What Is Faith Part 17

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1 John 5:4

We have seen in previous posts that faith is not just a doctrine or a set of theological beliefs that we are called to follow.

There are people who will ask, “what faith are you?” They are referring to our set of beliefs and do not understand what faith is.

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Hebrews 10:38

Faith is not optional. It is required for the Christian life if our goal is to please God and live victoriously.

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.
Hebrews 11:6

Faith is a way of life. It is how God functions. He has commanded us to follow Him and live like He does.

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

Our previous posts have laid a foundation. We have seen the necessity of learning to live and walk by faith. Today we will begin to examine what faith is.

There are varying opinions about what faith is and how it applies to our lives. The Bible is the final authority. Any theory or opinion that is not Scripturally based is not valid.

Truth is independent of what we think. It flows from the Word of God and has no room for negotiation.

³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:31-32

True disciple’s of Jesus are those who accept nothing less than God’s Word as the authoritative truth in their lives. Jesus told His disciples that freedom would come from knowing truth. This is more than just head knowledge.

Hebrews 11:1 provides us a definition of faith.

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

Faith is substance and faith is evidence. Notice this same verse in Young’s Literal Translation.

And faith is of things hoped for a confidence, of matters not seen a conviction.
Hebrews 11:1 (YLT)

The concordance provides additional ways that the word “confidence” could be translated. These include “assurance”, “trust”, or “persuasion”.

Faith is simply being persuaded of something. If we are persuaded then we’ll be assured and will trust and have confidence.

An example of this is the assurance we have in the fact that our car will start when the ignition is activated. When we press the ignition switch it will start the engine, right?

Our faith can be misplaced in natural things. We have faith in the ignition but that could fail us if the battery has died.

We are talking about faith in God. He is worthy of our trust and He is completely reliable. In other words, our God is faithful!

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