Faith! What is it?

Faith! What is it? Ask anyone and not surprisingly you’ll get many
different answers. Is faith just simple belief?
My opinion is that faith and believing in something is two different
things. You can believe in something that could be totally false.
But biblical faith is a special insight. Lets look at two biblical
definitions of faith.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the

word of God.

The premise of this scripture is that faith only comes by the

hearing of the WORD of God. But the next setting of scripture
seems to refute this.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.

Here faith is substance and evidence, of things hoped for and

things not seen. By this definition you could believe the sky is red
and you’d be correct.

In my opinion faith is something that is acquired thru a lifetime of

inquiring to the nature of things. Faith is something that as we
learn more is always evolving.

My pastor use to say that you can be so right that your dead right,
in other words if we hold fast to a limited belief in something then
it is a dead faith, never growing never expanding never teaching.

Faith is the pursuit of truth that is based in fact. Biblical faith is

established in the belief that the bible and the God of Israel is true.
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and
he was called the Friend of God.

Abraham believed God even though some of the promises of God

seemed unbelievable, such as having a child (Isaac) in his old age.

Romans 4:20 He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God

through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him

(God): for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

First we must believe that God is real then faith is established. Just
like Abraham believed God, biblical faith is established by belief
in the same God. As we just read ‘without faith it is impossible to
please God’.

Romans 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is
not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

If something is clearly ‘seen’ it is based upon understanding, it’s

more than just a hope. Faith is a form of understanding.
Interestingly the word ‘faith’ is found only twice in the Old
Testament. ‘Faith’ is a New Testament concept. Let’s read one of
the Old Testament settings where faith is mentioned.

Deuteronomy 32:20 And he said, I (God) will hide my face from

them (Israel), I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very
froward (stubborn) generation, children in whom is no faith.
Israel having witnessed the miracles the LORD performed in Egypt
still lacked faith. Witnessing miracles doesn’t necessarily produce
faith. Faith is substance and evidence. Israel saw the evidence of
miracles but didn’t possess the substance of faith.

Faith is the ability to see beyond your present time and

circumstances. The generation that came out of Egypt was not able
to see beyond their circumstances.

Numbers 14:22-24 Because all those men which have seen my

glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the
wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have
not hearkened to my voice;
23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their
fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it:
24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him,
and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land
whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Twelve spies were sent into the promise land, when they returned
ten had a negative pessimistic report, two had a positive feeling
about taking the land, Caleb and Joshua. ‘Caleb had another spirit
with him’, the can do spirit of faith, that said we are ‘well able’ to
take the promised land. Caleb had faith in the works of the LORD.

Numbers 13:30-32 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and
said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to
overcome it.
31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go
up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had
searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through
which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the
inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of
a great stature.
They must have forgot about the LORD who three months earlier
decimated the mighty Egyptian army. Because of this lack of faith
they wandered through the desert for forty years.

Numbers 14:30-33 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land,

concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb
the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I
bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years,
and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the
wilderness.

How sad, delivered from slavery to wander the desert because they
didn’t embrace their Saviour the LORD. Only two people, Joshua
and Caleb out of all those people went into the promise land. This
shines brighter light on what Jesus said ‘that many are called but
few are chosen’. (Matthew 20:16)

Hebrews 3:7-19 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye

will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of
temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works
forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They
do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart
of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any
of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
 14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning
of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not
your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all
that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with
them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest,
but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

As we just read unbelief is the killer. This always stunned me.

Israel saw all the miracles God preformed when He brought Israel
out of Egypt yet they suffered from unbelief. Delivered from
slavery to wander the desert how many of us suffer the same fate?
Not maintaining our faith makes us just like Israel in the
wilderness.

Romans 11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and
thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Hebrews 4:1-2 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us

of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of
it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but
the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith
in them that heard it.

The gospel preached or the WORD of God mixed with faith is’the
recipe for a successful spiritual life. Notice in the prior and up
coming scriptures the phrase ‘entering into his rest’.
Hebrews 4:11-12 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest,
lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.

Labour to enter into the ‘rest’ of God, consider what the LORD said.

Matthew 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

I will give you rest for your soul, learn of me, and ye shall find rest
for your soul. What incredible words, faith is what makes us ‘enter
in’, one ‘enters’ the kingdom of God with faith.

We read this earlier lets recap,

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham
believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and
he was called the Friend of God.

Romans 4:20 He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God

through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

As we read Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto as

righteousness. Abraham staggered not at the promises of God
through unbelief, but the generation of Israel that came out of
Egypt did not believe and was not allowed to enter into the
promise land.
So where does unshakable faith come from? It comes from
understanding the WORD of God, for ‘faith cometh by hearing and
hearing by the word of God’ (Romans 10:17).
Our next scripture is the second place in the Old Testament where
the word ‘faith’ is mentioned.

Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in

him: but the just shall live by his faith.

A soul that is ‘lifted up’ in its self is prideful. Pride in self is a faith
killer. Pride says ‘I am sufficient in myself, I don’t need God’.
There is a connection between being just (fair) and having faith.
Can unjust people really possess biblical faith?

But the just shall live by his faith. Faith is like a garden, something
to be maintained. Biblical faith teaches us that we are insufficient
in our selves and have great need of the LORD. Israel in the
wilderness thought they didn’t need the LORD. They chose a golden
calf idol instead of the LORD.

Now lets read about some Gentiles that had faith like Abraham.
These people had the ability to recognize the LORD, and the ability
to believe that He is able to perform His promises.

Matthew 8:6-10 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick

of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that
thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and
my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I
say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that
followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith,
no, not in Israel.

Here is a Gentile Roman centurion who like Abraham believed

God. How is it this Roman has the ability to see the ‘authority’ the
Christ possessed but the children of Israel couldn’t? Our next
scripture is another Gentile who had the same faith Abraham
possessed.

Matthew 15:21-28 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the
coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts,
and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son
of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and
besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s
bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs
which fall from their masters’ table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy
faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made
whole from that very hour.

It seems that the woman’s statement of ‘dogs eat the crumbs which
fall from the masters tables’ struck a cord in the LORD. It shows the
woman’s humility. Let’s look at another example of faith.

Matthew 9:20-22 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with

an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the
hem of his garment:
 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I
shall be whole.
22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said,
Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.
And the woman was made whole from that hour.

This woman knew if she could just touch the hem of His garment,
she would be made whole. She had a special insight into who the
LORD was. She had seen or heard of the LORD’S miracles and had
the faith to believe it.

Galatians 3:7-9 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the
same are the children of Abraham.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the
heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham,
saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful
Abraham.

God justifies the heathen through faith. And they which be of faith,
just like the unlearn Gentiles we read about, are justified by faith in
the LORD.

Romans 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which
followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness,
even the righteousness which is of faith.

People who weren’t following after righteousness obtained

righteousness because they like Abraham had faith or the ability to
believe God.

Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
God considers faith righteousness. Again, faith is the ability to see
beyond our present time and circumstances.

Matthew 14: 24-31 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea,
tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,
walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good
cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me
come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the
ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and
beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught
him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou
doubt?

As soon as Peter looked down he became fearful, doubt crept in.

As I’ve said earlier faith is the ability to see beyond your present
circumstance. As soon as Peter took his eyes off the LORD he
began to sink. My grandmother used to have a little saying. Look
around and you’ll be distracted, look down and you’ll be disgusted,
look up and you’ll be delighted. This little saying always reminded
me of Peter looking down while walking on the water.

Romans 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from

faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

The just shall live by faith. Just means fair and honest.
Romans 4:13 For the promise, that he (Abraham) should be the
heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the
law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith.

Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

‘Rooted and grounded in love’ is the end result of faith. Christ

dwells in our heart by faith.

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good
profession before many witnesses.

All said and done, Jesus gave us an interesting insight to faith as

seen in our next scripture.

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your

unbelief: 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.

Well, I’ve yet to move a mountain, so I’m going to keep exercising

and nurturing my faith.

‘Fight the good fight of faith’. Often in a troubled world it is a

struggle to maintain one’s faith. As mentioned earlier faith is like a
beautiful garden, something to be maintained. The best way to
maintain our faith is the continual study and rehearsal of the WORD
of God. The end result of faith is the salvation of your soul. So,
fight the good fight of faith.
1 Peter 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of
your souls.

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