Biblical Faith (Part 1)
Most people have heard teaching on the biblical principles of faith in the past; however, this topic is essential for the Christian walk and should be revisited from time to time. It is good to restudy important biblical topics and approach them from a fresh perspective. There are many errors born out of a misunderstanding of true biblical faith and since faith in Christ is the foundation of the Christian life, we will attempt to grow in our understanding of faith.
As a preamble to this study, I want to look at two passages that I believe lay the groundwork for faith.
Romans 8:28-31 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Psalm 139:13-16 13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
Is it true that God sees the end from the beginning?
Is it true that God preordained everything to work together according to God’s purposes so that nothing can be against our ultimate goal – to conform to the image of Jesus Christ?
Do we believe the Bible’s claims in Psalm 139 that God fashioned our days before we were born?
So what does this all mean and how does it relate to faith? I believe that understanding God’s preordained path for us and the works God prepared for us beforehand (Ephesians 2:10) is vital in our quest to understand faith. Our perspective determines how we view faith. Rather than looking at faith and prayer as a method to persuade and manipulate God, understanding that God already has a perfect plan reveals to us that we pray to seek God’s ways and we have faith to believe what God has already established.
Faith Defined
How we define faith is essential. Faith is not a force around us; faith is not forcing ourselves to believe something we are unsure of; faith is not the absence of doubt; faith is not blind, thoughtless loyalty and serving a God we do not know. Faith is based on reason, truth and a God we can know personally. If you look at the great men of faith in the Bible, you see that faith comes from God alone. Faith is not man-dependent. Some believe that we have to ‘muster’ up enough faith to accomplish a great work; however, in reality it is God that measures faith to man as He reveals His plan to those who humble themselves and submit to the will of God.
Faith is of the Spirit
Look at the following two passages:
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
I have heard many people brag about ‘their faith’ and have even heard some teach that faith is something we create, tap into or harvest. In truth, faith is a gift from God. In 1 Corinthians 4:7, the Bible asks those who boast about what they have received from God, “Why do you boasts as though you have not received it?” In other words, if God has done or is doing a work in your life, why are you puffed up as though you have done something and haven’t received this as grace from God? Can anyone say, “Look at the great faith I have developed?” If they do, they only show that they do not understand faith and grace at all.
Faith is a gift from God. Faith is of the Spirit and anything that is not of faith is of the flesh. In fact, whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). There is NOTHING of the Spirit that is accomplished by the efforts of the flesh. The flesh cannot produce the things of the Spirit. Only the Spirit can produce the things of the Spirit. Works can never produce righteousness; good deeds and religious activities cannot produce salvation; good living cannot inherit the favor of God. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that all of our righteous acts are filthy rags in God’s sight and Proverbs 21:4 tells us that even the plowing of the wicked is sin. How can tilling the ground and doing good work equal sin? Whatever is not of faith is sin. Romans 7:18 we are told that, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells”. The flesh is at war with the Spirit and the flesh against the Spirit and the two cannot agree (Galatians 5:17).
There is not one thing a man or woman can do to create anything of the Spirit; therefore, anything in our lives that is acceptable to God has to come from the Spirit of God working within us. God has dealt each person a measure of faith; this means that while we were still lost in our sins, God has already given us a measure of faith. If God did not first give us the faith to believe in His plan of redemption, we could not believe on our own. Look at Romans 3:11-12
11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."
The Bible also teaches us that no one can come to Christ for salvation unless he is first drawn by the Father through His Spirit. Many mistakenly believe that they sought for God and found salvation; however, the truth is that we first feel the drawing of God and this creates the longing in our hearts to seek. The flesh has no knowledge of spiritual things and cannot act according to the Spirit. In fact, the Bible teaches that the flesh is at war against the Spirit and the Spirit is at war against the flesh. God first gives us enough faith to believe and then we either respond by following that call to the cross of Jesus Christ or we resist the Spirit and try to fulfill our longing by our own efforts in the flesh. We seek because we are first drawn.
Everything in the Christian walk is based on faith. Anything that is based on human effort is of the flesh and is unacceptable to God. Each man or woman must first find salvation at the cross of Jesus before any other act can be of the Spirit. It is the work of God. He gives us the faith to believe, He draws us by His Spirit to the cross, He reveals the Son to us, and He creates a new creation when we surrender to Jesus Christ.
We have the right to resist. The only time our flesh is involved is when we are at war with the Spirit. Our flesh will try to draw us contrary to the Spirit every step of our daily walk. An act of faith is believing and responding according to the Spirit while disobedience and disbelief is a response to the flesh. Even Christians struggle and often respond through the flesh. The reason the Bible says that whatever is not of faith is sin is because we must first resist faith before we can act contrary to faith. We will all feel the call of God but few will truly respond. Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen”. God calls all men to Himself but human nature seeks the things of the flesh and in the flesh you cannot please God.
Those who respond to the call of the cross and surrender to Christ have another portion of faith. Look at 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
We are all empowered by the Spirit to walk in faith; however, there are some that will be given a gift of faith for the purpose of profiting all. Each gift of the Spirit is given so that the entire congregation can be built up and edified by God. There are two important things we must realize concerning faith – and all spiritual gifts. First, the gifts are distributed by the will of God and by the power of God. No one becomes great in faith because they have developed faith. The same holds true for all things of the Spirit. Self-discipline is important and does benefit us; however, our gifts are just that – gifts. We do not merit the gifts of God nor do we have a choice in the spiritual gifts we are given. God distributes each individually as He wills. We are responsible for using these gifts for the purpose of building up the body.
Secondly, we have no bragging rights. Anyone who boasts the scriptures ask the question, “Why do you boast as though you had not received it?” How can I boast about my gift as though I have done something to merit it? How can I criticize someone who does not have my gifts? This is the work of God and is not the result of human merit or spiritual worthiness. In fact, the majority of the time, God often lays hold of those who are failing spiritually, transforms their lives and sets them on a new path with a gift by His Spirit and the power to do His will. Why does God empower the unworthy and ungodly? Who but God can get the glory when a vile sinner is suddenly transformed into a godly man or woman with power and a vision to do God’s will? Gifts are by grace, not merit.
We know that faith is a gift of the Spirit, is given by the Spirit, and faith also creates action within our spirit. Those who walk according to the flesh are under condemnation but in Christ, we are no longer under the flesh but walk in the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4). Faith produced in our lives will always impact our lives unless we resist the Spirit of God.
So what is this faith God has measured to us? What is biblical faith? Faith is believing God, Assurance of God, and ‘Living Faith’ must create obedience.
Faith = Believing God, Assurance of His Promises, and Obedience
Simply put, faith is believing God and putting our trust in Him. We can believe and still choose not to trust. Believing without trusting is not faith. Faith is believing and trusting God. Look at these verses from Romans:
Romans 4:3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
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9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
To understand this passage, we look back to the promise God gave Abraham. In the life of Abraham we see a process of growing into faith. Abraham followed God with the promise that would later be revealed. During Abraham’s journey, he had moments of assurance and moments of doubt. Twice Abraham feared for his life and asked his wife to say she was his sister so that the rulers would not kill him and take his wife. Sarah was indeed Abraham’s half-sister but out of doubt he hid the fact that she was also his wife. Even though he struggled with doubt, God protected him, delivered him and blessed him. Finally in Genesis 15, God showed Abraham the stars and promised that his descendants would be greater in number than the stars he saw. Not only was Sarah barren but Abraham was now too old to have children himself. The promise was an impossibility without a son, so Abraham asked how such a promise could be fulfilled. God promised that he would have a son and become the father of many nations. Abraham believed that God had the power to fulfill His promises and that He was faithful to fulfill what was promised. Abraham’s faith was credited to Him as righteousness. Believing and responding to God is faith.
Our faith is no different than the example of Abraham. God has given us many promises, direction, and commands. Faith is believing all these things about God. The Spirit reveals to us that God is true and then we believe the Spirit or reject faith. Sometimes believing God calls us to lay aside our dreams, hopes or needs believing that God is able to meet our needs, fulfill our hopes and be our vision. When circumstances are challenging, faith calls us to trust God while our flesh calls us to act with self-centered motives. Faith says, ‘I put my confidence in God’ while the flesh says, ‘I have to intervene’. Sometimes it is hard to follow faith when sin is the easy way out. It is easy to justify acts of the flesh, but to do so is to reject faith. Look at Hebrews 11:6:
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Do we believe? Do we seek God and allow Him to reward our faith or do we follow the way of flesh that seems right to a man? (Proverbs 14:12). Jesus said that anyone who desires to follow Him must first deny themselves, take up his cross daily and follow Him. This is impossible by the flesh. The flesh can’t deny itself. In fact, this is absolute foolishness to anyone not living for Christ; however, we can deny ourselves because we believe the promises of God. I seek God’s kingdom and He will seek my good. Look at Matthew 6:33
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
I must first seek God’s kingdom and righteousness before I can expect God to fulfill His promises. Faith is always first; the promise comes afterward. The flesh demands to be shown the benefit before stepping out but faith sees the promise, believes it as though it is a surety. Hebrews 11:1 Explains:
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Faith believes that God’s desire is to bless and acts accordingly. Look at Psalm 36:7-8
7 How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. 8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.
Faith is revealed by the Spirit. The Spirit reveals the lovingkindness of God and we know that God loves us and seeks our good. Therefore, we are able to trust under the shadow of His wings and THEN we are abundantly satisfied with the good things of God. Faith believes God. Faith believes that God is good. Faith trusts in the power of God and calls us to submit to His authority. Faith believes that we will inherit the good things God has for us.
When we trust the flesh over the Spirit, we will never see or inherit the promises of God. God always requires faith before the promise. Faith is believing God and responding to the Spirit. Unbelief is believing and responding to the flesh. Faith is walking in the Spirit; the flesh is walking by sight.
