Faith & Works - Part I: What is Faith, Anywho?

Archived on January, 2001

Part One: Why what is Faith anywho?
In our first segment of this series, we are going to define what Faith is exactly. I think in our walk we tend to forget the basics unless they are constantly fed to us. So I will lay down what this is and go even further to see how to exercise that faith.

Matthew 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

How was Jesus able to "see" their faith? Do you think they had a little cross necklace around their neck? NO, their faith was seen by what they were doing. He saw them coming towards him with this man who was very sick, yet I am sure they had the look on their face that told Jesus they believed in him.

I just said the keyword there, they BELIEVED!

Not that he was just some prophet who had the power of God, but that he was Yahshua, the Messiah that Father has sent. They believed fully that he could heal the man, and Jesus did. The men who carried him and the man himself believed. The multitude did not realize who Jesus was, they were just amazed and..."glorified God, which gave such power to men." - Matthew 9:8

Believing is Faith, those that saw Jesus and the works he did had an advantage over those of us who have not seen him. Yet we believe that he is, and that Yahshua did those things. That is our faith in Jesus the Christ, by which Grace from the Father gives the gift of salvation.

Let's get a little technical on this word Faith.

The Greek 4102 pistis {pis'-tis}

Conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.
1a) relating to God
1a1) the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
1b) relating to Christ
1b1) a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
1c) the religious beliefs of Christians
1d) belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same

Conviction of the truth of anything! We have conviction that Yahshua paid that awesome price for us and that he rose on the third day to defeat Death, which is Satan. So we have a faith in God and all the things that pertain to him: Creation, Rulership, Fatherhood, and then we have the faith of Yahshua and that he will return to recieve the Children.

Abraham had faith that Sarah would concieve......

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
The "it" spoken of here is the Promise that God made to Abraham, as mentioned only a few verses before. We are righteous, justified by faith. This same faith, even Abraham had, and by that same faith, we are Abraham's children.

Romans 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Abraham believed in God, that God would make him the Father of many nations.

Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Though Abraham was old and Sarah had become old, ole Abe didn't waiver in his faith toward God. He completely believed that God would keep his promise.

Romans 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
So here that same faith has been handed down through generations. Though satan has attempted to destroy it many times. That same faith, that God has raised up our Saviour, has given us righteousness and justification.

So then what is faith? Look at Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. I won't to look at these two things closely:
1.)The substance of things hoped for.
We hope for that day when Christ will return, without faith that hope is empty. If we do not have faith that he will return as promised, there isn't hope at all.

2.) The evidence of things not seen
Can we see air? No, but we believe it exists, simply because we breathe. That keeps us alive physically.
Have we, in this generation seen Christ and all the things he did? No, but we must believe that He is real and that all the things written occured, or our faith is in vain. If we believe, we are alive spiritually. IT is through the Word that we are told of all the magnificent things that Yahshua did, and all things written will come to pass, for that is written as well.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
By study, we learn of Him and gain in knowledge of the Father and his plan. It also reveals how amazing His word is so neatly joined together, though each Holy Spirit inspired writer wrote many years apart from each other. Awesome! Finally for closing on this first part let's go to Tbe Gospel of John

John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Indeed; we are very blessed for as it is written:
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. It's good to be a child of God, and to have that faith whereby we are justified, made righteous in His sight. Justified by faith, yet without works, that same is dead. We will see how next time, until then may YHVH, the heavenly Father, bless you.
In Christ's love, Carl Towns.

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Part I