Faith is arguably THE paramount construct within Christianity; yet is remains an elusive concept that is often bastardized within Christian realms and by (gasp) professing Christians. Just scroll your way around Facebook, peruse YouTube, or even do some old-fashioned channel flipping and you will invariably find a professing Christian “authority” pontificating about faith in a manner that portrays faith in a way that does not match with what scripture teaches on the topic. There are many manifestations of what might be termed falsified faith. From “word of faith” gurus urging you to “name it and claim it” to “faith” healers whose basis of identifying faith is shrouded in dubious miracles and exaggerated episodes of tongues and “holy” laughter, there is no shortage of flavors when it comes to faith. That being the case, rather than dealing with that which is NOT biblical faith, let us take a few moments to remind ourselves of what constitutes biblical faith, without which it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith as far as scripture discusses it, in the starkest terms, is simply believing what God said and doing accordingly with no other confirmation sought after or needed. At times, the scriptures make it clear that faith will require a conscious choice to believe and obey God DESPITE observable evidence that would seem to make what God said impossible. To be sure, there is a definition of faith which would allow for the many false versions of it that are taught and practiced within Christianity and in many other disciplines to exist comfortably – but that is not BIBLICAL faith as God sets it forth in His word. People exercise faith all the time and for many purposes, but the difference between true faith as portrayed in the scriptures and all other sorts of faith is found by examining the source or cause of what one is believing. If one is believing what God said in His word and acting accordingly, that is biblical faith; if one believes anything or anyone else and acts accordingly that is faith of a non-biblical sort.
The scriptures hold up examples to us of biblical faith in various passages, perhaps the most well-known is the “hall of faith” found in Hebrews 11, which also provides God’s definition of faith in verse 1:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
The above definition may be applied and practiced in regard to most any “things” that we choose; however, with regard to biblical faith which pleases God and which He honors the “things” of focus are His words, His promises. We see this precept clearly as the author of Hebrews goes on to list persons such as Abraham, Deborah, David, and others and what they accomplished, which without exception is a list of accomplishments pertaining to these persons believing and living as a reality God’s word to them based simply on what God told them.
For each one of us, biblical faith is the key to any sort of relationship with God. The gift of His Son crucified for our sins and risen (which is God’s grace towards us) is applied to us through faith in the same:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
God gave us His word regarding His Son regarding our salvation; if we do not believe what He said and do accordingly, we have no part in Him. Once we have received part in Him (by grace through faith), it remains through faith in His word that we maintain that relationship and grow in Him, as is discussed in James 2. As we come to Christ and as we go on in Christ, faith, of the biblical kind, is indeed paramount in our walk with Him. Do we really believe what God’s word says? If so, we ought be living accordingly.
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