Faith is one of those words that is commonly used but not always understood. Some of that confusion comes from the many different ways the word faith is used in everyday conversation; a quick look at Dictionary.com shows seven different uses! One common way that people use the word faith is to refer to belief in something despite lacking any evidence for it. But is that what the Bible means by faith? The answer is a resounding no! So what does faith mean?
What does faith mean according to the Bible?
The closest that the Bible comes to offering an exact definition is Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” From this particular passage we see that the central feature of faith is confidence or trust. In the Bible, the object of faith is God and his promises. A clear example of this is Abram’s encounter with God in Genesis 15. In response to God’s promise of countless descendants, Abram “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Gen 15:6). Commenting on this, the Apostle Paul writes, “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” (Rom 4:20-21). Thus faith means putting your trust in God and having confidence that he will fulfill his promises.
Faith is more than intellectual agreement. To use an old illustration, imagine you are at Niagara Falls watching a tightrope walker push a wheelbarrow across the rope high above the falls. After watching him go back and forth several times, he asks for a volunteer to sit in the wheelbarrow as he pushes it across the falls. At an intellectual level you may believe that he could successfully push you across the rope over the falls, but you are not exercising biblical faith until you get in the wheelbarrow and entrust yourself to the tightrope walker.
Genuine biblical faith expresses itself in everyday life. James writes that “faith by itself, apart from works, is dead” (James 2:17). Faith works through love to produce tangible evidence of its existence in a person’s life (Gal 5:6). Put another way, the obedience that pleases God comes from faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26) rather than a mere sense of duty or obligation. There is all the difference in the world between the husband who buys his wife flowers out of delight and one who buys them simply out of duty.
Faith is so important because it is the means by which we have a relationship with God: “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph 2:8). Faith is how we receive the benefits of what Jesus has done for us. He lived a life of perfect obedience to God, died to pay the penalty for our sinful rebellion against God, and rose from the dead to defeat sin, death, and the devil. By putting our faith in him, we receive forgiveness for our sins and the gift of eternal life.
So what does faith mean? Simply put, faith means relying completely on who Jesus is and what he has done to be made right with God. Are you considering a faith-filled call to Christian ministry? The programs at Grace Theological Seminary will ensure you grow in your faith on your way to equipping others to do the same.
FAQs
: belief and trust in and loyalty to God. (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion. b(1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
What is the best explanation of faith? ›
Thus faith means putting your trust in God and having confidence that he will fulfill his promises.
How do you answer what is your faith? ›
Rather than simply responding to a series of random questions, it might be helpful to first take 30 seconds to establish a foundation. That can be as simple as explaining that we embrace Jesus Christ as our Savior and accept the Bible's teachings about His birth, life, ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection.
What faith means to me? ›
Among all definitions, faith holds a common theme: trust. Whether you're putting faith in a person, duty or belief, trust is a necessity. People of all faiths can likely agree on this notion, as trust creates a bond between the known and unknown.
What does faith mean in life? ›
Definitions of faith. complete confidence in a person or plan, etc. “he cherished the faith of a good woman” synonyms: trust. type of: belief.
What does faith mean in daily life? ›
According to the Bible, “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Heb. 11:1, NIV). Faithfulness means living in confidence and hope, and one of the best ways to find those things is in humble, thankful reflection.
What are the three main points of faith? ›
The Reformers, on the other hand, recognized three essential components of saving faith: notitia, assensus, and fiducia. Faith always has an object, namely, Jesus Christ. To believe in Jesus, we must first know something about Him.
What does God say about faith? ›
Hebrews 11:1–6
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
How do you describe a person of faith? ›
Being a person of faith is one who believes a good God is at work for good in all places and with all people. In other words, being a person of faith means being a person who refuses to give up the idea that good is possible.
How is faith a part of your life? ›
Without ever thinking about it, we just do what we do. So, why is faith so important to life? Faith is important because faith frames who we are, our existence, our values, our hopes, and our dreams. Faith is the quiet calm before a storm.
Paul wrote in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” If you want to strengthen your faith, you must have a regular diet of reading the Bible. I highly recommend a reading plan that will allow you to read through the Bible in a year.
How do you live your faith? ›
Live Out Your Faith With Confidence
- Understand and Accept the Gift of Grace.
- Embrace a Lifestyle of Love and Forgiveness.
- Live Out Your Faith With an Attitude of Thanksgiving.
- Be a Witness to God's Power and Mercy Through Your Words and Deeds.
- Pray for Strength to Stand Firm Against Temptation.
True faith means our hearts have been changed, and a changed heart is demonstrated through action. Faith with no demonstrable action is no real faith at all. It's dead, James tells us, like a body without a spirit.
What faith does to us? ›
Faith in Jesus Christ helps us receive spiritual and physical healing through His Atonement. When times of trial come, faith can give us strength to press forward and face our hardships with courage. Even when the future seems uncertain, our faith in the Savior can give us peace.
Why faith is important? ›
Faith erases doubt and the notion that things are doomed to fail. Faith brings chances that things will work out, and it gets higher when coupled with actions. By having great faith, we feel more encouraged to try new things, thus giving purpose to one's life.
How do you explain faith to a child? ›
Faith is believing that what God says He will do. Read Acts 27:25 about Paul, the missionary who was promised by God in a dream he would not die in a shipwreck. Paul believed this promise and it came true. That is faith-believing God always keeps His promises and waiting to see it happen in your life.
What God says about faith? ›
(2 Corinthians 5:7) For we live by faith, not by sight. (Hebrews 11:6) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
