we get faith, where does it come from, and how does it originate in a person?" To answer this question, we need to turn to Scripture. Let's first review the text in the Epistle to Ephesians:
Eph.2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast."
So, what exactly does it say that it is not from us, but God's gift? It is said about everything together: about grace, salvation and about faith! We probably do not doubt that grace and salvation are God's gifts. But is faith also a gift from God to man? Let's read two passages from the Bible that confirm that this is true:
Rom.12:3 "For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith."
1Cor.3:5-7 "Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."
These texts show us quite clearly that we believed because God gave it to us. God has given each of us a measure of faith. It is God who cultivates faith in us, although He often uses people to "plant" and "water" it. But how does God give us faith? Let's go back to Romans:
Rom.10:17 "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
So, faith is from hearing. But what is "hearing"? It is a process of actively and attentively taking in what we are told. But true Biblical faith does not come from all hearing. It comes only from hearing what is said to us "by the word of God." That is, faith comes to us when we carefully listen and perceive the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
Faith also comes to us, not only when we listen to someone preach the Word of God to us, but also when we read it to ourselves. That is why God commanded Joshua to read the Law of God for himself. And that's why God told the kings in Israel to make a copy of the book of the Law of God for themselves and read it. When we read the Word of God and try to hear what God wants to tell us through this Word, faith is born in us:
Josh.1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."
Deut.17:18-19 "It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of [that which is] before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them."
Jesus Christ is called in Scripture the Author and Finisher or Perfecter of our faith. We have seen from the above scriptures that God gives us faith for salvation. We have also seen that faith comes from hearing. But Scripture also reveals to us that faith comes to us through Jesus Christ:
Heb.12:1-2 "Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
The word author used here, translated from the Greek language may also mean the founder, the first cause; chief, leader. The word perfecter means the finisher, the doer. So, Jesus Christ began faith in us through hearing His word, He is the first cause, the leader and chief of our faith. And He is able to keep this faith in us to the end, and lead us to the goal and result of our faith - the salvation of our souls:
1Pet.1:9 "Receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
1Pet.1:18-21 "Knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God."
Initial Manifestation of Faith
How does God want us to believe, and what is the primary manifestation of faith that we should have? What manifestation of faith does God want to see in every person, before everything else? Let's read about this in Hebrews:
Heb.11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him."
It is impossible to please God without faith. Our very first exercise of faith must be the belief that God is. This is the very first thing that God expects from people - that they believe in what He is, believe in His existence. Nature, or God's creation, as well as the moral law placed by God inside all people, testify that God exists. Just by looking at creation a person can already believe in the existence of the Almighty, Invisible God the Creator. Therefore, there will be no excuse for any person in the world at God's judgment in his unbelief (Rom.1:19-20).
But our faith shouldn't stop there. The second thing God wants and expects from people is that they believe that He rewards those who seek Him. We must believe that God will give rewards to those who seek Him. God wants us to believe in His goodness and generosity. And, of course, the belief that God will reward those who seek Him must manifest itself in our efforts to seek Him, to find Him, to restore the right relationship with Him that was broken because of Adam's sin and our own sins. This search for God begins with our repentance, abandoning our sinful ways and thoughts, and turning to Him:
Is.55:6-7 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call you on him while he is near:
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Acts 17:24-27 "The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
Acts 17:30-31 "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead."
So, we saw that the most primary manifestation of faith is our faith in the fact that God exists, and trust, that God rewards those who seek Him. We also looked at some Scriptures which explained to us that our search for God, as an exercise of our faith, must begin with our repentance and turning to Him.
Righteous Will Live by His Faith
One important statement about faith is mentioned four times in Scripture (with minor modifications). It tells us that faith is what the righteous will live by. Therefore, without faith there can be no righteousness, and there can be no life pleasing to God:
Hab.2:4 "Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith."
Rom.1:16-17 "For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. For in it is revealed God's righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith."
Gal.3:11 "Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, "The righteous will live by faith."
Heb.10:38 "But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
If something is repeated four times in the Bible, we should pay attention to it, as it is something very important. Living by faith is so important that, according to Scripture, everything that is not by faith is a sin, even as elementary as eating:
Rom.14:22-23 "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn't judge himself in that which he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn't of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin."
Everything that we do with doubt and not by faith is sin. The righteous will live by faith. In a literal translation from Greek, this phrase reads: "The righteous will live from faith". That is, for a righteous person, faith will be the source of his life. And life includes everything: communication, eating, sleep, work, rest, and so on. To continue to be righteous, all this must be done by faith. Let's give an example of what it means to live by faith from one of the areas of our lives, like eating.
What does it mean to eat by faith, according to the Holy Scriptures?
1) First, we acknowledge that God is the source of our food. He gives us food and everything we need to live:
Ps.136:25-26 "Who gives food to every creature; for his loving kindness endures forever. Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever."
Ps.145:15-16 "The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season. You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing."
2) Secondly, we thank God for the food that He gives us and accept it with gratitude:
Deut.8:10 "You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which he has given you."
1Cor.10:30-31 "If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
3) Third, we use the strength and health that we receive from food for the glory of God, for serving God and living according to His will:
1Cor.10:31 "Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Col.3:17 "Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him."
2Cor.5:15 "He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again."
Confession of Faith
One of the important manifestations of faith is the confession of faith. The word "confess" has the meaning: "to say the same", "agree", "acknowledge." It also means "to declare openly". The Lord wants our faith not only to be in our hearts, but also to be proclaimed openly through our lips. Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is essential to our salvation. This is stated in the Epistle to the Romans:
Rom.10:9-10 "That if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
2Cor.4:13 "But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke." We also believe, and therefore also we speak"
Confessing our faith is necessary not only for our eternal salvation, but also for salvation from difficult life situations. Scripture provides examples of many such confessions of faith. For example, the Apostle Paul said:
2Tim.4:18 "And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
The author of one of the Psalms, possibly David, spoke in difficult circumstances, confessing his faith:
Ps.117:17 "I will not die, but live, and declare LORD's works."
These are just a few examples of how you can profess your faith with your own mouth in various life circumstances. There are many more of them in the Holy Scriptures. It is of great benefit to the believer to learn such Bible verses by heart and to proclaim them based on faith.
Works of Faith
The next very important manifestation of faith is the works of faith. The Bible teaches us that living, saving faith must be manifested in works of obedience to God. Without these deeds, faith is dead, inactive, and unable to save us:
James 2:14-26 "What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God. You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead."
What does God expect from us in our faith? The Apostle Peter writes about this in his Second Epistle:
2Pet.1:5-8 "Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness; and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Testing of Faith
Scripture teaches us that the truthfulness of our faith is tested not only by works of faith, but also by testing of faith. Our faith will be tested throughout our lives in a wide variety of difficulties, trials and tribulations. Faith that has passed and stood the test is of great value in the eyes of God. The apostles always instructed those who believed that they would go through the tests of their faith:
Acts 14:21-22 "When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God."
James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
1Pet.1:6-7 "Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
The Apostle Paul also wrote repeatedly in his Epistles about the suffering and trials that Christians must endure. But at the same time, he instructed believers that suffering will not be eternal, and after it there will be times of joy and consolation, at the coming of Jesus Christ:
1Thess.3:1-4 "Therefore, when we couldn't stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith; that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task. For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know."
2Thess.1:3-7 "We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds; so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure. This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire."
2Tim.3:10-12 "But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
Persecution, unjust suffering, trials - this is what we, as believers, cannot avoid. Therefore, we are left with only what Jacob spoke about - to accept with great joy when we fall into various temptations. The source of this joy must be the knowledge that trials produce patience. And patience produces perfection in us (James 1:2-4). A wise man, back in the days of the Old Testament, said this:
Eccl.7:3 "Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good."
The Lord allows sorrow, suffering, trials in our lives to make us better, to make us perfected in the faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.
Bible verse for memorization:
"Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)
In this lesson we will talk about faith, and will try to answer such questions, as, "What is true faith in God? How important is faith for our salvation? How faith matters in our everyday practical life?"
The word, translated from Hebrew and Greek as "faith", could also be translated as: faithfulness, trust, belief, conviction. So, what is true faith, according to the Bible? In the Epistle to Hebrew there is a verse, which gives us an explanation of what faith is.
Heb. 11:1 "Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen."
So, faith is assurance of things hoped for. It is a reliable basis, essence, reality, the foundation of what we expect, and what we hope for, and rely on. Faith is the reliable, firm foundation of our hope. Secondly, faith is also "proof of things not seen." Faith, like hope, deals with an invisible world, and with an invisible future.
Rom. 8:24 "For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees?"
Let's look at the examples of Noah and Moses, which are mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews. We read of them, that both of these righteous men had faith. They believed and were confident in what they did not see.
Heb. 11:7 "By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."
Heb. 11:24-27 "By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible."
So, faith is the reliable foundation of what we hope for and expect, and what will necessarily come true; and this is a firm, confident belief in what we do not see, but what is reality.
What is the Foundation of Faith?
Faith is assurance of things hoped for. It is a firm, reliable foundation for what we expect from God and what we hope for. But what is the foundation of the faith itself? What does the true, Biblical faith assert? After all, faith can be different. You can have the greatest faith in the most unreliable things, and then our hopes and expectations will not come true.
The only reliable bases for the Biblical faith are the Word of God and the power of God. If our faith is based on the Word of God, then our expectation, our hope will come true.
Biblical faith comes from the Word of God. To prosper and to be successful, we must believe in God, believe what He said in His Word - the Bible, and believe His prophets proclaiming His Word. Our faith is also affirmed in the power of God. When we see the real actions of God, such as healing, casting out demons, explicit answers to prayer, and God's help in situations that seem hopeless, our faith becomes firm and strong. We are convinced that God really is, and that He is all-powerful. The manifestation of the power of God strengthens our faith.
Rom.10:17 "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
2Chr.20:20 "They rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, so you shall be established! Believe his prophets, so you shall prosper."
1Cor.2:1-5 "When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith wouldn’t stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
How Can We Strengthen Our Faith?
We saw from the Scriptures we examined that faith is based on the Word of God and faith is based on the power of God. When we see clear manifestations of God's power, our faith becomes solid. In practice, we are convinced that God exists, that He answers prayers, and that He can powerfully, really and visibly act in this world. How else can you strengthen your faith? How to make your faith stronger? Scripture teaches us that our faith is strengthened when we praise and thank God. Let's look at a few verses that support this:
Rom.4:20 "Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn't waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God."
Col. 2:6-7 "As therefore you received Christ Jesus, the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, even as you were taught, abounding in it in thanksgiving."
When we praise God, we proclaim who He is and what we know about Him from the Bible and from our own experience. When praising God, we proclaim that God is the Creator of everything, that He is Almighty, that He is holy, that He does everything He wants in heaven and on earth, that He is long-suffering, merciful, loving, true, forgiving. When we do this, we think about God, focus our attention on Him and His qualities, and from this our faith grows stronger, and our problems no longer seem so big and insoluble to us.
When we thank God for what He has done and is doing for us and for other people, we remember His actions and His power. This also strengthens our faith. We become more and more confident that if God answered our prayers in the past and did His miracles, He can do it for us now. Therefore, praising and giving thanks to God is very important for strengthening our faith.
Author and Perfecter of Our Faith
If faith is so important in our life and for our salvation, then naturally we should have a question, "Where and how can we get faith, where does it come from, and how does it originate in a person?" To answer this question, we need to turn to Scripture. Let's first review the text in the Epistle to Ephesians:
Eph.2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast."
So, what exactly does it say that it is not from us, but God's gift? It is said about everything together: about grace, salvation and about faith! We probably do not doubt that grace and salvation are God's gifts. But is faith also a gift from God to man? Let's read two passages from the Bible that confirm that this is true:
Rom.12:3 "For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith."
1Cor.3:5-7 "Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase."
These texts show us quite clearly that we believed because God gave it to us. God has given each of us a measure of faith. It is God who cultivates faith in us, although He often uses people to "plant" and "water" it. But how does God give us faith? Let's go back to Romans:
Rom.10:17 "So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
So, faith is from hearing. But what is "hearing"? It is a process of actively and attentively taking in what we are told. But true Biblical faith does not come from all hearing. It comes only from hearing what is said to us "by the word of God." That is, faith comes to us when we carefully listen and perceive the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
Faith also comes to us, not only when we listen to someone preach the Word of God to us, but also when we read it to ourselves. That is why God commanded Joshua to read the Law of God for himself. And that's why God told the kings in Israel to make a copy of the book of the Law of God for themselves and read it. When we read the Word of God and try to hear what God wants to tell us through this Word, faith is born in us:
Josh.1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."
Deut.17:18-19 "It shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of [that which is] before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them."
Jesus Christ is called in Scripture the Author and Finisher or Perfecter of our faith. We have seen from the above scriptures that God gives us faith for salvation. We have also seen that faith comes from hearing. But Scripture also reveals to us that faith comes to us through Jesus Christ:
Heb.12:1-2 "Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
The word author used here, translated from the Greek language may also mean the founder, the first cause; chief, leader. The word perfecter means the finisher, the doer. So, Jesus Christ began faith in us through hearing His word, He is the first cause, the leader and chief of our faith. And He is able to keep this faith in us to the end, and lead us to the goal and result of our faith - the salvation of our souls:
1Pet.1:9 "Receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."
1Pet.1:18-21 "Knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a faultless and pure lamb, the blood of Christ; who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God."
Initial Manifestation of Faith
How does God want us to believe, and what is the primary manifestation of faith that we should have? What manifestation of faith does God want to see in every person, before everything else? Let's read about this in Hebrews:
Heb.11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him."
It is impossible to please God without faith. Our very first exercise of faith must be the belief that God is. This is the very first thing that God expects from people - that they believe in what He is, believe in His existence. Nature, or God's creation, as well as the moral law placed by God inside all people, testify that God exists. Just by looking at creation a person can already believe in the existence of the Almighty, Invisible God the Creator. Therefore, there will be no excuse for any person in the world at God's judgment in his unbelief (Rom.1:19-20).
But our faith shouldn't stop there. The second thing God wants and expects from people is that they believe that He rewards those who seek Him. We must believe that God will give rewards to those who seek Him. God wants us to believe in His goodness and generosity. And, of course, the belief that God will reward those who seek Him must manifest itself in our efforts to seek Him, to find Him, to restore the right relationship with Him that was broken because of Adam's sin and our own sins. This search for God begins with our repentance, abandoning our sinful ways and thoughts, and turning to Him:
Is.55:6-7 "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call you on him while he is near:
let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."
Acts 17:24-27 "The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't dwell in temples made with hands, neither is he served by men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things. He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."
Acts 17:30-31 "The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent, because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised him from the dead."
So, we saw that the most primary manifestation of faith is our faith in the fact that God exists, and trust, that God rewards those who seek Him. We also looked at some Scriptures which explained to us that our search for God, as an exercise of our faith, must begin with our repentance and turning to Him.
Righteous Will Live by His Faith
One important statement about faith is mentioned four times in Scripture (with minor modifications). It tells us that faith is what the righteous will live by. Therefore, without faith there can be no righteousness, and there can be no life pleasing to God:
Hab.2:4 "Behold, his soul is puffed up. It is not upright in him, but the righteous will live by his faith."
Rom.1:16-17 "For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. For in it is revealed God's righteousness from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith."
Gal.3:11 "Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, "The righteous will live by faith."
Heb.10:38 "But the righteous will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."
If something is repeated four times in the Bible, we should pay attention to it, as it is something very important. Living by faith is so important that, according to Scripture, everything that is not by faith is a sin, even as elementary as eating:
Rom.14:22-23 "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn't judge himself in that which he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn't of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin."
Everything that we do with doubt and not by faith is sin. The righteous will live by faith. In a literal translation from Greek, this phrase reads: "The righteous will live from faith". That is, for a righteous person, faith will be the source of his life. And life includes everything: communication, eating, sleep, work, rest, and so on. To continue to be righteous, all this must be done by faith. Let's give an example of what it means to live by faith from one of the areas of our lives, like eating.
What does it mean to eat by faith, according to the Holy Scriptures?
1) First, we acknowledge that God is the source of our food. He gives us food and everything we need to live:
Ps.136:25-26 "Who gives food to every creature; for his loving kindness endures forever. Oh give thanks to the God of heaven; for his loving kindness endures forever."
Ps.145:15-16 "The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season. You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing."
2) Secondly, we thank God for the food that He gives us and accept it with gratitude:
Deut.8:10 "You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which he has given you."
1Cor.10:30-31 "If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
3) Third, we use the strength and health that we receive from food for the glory of God, for serving God and living according to His will:
1Cor.10:31 "Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Col.3:17 "Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him."
2Cor.5:15 "He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again."
Confession of Faith
One of the important manifestations of faith is the confession of faith. The word "confess" has the meaning: "to say the same", "agree", "acknowledge." It also means "to declare openly". The Lord wants our faith not only to be in our hearts, but also to be proclaimed openly through our lips. Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is essential to our salvation. This is stated in the Epistle to the Romans:
Rom.10:9-10 "That if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
2Cor.4:13 "But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke." We also believe, and therefore also we speak"
Confessing our faith is necessary not only for our eternal salvation, but also for salvation from difficult life situations. Scripture provides examples of many such confessions of faith. For example, the Apostle Paul said:
2Tim.4:18 "And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."
The author of one of the Psalms, possibly David, spoke in difficult circumstances, confessing his faith:
Ps.117:17 "I will not die, but live, and declare LORD's works."
These are just a few examples of how you can profess your faith with your own mouth in various life circumstances. There are many more of them in the Holy Scriptures. It is of great benefit to the believer to learn such Bible verses by heart and to proclaim them based on faith.
Works of Faith
The next very important manifestation of faith is the works of faith. The Bible teaches us that living, saving faith must be manifested in works of obedience to God. Without these deeds, faith is dead, inactive, and unable to save us:
James 2:14-26 "What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him? And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food, and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead? Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God. You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead."
What does God expect from us in our faith? The Apostle Peter writes about this in his Second Epistle:
2Pet.1:5-8 "Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge; and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control patience; and in patience godliness; and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Testing of Faith
Scripture teaches us that the truthfulness of our faith is tested not only by works of faith, but also by testing of faith. Our faith will be tested throughout our lives in a wide variety of difficulties, trials and tribulations. Faith that has passed and stood the test is of great value in the eyes of God. The apostles always instructed those who believed that they would go through the tests of their faith:
Acts 14:21-22 "When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God."
James 1:2-4 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
1Pet.1:6-7 "Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
The Apostle Paul also wrote repeatedly in his Epistles about the suffering and trials that Christians must endure. But at the same time, he instructed believers that suffering will not be eternal, and after it there will be times of joy and consolation, at the coming of Jesus Christ:
1Thess.3:1-4 "Therefore, when we couldn't stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and God's servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith; that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task. For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know."
2Thess.1:3-7 "We are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers, even as it is appropriate, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each and every one of you towards one another abounds; so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure. This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay affliction to those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted with us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire."
2Tim.3:10-12 "But you did follow my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. Out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution."
Persecution, unjust suffering, trials - this is what we, as believers, cannot avoid. Therefore, we are left with only what Jacob spoke about - to accept with great joy when we fall into various temptations. The source of this joy must be the knowledge that trials produce patience. And patience produces perfection in us (James 1:2-4). A wise man, back in the days of the Old Testament, said this:
Eccl.7:3 "Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the face the heart is made good."
The Lord allows sorrow, suffering, trials in our lives to make us better, to make us perfected in the faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.
Bible verse for memorization:
"Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)