What is faith?

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Copper25

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Dec 2, 2008
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Hebrew 12:13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.Now aren’t we called to be a peculiar people that God has reserved for himself? Exodus 19:5-6) “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine; And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Aren’t we as a people, as God’s people driven by faith and are persuaded by the promise of eternal life, by the hope of the world to come, by our desire to please God to live by our faith? Someone can talk faith saying I have it, but (James 2:20) “faith without works is dead” and talk is cheap, but when we let our actions and our life, the way we carry ourselves, act, speak, and think to pleasing God, then we are headed toward the right direction. When Israel decided not to stand against the Amorites, when they did not put there trust in God, what type of faith was being shown? When Caleb took courage and boldness willing to stand against odds and adversity saying, Numbers 14:9) “Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.”, what faith was being shown? One, the children of Israel fainted in the time of adversity and at the same time disobeyed God. Caleb on the other hand, trusted in the Lord and obeyed willing to fight though others were not. Hebrew 11:7) “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” He obeyed God and built the ark, he did not just sit while the flood was about to come, he took action and hearkened unto the voice of the Lord. Hebrew 11:7) “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” He was uncertain of the destination, yet when God said to him (Genesis12:1-3) “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Abraham obeyed and left in hope of the promise. Part of faith, what develops from faith, are works, fruitfulness, after time develop, leaning to God results in works. 1 Corinthians 3:6) “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” John 15:5) “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” By the Lord’s working upon us only can we bring forth spiritual fruit and it all starts with, but not only having faith. But one’s faith must be active and put into motion in order to achieve success. Can we only have faith and hear THE END, I think not. But when we push to seek our Maker, our Father, our Lord, each and every day with diligence striding for (but not justified by) obedience (for by works no man is justified, Revelation 3:2) “I have not found thy works perfect before God.”), then can we thrive producing spiritual fruitfulness (Matthew 13:8) “some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
 

RichardBurger

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Jan 23, 2008
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Faith/belief/trust:The dictionary gives several definitions of the word "Faith."1. to trust in, have confidence in.2. unquestioning belief in God, religion, etc.3. complete trust, confidence, or reliance: as children usually have faith in their parents.4. a religion, or system, of religious beliefs: as, the Catholic faith, Baptist faith, etc.Using number 4, above, some say that faith is their system of religious beliefs. In other words they have faith (as a child) in their system of religion. Notice that in number 4 the word "IN" is not used. In number 4 the word "faith" is used to denote a label (name) for a religion.The scriptures do not teach that we are to have faith in our religious systems. Nor are we to have faith in our works. The scriptures teach we are to have faith "in" God. It is easily seen that without the word "IN" after the word faith, the word means nothing but a label (name).You cannot separate the ideas behind the words "faith," "belief" and "trust" and “confidence” as they are used in scriptural context. The "IN" word is used after the these words to denote what they are supposed to be "IN."In reality all four words (faith/belief/trust/confidence) can be used to describe each other. In the O.T. the word "faith" can only be found in two places, one in Deuteronomy 32:20 and one in Habakkuk 2:4. The most used word in the O.T. is "trust." ---- In the N.T. the word "trust" can only be found in 18 places. The most used word in the N.T. is "faith." These two words can be used interchangeable since they have the same meaning. However, in scripture there is no context where the words are used to denote a label (name).The word "persuaded" is defined as believing something. To be "convinced." To have "confidence."When a child of God is asked about their faith, they will say that their faith is “IN” God‘s work on the cross. If a person‘s answer is about what they do, then their faith is in what they do, not in what God has done on the cross.You cannot see faith, trust, or confidence since these things exist in the heart. But you can witness as to what you have these “IN”.Acts 28:2424 And some were persuaded (some believed, substitution by me) by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.(NKJ)Rom 8:38-3938 For I am persuaded (convinced, substitution by me) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.(NKJ)Faith/belief/trust/confidence does not describe what I have faith/belief/trust/confidence """"IN."""" None of these words mean anything but a label (name) until the word "IN" follows it. An example; Prov 3:5 ""Trust in"" the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;I don't have faith in belief, or belief in faith. I have faith/belief/trust/confidence "IN" what God has done for me/us on the cross. I don't own faith, nor belief, nor trust. They are words that describe what I do in my heart. Since it is in my heart it is not a physical work. It is a work of the heart.According to the scriptures “faith” is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift is given when a person humbles him/her self before God acknowledging that they are sinful in the flesh and cannot save themselves and need Jesus‘ work on the cross. I believe, that at that point, the Holy Spirit gives them the gift of faith in Jesus and seals them “in Christ“.Richard
 

savedbygrace57

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Nov 15, 2007
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(Copper25;68542)
Hebrew 12:13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.Now aren’t we called to be a peculiar people that God has reserved for himself? Exodus 19:5-6) “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine; And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Aren’t we as a people, as God’s people driven by faith and are persuaded by the promise of eternal life, by the hope of the world to come, by our desire to please God to live by our faith? Someone can talk faith saying I have it, but (James 2:20) “faith without works is dead” and talk is cheap, but when we let our actions and our life, the way we carry ourselves, act, speak, and think to pleasing God, then we are headed toward the right direction. When Israel decided not to stand against the Amorites, when they did not put there trust in God, what type of faith was being shown? When Caleb took courage and boldness willing to stand against odds and adversity saying, Numbers 14:9) “Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.”, what faith was being shown? One, the children of Israel fainted in the time of adversity and at the same time disobeyed God. Caleb on the other hand, trusted in the Lord and obeyed willing to fight though others were not. Hebrew 11:7) “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” He obeyed God and built the ark, he did not just sit while the flood was about to come, he took action and hearkened unto the voice of the Lord. Hebrew 11:7) “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.” He was uncertain of the destination, yet when God said to him (Genesis12:1-3) “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Abraham obeyed and left in hope of the promise. Part of faith, what develops from faith, are works, fruitfulness, after time develop, leaning to God results in works. 1 Corinthians 3:6) “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” John 15:5) “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” By the Lord’s working upon us only can we bring forth spiritual fruit and it all starts with, but not only having faith. But one’s faith must be active and put into motion in order to achieve success. Can we only have faith and hear THE END, I think not. But when we push to seek our Maker, our Father, our Lord, each and every day with diligence striding for (but not justified by) obedience (for by works no man is justified, Revelation 3:2) “I have not found thy works perfect before God.”), then can we thrive producing spiritual fruitfulness (Matthew 13:8) “some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Faith is spiritual and its supernatural..