Faith... What does it look like?

[stovebolts]

Over the years, I've learned a few things that maybe a lot of of you already figured out...

Deuteronomy 30: 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

To obey it, means to put flesh to the commandments. That means we do... and when we do, we become more like the one who created us to do those good works.

Before somebody gets their panties in a bind, no... I'm not talking about earning ones salvation. If that's what you think I'm saying, then please, know that is not what I'm saying here. I would kindly ask that you refrain from accusing me, or any other participating in this thread of believing that we are saying anything other than we are saved by faith through Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--

So what is faith? I get the idea it's more than simply believing that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he rose from the grave on the third day and that through him, we are saved. This is the milk of scripture, but we need to mature and become adults in Christ.

I think that faith is actually trusting that we can be like Jesus. We can do, and be like Jesus in many ways. Look at Peter when he stepped out onto the water. He had faith that he could be like Jesus, and do what Jesus was doing. It took faith to step out into the deep water. And that's the faith I'm talking about.

Do we have faith to be the people God wants us to be and do the things God wants us to do? He's got a list of things he wants us to do, like being honest, treating others with respect, helping others in need and yes, even loving those who are unlovable.

This world throws a lot at us at times, and it's hard to be "Christ like". But that's when faith comes into play. Do we believe Jesus when he says His way is a better way to live? It takes faith to live not according to this world and Jesus even said we would struggle in it. He said that people would actually hate us, because they hated Him.

So there it is in a nutshell. Hope this helps somebody.

 

[reba]

Nice post Stovebolts

 

[stovebolts]

Thanks reba
I think I understand better what Paul meant when he said "I do that which I don't want to do, and what I want to do, I don't do."
If we're not struggling somewhat with our faith, I don't think we're growing.

But on the same token, we need not beat ourselves up for falling short... Because Jesus is right there to rescue us (Just like when he reached out and rescued Peter when his faith stumbled and he started sinking in the deep water). We just need to have faith to give it the old college try. It's ok to fail.

 

[reba]

Amen

 

[Edward]

So what is faith? I get the idea it's more than simply believing that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he rose from the grave on the third day and that through him, we are saved. This is the milk of scripture, but we need to mature and become adults in Christ.

I think that faith is actually trusting that we can be like Jesus. We can do, and be like Jesus in many ways. Look at Peter when he stepped out onto the water. He had faith that he could be like Jesus, and do what Jesus was doing. It took faith to step out into the deep water. And that's the faith I'm talking about.

I think you're onto something here. It takes something more to step out into the water, than it does to believe that the Lord will save our souls one day.

First off, Peter taught us that, if we choose to get out of the boat in faith...that we better not take our eyes off of Jesus. That we better not be fearful or we could die.

It is a conscious choice. It always requires that we step out of our comfort zone. In Matthew 17, Jesus tells them that even a teeny amount of faith...and nothing is impossible.

Matthew 17:20
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.../

Not only that, but

John 14:12
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.../

Well Jesus even raised the dead, so it seems to me that this is telling us that we have the potential to do the same, if we have faith and do not doubt.
Then we have this interesting passage;

Hebrews 11:1-3
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.../

That is a very thought provoking passage, and I'm not sure I even grasp the total significance of it yet.

I *think* what it is, that activates this level of faith...is action. We must step out of the boat. Perhaps framing up what we intend to do in faith, with our spoken words also?

 

[stovebolts]

I think you're onto something here. It takes something more to step out into the water, than it does to believe that the Lord will save our souls one day.

First off, Peter taught us that, if we choose to get out of the boat in faith...that we better not take our eyes off of Jesus. That we better not be fearful or we could die.

It is a conscious choice. It always requires that we step out of our comfort zone. In Matthew 17, Jesus tells them that even a teeny amount of faith...and nothing is impossible.

Matthew 17:20
20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.../

Not only that, but

John 14:12
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.../

Well Jesus even raised the dead, so it seems to me that this is telling us that we have the potential to do the same, if we have faith and do not doubt.
Then we have this interesting passage;

Hebrews 11:1-3
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.../

That is a very thought provoking passage, and I'm not sure I even grasp the total significance of it yet.

I *think* what it is, that activates this level of faith...is action. We must step out of the boat. Perhaps framing up what we intend to do in faith, with our spoken words also?

Sure,
But in the case of Peter, Jesus knew that Peter would loose his faith, yet Jesus still called him out to the deep waters.
Too often, we think the stakes are too high, or the risk is too much. It's easy to fill ourselves with self doubt that prevents us from doing the things Jesus did.

You see, sometimes the deeper faith is knowing not only does Jesus have faith in us, but it's also about the faith it takes to know that when we fail, Jesus is there to catch us... We're not going to die, and it's not the end of the world when we take our eyes off Jesus... Because Jesus never took his eyes off us.

When we begin to realize this, for some of us anyway.... Like myself in particular, then we can stop justifying why we don't act like Jesus and start trusting Gods word not just in thought, but action.

Example: We are to love our wives and they are to respect their husbands.
They are not conditional commandments and honestly, sometimes I'm not very respectable and sometimes she's not very lovable.

Do we trust His word, even when we find excuse not to? It takes faith to Trust Gods word, and do it, even when it doesn't make sense at the time and defies worldly wisdom.

 

[for_his_glory]

StoveBolts

Faith means the trustworthiness or reliance on Gods word for his salvation for us who believe in him. It's a belief in the promises and blessings of his word and applying his word to our daily walk with him by seeing the confidence in the testimony of others.

The nature of faith is seen through the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, which these fruits brings about kindness, self control and faithfulness through the works of God that comes from our heart.

Faith gives us freedom from condemnation and freedom of salvation through adoption as we become one body in the Lord as we walk by faith, live by faith, pray by faith and resist evil by faith. By faith we are an overcomer of this world as we stand fast and are grounded in Gods word knowing we have assurance of all of his promises that makes us victorious in all things here on earth by us applying his word to our lives to know for a surety that he will never leave us or forsake us.

Faith is a living reality in ones life through Gods service by declaring his word as we bear witness to his name by the mighty works he has done. It’s not even our faith, but that of Jesus who is our faith as we believe in who he has said he was and to the glory and honor that he has brought before the Father through his life, death and resurrection that we to can become heirs to the throne of grace by coming boldly to his throne and surrendering all of us to him to be Lord and Savior of our live.

 

[JohnDB]

Our gradual change over time has a name...its called sanctification. And it's also referred to as a walk....meaning action/movement is required.

Where sitting in a pew for a while may be good enough... But eventually it isn't enough. Speaking, giving, loving, and doing all kinds of things will be sufficient. What exactly those things are is between the individual and God.
And the best of intentions ain't gonna cut the mustard...you have to actually do something. "I meant to write a check but I forgot to bring a pen to make the check out with"