What is the Biblical Definition of Faith? By Pastor Paul Ellis

 

What is a Biblical Definition of Faith? by Paul Ellis What is faith? We talk about faith all the time, but what is it? Do you know what faith is? Of course you do, right? Are you sure? Maybe a better question to ask is, “Do I have a Biblical definition of faith?” Contrary to what you may have heard, faith is not wishful thinking or some sort of spiritual currency that you trade for heavenly favors. Nor is faith something you manufacture through sheer determination. So what is faith? Here’s my definition: Faith is knowing and trusting your Father’s love. Faith is resting in the confident assurance that God is good and he longs to be good to you. What, too gushy? Not Greek enough for you? In the original language of the New Testament, there is a family of words that are translated as faith (pistis), believe (pisteuo), trustworthy (pistikos) and faithful (pistos). Then there is another family of words that can be translated as unbelief (apistia), unbelieving (apistos), disbelief (apeitheia), disbelieve (apeitheo), and unpersuadable (apeithes). All these words derive from a common word (peitho) that means to convince, win over, or persuade. Abraham “was fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Rom. 4:21). That’s faith. Faith is being fully persuaded or convinced that God is good and trustworthy and that he cares for you. Abraham’s faith Manmade religion preaches blind faith, but Biblical faith is based on knowing God. Faith is not a leap in the dark, it’s walking in the light of God’s love. Again, consider Abraham. God said go and he went (Gen. 12:1). When Abraham got to Canaan, God said stay and he stayed. That’s faith. By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise… (Hebrews 11:8-9) Then God said “I will bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars,” and Abraham said “okay.” Also faith. We tend to overthink faith, but faith is saying yes to God. When we pray the prayer of faith, we are simply saying yes to the Lord. [Sidebar: When you agree with God that’s called confession. Agreeing with God makes you right with God and that's called righteousness (Rom. 3:28). Good things happen when you agree with God.] Where does faith come from? Manmade religion says you have to faith your way into heaven, but that’s not how faith works. True faith is always a response to something God has said or done. We might say that faith stems from hope which comes from love. It’s the unfailing love of God that inspires us to trust him. Here’s a verse that explains the proper order: We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. (1 John 4:16) God loves us (that’s the first bit), then we come to trust in his love (that’s the faith bit). His love for us inspires our faith in him. And since the love of God is revealed in Jesus Christ (John 17:26), we can also say that faith comes from hearing the good news of Jesus: Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:17) We don’t get faith from hearing a good sermon; we get it from hearing about Jesus. When we hear about the love of God that is revealed in Jesus, our faith is activated. “Wow! God is so good! How can I not trust him?” In the Bible, believing in Jesus is called the work of God. Are you starting to see what faith is? Let’s finish with some quick contrasts: Religion says, “you need to believe,” without giving you a reason to believe, but the gospel declares “God is good and completely trustworthy.” Religion says “impress God with your faith,” but the gospel says we have been justified “by the faith of Christ” (Gal. 2:16). We love because he loves us, and we believe because God believes in us. Religion says “faith comes from within,” but the gospel reveals Jesus “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). He is truly the supplier of our faith, hope, and love. Faith is… Tradition portrays faith has damp ticket to heaven that may or may not be valid for entry, but the faith that God gives us is nothing like this. Faith is not just the means by which we come into union with Christ; faith is the very flavor of our relationship. Faith is living each day in total dependency on the One who spoke the universe into existence and flung the galaxies across the heavens. Faith is knowing your heavenly Father has great dreams and good gifts for you. Faith is an invitation to smile at the storm, stride over the mountains, and live supernaturally here and now. How boring life would be without faith. Those are my thoughts; I'd love to hear yours. How do you define faith? What does trusting God mean in your day-to-day life? Let me know in the comments. ----- If you liked this, you will love Paul’s rapidly-expanding Grace Glossary. Learn the language of the new covenant by discovering the treasures hidden within words like grace, faith, and forgiveness.

Develop "Heard Immunity"

There's talk going on about "Herd Immunity", and the fact that many Californians are probably immune to this COVID-19 problem.

Then I spoke this morning about "Heard" Immunity" with a friend of mine.

And look what I was reading today in God's Word:

"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

"Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isaiah 55:2-3)

and

"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].

"Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David." (AMPC)

There are a few times where the phrase "Hearken Diligently" appears in the Old Testament. In the literal Hebrew, it reads "Shema Shema" or "Hear Hear", i.e. the verb is doubled, which means that it's intensified.

Here are the other appearances of "Shemua Tisma":

"And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul," (Deuteronomy 11:13)

"And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:" (Deuteronomy 28:1)

There are seven other examples where "Shema Shema" appears in the Old Testament. Click here.

All of this corresponds to Romans 10:17:

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

That comma does not appear in the Original Greek. And the original Greek has "Word of Christ", not Word of God.

So, it would be better rendered"

Faith comes by hearing and hearing (hearing hearing!) the Word of Christ!

The more that we see Jesus, learn about Him in the Word, the more our faith is built up - and thus we develop Heard Immunity!

We find ourselves immune to shame and guilt.

We find ourselves immune to sickness.

We find ourselves immune to poverty.

Because we keep hearing and hearing about Christ Jesus!

I Want to See More of Jesus (Without the Trials)

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:13)

I was thinking about this verse and some of the trials which I have faced in the last few months. "Lord, I want to gain a greater revelation of who you are and everything that you are doing--and have done in my life. I would like to gain this greater revelation without all the hardships."

Sometimes, I wonder if I could "Fast Track" my revelation of Jesus, by which His grace superabounds all the more in our lives:

"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord," (2 Peter 1:2)

Indeed, we can, apparently, pray that we not enter into trials and testings, and if we find ourselves facing some tough trials, we can still reach out and receive more of God's grace to get through it all.

Another line of revelation comes through as I write this.

God did indeed test Abraham, to show to the world and to him--to Abraham--that he had indeed become the father of faith:

"1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am." (Genesis 22:1)

God would test Abraham, which means not "tempt to sin", but rather "prove as genuine".

Abraham demonstrated his faith in God clearly, since he was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar, and he also believed firmly that God would bring his son back from the dead:

"Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." (Hebrews 11:19)

In a very clear sense, Abraham's son Isaac was as good as dead. Abraham was resigned to losing his son through sacrifice, and yet also knowing that God would resurrect him.

Abraham was spared the actually pain of completing the sacrifice on his son:

"11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen." (Genesis 22:11-14)

Notice that in Genesis 22:1, "Elohim", God's name as Creator, calls on Abraham to sacrifice his son.

In Genesis 22:11, it's "The Angel of the LORD", i.e. Jesus who calls on Abraham to hold off from sacrificing his son.

Yes, I want to see more of Jesus without the trials, but sometimes it's the trials which allow us to see more of Him. We need to recognize that no matter how bad things may get in our lives, we do not have to wonder if He will take care of us or not.

Then again, there are other instances of trials, where even when Jesus saves people, they still don't understand who He is:

"37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:37-41)

Jesus allayed the storm with one word.

The disciples among the many ships on the water ended up feeling "exceedingly." One would think that after Jesus' stilling the storm, they would have rejoiced with great peace and thanksgiving. They faced this trial, they cried out to their "Master" (Not Savior) for help, and he overanswered their prayer.

And yet still they were afraid.

Indeed, I want to see more of Jesus, but without the trials. I want to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, and I want His Word to serve as the best--and ultimately only--training ground.

"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17)

and then

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (lit. Christ)." (Romans 10:17)

The more that we see Him, the more that we know who He is, the more that enjoy His beauty, the more that His grace abounds in our lives.

I believe that we can see more of Jesus, that more of His grace can move and thrive within us and throughout our circumstances. And we can enjoy all He has for us without some of the trials that we face.