What is a biblical
definition of faith?
Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." This would be the
most concise biblical definition of "faith." But what else does the
Bible say about faith?
The Greek word used most often in the New Testament for
"faith" is pistis. It indicates a belief or conviction with the
complementary idea of trust. Faith is not a mere intellectual stance, but a
belief that leads to action. As James 2:26 says, "For as the body apart
from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." James
talks about demonstrating his faith by his works. Often what we do says more
about what we believe than what we say.
The type of faith required for salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says,
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw
near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek
him." If we don't actually trust that God is real and that what He says is
true, we won't come to Him for salvation. Ephesians 2:8–10 says, "For by
grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is
the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are
his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Faith is an active trust in God, a belief in what He says is
true that results in action. When we have faith in God, we believe that we are
sinners deserving of eternal punishment (Romans 3:23). We believe that Jesus
came into the world to live a perfect life, die on our behalf, and rise again
victorious over sin and death (John 3:14–18; Romans 5:6–11; 1 Corinthians
15:3–5, 20–22; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21).
We trust in Jesus to save us from our sins. We have faith
that He gives us His Holy Spirit, as He promised (John 14:15–17; 16:4–15). We
then trust in the Holy Spirit to do His work of sanctification in us (Romans 8;
2 Corinthians 3:18). We live to honor God, relying on His forgiveness and
trusting that His ways are truly best (John 15:1–27; Romans 13:8–14; 2
Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3; 2 Peter 1:3–11).
Why does God require
faith?
The Bible often speaks of the importance of faith in knowing
God. For example, Ephesians 2:8 teaches, "For by grace you have been saved
through faith." First Corinthians 13:13 adds, "So now faith, hope,
and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." But why
does God require faith?
One way to answer why God requires faith is because He is
our Heavenly Father. Our relationship to Him is similar to other relationships
in the sense that it includes trust in the other person, time together, love,
and respect. Because we cannot fully know another person, let alone an infinite
God, all relationships require some degree of faith (trust). God is our Father
and it takes faith to believe that He loves us and that He provides for our
needs.
Faith is also important because God is not visible to
humanity. Hebrews 11:1 teaches, "Now faith is the assurance of things
hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." We cannot see God (John
1:18). However, we have faith in Him that provides assurance.
Faith is necessary to please God. Hebrews 11:6 notes,
"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw
near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek
him." Not only does faith please God, it leads to reward—eternal life,
heavenly rewards, and experience of fullness of life on earth (John 10:10).
Faith is important in order for believers to obey the Lord.
For example, Adam and Eve had been given a command—to not eat from a particular
fruit (Genesis 2:15-17). Because their faith wavered regarding this command,
they ate the forbidden fruit and sinned. Contrastingly, James 2:23 shares,
"Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness."
God requires faith because it allows humans the ability to
choose or reject Him. Without the ability to make choices, humanity would cease
to be human as we know it. Because people can choose to have faith or not to
have faith, there is a way for God to know those who have believed in Him and
those who have not.
Faith in God is not "blind faith" as some argue.
Instead, it is a choice based on the available information. The Bible, the
created world, the changed lives of believers, Jesus Christ, and other ways God
operates in our world provide sufficient evidence for people to choose faith in
God. As Jesus taught in Luke 16:31: "If they do not hear Moses and the
Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the
dead."
Is God pleased by
blind faith?
Blind faith is trusting in something without any evidence.
It has been described as a leap in the dark, a giving over of oneself to
something despite a solid foundation. God does not expect us to have this type
of faith.
God has revealed Himself to us. Romans 1:20 says, "For
his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have
been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things
that have been made. So they are without excuse." God is evident in
creation. It may take faith to believe that God is Creator, but that faith is
far from blind.
God has also revealed Himself through Scripture. In the Bible
we read of God speaking to the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament.
His manifest presence was with the Israelites (Exodus 13:21; Exodus 33:7-11).
He gave us Scripture that we might come to know Him and trust Him (2 Timothy
3:16-17).
The greatest revelation of God is Jesus Christ. He is God
Incarnate, the Word made flesh (John 1:1-5; 14). Jesus reveals to us the glory
and character of God. Because He rose from the dead, His message is validated.
We, of course, also use the tools of science, archaeology,
history, literary criticism, personal experience, and similar methods. These
things give us evidence of the existence of God and of His character.
Therefore, our faith is not blind. We are called to love God
with all of our minds (Luke 10:27). He does not expect us to blindly leap in
the dark, but to understand His revelations and to take calculated steps of
faith. We are to search the Scriptures and spend time getting to know Him (1
Timothy 4:13-16). Yes, we do exercise faith. There are some things we will
simply not understand (Isaiah 55:8-9; Psalm 139:6; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12). Even
so, we can know that our faith is built on a solid foundation. It is based on
God's revelation of Himself and our understanding of that revelation. It is
trusting and it is faith, but it is far from blind.
What is childlike
faith? Does the Bible instruct us to have childlike faith?
The Bible never uses the words "childlike faith,"
but faith is central to the Christian life. In fact, faith is essential to life
as a Christian. Faith is both necessary and a gift. Without faith, it is
impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and we are saved by grace, through
faith—and that faith doesn't come from ourselves, it is given to us by God
(Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is not something that we produce within ourselves.
Like an essential piece of armor, we are fitted with faith so that we are
protected from the adversary’s warfare against us (Ephesians 6:16).
Faith is a very humble quality, which is perhaps why it is
associated with childlikeness. Jesus' disciples were concerned with which of
them was the greatest, or the closest to Him, or the most important. But Jesus
responded to their debate by taking a small child to His side and saying that
the least among them was the greatest (Luke 9:46-48). He told them that they
were to "become like children" (Matthew 18:3) in order to enter the
kingdom of God. Jesus was pointing out the truth that a child is completely
dependent on adults for safety, sustenance, and knowledge. Similarly, the
faithful person depends on God in a way that is absolutely dependent. The faith
God looks for is humble, teachable, and trusting—like a child. In this way, the
Christian is to have childlike faith. Jesus emphasized this kind of faith when
he said "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such
belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the
kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it" (Mark 10:14-15).
Childlike faith looks outside itself for salvation. Salvation
is a gift; man does not pay for or contribute to his salvation—it is entirely
of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 8:1; Romans 5:1). Just as a child has to use
his father's money to pay for a Christmas gift he plans to give his father, we
depend on God's provision for everything, even the good works we do in His name
(Ephesians 2:10). The world sometimes misunderstands the idea of childlike
faith, thinking that Christians are childlike because they believe in myths and
fairytales. But this is not the Bible's meaning when it compares us to
children. Instead, childlike faith is a metaphor for trust, dependence and
love, and an encouragement to ask for what we need (Matthew 7:11).
What is growing in
faith? How can a Christian grow in faith?
Paul rejoiced that the Christians in Thessalonica were
growing in faith: "We ought always to give thanks to God for you,
brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love
of every one of you for one another is increasing" (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
What does it mean to grow in faith?
Simply put, to grow in faith means to grow spiritually. It
is to mature in both knowledge of God and in godly living; ultimately, it is to
become more like Christ. Just as a person grows physically from infant to
mature adult, a Christian's life is designed to grow spiritually from baby to
mature Christian. In 1 Peter 2:2-3 we read, "Like newborn infants, long
for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if
indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good."
Hebrews 5:12-13 speaks against believers who had failed to
grow in faith: "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need
someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need
milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word
of righteousness, since he is a child." To grow in faith involves growing
in God's Word and its application.
Paul also used similar words to condemn some of the
practices of Christians in Corinth: "But I, brothers, could not address
you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I
fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now
you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is
jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a
human way?" (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Paul notes that he began with feeding
them "milk" or with spiritual basics. Yet they were still not ready
for solid food, as their maturity was lacking.
This lack of spiritual maturity was displayed in jealousy
and internal conflicts. We can see, then, that growth in faith manifests not
only in our relationship with God, but also in our relationships with others.
As we seek to grow in faith, rather than be jealous of one another or attempt
to set ourselves apart as better than others, as was happening in the
Corinthian church, we should have the attitude mentioned by Paul, "So
neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the
growth" (1 Corinthians 3:7). When our life is consumed with living for God
and His glory, we are well on the path to growing in faith and being
spiritually mature.
It is also interesting that Scripture highlights a certain
amount of time is involved to become spiritually mature. The apostles were with
Jesus for over three years before they began to minister to others with the
appropriate maturity. Paul also commanded that church leaders were not to be
new converts, because "he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into
the condemnation of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6).
Growing in faith requires both time and effort. God
ultimately causes the growth, yet He expects us to follow His ways and seek to
grow, becoming mature followers of Jesus who can help make disciples of others
(Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Timothy 2:2).
Why should I trust in
God and how can I learn to trust in Him?
God does not lie or even change His mind, as men often do.
Balaam, who was not a follower of God, but knew who He was, said in Numbers
23:19, "God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he
should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken,
and will he not fulfill it?" We have the witness of someone who didn't
follow God that His character is excellent. God doesn't lie, He doesn't change
His mind, and He is powerful enough to do whatever He has said.
This sounds like a statement that God can be trusted. And
the statement was made by someone who didn't follow God! But let's look at
statements elsewhere in the Bible. Paul said, in 2 Timothy 1:12, "But I am
not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is
able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me." Even though
he suffered because of his faith, Paul trusted in God. Paul was convinced that
God would not let him down. In Romans 8:28, Paul made an equally strong
statement in showing that God is worthy of our trust. Paul said, "And we
know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (NASB). God is not
only able to keep things for an individual, but He causes all things to work
together for good for many. This care and oversight is good reason to trust
God.
But that leaves the question of how we learn to do that.
Trusting God is a normal consequence of getting to know Him. If we try to trust
Him but don't get to know Him, we'll fail miserably. We cannot trust someone we
don't know. We may trust certain things about them, but we won't trust them. So
the question of how we can learn to trust God becomes a question of how we can
get to know Him. The first step to getting to know God is to accept Jesus as
our savior, then it becomes a matter of growing in our Christian life through
prayer and Bible study. Initially, we may trust God only a little, and there
will be huge parts of our lives where we will not trust. As we grow in our
Christian life, we will trust God more and more. We will not increase in
trusting because we try harder; we will increase in trusting because we know
Him better and are living closer to Him.
Who is God? - The
Fact
The fact of God’s existence is so conspicuous, both through
creation and through man’s conscience, that the Bible calls the atheist a
“fool” (Psalm 14:1). Accordingly, the Bible never attempts to prove the
existence of God; rather, it assumes His existence from the very beginning
(Genesis 1:1). What the Bible does is reveal the nature, character, and work of
God.
Who is God? - The
Definition
Thinking correctly about God is of utmost importance because
a false idea about God is idolatry. In Psalm 50:21, God reproves the wicked man
with this accusation: “You thought I was altogether like you.” To start with, a
good summary definition of God is “the Supreme Being; the Creator and Ruler of
all that is; the Self-existent One who is perfect in power, goodness, and
wisdom.”
Who is God? - His
Nature
We know certain things to be true of God for one reason: in
His mercy He has condescended to reveal some of His qualities to us. God is
spirit, by nature intangible (John 4:24). God is One, but He exists as three
Persons—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16-17).
God is infinite (1 Timothy 1:17), incomparable (2 Samuel 7:22), and unchanging
(Malachi 3:6). God exists everywhere (Psalm 139:7-12), knows everything (Psalm
147:5; Isaiah 40:28), and has all power and authority (Ephesians 1; Revelation
19:6).
Who is God? - His
Character
Here are some of God’s characteristics as revealed in the
Bible: God is just (Acts 17:31), loving (Ephesians 2:4-5), truthful (John
14:6), and holy (1 John 1:5). God shows compassion (2 Corinthians 1:3), mercy
(Romans 9:15), and grace (Romans 5:17). God judges sin (Psalm 5:5) but also
offers forgiveness (Psalm 130:4).
Who is God? - His
Work
We cannot understand God apart from His works, because what
God does flows from who He is. Here is an abbreviated list of God’s works,
past, present, and future: God created the world (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 42:5); He
actively sustains the world (Colossians 1:17); He is executing His eternal plan
(Ephesians 1:11) which involves the redemption of man from the curse of sin and
death (Galatians 3:13-14); He draws people to Christ (John 6:44); He
disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:6); and He will judge the world
(Revelation 20:11-15).
Who is God? - A
Relationship with Him
In the Person of the Son, God became incarnate (John 1:14).
The Son of God became the Son of Man and is therefore the “bridge” between God
and man (John 14:6; 1 Timothy 2:5). It is only through the Son that we can have
forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), reconciliation with God (John 15:15;
Romans 5:10), and eternal salvation (2 Timothy 2:10). In Jesus Christ “all the
fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). So, to really
know who God is, all we have to do is look at Jesus.
What does it mean to
walk with God?
There are several people described as “walking with God” in
the Bible, beginning with Enoch in Genesis 5:24. Noah is also described as “a
righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully
with God” (Genesis 6:9). Micah 6:8 gives us a glimpse into God’s desire for us:
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require
of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Walking with God is not an activity reserved for a select few. God desires all
of His children to walk with Him.
What happens when we walk with someone? Imagine that you and
a close friend are enjoying a walk down a country lane. You are in close
proximity. You talk, laugh, listen, and share your hearts. Your attention is
focused on this person to the exclusion of almost everything else. You notice
the beauty around you or an occasional distraction, but only to point it out to
your companion. You share it together. You are in harmony, and you both enjoy
the peaceful camaraderie.
Walking with God is like that. When we enter into an
intimate heart relationship with God through faith in His Son (Hebrews 10:22),
He becomes our heart’s greatest desire. Knowing Him, hearing His voice, sharing
our hearts with Him, and seeking to please Him become our all-consuming focus.
He becomes everything to us. Meeting with Him is not an activity reserved for Sabath/Sunday
morning. We live to fellowship with Him. The goal of every Christian should be
to "live in a state of unbroken worship." This is only possible when
we walk with God.
Just as walking with a close friend requires saying
"no" to many other things, so walking with God requires letting go of
anything that would be a distraction. If we were on a walk with a friend but
you brought a flute and played it the whole time, the walk would not be
satisfying for either of us. Many people attempt to walk with God, but they
bring along flute-like habits, sins, worldly entertainments, or unhealthy
relationships. They know these things are not God’s choice for them, but they
pretend everything is fine. The relationship is not satisfying to either of
them. To walk with God means that we and God are in agreement about our life.
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3, KJV). To walk with
God means you have aligned our will with His and seek every day to consider ourselves
"crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20). We don’t have to be
perfect, as none of us is (Romans 3:10). But your heart’s desire is to be
pleasing to God, and you are willing to let His Spirit conform you to the image
of His Son (Romans 8:29).
When the Bible speaks of "walking," it often
refers to a lifestyle. We can walk in the ways of the world as well (2 Kings
8:27; Ephesians 2:2; Colossians 3:7). In the New Testament, walking with God is
often called "walking in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:4). To
walk with God means we choose to glorify Him in every way we can, regardless of
personal cost. And there is a cost. Walking with God also means we cannot also
walk with evil people as companions (Psalm 1:1-3). We choose the narrow road
over the broad way to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). We don’t live to please
our sinful flesh (Romans 13:14). We seek to eliminate from our lives everything
that does not enhance our walk with Him (Hebrews 12:2). We apply 1 Corinthians
10:31 literally: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God." God’s ways are reflected in our thoughts, our
actions, our motivations, and our life choices because we spend so much time
with Him.
It is not difficult to identify people who walk with God.
Their lives are a stark contrast to the world around them, like stars in a
nighttime sky (Philippians 2:15). They produce the fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22-23) rather than the fruit of fleshly desire (Galatians
5:19-21). In Acts 4:13 Peter and John had been arrested for preaching and were
brought before the authorities. "The members of the council were amazed
when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were
ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized
them as men who had been with Jesus." When we walk with God every day, the
world cannot help but recognize that, in spite of our imperfections and lack of
knowledge in some areas, we have been with Jesus.
