What is the biblical definition of faith?
The
shield of faith described by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesian
Christians is of paramount importance because it is the grace “with which you
can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16). This
is not an uncertain promise. Rather, it is divine assurance that faith equips
us to escape the very extremities of evil. But what is faith?
First,
the Bible defines faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what
we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Thus, in biblical vernacular, faith is a
channel of living trust—an assurance—that stretches from man to God. In
other words, it is the object of faith that renders faith faithful.
Furthermore,
faith is the assurance that God’s promises will never fail, even if sometimes
we do not experience their fulfillment in our mortal existence. Hebrews 11
underscores the fact that we trust God to fulfill his promises for the future
(the unseen) based on what he has already fulfilled in the past. Thus, our
faith is not blind, but based squarely on God’s proven faithfulness.
What the Bible Says about Faith
Faith Come by Hearing the
Word of God
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.
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. Hebrews
11:1-3
The Bible
says very plainly about faith that it is a reality, something that gives
“substance” to things before they become visible to the natural eye. 2
Corinthians 5:7 declares that we walk by faith, not by sight.
When we are “born
again” we are given spiritual eyes to see things and understand things that
otherwise we could not discern without the Holy Spirit. When we are submitted
to the Lord, He then begins to guide and lead us by His Spirit; we follow Him
in faith knowing He will not disappoint us or lead us astray. We must learn to
obey Him even when we do not see or understand how He is leading. In
the process, we begin to learn what the Bible says about faith.The Word of God states that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23b). Some people refer to the expression “blind faith,” but our faith is not a blind faith; it is faith in a very real person, Jesus Christ. We were blind before our eyes were opened to His love and forgiveness, but now we see Him and a new life and world belong to us.
Increasing of Our Faith
Romans 12:3b says, “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” We are then to allow the Holy Spirit to move in our lives so that our faith might grow in Him. For faith to grow and for God to honor our faith there are several principles we must follow in the Word of God since faith alone cannot produce our prayer answers.Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We must know the Word of God for our faith to increase. Many times, we take only a portion of His Word and quote it and expect answers, when we must learn other portions that work along with the portion we are quoting. An example would be if we do pray a prayer of faith, yet do not obey God, our faith would be in vain.
Let’s look at Hebrews 11:4 for an example of this: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of His gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” Why was God pleased with Abel and not with Cain? Cain’s heart was not right before God, thus his works were evil therefore his offering was rejected. “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1 John 3:12). Today, many people are doing the same thing, yet expecting God to honor their faith.
God wants you and me to be faithful men and women, so that we can have good success in all that we do. Joshua 1:8 says, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” We can see by this verse that we cannot please God unless we walk by faith. The dictionary defines faith as (1) unquestioning belief, especially in God, (2) complete trust or confidence and (3) loyalty.
Following in Faith, We Trust God with Our Lives
In looking at these definitions, we can take a test and see if we really are trusting God with our lives. Test question number one: Do we rebelliously question what God is doing in our lives? Do we ask God such questions as, “Lord, when are you going to do this thing in my life? How much longer am I going to have to wait for my answer? Why haven’t you answered my prayers, God?” All of these questions, if posed rebelliously, are just the opposite of faith as they produce doubt and are questioning what God is doing in our lives. Also, we are referring to people in this test who have made a total commitment to God and are trying to walk in His will. If we have not surrendered to God, there are things that happen to us that are not His fault because we are in the devil’s territory. The Lord does not mind us asking any question as long as we are asking it with a submissive attitude and not questioning His goodness.Test question number two: Do we completely trust God and have our confidence in Him to the degree that when we don’t see our answer right away, we wait patiently instead of taking the matter into our own hands and doing it our own way? Do we have confidence in the Lord that He has everything under control, or do we worry and fret and let anxiety rob us of our day? If we trusted Him, we would believe His Word and not doubt His promises.
Test question number three: What about loyalty? Are we loyal to Him? We act sometimes as if God were against us instead of for us. For instance, when we have prayed and asked God for an answer to our prayers but have not received that answer yet, do we begin listening to the devil as he whispers these words to us, “God hasn’t answered your prayers; He doesn’t really care for you. You know God has all power in heaven and earth so why doesn’t He answer your prayers?” Instead of our being loyal and defending the Father, we end up many times agreeing with the devil by turning to God and saying, “Yes, God, why haven’t You answered my prayers?” Our devotion to the Lord should be one of defending the heavenly Father with a statement to the enemy like this, “Satan, I don’t know why God hasn’t answered my prayers yet, but I do know one thing; He loves me and my answers are on the way. If anybody is hindering my answers, it’s you, not my precious Father.”
Real faith has all the above qualities of total confidence in God, and complete trust and unquestioning loyalty. Do we really have faith in God? In discussing faith we need to point out that it is not the quantity of faith that will accomplish the overcoming in our lives, but rather the quality. “…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” (Matthew 17:20). It is not the amount of faith we have but who our faith is centered in. Jesus is faith.
If we feel we do not have sufficient faith to remove our “mountain of difficulty,” we can always ask the Lord for the “gift of faith.” This gift is one of the provisions for those who are baptized with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9). The Lord did not leave us without the tools to overcome our lack of faith. We can simply ask God to give us the gift of faith we need for whatever problem we might have. As we are faithful to exercise our “measure of faith” that has been given to each of us, our faith will grow. Then we can believe God for greater things even without the gift of faith. However, if we need the gift, we can ask and the Lord will supply if our hearts are right.
Faith is not only a gift, but also a fruit of the Holy Spirit plus a part of our Christian armour; so we see the importance of it in our Christian walk (Galatians 5:22). May we be spoken of as were the Christians at Thessalonica, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure” (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4). Faith will carry us through every trial and tribulation. Faith is really not that difficult. God made it easy. In essence, faith is just taking one more step with Jesus; it’s believing God for one more hour, and because we do not give up on God, He comes through with our answers when we trust Him.
Question:
"What does the Bible say about faith?"
Answer: Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Perhaps no other component of the Christian life is more important than faith. We cannot purchase it, sell it or give it to our friends. So what is faith and what role does faith play in the Christian life? The dictionary defines faith as “belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.” It also defines faith as “belief in and devotion to God.” The Bible has much more to say about faith and how important it is. In fact, it is so important that, without faith, we have no place with God, and it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). According to the Bible, faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him.
Where does faith come from? Faith is not something we conjure up on our own, nor is it something we are born with, nor is faith a result of diligence in study or pursuit of the spiritual. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear that faith is a gift from God, not because we deserve it, have earned it, or are worthy to have it. It is not from ourselves; it is from God. It is not obtained by our power or our free will. Faith is simply given to us by God, along with His grace and mercy, according to His holy plan and purpose, and because of that, He gets all the glory.
Why have faith? God designed a way to distinguish between those who belong to Him and those who don’t, and it is called faith. Very simply, we need faith to please God. God tells us that it pleases Him that we believe in Him even though we cannot see Him. A key part of Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” This is not to say that we have faith in God just to get something from Him. However, God loves to bless those who are obedient and faithful. We see a perfect example of this in Luke 7:50. Jesus is engaged in dialog with a sinful woman when He gives us a glimpse of why faith is so rewarding. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” The woman believed in Jesus Christ by faith, and He rewarded her for it. Finally, faith is what sustains us to the end, knowing that by faith we will be in heaven with God for all eternity. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).
Examples of faith. Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the “faith chapter” because in it great deeds of faith are described. By faith Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord (v. 4); by faith Noah prepared the ark in a time when rain was unknown (v. 7); by faith Abraham left his home and obeyed God’s command to go he knew not where, then willingly offered up his only son (vv. 8-10, 17); by faith Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt (vv. 23-29); by faith Rahab received the spies of Israel and saved her life (v. 31). Many more heroes of the faith are mentioned “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies” (vv. 33-34). Clearly, the existence of faith is demonstrated by action.
According to the Bible, faith is essential to Christianity. Without demonstrating faith and trust in God, we have no place with Him. We believe in God’s existence by faith. Most people have a vague, disjointed notion of who God is but lack the reverence necessary for His exalted position in their lives. These people lack the true faith needed to have an eternal relationship with the God who loves them. Our faith can falter at times, but because it is the gift of God, given to His children, He provides times of trial and testing in order to prove that our faith is real and to sharpen and strengthen it. This is why James tells us to consider it “pure joy” when we fall into trials, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance and matures us, providing the evidence that our faith is real (James 1:2-4).
Answer: Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Perhaps no other component of the Christian life is more important than faith. We cannot purchase it, sell it or give it to our friends. So what is faith and what role does faith play in the Christian life? The dictionary defines faith as “belief in, devotion to, or trust in somebody or something, especially without logical proof.” It also defines faith as “belief in and devotion to God.” The Bible has much more to say about faith and how important it is. In fact, it is so important that, without faith, we have no place with God, and it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). According to the Bible, faith is belief in the one, true God without actually seeing Him.
Where does faith come from? Faith is not something we conjure up on our own, nor is it something we are born with, nor is faith a result of diligence in study or pursuit of the spiritual. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear that faith is a gift from God, not because we deserve it, have earned it, or are worthy to have it. It is not from ourselves; it is from God. It is not obtained by our power or our free will. Faith is simply given to us by God, along with His grace and mercy, according to His holy plan and purpose, and because of that, He gets all the glory.
Why have faith? God designed a way to distinguish between those who belong to Him and those who don’t, and it is called faith. Very simply, we need faith to please God. God tells us that it pleases Him that we believe in Him even though we cannot see Him. A key part of Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” This is not to say that we have faith in God just to get something from Him. However, God loves to bless those who are obedient and faithful. We see a perfect example of this in Luke 7:50. Jesus is engaged in dialog with a sinful woman when He gives us a glimpse of why faith is so rewarding. “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” The woman believed in Jesus Christ by faith, and He rewarded her for it. Finally, faith is what sustains us to the end, knowing that by faith we will be in heaven with God for all eternity. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).
Examples of faith. Hebrews chapter 11 is known as the “faith chapter” because in it great deeds of faith are described. By faith Abel offered a pleasing sacrifice to the Lord (v. 4); by faith Noah prepared the ark in a time when rain was unknown (v. 7); by faith Abraham left his home and obeyed God’s command to go he knew not where, then willingly offered up his only son (vv. 8-10, 17); by faith Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt (vv. 23-29); by faith Rahab received the spies of Israel and saved her life (v. 31). Many more heroes of the faith are mentioned “who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies” (vv. 33-34). Clearly, the existence of faith is demonstrated by action.
According to the Bible, faith is essential to Christianity. Without demonstrating faith and trust in God, we have no place with Him. We believe in God’s existence by faith. Most people have a vague, disjointed notion of who God is but lack the reverence necessary for His exalted position in their lives. These people lack the true faith needed to have an eternal relationship with the God who loves them. Our faith can falter at times, but because it is the gift of God, given to His children, He provides times of trial and testing in order to prove that our faith is real and to sharpen and strengthen it. This is why James tells us to consider it “pure joy” when we fall into trials, because the testing of our faith produces perseverance and matures us, providing the evidence that our faith is real (James 1:2-4).
Question: "Can faith
really move mountains?"
Answer: In order to correctly interpret a passage such as Matthew 17:20, we first look at the overall context of the passage. Jesus, along with Peter, James and John, had just come down from the “mount of transfiguration,” and they encounter a man with a demon-possessed child. The man tells Jesus that he brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, but they couldn’t cast the demon out (recall that Jesus earlier, in Matthew 10:1, gave His disciples the authority to cast out evil spirits). Jesus then chastises them for their lack of faith and then casts the demon out of the boy. When His disciples inquire as to why the demon didn’t obey their command, Jesus replies with the statement in Matthew 17:20. Their faith, He says, is small and weak. If it were the size of even the smallest of the seeds, the mustard bush, they would be able to “move mountains.”
The first thing that needs to be considered is the Bible’s use of literary techniques. The Bible is first and foremost God’s revealed Word; we want to be clear on this point (2 Timothy 3:16). While the Bible is God’s revealed Word, it is revealed to us by way of language. God condescended—He lowered Himself—to speak to us in ways in which we would understand. Consider a father trying to communicate with his young child. The father has to condescend in order to be understood by the limited intellect and understanding of the child. This is analogous (though not identical) to the way in which God speaks to us.
The Bible employs many forms, or genres, of literature. There is historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic writing, and epistolary literature (to name a few). Among these various literary genres, several literary techniques are used—metaphor, simile, imagery, parable, allusion, irony, personification, paradox, and hyperbole. As readers of the Bible, we must recognize when these techniques are being used so we can properly interpret the meaning. For example, in John 10:7, Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep.” How are we to interpret this verse? If we are too literal, we might start looking for a doorknob hidden somewhere on His body. However, if we understand this to be a metaphor, then we can begin to understand His meaning (Jesus is the way of access to eternal life, much like a door is the way of access into a room).
Another thing to consider in biblical interpretation is the context of the passage. More often than not, when we take a single verse out of its native context, we end up misinterpreting the verse. In the context of Matthew 17, Jesus rebukes the disciples for their weak faith and says that even if they had mustard seed-sized faith, they could command the mountain to move. Contextually, the mountain must refer to the demon that was afflicting the man’s son. Jesus tells His disciples that, if their faith was stronger, they could have commanded the demon to leave the boy, and it would be so. This was clearly the case in Matthew 10 when Jesus sent them out to cure diseases, cast out demons, and spread the gospel. Therefore, it is clear from the context that Jesus does not intend to assert that mustard seed-sized faith can literally move mountains. Rather, the expression Jesus uses was a common colloquialism of that day; to a Jew of Jesus’ day, a mountain is a metaphor signifying a seemingly impossible task.
Faith that can move mountains is not meant to imply a faith that can literally move literal mountains. The point Jesus was making is that even a little bit of faith—faith the size of a tiny mustard seed—can overcome mountainous obstacles in our lives.
Answer: In order to correctly interpret a passage such as Matthew 17:20, we first look at the overall context of the passage. Jesus, along with Peter, James and John, had just come down from the “mount of transfiguration,” and they encounter a man with a demon-possessed child. The man tells Jesus that he brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, but they couldn’t cast the demon out (recall that Jesus earlier, in Matthew 10:1, gave His disciples the authority to cast out evil spirits). Jesus then chastises them for their lack of faith and then casts the demon out of the boy. When His disciples inquire as to why the demon didn’t obey their command, Jesus replies with the statement in Matthew 17:20. Their faith, He says, is small and weak. If it were the size of even the smallest of the seeds, the mustard bush, they would be able to “move mountains.”
The first thing that needs to be considered is the Bible’s use of literary techniques. The Bible is first and foremost God’s revealed Word; we want to be clear on this point (2 Timothy 3:16). While the Bible is God’s revealed Word, it is revealed to us by way of language. God condescended—He lowered Himself—to speak to us in ways in which we would understand. Consider a father trying to communicate with his young child. The father has to condescend in order to be understood by the limited intellect and understanding of the child. This is analogous (though not identical) to the way in which God speaks to us.
The Bible employs many forms, or genres, of literature. There is historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic writing, and epistolary literature (to name a few). Among these various literary genres, several literary techniques are used—metaphor, simile, imagery, parable, allusion, irony, personification, paradox, and hyperbole. As readers of the Bible, we must recognize when these techniques are being used so we can properly interpret the meaning. For example, in John 10:7, Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep.” How are we to interpret this verse? If we are too literal, we might start looking for a doorknob hidden somewhere on His body. However, if we understand this to be a metaphor, then we can begin to understand His meaning (Jesus is the way of access to eternal life, much like a door is the way of access into a room).
Another thing to consider in biblical interpretation is the context of the passage. More often than not, when we take a single verse out of its native context, we end up misinterpreting the verse. In the context of Matthew 17, Jesus rebukes the disciples for their weak faith and says that even if they had mustard seed-sized faith, they could command the mountain to move. Contextually, the mountain must refer to the demon that was afflicting the man’s son. Jesus tells His disciples that, if their faith was stronger, they could have commanded the demon to leave the boy, and it would be so. This was clearly the case in Matthew 10 when Jesus sent them out to cure diseases, cast out demons, and spread the gospel. Therefore, it is clear from the context that Jesus does not intend to assert that mustard seed-sized faith can literally move mountains. Rather, the expression Jesus uses was a common colloquialism of that day; to a Jew of Jesus’ day, a mountain is a metaphor signifying a seemingly impossible task.
Faith that can move mountains is not meant to imply a faith that can literally move literal mountains. The point Jesus was making is that even a little bit of faith—faith the size of a tiny mustard seed—can overcome mountainous obstacles in our lives.
