What is Biblical Faith?

[Cornelius]

We want to look at what faith is in this thread.

It seems that people think believing in God = total faith.

Is that so, or is there something else we need to know about what faith really is?

Why is Jesus asking this Luk 18:8 ..... Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Is Jesus here talking about people believing in God? If He is indeed talking about people believing in God, then He was surely unaware that today there are

Many sources mention 2.1 billion Christians in the world (about one third of the total population of the planet),

OK , these all at least say they believe IN God. So how come Jesus is worried about not finding faith when He returns?

 

[ChevyRodeo]

Tons of people SAY they believe in God.

fewer go to church


fewer actually feel god


and then even more turn away in years.


I went to a christian school and if you asked, all the kids except maybe one or two would say they believed in God, from my perspective only a small handful where actual followers of Christ.

 

[Cornelius]

So Chevy, do you think faith means you believe in God?


question 2) regarding FAITH:

When Jesus told the disciples they had little faith. Did He mean they believed a little in God?

Mat 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith?
Mat 8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Mat 16:8 [Which] when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

 

[Cornelius]

Feel free to answer any one of these questions

This is number........3 !!

Choose one , the other, or both , then explain why !
Faith is a) Believing in God b) believing God c) both d) non of them is faith .

 

[ChevyRodeo]

Faith is trust. but being a Christian is having an honest desire to do what God tells you to do, no matter what it might be.


Jesus was spot on when he said they had little faith, reading the 4 gospels always makes me think 'WOW how could you be hanging out with Jesus in the flesh and still mess that up?'

but we all stumble daily, I still cant help but think if I was there with them I could had more faith then them, but also they had no new testament to read

so question 1. Faith to me or as I see people use it , just means you recognize God is real. Does not mean you faith God correctly or yearn for closeness with Him

 

[Cornelius]

Faith is trust. but being a Christian is having an honest desire to do what God tells you to do, no matter what it might be.


Jesus was spot on when he said they had little faith, reading the 4 gospels always makes me think 'WOW how could you be hanging out with Jesus in the flesh and still mess that up?'

but we all stumble daily, I still cant help but think if I was there with them I could had more faith then them, but also they had no new testament to read

so question 1. Faith to me or as I see people use it , just means you recognize God is real. Does not mean you faith God correctly or yearn for closeness with Him

OK< so would yousum it up that : Faith is believing in God.

 

[ChevyRodeo]

You have to believe IN him to truly TRUST Him to do the things He said He will do/ can do.

If you doubt your faith is little. If you do not trust you might as well have no faith.

 

[Cornelius]

You have to believe IN him to truly TRUST Him to do the things He said He will do/ can do.

If you doubt your faith is little. If you do not trust you might as well have no faith.

That is a good way of looking at it. And it is certainly true, that in order for us to have trust Him, we have to first believe in Him.

So are we now maybe seeing that we do have two things here? You say trust and faith.

Do you think that our trust have some faith in it as well?

 

[Cornelius]

If you doubt your faith is little. If you do not trust you might as well have no faith.

OK, so you are correct. Here is a Scripture verse to back you up:

Jam 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. (That would be "doubt" ) For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Jam 1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

Right so this man (as you said ) "might as well have no faith'

 

[glorydaz]

Great topic.

I think it's important to know how faith comes.
First we have to know who we're to believe in, and that has to be based on the truth.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is then tied in with the Gospel message and it's messenger, Jesus Christ.
He becomes the substance on which we base our belief.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

So I'd have to say believing is more than just an understanding of the existance of God and Jesus, but an accepting of Him as the truth. So believing Jesus not just in Jesus would have to be my answer. Faith is pretty much believing the right thing about the right one.

 

[Cornelius]

Great topic.

I think it's important to know how faith comes.
First we have to know who we're to believe in, and that has to be based on the truth.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith is then tied in with the Gospel message and it's messenger, Jesus Christ.
He becomes the substance on which we base our belief.
[quote="Hebrews 11":1xm8hibc] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

So I'd have to say believing is more than just an understanding of the existance of God and Jesus, but an accepting of Him as the truth. So believing Jesus not just in Jesus would have to be my answer. Faith is pretty much believing the right thing about the right one.[/quote:1xm8hibc]

So what would you tell a young Christian about what to believe , regarding "believing Jesus" ?

C

 

[glorydaz]

So what would you tell a young Christian about what to believe , regarding "believing Jesus" ?

C

Short answer...That to believe is more than a head knowledge about what Jesus did, but it's trusting Him to change our heart so we can know who He is.

 

[Cornelius]

Let keep it simple

During my posting on forums, I realized something. In general, when we talk about "faith" people only have one thing in mind. They use the word "faith" when they refer to their belief IN God. Like the Roman Catholics refer to themselves as "Of the Faith" meaning they are people who believe in God.

But is that the only application of the word? Jesus was concerned about not finding faith when He returns. He was not talking about people not believing in God, He was talking about the other application of the word faith.

Do you know what that is?

C

 

[Geo]

to also walk in that faith, like Abraham did ?

that is the practical side of faith, to do something just because God said so

then it's 'tested faith', or 'manifested faith' - it goes beyond the thinking process

 

[mutzrein]

I've posted this before and believe it bears posting again

One day a child of mine asked me, “Dad, why are we so poor?†I said, “What makes you think we are poor?†And he told me of all the things others he knew, did and had. So I said to him, “Son, when you go bed at night you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll be warm and safe in your bed. It’s already provided for you. When you wake up in the morning, you don’t have to worry about whether there will be breakfast for you. It’s already provided. The clothes you wear, your food, your schooling, the home you live in and the security of a father that loves you. You don’t have to do anything to get them. They are all yours. You have everything you need.
And at this point I knew that God was showing me a lesson too so I carried on, “and this is the same relationship I have with my heavenly father. As I walk in the provision of his love every day I know that all of my needs have already been met. And yours are too.â€

And this is what faith is. We don’t have to worry about anything because we know that while we live and walk in the provision of a loving heavenly Father, whatever the circumstance, He cares and will provide for His own. And so our lives become a walk of faith. We don’t have to strive. We don’t have to worry. We just need to dwell in Him. And this is the righteousness that we have in Christ. To those who are His son’s and daughters, His provision has already been made.

By Gods grace, through Christ alone, we have been born into His family as sons and heirs of the living God. And by reason of our relationship to Him, the gift of faith enables us to dwell in His provision day by day. We don’t have to strive. We don’t have to be anxious for anything because we know God will, rather, has already provided. And this is the inheritance we have through Christ. It is our confidence even as the gospel was preached in advance to Abraham, the man of faith - to whom God credited righteousness - because he believed God and trusted in His provision. This is the same righteousness imputed to us by faith that is inherent in any child who trusts in the provision of all things from his father.

So, faith is not an act of the will or even a state of mind. It is position of implicit trust. And when this is so, we walk as Jesus walked – doing the will of our Father in heaven.

Now tell me. Who has faith?

 

[Cornelius]

So, faith is not an act of the will or even a state of mind. It is position of implicit trust. And when this is so, we walk as Jesus walked – doing the will of our Father in heaven. [/i]

Now tell me. Who has faith?

Yes, but now we come to the consequence of this faith. This type of faith causes those who have it, to WALK in a certain manner. James called this "works" (not works towards salvation, but works or "walk" as a result of faith.) Abraham behaved in a certain way,(Lifted the knife ) because he believed God.In other words, Abraham walked or had a "work".

Faith causes a result in behavior. People can see faith.

When we believe what God promises, we REST (Hebrews) and that rest is manifest. People who are not resting are always judging those who are resting. (No faith, criticizes faith )

 

[Cornelius]

Example: If we believe (Have faith in ) the promise of Psalm 91 , when faced with a situation that seems contradictory , like somebody pointing a gun at us, we will show forth a "work" or "walk". We will rest and not any effort to protect ourselves by our own means. This will show faith in the promise.

If we indeed took up arms against this person, we are then showing that we do not believe the promise of protection by sorting our the problem ourselves , using our own strength.We then trust in man and make our own flesh work our salvation (our arm)


Jer 17:5 Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.

 

[mutzrein]

So, faith is not an act of the will or even a state of mind. It is position of implicit trust. And when this is so, we walk as Jesus walked – doing the will of our Father in heaven. [/i]

Now tell me. Who has faith?

Yes, but now we come to the consequence of this faith. This type of faith causes those who have it, to WALK in a certain manner. James called this "works" (not works towards salvation, but works or "walk" as a result of faith.) Abraham behaved in a certain way,(Lifted the knife ) because he believed God.In other words, Abraham walked or had a "work".

Faith causes a result in behavior. People can see faith.

When we believe what God promises, we REST (Hebrews) and that rest is manifest. People who are not resting are always judging those who are resting. (No faith, criticizes faith )

Yes, faith does result in behaviour - this is what I term 'doing the will of our Father in heaven'.

We are known by our fruit . . . good AND bad.

 

[Cornelius]

Amen. Jesus called that the .........meat. Paul told them they were not ready for the meat , but only for the milk (the hearing, without the doing )

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work.

So its about the REST in Hebrews. Once we have faith in what God SAYS , we will act accordingly.

 

[Geo]

"Once we have faith in what God SAYS , we will act accordingly."

Amen.

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

---

So now what is the special situation of:

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Is it perhaps:

Revelation 13:10  He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

What does it mean "here is" the faith of the saints? This sounds like this is the situation for the just to live by faith only

Revelation 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

This time requires patience during a time of extreme hardship, and the discussion regarding keeping the commandments of God or not is settled by then. At least for the saints.