It Is Settled

Although faith is one of the most important aspects of the Christian life, I have found that it is one of the least taught subjects in most church circles. The word faith appears in the King James Version of the Bible 243 times; two times in the Old Testament; 241 times in the New Testament; with 29 times in the Gospels; and 210 times after the Day of Pentecost. We would think that it is a very important word that should be investigated, taught and understood. In fact, one is not born again without it, "For by grace you have been saved through faith..." (Ephesians 2:8). Because faith is absolutely essential to the believer, I would like to focus on four basic truths about the nature of faith.

We begin by looking at a phrase used four times in the Bible, "The just shall live by faith."   (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38) First of all, faith is individual. The righteous person lives by his/her own faith. They do not live by the faith of someone else, but must live by their own faith. This is the responsibility of every believer. Although God will honor the faith of another believer praying for you as a temporary substitute, He expects everyone of His children to acquire and live by their own, personal faith.

Second, we need to discover how all inclusive the statement, "The just shall live by his faith" truly is. Living includes everything about us, such as, breathing, thinking, eating, talking, walking, working, praying, everything. However, for the believer, faith is the only acceptable basis to God for any kind of activity. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul tells us, "...for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) This includes all activities, not simply religious ones. The Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews tells us, "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." (Hebrews 11:6) All the works that believers can do, if it is without faith, it is simply that, works, and it will not please God.

Third, we need to see that the life of faith is progressive. It is not static, it is not to ever plateau, nor is it some condition that believers can take or leave. Misunderstanding this aspect of faith is the greatest snare of the majority of Christians. Many believers often feel they can come to a place where they are able to say, in a sense, "this is it, I really do not need to go or grow any more in faith." This is what is referred to as, cruse control Christianity. It is the place where believers see no need to have greater faith, because they feel as though they have acquired enough. Yet this is not what the Bible teaches. Like natural life, maturing from infant to adult, the spiritual life or the life of faith is also something that is progressive, it never stands still. The writer of Hebrews reproves believers for staying in an infantile state, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food." (Hebrews 5:12)    

Although in the natural, people do have an element of faith, however, it is not the faith that is required to receive salvation and live in the power of God. The natural kind of faith is solely based upon what the five senses, seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, can understand and assimilate in the mind. However, if one of these senses is removed or severely altered, it becomes a difficult task at best to understand and live, because this kind of faith relies on physical evidence alone. Natural faith gives birth to many achievements in the natural, but is a poor substitute for true faith, that is revelation faith. This brings us to point number four. 

The fourth thing we need to see about faith is that it is based solely and exclusively on the Bible, the Word of God, "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) Faith comes by hearing the Word, understanding the Word and having the Word become a part of us. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle James tells us, "...receive with meekness (humility) the implanted (grafted in) word, which is able to save your souls (mind, will and emotions)." (James 1:21) Faith also comes by knowing that God's Word, like He Himself, does not change, "Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89) "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8), because He and His Word are One, "For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one." (1 John 5:7) 

Observing these four things should bring us to understand that our faith is not based on circumstances, emotions, or symptoms. It must be based simply and solely on the Word of God apprehended without the five senses and then acted upon. "Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions." (James 2:18 WEY) As we see, saying I have faith without corresponding actions is not the kind of faith that pleases God. Faith then is the result of God's Word, not simply committed to memory, but dwelling in us, lived and practiced. As we think deeply in it and feed on it, it becomes a very part of ourselves, building in us confidence and assurance knowing, "...that what God had (has) promised He was (is) also able to perform." (Romans 4:21)