Faith (4102) (pistis) is synonymous with trust or belief and is the conviction of the truth of anything, but in Scripture usually speaks of belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it. Note that this discussion of pistis is only an overview and not a detailed treatise of this vitally important subject. Those interested are directed to respected, conservative books on systematic theology for more in depth discussion (eg, Dr Wayne Grudem's book Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine is an excellent, uncompromising, imminently readable resource for the lay person. See especially Chapter 35 which addresses the question "What is saving faith?" in an easy to understand manner.) Much of this "definition" deals with the general word group for faith (pistis = noun, pistos = adjective, pisteuo = verb) As pistis relates to God, it is the conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things well as the Provider and Bestower of eternal salvation through Christ. As faith relates to Christ it represents a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through Whom we obtain eternal salvation and entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. Stated another way, eternal salvation comes only through belief in Jesus Christ and no other way. Related Resources: Multiple articles (Spurgeon, J C Ryle, Thomas Watson, Thomas Brooks, et al) @ Saving Faith Maclaren writes that Faith is the hand that grasps. It is the means of communication, it is the channel through which the grace which is the life, or, rather, I should say, the life which is the grace, comes to us. It is the open door by which the angel of God comes in with his gifts. It is like the petals of the flowers, opening when the sunshine kisses them, and, by opening, laying bare the depths of their calyxes to be illuminated and coloured, and made to grow by the sunshine which itself has opened them, and without the presence of which, within the cup, there would have been neither life nor beauty. So faith is the basis of everything; the first shoot from which all the others ascend...Faith works. It is the foundation of all true work; even in the lowest sense of the word we might almost say that. But in the Christian scheme it is eminently the underlying requisite for all work which God does not consider as busy idleness... Your work of faith. There is the whole of the thorny subject of the relation of faith and works packed into a nutshell. It is exactly what James said and it is exactly what a better than James said. When the Jews came to Him with their externalism, and thought that God was to be pleased by a whole rabble of separate good actions, and so said, ‘What shall we do that we might work the works of God?' Jesus said, ‘Never mind about Works. This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent,' and out of that will come all the rest. That is the mother tincture; everything will flow from that. So Paul says, ‘Your work of faith.' Does your faith work? Perhaps I should ask other people rather than you. Do men see that your faith works; that its output is different from the output of men who are not possessors of a ‘like precious faith'? Ask yourselves the question, and God help you to answer it. (Read full sermon on 1 Thessalonians 1:3) Wayne Grudem defines faith that saves one's soul... Saving faith is trust in Jesus Christ as a living person for forgiveness of sins and for eternal life with God. This definition emphasizes that saving faith is not just a belief in facts but personal trust in Jesus to save me... The definition emphasizes personal trust in Christ, not just belief in facts about Christ. Because saving faith in Scripture involves this personal trust, the word "trust" is a better word to use in contemporary culture than the word "faith" or "belief." The reason is that we can "believe" something to be true with no personal commitment or dependence involved in it. (Grudem, W. A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine Zondervan) (Bolding added) RELATED RESOURCES ON FAITH Miscellanies on Faith-- Jonathan Edwards The Spirit Working Faith -- A. W. Pink True Faith -- A. W. Pink Fact! Faith! Feeling! - F B Meyer The Nature of Faith -- Thomas Watson (Interesting) A Godly Man's Faith -- Thomas Watson Three Men in Fetters -- Jim Ehrhard from Pilgrim's Progress Faith’s Way of Approach -- Charles Spurgeon Genesis 17:1,2 - Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith - C H Spurgeon Job 13:15 Faith Tried and Triumphing - C H Spurgeon Job 23:6 The Question of Fear and the Answer of Faith - C H Spurgeon Psalm 57:1, 55:22, Isa 50:10 Three Texts but One Subject - Faith - C H Spurgeon Isaiah 44:5 Converts and their Confession of Faith - C H Spurgeon Habakkuk 2:4 Faith: Life Matthew 15:21-28 Faith Victorious - C H Spurgeon Matthew 15:28 Perseverance of Faith - C H Spurgeon Mark 1:15 Faith and Repentance Inseparable - C H Spurgeon Mark 4:40 Why Is Faith So Feeble? - C H Spurgeon Mark 9:23 Faith Omnipotent - C H Spurgeon Mark 9:24 Faith’s Dawn and Its Clouds - C H Spurgeon Mark 9:24 Feeble Faith Appealing to a Strong Saviour - C H Spurgeon Mark 14:31 The History of Little Faith - C H Spurgeon Luke 7:50 Saving Faith - C H Spurgeon John 1:11-13 Faith and its Attendant Privileges - C H Spurgeon John 4:48 Characteristics of Faith - C H Spurgeon Acts 15:9 Faith Purifying the Heart - C H Spurgeon Romans 10:17 How Can I Obtain Faith? - C H Spurgeon Romans 10:17 Faith’s Way of Approach - C H Spurgeon 2 Corinthians 5:7 Faith Versus Sight - C H Spurgeon Galatians 3:2 The Hearing of Faith - C H Spurgeon Galatians 3:11 Life by Faith - C H Spurgeon Ephesians 2:8 Faith: What Is It? How Can It Be Obtained?- C H Spurgeon Ephesians 6:16 The Shield of Faith - C H Spurgeon Colossians 2:6 Life and Walk of Faith - C H Spurgeon 2 Timothy 1:12 Faith Illustrated - C H Spurgeon 2 Thessalonians 1:3 A Lecture for Little Faith - C H Spurgeon 2 Thessalonians 1:3 The Necessity of Growing Faith - C H Spurgeon Hebrews 11:6 Faith - C H Spurgeon Hebrews 11:6 Faith Essential to Pleasing God - C H Spurgeon Hebrews 11:8 The Obedience of Faith - C H Spurgeon James 2:17 Fruitless Faith - C H Spurgeon 1 Peter 2:6 Faith’s Sure Foundation - C H Spurgeon 2 Peter 1:1-4 Faith and Life - C H Spurgeon 1 John 5:1 Faith and Life - C H Spurgeon 1 John 5:4,5 Victorious Faith - C H Spurgeon 1 John 5:4The Victory of Faith - C H Spurgeon 1 John 5:9,10 Faith and the Witness Upon Which it is Founded - C H Spurgeon Note: This preceding list includes most but not all of Spurgeon's sermons in which the word "faith" is in the sermon title. Related studies: The faith Obedience of faith. See also study on pistos Pistis - 243x in 9" class="scriptRef">9.14" class="scriptRef">14" class="scriptRef">14.5" class="scriptRef">5.22" class="scriptRef">22" class="scriptRef">22" class="scriptRef">22" class="scriptRef">22" class="scriptRef">226.12" class="scriptRef">12" class="scriptRef">12" class="scriptRef">12" class="scriptRef">12.6" class="scriptRef">6.7" class="scriptRef">7" class="scriptRef">7v in the NAS- 10" class="scriptRef">10" class="scriptRef">10.8" class="scriptRef">8" class="scriptRef">8.10" class="scriptRef">Mt 8:10; 9:2, 22, 29; 5.28" class="scriptRef">15" class="scriptRef">15:28; 17" class="scriptRef">17" class="scriptRef">17" class="scriptRef">17" class="scriptRef">17.20" class="scriptRef">20" class="scriptRef">20" class="scriptRef">17:20; 21" class="scriptRef">21.21" class="scriptRef">21:21; 23" class="scriptRef">23.23" class="scriptRef">23:23; Mark 2:5; 4:40; 5:34; 10:52; 11" class="scriptRef">11.22" class="scriptRef">11:22; Luke 5:20; 7:9, 50; 8:25, 48; 17:5, 6, 19" class="scriptRef">19" class="scriptRef">19; 18:8, 42; 32" class="scriptRef">22:32; 16" class="scriptRef">Acts 3:16; 6:5, 7; 24" class="scriptRef">11:24; 13" class="scriptRef">13" class="scriptRef">13" class="scriptRef">13" class="scriptRef">13.13" class="scriptRef">13.8" class="scriptRef">13:8; 14:9, 22, 27" class="scriptRef">27; 15:9; 16:5; 17:31; 20:21; 24:24; 26.18" class="scriptRef">26:18; Rom 1:5, 8, 12, 17; 3:3, 22, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31; 4:5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 19, 20; 5:1, 2; 9:30, 32; 10:6, 8, 17; 11:20; 12:3, 6; 14:1, 22, 23; 16:26; 1Cor 2:5; 12:9; 13:2, 13; 15:14, 17; 16:13; 2Cor 1:24; 4:13; 5:7; 8:7; 10:15; 13:5; Gal 1:23; 2:16, 20; 3:2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 22, 23, 24; 5:5, 6, 22; 6:10; Ep 1:15; 2:8; 3:12, 17; 4:5, 13; 6:16, 23; Phil 1:25, 27; 2:17; 3:9; Col 1:4, 23; 2:5, 7, 12; 1Th 1:3, 8; 3:2, 5, 6, 7, 10; 5:8; 2Th 1:3, 4, 11; 2:13; 3:2; 1Ti 1:2, 4, 5, 14, 19; 2:7, 15; 3:9, 13; 4:1, 6, 12; 5:8, 12; 6:10, 11, 12, 21; 2Ti 1:5, 13; 2:18, 22; 3:8, 10, 15; 4:7; Titus 1:1, 4, 13; 2:2, 10; 3:15; Philemon 1:5, 6; Heb 4:2; 6:1, 12; 10:22, 38, 39; 11:1, 3, 4, 11, 13, 17, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 33, 39; 12:2; 13:7; Jas 1:3, 6; 2:1, 5, 14, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26; 5:15; 1Pe 1:5, 7, 9, 21; 5:9; 2Pe 1:1, 5; 1Jn 5:4; Jude 1:3, 20; Rev 2:13, 19; 13:10; 14:12 translated as faith, 238; faithfulness, 3; pledge, 1; proof, 1. Scofield wrote that... The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works (John 1:12; James 2:14-26-see notes). The particular uses of faith give rise to its secondary definitions: (1) For salvation, faith is personal trust, apart from meritorious works, in the Lord Jesus Christ as delivered because of our offenses and raised again because of our justification (Ro 4:5-note, Ro 4:23, 24, 25, 5:1 - see notes Ro 4:23; 24; 25; 5:1). (2) As used in prayer, faith is the "assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (1John 5:14,15). (3) As used in reference to unseen things of which Scripture speaks, faith gives substance to them, so that we act upon the conviction of their reality (He 11:1, 2, 3-see notes Heb 11:1; 11:2; 11:3). And (4) as a working principle in life, the uses of faith are illustrated in Hebrews 11. WHAT IS BIBLICAL FAITH? ...SAVING FAITH? Biblical faith is not synonymous with mental assent or acquiescence which by itself is a superficial faith at best and not genuine (saving) faith. JOHN 2:22-25 For example, the apostle John distinguishes two types of belief (using the related verb pisteuo but still illustrating a truth relevant to the discussion of the noun pistis), one of which is only superficial... Jn 2:22 When therefore He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed (pisteuo) the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. Henry Morris Comments: Note the superior category of faith of the disciples to that of the "many" (John 2:23) who believed "when they saw the miracles," (John 2:23) but soon fell away. The disciples did not believe because of the miracles but because of the Scripture and Jesus' words. It is far better to place one's faith in God's Word than in signs and wonders." (Defenders Study Bible Online) Jn 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed (pisteuo) in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing. (Note that their belief was associated with His signs) Jn 2:24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting (pisteuo) Himself to them, for He knew all men Morris writes: Although many in the Jerusalem crowd "believed in his name when they saw the miracles" (John 2:23), Jesus did not "believe" in them because He knew their hearts and knew their outward faith in Him was only superficial) (Defenders Study Bible Online) Jn 2:25 and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man. Charles Ryrie comments: The contrast is between people who put their trust (pisteuo, Gk.) in Jesus, and Jesus, who does not put His trust in people because He knows their motives and thoughts. Enthusiasm for the spectacular is present in them, but Jesus looks for genuine faith." Bolding added) (John 2:22-25) (The Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Translation: 1995. Moody Publishers or Wordsearch) JOHN 8:31-59 In another example of belief that fell short of genuine saving belief John records that when Jesus spoke to the Jews "who had believed him" (John 8:31) but as their subsequent actions demonstrated their belief was not genuine for Jesus accused them declaring "you are seeking to kill Me" (John 8:40) and after several heated exchanges, these same "believing" Jews "fulfilled prophecy" and indeed sought to kill Jesus, picking up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple. (John 8:59). THE BELIEF OF UNBELIEF Charles Swindoll and Roy Zuck have an excellent discussion entitled the "Belief of Unbelief" In the progress of belief there is a stage that falls short of genuine belief resulting in salvation. This is first seen in John 2:23, where many at the Passover "believed" as a result of Christ’s signs, yet He did not "believe" (trust) them (Jn 2:23, 24, 25). Jesus discerned that their faith was superficial, based only on the miracles they had seen. Later during the Feast of Tabernacles many of the people "believed in Him" but apparently not as Messiah (Jn 7:31, nasb). Jesus spoke to the Jews "who had believed him" (Jn 8:31) and accused them of seeking to kill Him (Jn 8:40). He later accused the same Jews of unbelief (Jn 8:45, 46). A prominent example of the "belief of unbelief" in the Book of Acts is Simon, a practitioner of the magic arts in the city of Samaria (Acts 8:9, 10). Simon "believed" and was baptized (Acts 8:13), but the account that follows raises serious doubt over the genuineness of his faith. When Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered money to buy the power and authority the apostles possessed (Acts 8:18, 19). Peter rebuked him with strong words, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin" (Acts 8:20, 21, 22, 23). The absence of any evidence of repentance or willingness to pray leads me to suspect that while Simon believed something about Jesus and went through the ritual of baptism, his belief was not genuine saving faith. Simon seems to have remained an unrepentant and unregenerate man in spite of his initial response and religious behavior. Tenney refers to this kind of belief which falls short of genuine faith as "superficial." Morris calls it "transitory belief" which is not saving faith. It is based merely on outward profession. The problem with this belief is its object. It seems to have been based primarily on miracles and was not rooted in a clear understanding of the person of Christ as Messiah and Son of God. Many were inclined to believe something about Jesus but were unwilling to yield their allegiance to Him, trusting Him as their personal Sin-Bearer. We see this today, don’t we? My Muslim friend believes in Jesus in the sense that he believes that Jesus is a prophet. But he says the greater prophet is Mohammed, who received God’s final revelation in the Koran. My Mormon friend believes in Jesus in the sense that he believes that Jesus is a man who became a god, and that we have the potential to do the same. His faith is founded on the Book of Mormon and other Mormon writings. Those of the Baha’i faith believe in Jesus in the sense that they believe that Jesus is one of many ways to God. They believe that various religious traditions, practiced by sincere people, will lead them to God. (Swindoll, C. R., & Zuck, R. B. Understanding Christian Theology.: Thomas Nelson Publishers) (Computer version on Logos) (Bolding added) Related Resources: Spurgeon's on belief John 8:30-32 Believing On Jesus, And Its Counterfeits Alexander Maclaren's on John 8:30, 31 Three Aspects of Faith True faith that saves one's soul includes at least three main elements (1) firm persuasion or firm conviction, (2) a surrender to that truth and (3) a conduct emanating from that surrender. In sum, faith shows itself genuine by a changed life. (Click here for W E Vine's similar definition of faith) The highly respected theologian Louis Berkhof defines genuine faith in essentially the same way noting that it includes an intellectual element (notitia), which is "a positive recognition of the truth"; an emotional element (assensus), which includes "a deep conviction of the truth"; and a volitional element (fiducia), which involves "a personal trust in Christ as Savior and Lord, including a surrender … to Christ." (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1939) Larry Richards has an excellent discussion on faith writing that... Originally this word group seems linked with a more formal contract between partners. It stressed faithfulness to the agreement made or trustworthiness in keeping promises. In time the use expanded. In the classical period, writers spoke of trust in the gods as well as trust in people. In the Hellenic era, "faith in God" came to mean theoretical conviction about a particular doctrine, a conviction expressed in one's way of life. As different schools of philosophy and religion developed, the particular emphasis given pistis was shaped by the tradition within which it was used. The NT retains the range of meanings. But those meanings are refined and reshaped by the dynamic message of the gospel. The verb (pisteuo) and noun (pistis) are also used with a number of prepositions. "To believe through" (dia) indicates the way by which a person comes to faith (Jn 1:7; 1Pe 1:21 [note]). "Faith en" indicates the realm in which faith operates (Ep 1:15-note; Col 1:4-note; 2Ti 3:15-note). The most important construction is unique to the NT, an invention of the early church that expresses the inmost secret of our faith. That construction links faith with the preposition eis, "to" or "into." This is never done in secular Greek. In the NT it portrays a person committing himself or herself totally to the person of Jesus Christ, for our faith is into Jesus. (Ed note: Leon Morris in "The Gospel According to John" agrees with Richards writing that "Faith, for John, is an activity which takes men right out of themselves and makes them one with Christ" indicating that Morris likewise understands the Greek preposition eis in the phrase pisteuo eis, to be a significant indication that NT faith is not just intellectual assent but includes a "moral element of personal trust.") One other aspect of the NT's use of faith words is fascinating. Usually the object of faith is Jesus. Only twelve verses have God as the object of faith (Jn 12:44; 14:1; Acts 16:34; Ro 4:3, 5, 17, 24 [see notes Ro 4:3, 4:5, 4:17, 4:24] Gal 3:6; 1Th 1:8 [note]; Titus 3:8 [note]; He 6:1 [note]; 1Pe 1:21 [note]). Why? The reason is clearly expressed by Jesus himself: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me" (Jn 14:6). God the Father has revealed himself in the Son. The Father has set Jesus before us as the one to whom we must entrust ourselves for salvation. It is Jesus who is the focus of Christian faith. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) Wuest in his study of pistis and the related words in this family, pisteuo and pistos, explains that... When these words refer to the faith which a lost sinner must place in the Lord Jesus in order to be saved, they include the following ideas; the act of considering the Lord Jesus worthy of trust as to His character and motives, the act of placing confidence in His ability to do just what He says He will do, the act of entrusting the salvation of his soul into the hands of the Lord Jesus, the act of committing the work of saving his soul to the care of the Lord. This means a definite taking of one's self out of one's own keeping and entrusting one's self into the keeping of the Lord Jesus. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Studies in the Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament: Grand Rapids: Eerdmans) William Barclay notes that... Faith begins with receptivity. It begins when a man is at least willing to listen to the message of the truth. It goes on to mental assent. A man first hears and then agrees that this is true. But mental assent need not issue in action. Many a man knows very well that something is true, but does not change his actions to meet that knowledge. The final stage is when this mental assent becomes total surrender. In full-fledged faith, a man hears the Christian message, agrees that it is true, and then casts himself upon it in a life of total yieldedness. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos) Faith is relying on what God has done rather than on one's own efforts. In the Old Testament, faith is rarely mentioned. The word trust is used frequently, and verbs like believe and rely are used to express the right attitude to God. The classic example is Abraham, whose faith was reckoned as righteousness (Ge 15:6 - See word study on Hebrew word for "believe" = 'aman). At the heart of the Christian message is the story of the cross: Christ's dying to bring salvation. Faith is an attitude of trust in which a believer receives God's good gift of salvation (Acts 16:30,31) and lives in that awareness thereafter (Gal 2:20-note; cp He 11:1-note). J. B. Lightfoot discusses the concept of faith in his commentary on Galatians. He notes that in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, the definition of the word for faith "hovers between two meanings: trustfulness, the frame of mind which relies on another; and trustworthiness, the frame of mind which can be relied upon...the senses will at times be so blended together that they can only be separated by some arbitrary distinction. The loss in grammatical precision is often more than compensated by the gain in theological depth...They who have faith in God are steadfast and immovable in the path of duty." Faith, like grace, is not static. Saving faith is more than just understanding the facts and mentally acquiescing. It is inseparable from repentance, surrender, and a supernatural longing to obey. None of those responses can be classified exclusively as a human work, any more than believing itself is solely a human effort. Faith is manifest by not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence. John uses the related verb pisteuo to demonstrate the relationship between genuine faith and obedience writing... He who believes (present tense = continuous) in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36) Charles Swindoll commenting on faith and obedience in John 3:36 concludes that... In John 3:36 the one who "believes in the Son has eternal life" as a present possession. But the one who "does not obey the Son shall not see life." To disbelieve Christ is to disobey Him. And logically, to believe in Christ is to obey Him. As I have noted elsewhere, "This verse clearly indicates that belief is not a matter of passive opinion, but decisive and obedient action." (quoting J. Carl Laney)...Tragically many people are convinced that it doesn't really matter what you believe, so long as you are sincere. This reminds me of a Peanuts cartoon in which Charlie Brown is returning from a disastrous baseball game. The caption read, "174 to nothing! How could we lose when we were so sincere?" The reality is, Charlie Brown, that it takes more than sincerity to win the game of life. Many people are sincere about their beliefs, but they are sincerely wrong!" (Swindoll, C. R., & Zuck, R. B. Understanding Christian Theology.: Thomas Nelson Publishers) (Computer version on Logos) Comment: This book is recommended if you are looking for a very readable, non-compromising work on "systematic theology". Wayne Grudem's work noted above is comparable. Subjectively faith is firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth, veracity, reality or faithfulness (though rare). Objectively faith is that which is believed (usually designated as "the faith"), doctrine, the received articles of faith. Click separate study of "the faith (pistis)" True faith is not based on empirical evidence but on divine assurance. A W Tozer spoke often of faith, especially genuine or true faith... True faith is not the intellectual ability to visualize unseen things to the satisfaction of our imperfect minds; it is rather the moral power to trust Christ. To be contented and unafraid when going on a journey with his father the child need not be able to imagine events; he need but know the father. Our earthly lives are one shining web of golden mystery which we experience without understanding, how much more our life in the Spirit. Jesus Christ is our all in all. We need but trust Him and He will take care of the rest....God has not failed me in this world; I can trust Him for the world to come. True faith commits us to obedience. Faith and morals are two sides of the same coin. Indeed the very essence of faith is moral. Any professed faith in Christ as personal Saviour that does not bring the life under plenary obedience to Christ as Lord is inadequate and must betray its victim at the last. The man that believes will obey. God gives faith to the obedient heart only. Where real repentance is, there is obedience. True faith brings a spiritual and moral transformation and an inward witness that cannot be mistaken. These come when we stop believing in belief and start believing in the Lord Jesus Christ indeed. Faith is not optimism, though it may breed optimism; it is not cheerfulness, though the man of faith is likely to be a reasonably cheerful; it is not a vague sense of well-being or a tender appreciation for the beauty of human togetherness. Faith is confidence in God's self-revelation as found in the Holy Scriptures. To believe savingly in Jesus Christ is to believe all He has said about Himself and all that the prophets and apostles have said about Him. Let us beware that the Jesus we "accept" is not one we have created out of the dust of our imagination and formed after our own likeness. True faith commits us to obedience. That dreamy, sentimental faith which ignores the judgments of God against us and listens to the affirmations of the soul is as deadly as cyanide. Faith in faith is faith astray. To hope for heaven by means of such faith is to drive in the dark across a deep chasm on a bridge that does not quite reach the other side. (Of God and Men) To escape the error of salvation by works we have fallen into the opposite error of salvation without obedience. A whole new generation of Christians has come up believing that it is possible to "accept" Christ without forsaking the world. Faith, as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience to the commandments of Christ. Real faith invariably produces holiness of heart and righteousness of life. If our faith is to have a firm foundation we must be convinced beyond any possible doubt that God is altogether worthy of our trust.... A promise is only as good as the one who made it, but it is as good, and from this knowledge springs our assurance. By cultivating the knowledge of God we at the same time cultivate our faith... True faith rests upon the character of God and asks no further proof than the moral perfections of the One who cannot lie. It is enough that God said it, and if the statement should contradict every one of the five senses and all the conclusions of logic as well, still the believer continues to believe. "Let God be true, but every man a liar" is the language of true faith. Heaven approves such faith because it rises above mere proofs and rests in the bosom of God.... Faith as the Bible knows it is confidence in God and His Son Jesus Christ; it is the response of the soul to the divine character as revealed in the Scriptures; and even this response is impossible apart from the prior inworking of the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift of God to a penitent soul and has nothing whatsoever to do with the senses or the data they afford. Faith is a miracle; it is the ability God gives to trust His Son, and anything that does not result in action in accord with the will of God is not faith but something else short of it. Faith is at the foundation of all Christian living, and because faith has to do with the character of God, it is safe from all vacillations of mood. A man may be believing soundly and effectively even when his mood is low, so low that he is hardly aware that he is alive emotionally at all. True faith is not an end; it is a means to an end. It is not a destination; it is a journey, and the initial act of believing in Christ is a gate leading into the long lane we are to travel with Christ for the rest of our earthly days. That journey is hard and tired, but it is wonderful also, and no one ever regretted the weariness when he came to the end of the road. The faith of Paul and Luther was a revolutionizing thing. It upset the whole life of the individual and made him into another person altogether. It laid hold on the life and brought it under obedience to Christ. It had a finality about it. It snapped shut on a man's heart like a trap. It realigned all life's actions and brought them into accord with the will of God. FAITH IS... WHOLLY LEANING ON JESUS When missionary John Paton (biography) was translating the Scripture for the South Sea islanders, the Aniwa, he was unable to find a word in their vocabulary for the concept of believing, trusting, or having faith. Below is the story of how John Paton arrived at his definition for faith in the Aniwa language, a definition which God's Spirit would use to set many in this unreached people group free in Christ! Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! (Ro 11:33-note)... (Adapted from the Biblical Illustrator) An intensely interesting incident was related lately by Dr. J. G. Paton of a discovery of a term in the language of Aniwa for “Faith.” It seems that for a long time no equivalent could be found, and the work of Bible translation was paralyzed for want of such a fundamental word. The natives apparently regarded the verb “to hear” as equivalent to belief. For instance, suppose a native were asked whether he heard a certain statement. Should he credit the statement he would reply, “Yes, I heard it,” but should he disbelieve it, he would answer, “No, I did not hear it,” meaning not that his ears had failed to catch the words, but that he did not regard them as true. This definition of faith was obviously insufficient — many passages, such as “faith cometh by hearing,” (Ro 10:17-note, cp James 1:22-note) would be impossible of translation through so meager a channel; and prayer was made continually that God would supply the missing link. No effort had been spared in interrogating the most intelligent native pundits, but all in vain. None caught the hidden meaning of the word sought by the missionary. One day Dr. Paton was sitting in his room anxiously pondering. He sat on an ordinary chair, his feet resting on the floor; just then an intelligent native entered the room, and the thought flashed to the missionary to ask the all-absorbing question yet once again in a new light. Was he not resting on that chair? Would that attitude lend itself to the discovery? “Taea,” said Dr. Paton, “what am I doing now?” “Koihae ana, Misi” (“You’re sitting down. Misi”), the native replied. Then the missionary drew up his feet and placed them upon the bar of the chair just above the floor, and, leaning back upon the chair in an attitude of repose, asked, “What am I doing now? Fakarongrongo, Misi” (“You are leaning wholly,” or “You have lifted yourself from every other support”). “That’s it,” shouted the missionary, with an exultant cry; and a sense of holy joy awed him as he realised that his prayer had been so fully answered. To lean on Jesus wholly and only is surely the true meaning of appropriating or saving faith. And now, “Fakarongrongo Iesu ea anea moure” (“Leaning on Jesus unto eternal life,” or, “for all the things of eternal life”), is the happy experience of those Christian islanders, as it is of all who thus cast themselves unreservedly on the Saviour of the world for salvation. And so goes the story of how John Paton arrived at his word for Faith as resting one's whole weight on Jesus. That word fakarongrongo went into the translation of the Aniwa New Testament and helped bring many natives to Christ. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Beloved, on whom or what are you trusting (self, spouse, job, reputation, bank account, etc)? Or are you like a little child continually... Leaning On The Everlasting Arms Play this great old hymn by Iris Dement‬‏ (as heard in the movie True Grit) Nothing before, nothing behind, The steps of faith Fall on the seeming void, and find The rock beneath - Whittier Other Quotes on FAITH... It will not save me to know that Christ is a Savior; but it will save me to trust Him to be my Savior. I shall not be delivered from the wrath to come by believing that his atonement is sufficient; but I shall be saved by making that atonement my trust, my refuge, and my all. The pith, the essence of faith lies in this—a casting oneself on the promise. — C. H. Spurgeon Never put a question mark where God has put a period. — John R. Rice A faith that hasn't been tested can't be trusted. — Adrian Rogers Faith is the foot of the soul by which it can march along the road of the commandments. — C. H. Spurgeon Little faith will bring your soul to heaven; great faith will bring heaven to your soul. — C. H. Spurgeon What saves us is faith in Christ, not faith in our faith, or faith in the faith.—Augustus H. Strong Saving faith is resting faith, the trust which relies entirely on the Saviour. —John R. W. Stott Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thoughtfully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God. —John R. W. Stott Faith is not anti-intellectual. It is an act of man that reaches beyond the limits of our five senses. — Billy Graham Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible. — Corrie ten Boom Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees, And looks to that alone; Laughs at impossibilities, And cries it shall be done. -- Charles Wesley I prayed for faith and thought that some day faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." I had up to this time closed my Bible and prayed for faith. I now opened my Bible and began to study, and faith has been growing ever since. — Dwight Lyman Moody Faith is the fountain, the foundation and the fosterer of obedience. — C. H. Spurgeon Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God, trusts God; and he that trusts God, obeys God. — C. H. Spurgeon Obedience is the hallmark of faith. — C. H. Spurgeon When a person truly trusts Christ, he or she will obey Him. — Warren Wiersbe We see in the flood account (we see that) God has always saved people the same way: by grace (Genesis 6:8), through faith (Heb. 11:7)... (and) True faith leads to obedience (6:22; 7:5). — Warren Wiersbe James 2:14-26 discusses the relationship between faith and works, and James uses this event to illustrate his main point: true faith is always proved by obedience.— Warren Wiersbe Hebrews 11:17-19 indicates that Abraham believed that God could even raise Isaac from the dead! In short, Abraham proved his faith by his works. His obedience to the Word was evidence of his faith in the Word. His faith was made perfect (brought to maturity) in his act of obedience. — Warren Wiersbe The threefold purpose of the Bible is to inform, to inspire faith and to secure obedience. Whenever it is used for any other purpose, it is used wrongly and may do actual injury. The Holy Scriptures will do us good only as we present an open mind to be taught, a tender heart to believe and a surrendered will to obey.— A W Tozer The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies but its obedience. —Oswald Chambers The message of the gospel is to call people to the obedience of faith, which is here used as a synonym for salvation...It is not that faith plus obedience equals salvation but that obedient faith equals salvation. True faith is verified in obedience. Obedient faith proves itself true, whereas disobedient faith proves itself false. It is for having true faith, that is, obedient faith, that Paul goes on to commend the Roman believers... Together, faith and obedience manifest the inseparable two sides of the coin of salvation, which Paul here calls the obedience of faith. — John MacArthur (Romans) Faith is the starting-post of obedience. — Thomas Chalmers Obedience to the faith is very important to God. God saves us by faith, not by works; but after He has saved us, He wants to talk to us about our works, about our obedience to Him. I hear many people talk about believing in Jesus, then they live like the Devil and seem to be serving him. My friend, saving faith makes you obedient to Jesus Christ.— J Vernon McGee Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God, trusts God; and he that trusts God, obeys God. — C. H. Spurgeon Obedience is the hallmark of faith, and the proof of grace; but Judas and others worked miracles, and were lost.— C. H. Spurgeon He does not believe that does not live according to his belief. — Thomas Fuller Let the acts of the offspring indicate similarity to the Father. — Augustine It is faith alone that justifies, but the faith that justifies is not alone. —John Calvin If we would know whether our faith is genuine, we do well to ask ourselves how we are living. — J. C. Ryle The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are opposite sides of the same coin.— A W Tozer Faith that saves has one distinguishing quality; saving faith is a faith that produces obedience, it is a faith that brings about a way of life. — Billy Graham Only he who believes is obedient; only he who is obedient believes. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer Believing and obeying always run side by side. — C. H. Spurgeon What saves is faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. —J. I. Packer Faith must have adequate evidence, else it is mere superstition. — A. A. Hodge True, God-exalting obedience comes from faith. Any other kind of obedience is not true obedience at all. — John Piper ><>><>><> Charles Swindoll explains genuine belief writing... My favorite illustration of what it means to believe is the true story of Ann Seward, a resident of Portland, Oregon. She was asked to costar with high-wire artist Philippe Petit at the opening of the Portland Center for the Performing Arts. Intrigued by the opportunity, she responded, "I'd like to meet this man and see if I trust him." Her stage would be on an eighty-foot wire between the new theater building and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. On August 31, 1987, the ninety-one-pound Seward placed her life in the hands of the high-wire artist and was carried on his back while he performed high above the street. (from Chris Myers, "Chance Encounter Led to a Truly High Time," Oregonian, 3 September 1987) She said that her performance had a lesson for those who witnessed it. "I think that one of the most beautiful things about the performance was that it took a lot of trust—absolute trust—to do that," she said. "I think in the world that is a very profound issue....Here it is—I'm putting my life in someone else's hands and trusting the whole crowd not to do anything to distract him." Many of those who witnessed the performance "believed" that Petit could successfully complete the performance with someone on his back. But their belief was merely intellectual and did not feature the absolute trust and total commitment exhibited by Ann Seward. She expressed her belief by placing her very life in the hands of the artist. This is the kind of "belief" referred to in the words of Paul, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31). This belief is not merely head knowledge; it is the response of a heart to the person of Christ saying, "I trust Your redeeming work to deliver me from sin and carry me safely to heaven." (Swindoll, C. R., & Zuck, R. B. Understanding Christian Theology.: Thomas Nelson Publishers) (Computer version on Logos)  (Bolding added) Vine writes that Faith is the response of the soul to the life-giving word of God, Ro 10:8–17 ; the work of faith is the initial act of belief on the part of one who hears the voice of the Son of God, Jn 5:24. Faith is contrasted with sight "for we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7) Pulpit Commentary writes regarding faith...love...hope 1. Their order. Faith is the commencement of the spiritual life, love its progress and continuance, and hope its completion; faith is the foundation, love the structure, and hope the top-stone of God's spiritual temple in the soul. 2. Their manifestations. Faith is seen by its works; love, by its self-denying exertions; and hope, by its patience and endurance. 3. Their reference to time. Faith refers to the past, love to the present, and hope to the future. (The Pulpit Commentary: New Testament; Old Testament; Ages Software or Logos) AND LABOR OF LOVE: kai tou kopou tes agapes: (Ge 29:20; Song 8:7; Jn 14:15,21, 22, 23; 15:10; 21:15, 16, 17; Ro 16:6; 1Co 13:4, 5, 6, 7; 2Co 5:14,15; 8:7, 8, 9; Gal 5:13; Philemon 1:5, 6, 7; Heb 6:10,11; 1John 3:18; 5:3; Rev 2:2, 3, 4) (Torrey's Topic Love) LABOR OF LOVE your labor prompted by love (NIV) your labor actuated by love and your toil motivated and characterized by your divine and self-sacrificial love (Wuest) Regarding labor of love Richison writes that literally the text says... “your labor, the one out of love.” Love impelled their labor. Biblical love is more than sentiment. Love is not sweetness. We confuse cultural love with true biblical love. Agape love is willing to sacrifice for others. It is others oriented. To love sacrificially is to labour until it hurts. The word “labour” means labour to the point of exhaustion. It is a love of blood, sweat and tears. Self–sacrificial love moves us to labor. This love is willing to toil and to pay a price. Love activates arduous labor. Love prompts this tough grind. (Ref)