The principle of faith: How faith is activated

[JLB]

Now for understanding the principle of faith.


Faith is a noun; the substance of things hoped for.

Everything in the natural world finds its beginning in the substance of faith; from the invisible substance of God’s faith.


Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Hebrews 11:1-3


Faith comes from God; The living God, the God of the Bible.


Faith comes to us from God, as He speaks, inspires, or moves upon us, either directly or indirectly, as in the Gospel being preached by a person who is sent by Him. Also God speaks to us through a prophet, or people who He chooses to speak through.


So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17


Budda, Allah, Krishna or any of the gods of other religions can not produce faith it their followers.

We can not “work up” faith from ourselves.

Faith comes from God alone.


Paul mentions the law of faith —


Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Romans 3:27


Faith must have the corresponding “work” or action of obedience, or it remains dormant or dead and incomplete, unable to function to produce the intended divine result.



Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? James 2:21-22


Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?

• The “work” mentioned here refers to obedience.

Not the works f the law, which Paul was contrasting in Romans.
Not the work that earns a wage.
Not good works.

• But the work of obedience.

The way we receive faith is by hearing God; Faith comes to us when God speaks to us, and in Abraham’s case God said to Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.


Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.”
Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Genesis 22:1-2

As soon as God spoke to Abraham to offer his son, Abraham had faith.

However, it wasn’t until Abraham actually raised the knife to kill his son, in obedience, that his faith was made activated, or made alive, and complete to produce the intended divine result of justification.


For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26



JLB