Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Nature:Faith, in the Christian context, is a profound trust and confidence in God and His promises as revealed in the Scriptures. It is both a gift from God and a response to His revelation. Faith is not merely intellectual assent but involves the whole person—mind, heart, and will—committing to God and His truth.
Biblical Foundation:The Bible presents faith as essential to the believer's life.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see" . This verse highlights faith's role in providing confidence and assurance in God's promises, even when they are not visible or fully realized.
Faith and Salvation:Faith is central to the doctrine of salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast" . This passage underscores that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith, and not earned by human effort.
Faith and Works:While salvation is by faith alone, true faith is evidenced by works.
James 2:17 declares, "So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead" . This indicates that genuine faith will naturally produce good works as a fruit of the believer's relationship with God.
Faith in the Old Testament:The Old Testament provides numerous examples of faith, such as Abraham, who "believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (
Genesis 15:6). Abraham's faith was demonstrated through his obedience to God's call, even when the promises seemed impossible.
Faith in the New Testament:The New Testament continues to emphasize faith, particularly in the life and teachings of Jesus. In
Mark 11:22-24, Jesus instructs His disciples, "Have faith in God...whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" . This teaching highlights the power of faith in prayer and the believer's relationship with God.
The Role of Faith in the Christian Life:Faith is foundational to the Christian life, influencing every aspect of a believer's walk with God. It is through faith that believers live, as stated in
Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me" .
Faith and the Holy Spirit:The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in nurturing and sustaining faith.
Galatians 5:22 lists faithfulness as a fruit of the Spirit, indicating that the Spirit empowers believers to remain steadfast in their faith.
Challenges to Faith:Believers may face trials and doubts that challenge their faith. However,
1 Peter 1:6-7 encourages Christians by stating that trials test the genuineness of faith, which is "more precious than gold that perishes, though refined by fire" . Such testing strengthens and purifies faith.
Faith and Community:Faith is not only personal but also communal. The early church exemplified a community of faith, as seen in
Acts 2:42, where believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. This communal aspect of faith provides support and encouragement for believers.
Conclusion:Faith is a dynamic and essential element of the Christian life, deeply rooted in Scripture and vital for salvation, spiritual growth, and community. It is both a gift from God and a response to His grace, shaping the believer's relationship with God and others.
Topical Bible Verses
Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Topicalbible.orgEphesians 2:8
For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Topicalbible.org
Matthew 9:22
But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Topicalbible.org
Luke 17:6
And the Lord said, If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you might say to this sycamine tree, Be you plucked up by the root, and be you planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
Topicalbible.org
Luke 7:50
And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.
Topicalbible.org
Matthew 8:2
And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.
Topicalbible.org
Mark 9:24
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help you my unbelief.
Topicalbible.org
Mark 9:23
Jesus said to him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.
Topicalbible.org
1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found to praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Topicalbible.org
1 John 5:4
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.
Topicalbible.org
ATS Bible Dictionary
FaithThe assent of the understanding to any truth. Religious faith is assent to the truth of divine revelation and of the events and doctrines contained in it. This may be merely historical, without producing any effect on our lives and conversation; and it is then a dead faith, such as even the devils have. But a living or saving faith not only believes the great doctrines of religion as true, but embraces them with the heart and affections; and is thus the source of sincere obedience to the divine will, exhibited in the life and conversation. Faith in Christ is a grace wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, whereby we receive Christ as our Savior, our Prophet, Priest, and King, and love and obey him as such. This living faith in Christ is the means of salvation-not meritoriously, but instrumentally. Without it there can be no forgiveness of sins, and no holiness of life; and they who are justified by faith, live and walk by faith,Mark 16:16John 3:15,16Acts 16:311John 5:10.
True faith is an essential grace, and a mainspring of Christian life. By it the Christian overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil, and receives the crown of righteousness,1 Timothy 4:7-8. In virtue of it, worthy men of old wrought great wonders,Hebrews 11:1-40Acts 14:911 Corinthians 13:2, being sustained by Omnipotence in doing whatever God enjoined,Matthew 17:20Mark 9:23 11:23-24. InRomans 1:8, faith is put for the exhibition of faith, in the practice of all the duties implied in a profession of faith.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (
Philippians 1:27;
2 Thessalonians 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests.
Faith is the result of teaching (Romans 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding. Assent to the truth is of the essence of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed truth rests is the veracity of God.
Historical faith is the apprehension of and assent to certain statements which are regarded as mere facts of history.
Temporary faith is that state of mind which is awakened in men (e.g., Felix) by the exhibition of the truth and by the influence of religious sympathy, or by what is sometimes styled the common operation of the Holy Spirit.
Saving faith is so called because it has eternal life inseparably connected with it. It cannot be better defined than in the words of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism: "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel."
The object of saving faith is the whole revealed Word of God. Faith accepts and believes it as the very truth most sure. But the special act of faith which unites to Christ has as its object the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 7:38;Acts 16:31). This is the specific act of faith by which a sinner is justified before God (Romans 3:22, 25;Galatians 2:16;Philippians 3:9;John 3:16-36;Acts 10:43;16:31). In this act of faith the believer appropriates and rests on Christ alone as Mediator in all his offices.
This assent to or belief in the truth received upon the divine testimony has always associated with it a deep sense of sin, a distinct view of Christ, a consenting will, and a loving heart, together with a reliance on, a trusting in, or resting in Christ. It is that state of mind in which a poor sinner, conscious of his sin, flees from his guilty self to Christ his Saviour, and rolls over the burden of all his sins on him. It consists chiefly, not in the assent given to the testimony of God in his Word, but in embracing with fiducial reliance and trust the one and only Saviour whom God reveals. This trust and reliance is of the essence of faith. By faith the believer directly and immediately appropriates Christ as his own. Faith in its direct act makes Christ ours. It is not a work which God graciously accepts instead of perfect obedience, but is only the hand by which we take hold of the person and work of our Redeemer as the only ground of our salvation.
Saving faith is a moral act, as it proceeds from a renewed will, and a renewed will is necessary to believing assent to the truth of God (1 Corinthians 2:14;2 Corinthians 4:4). Faith, therefore, has its seat in the moral part of our nature fully as much as in the intellectual. The mind must first be enlightened by divine teaching (John 6:44;Acts 13:48;2 Corinthians 4:6;Ephesians 1:17, 18) before it can discern the things of the Spirit.
Faith is necessary to our salvation (Mark 16:16), not because there is any merit in it, but simply because it is the sinner's taking the place assigned him by God, his falling in with what God is doing.
The warrant or ground of faith is the divine testimony, not the reasonableness of what God says, but the simple fact that he says it. Faith rests immediately on, "Thus saith the Lord." But in order to this faith the veracity, sincerity, and truth of God must be owned and appreciated, together with his unchangeableness. God's word encourages and emboldens the sinner personally to transact with Christ as God's gift, to close with him, embrace him, give himself to Christ, and take Christ as his. That word comes with power, for it is the word of God who has revealed himself in his works, and especially in the cross. God is to be believed for his word's sake, but also for his name's sake.
Faith in Christ secures for the believer freedom from condemnation, or justification before God; a participation in the life that is in Christ, the divine life (John 14:19;Romans 6:4-10;Ephesians 4:15, 16, etc.); "peace with God" (Romans 5:1); and sanctification (Acts 26:18;Galatians 5:6;Acts 15:9).
All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved (John 6:37, 40;10:27, 28;Romans 8:1).
The faith=the gospel (Acts 6:7;Romans 1:5;Galatians 1:23;1 Timothy 3:9;Jude 1:3).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.
2. (n.) The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth.
3. (n.) The belief in the historic truthfulness of the Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of its teachings, sometimes called historical and speculative faith.
4. (n.) The belief in the facts and truth of the Scriptures, with a practical love of them; especially, that confiding and affectionate belief in the person and work of Christ, which affects the character and life, and makes a man a true Christian, -- called a practical, evangelical, or saving faith.
5. (n.) That which is believed on any subject, whether in science, politics, or religion; especially (Theol.), a system of religious belief of any kind; as, the Jewish or Mohammedan faith; and especially, the system of truth taught by Christ; as, the Christian faith; also, the creed or belief of a Christian society or church.
6. (n.) Fidelity to one's promises, or allegiance to duty, or to a person honored and beloved; loyalty.
7. (n.) Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity; as, he violated his faith.
8. (n.) Credibility or truth.
9. (interj.) By my faith; in truth; verily.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
FAITHfath:
1. Etymology
2. Meaning: a Divergency
3. Faith in the Sense of Creed
4. A Leading Passage Explained
5. Remarks
6. Conclusion
In the Old Testament (the King James Version) the word occurs only twice:Deuteronomy 32:20 ('emun);Habakkuk 2:4 ('emunah). In the latter the Revised Version (British and American) places in the margin the alternative rendering, "faithfulness." In the New Testament it is of very frequent occurrence, always representing pistis, with one exception in the King James Version (not the Revised Version (British and American)),Hebrews 10:23, where it represents elpis, "hope."
1. Etymology:
The history of the English word is rather interesting than important; use and contexts, alike for it and its Hebrew and Greek parallels, are the surest guides to meaning. But we may note that it occurs in the form "feyth," in Havelok the Dane (13th century); that it is akin to fides and this again to the Sanskrit root bhidh, "to unite," "to bind." It is worth while to recall this primeval suggestion of the spiritual work of faith, as that which, on man's side, unites him to God for salvation.
2. Meaning: a Divergency:
Studying the word "faith" in the light of use and contexts, we find a bifurcation of significance in the Bible. We may word distinguish the two senses as the passive and the active; on the one side, "fidelity," "trustworthiness"; and "faith," "trust," on the other. InGalatians 5:22, for example, context makes it clear that "fidelity" is in view, as a quality congruous with the associated graces. (the Revised Version (British and American) accordingly renders pistis there by "faithfulness.") Again,Romans 3:3 the King James Version, "the faith of God," by the nature of the case, means His fidelity to promise. But in the overwhelming majority of cases, "faith," as rendering pistis, means "reliance," "trust." To illustrate would be to quote many scores of passages. It may be enough here to call attention to the recorded use of the by our Lord. Of about twenty passages in the Gospels where pistis occurs as coming from His lips, only one (Matthew 23:23) presents it in the apparent sense of "fidelity." All the others conspicuously demand the sense of "reliance," "trust." The same is true of the apostolic writings. In them, with rarest exceptions, the words "reliance," "trust," precisely fit the context as alternatives to "faith." 3. Faith in the Sense of Creed:
Another line of meaning is traceable in a very few passages, where pistis, "faith," appears in the sense of "creed," the truth, or body of truth, which is trusted, or which justifies trust. The most important of such places is the paragraphJames 2:14-26, where an apparent contradiction to some great Pauline dicta perplexes many readers. The riddle is solved by observing that the writer uses "faith" in the sense of creed, orthodox "belief." This is clear fromJames 2:19, where the "faith." in question is illustrated: "Thou believest that God is one." This is the credal confession of the orthodox Jew (the shema`; seeDeuteronomy 6:4), taken as a passport to salvation. Briefly, James presses the futility of creed without life, Paul the necessity of reliance in order to receive "life and peace."
4. A Leading Passage Explained:
It is important to notice thatHebrews 11:1 is no exception to the rule that "faith" normally means "reliance," "trust." There "Faith is the substance (or possibly, in the light of recent inquiries into the type of Greek used by New Testament writers, "the guaranty") of things hoped for, the evidence (or "convincing proof") of things not seen." This is sometimes interpreted as if faith, in the writer's view, were, so to speak, a faculty of second sight, a mysterious intuition into the spiritual world. But the chapter amply shows that the faith illustrated, e.g. by Abraham, Moses, Rahab, was simply reliance upon a God known to be trustworthy. Such reliance enabled the believer to treat the future as present and the invisible as seen. In short, the phrase here, "faith is the evidence," etc., is parallel in form to our familiar saying, "Knowledge is power."
5. Remarks:
A few detached remarks may be added: (a) The history of the use of the Greek pistis is instructive. In the Septuagint it normally, if not always, bears the "passive" sense "fidelity," "good faith," while in classical Greek it not rarely bears the active sense, "trust." In the koine, the type of Greek universally common at the Christian era, it seems to have adopted the active meaning as the ruling one only just in time, so to speak, to provide it for the utterance of Him whose supreme message was "reliance," and who passed that message on to His apostles. Through their lips and pens "faith," in that sense, became the supreme watchword of Christianity.
SeeJUSTIFICATION;UNION WITH CHRIST.
6. Conclusion:
In conclusion, without trespassing on the ground of other articles, we call the reader's attention, for his Scriptural studies, to the central place of faith in Christianity, and its significance. As being, in its true idea, a reliance as simple as possible upon the word, power, love, of Another, it is precisely that which, on man's side, adjusts him to the living and merciful presence and action of a trusted God. In its nature, not by any mere arbitrary arrangement, it is his one possible receptive attitude, that in which he brings nothing, so that he may receive all. Thus "faith" is our side of union with Christ. And thus it is our means of possessing all His benefits, pardon, justification, purification, life, peace, glory.
As a comment on our exposition of the ruling meaning of "faith" in Scripture, we may note that this precisely corresponds to its meaning in common life, where, for once that the word means anything else, it means "reliance" a hundred times. Such correspondence between religious terms (in Scripture) and the meaning of the same words in common life, will be found to be invariable.
Handley Dunelm
Greek
4102. pistis --faith, faithfulness... 4102 (from 3982, ", be persuaded") – properly, (be , come to trust); .
Faith (4102)
is always a , and something that can be produced by people.
...3640. oligopistos -- littlefaith
... littlefaith. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: oligopistos Phonetic Spelling:
(ol-ig-op'-is-tos) Short Definition: of littlefaith Definition: of...
3640b. oligopistos -- of littlefaith
... 3640a, 3640b. oligopistos. 3641 . of littlefaith. Transliteration:
oligopistos Short Definition:faith. Word Origin from the same...
3640a. oligopistia -- littlefaith
... 3640, 3640a. oligopistia. 3640b . littlefaith. Transliteration: oligopistia
Short Definition: littleness. Word Origin from oligos...
4100. pisteuo -- to believe, entrust
... to believe, entrust. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pisteuo Phonetic Spelling:
(pist-yoo'-o) Short Definition: I believe, havefaith in Definition: I...
2487. ichnos -- a track
... by the sole of the foot (""); figuratively) the "footsteps" providing the for others
to follow, ie to live out "God's persuasions" (His inworkings offaith)....
3050. logikos -- reasonable, rational
... literal. 3050 (from 3056 , "reason") -- properly, because , ie "what is "
(logic working through the known throughfaith). The believer...
4103. pistos -- faithful, reliable
... Cognate: 4103 (an adjective, derived from 3982 , "persuaded") -- properly, faithful
(loyalty tofaith; literally, fullness offaith); typically, of believing...
2261. epios -- gentle, mild
... 2261 ("gentlefaith-speaking") happens as we to -- ie are committed to
handling matters according to His preferred-will (2307 )....
4275. proeido -- to foresee
... all the physical scenes of life operate according to (under) His plan -- bringing
equal, eternal benefit to the person walking infaith ("divine-") in each of...
Strong's Hebrew
548. amanah --faith, support... 547, 548. amanah. 549 .
faith, support. Transliteration: amanah Phonetic
Spelling: (am-aw-naw') Short Definition: agreement. Word
...530. emunah -- firmness, steadfastness, fidelity
... Word Origin from aman Definition firmness, steadfastness, fidelity NASB Word Usage
faith (1), faithful (3), faithfully (8), faithfulness (25), honestly (1...
4159. mopheth -- a wonder, sign, portent
... 4158, 4159. mopheth or mopheth. 4160 . a wonder, sign, portent. Transliteration:
mopheth or mopheth Phonetic Spelling: (mo-faith') Short Definition: wonders...
4603. maal -- to act unfaithfully or treacherously
... 2), acting (1), acting treacherously (1), acting unfaithfully (1), acts (2),
became...unfaithful (1), been (1), been unfaithful (5), brokefaith (1), committed...
529. emun -- faithfulness
... faithful, truth. From 'aman; established, ie (figuratively) trusty; also (abstractly)
trustworthiness --faith(-ful), truth. see HEBREW 'aman. 528, 529....
539. aman -- to confirm, support
... 5), doorposts (1), endure (1), enduring (3), established (3), faithful (21), firm
(2), fulfilled (1), guardians (3), has assurance (1), havefaith (1), have...
571. emeth -- firmness, faithfulness, truth
... Word Origin from aman Definition firmness, faithfulness, truth NASB Word Usagefaith
(1), faithful (2), faithfully (6), faithfulness (10), lasting (1), nor* (1...
Library
Exposition of the OrthodoxFaith
Exposition of the OrthodoxFaith. <. Exposition of the OrthodoxFaith John
of Damascus. Schaff, Philip (Editor) Table of Contents. Title Page....
OnFaith
... FIFTH PART ONFAITH. Justifyingfaith is not that by which any one believes
that his sins are remitted to him for the sake of Christ...
Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise ofFaith
Of Prayer"A Perpetual Exercise ofFaith. <. Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise
ofFaith John Calvin. Henry Beveridge (Translator) Table of Contents....
Handbook onFaith, Hope, and Love
Handbook onFaith, Hope, and Love. <. Handbook onFaith, Hope,
and Love Saint Augustine. Table of Contents. Title Page....
Faith
...Faith. A Sermon (No.107).... REV. CH SPURGEON. at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
"Withoutfaith it is impossible to please God.""Hebrews 11:6....
The Augsburg Confession ofFaith
The Augsburg Confession ofFaith. <. The Augsburg Confession ofFaith Various.
Produced by Allen Mulvey Table of Contents. Title Page....
Faith
... 6. The application of redemption 1.Faith. 'The life that I now live in the
flesh, I live by thefaith of the Son of God.' Gal 2:20....
Trials and Triumphs ofFaith
Trials and Triumphs ofFaith. <. Trials and Triumphs ofFaith Mary
Cole. Produced by Timeless Truths Online Library, Charles...
'The Door ofFaith'
... THE ACTS CHAP. XIII TO END 'THE DOOR OFFAITH'. 'And when they were come,
and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all...
The Meaning ofFaith
... THE NEW TESTAMENT THE MEANING OFFAITH. Nowfaith... see. It was because of their
faith that the men of old were approved by God. Through...
Thesaurus
Faith (769 Occurrences)... Easton's Bible Dictionary
Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a
certain statement is true (Philippians 1:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
...Faith-righteousness (2 Occurrences)
Faith-righteousness. Faithlessness,Faith-righteousness. Faked .
Multi-Version ConcordanceFaith-righteousness (2 Occurrences)....
Based (40 Occurrences)
... Because they didn't seek it byfaith, but as it were by works of the law.... Romans
10:6 But the righteousness which is based onfaith speaks in a different tone....
Actions (62 Occurrences)
... Romans 3:28 For we maintain that it is as the result offaith that a man is held
to be righteous, apart from actions done in obedience to Law. (WEY)....
Assurance (16 Occurrences)
... pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation
is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr....
Schoolmaster (3 Occurrences)
... Thus the law was a pedagogue to the Jews, with a view to Christ, ie, to prepare
forfaith in Christ by producing convictions of guilt and helplessness....
Steadfastness (15 Occurrences)
... 2:5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, rejoicing
and seeing your order, and the steadfastness of yourfaith in Christ....
Credited (19 Occurrences)
... 4:5 whereas in the case of a man who pleads no actions of his own, but simply believes
in Him who declares the ungodly free from guilt, hisfaith is placed to...
Access (9 Occurrences)
... Only through Him have we "access byfaith into this grace wherein we stand" (Romans
5:2); "Through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father...
Author (5 Occurrences)
... a) Hebrews 12:2, "looking unto Jesus, the author [King James Version, Revised Version]
and finisher [Revised Version, "perfecter"] of ourfaith." But here it...
Resources
What does the Bible say about faith? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a leap of faith? | GotQuestions.orgHow can you believe in salvation by faith alone when the only occurrence of 'faith alone' in the Bible (James 2:24) says that salvation is not by faith alone? | GotQuestions.orgFaith: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
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