Word Study-Faith
The word is used of
(a) trust, e.g., Rom_3:25 [see Note 4 after 1 below]; 1_Cor_2:5; 1_Cor_15:14,17; 2_Cor_1:24; Gal_3:23 [see Note 5 after 1 below]; Php_1:25; Php_2:17; 1_Thess_3:2; 2_Thess_1:3; 2_Thess_3:2;
(b) trust-worthiness, e.g., Matt_23:23; Rom_3:3, RV, "the faithfulness of God;" Gal_5:22 (RV, "faithfulness"); Titus_2:10, "fidelity;"
(c) by metonymy [i.e. when something is referred to by a word which describes a quality or feature of that thing , what is believed, the contents of belief], the "faith," Acts_6:7; Acts_14:22; Gal_1:23; Gal_3:25 [contrast Gal_3:23, under 1(a)]; Gal_6:10; Php_1:27; 1_Thess_3:10; Jude_1:3,20 (and perhaps 2_Thess_3:2);
(d) a ground for "faith," an assurance, Acts_17:31 (not as in AV, marg., "offered faith");
(e) a pledge of fidelity, plighted "faith," 1_Tim_5:12.
The main elements in "faith" in its relation to the invisible God, as distinct from "faith" in man, are especially brought out in the use of this noun and the corresponding verb, pisteuo; they are a firm conviction, producing a full acknowledgement of God's revelation or truth, e.g., 2_Thess_2:11,12; a personal surrender to Him, John_1:12; a conduct inspired by such surrender, 2_Cor_5:7. Prominence is given to one or other of these elements according to the context.
All this stands in contrast to belief in its purely natural exercise, which consists of an opinion held in good "faith" without necessary reference to its proof. The object of Abraham's "faith" was not God's promise (that was the occasion of its exercise); his "faith" rested on God Himself, Rom_4:17,20,21. See ASSURANCE, BELIEF, FAITHFULNESS, FIDELITY.
Notes: (1) In Heb_10:23, elpis, "hope," is mistranslated "faith" in the AV (RV, "hope"). (2) In Acts_6:8 the most authentic mss. have charis, "grace," RV, for pistis, "faith." (3) In Rom_3:3, RV, apistia, is rendered "want of faith," for AV, "unbelief" (so translated elsewhere). See UNBELIEF. The verb apisteo in that verse is rendered "were without faith," RV, for AV, "did not believe." (4) In Rom_3:25, the AV wrongly links "faith" with "in His blood," as if "faith" is reposed in the blood (i.e., the death) of Christ; the en is instrumental; "faith" rests in the living Person; hence the RV rightly puts a comma after "through faith," and renders the next phrase "by His blood," which is to be connected with "a propitiation." Christ became a propitiation through His blood (i.e., His death in expiatory sacrifice for sin). (5) In Gal_3:23, though the article stands before "faith" in the original, "faith" is here to be taken as under 1(a) above, and as in Gal_3:22, and not as under 1(c), "the faith;" the article is simply that of renewed mention. (6) For the difference between the teaching of Paul and that of James, on "faith" and works, see Notes on Galatians, by Hogg and Vine, pp. 117-119.
See also : pistis in other topics
Faith
Is the substance of things hoped for Faith
Is the evidence of things not seen
Commanded
THE OBJECTS OF, ARE
IN CHRIST IS
Christ is the Author and Finisher of Faith
Is a gift of the Holy Spirit
The Scriptures designed to produce
Preaching designed to produce
THROUGH IT IS
Impossible to please God without
Justification is by, to be of grace
Essential to the profitable reception of the gospel
Necessary in the Christian warfare
The gospel effectual in those who have
Excludes self-justification
Excludes boasting
Works by love
PRODUCES
BY IT SAINTS
Saints die in Faith
SAINTS SHOULD
True, evidenced by its fruits
Without fruits, is dead
Examine whether you be in Faith
All difficulties overcome by Faith
All things should be done in Faith
Whatever is not of, is sin
Often tried by affliction
Trial of, works patience
The wicked often profess
The wicked destitute of Faith
Protection of, illustrated
Exemplified
Is the substance of things hoped for Faith
- Heb_11:1
Is the evidence of things not seen
- Heb_11:1
Commanded
- Matt_11:22 ; 1_John_3:23
THE OBJECTS OF, ARE
God - John_14:1
Christ - John_6:29 ; Acts_20:21
Writings of Moses - John_5:46 ; Acts_24:14
Writings of the prophets - 2_Chron_20:20 ; Acts_26:27
The gospel - Mark_1:15
Promises of God - Rom_4:21 ; Heb_11:13
IN CHRIST IS
The gift of God - Rom_12:3 ; Eph_2:8 ; Eph_6:23 ; Php_1:29
The work of God - Acts_11:21 ; 1_Cor_2:5
Precious - 2_Pet_1:1
Most holy - Jude_1:20
Fruitful - 1_Thess_1:3
Accompanied by repentance - Mark_1:15 ; Luke_24:47
Followed by conversion - Acts_11:21
Christ is the Author and Finisher of Faith
- Heb_12:2
Is a gift of the Holy Spirit
- 1_Cor_12:9
The Scriptures designed to produce
- John_20:31 ; 2_Tim_3:15
Preaching designed to produce
- John_17:20 ; Acts_8:12 ; Rom_10:14,15,17 ; 1_Cor_3:5
THROUGH IT IS
Remission of sins - Acts_10:43 ; Rom_3:25
Justification - Acts_13:39 ; Rom_3:21,22,28,30 ; Rom_5:1 ; Gal_2:16
Salvation - Mark_16:16 ; Acts_16:31
Sanctification - Acts_15:9 ; Acts_26:18
Spiritual light - John_12:36,46
Spiritual life - John_20:31 ; Gal_2:20
Eternal life - John_3:15,16 ; John_6:40,47
Rest in heaven - Heb_4:3
Edification - 1_Tim_1:4 ; Jude_1:20
Preservation - 1_Pet_1:5
Adoption - John_1:12 ; Gal_3:26
Access to God - Rom_5:2 ; Eph_3:12
Inheritance of the promises - Gal_3:22 ; Heb_6:12
The gift of the Holy Spirit - Acts_11:15-17 ; Gal_3:14 ; Eph_1:13
Impossible to please God without
- Heb_11:6
Justification is by, to be of grace
- Rom_4:16
Essential to the profitable reception of the gospel
- Heb_4:2
Necessary in the Christian warfare
- 1_Tim_1:18,19 ; 1_Tim_6:12
The gospel effectual in those who have
- 1_Thess_2:13
Excludes self-justification
- Rom_10:3,4
Excludes boasting
- Rom_3:27
Works by love
- Gal_5:6 ; 1_Tim_1:5 ; Philemon_1:5
PRODUCES
Hope - Rom_5:2
Joy - Acts_16:34 ; 1_Pet_1:8
Peace - Rom_15:13
Confidence - Isaiah_28:16 ; 1_Pet_2:6
Boldness in preaching - Psalm_116:10 ; 2_Cor_4:13
Christ is precious to those having - 1_Pet_2:7
Christ dwells in the heart by - Eph_3:17
Necessary in prayer - Matt_21:22 ; James_1:6
Those who are not Christ's have not - John_10:26,27
An evidence of the new birth - 1_John_5:1
BY IT SAINTS
Live - Gal_2:20
Stand - Rom_11:20 ; 2_Cor_1:24
Walk - Rom_4:12 ; 2_Cor_5:7
Obtain a good report - Heb_11:2
Overcome the world - 1_John_5:4,5
Resist the devil - 1_Pet_5:9
Overcome the devil - Eph_6:16
Are supported - Psalm_27:13 ; 1_Tim_4:10
Saints die in Faith - Heb_11:13
SAINTS SHOULD
Be sincere in - 1_Tim_1:5 ; 2_Tim_1:5
Abound in - 2_Cor_8:7
Continue in - Acts_14:22 ; Col_1:23
Be strong in - Rom_4:20-24
Stand fast in - 1_Cor_16:13
Be grounded and settled in - Col_1:23
Hold, with a good conscience - 1_Tim_1:19
Pray for the increase of - Luke_17:5
Have full assurance of - 2_Tim_1:12 ; Heb_10:22
True, evidenced by its fruits - James_2:21-25
Without fruits, is dead - James_2:17,20,26
Examine whether you be in Faith - 2_Cor_13:5
All difficulties overcome by Faith - Matt_17:20 ; Matt_21:21 ; Mark_9:23
All things should be done in Faith - Rom_14:22
Whatever is not of, is sin - Rom_14:23
Often tried by affliction - 1_Pet_1:6,7
Trial of, works patience - James_1:3
The wicked often profess - Acts_8:13,21
The wicked destitute of Faith - John_10:25 ; John_12:37 ; Acts_19:9 ; Acts_3:2
Protection of, illustrated
A shield - Eph_6:16
A breastplate - 1_Thess_5:8
Exemplified [i.e. to be or give a typical example of something]
Caleb - Num_13:30
Job - Job_19:25
Shadrach, etc. - Dan_3:17
Daniel - Dan_6:10,23
Peter - Matt_16:16
Woman who was a sinner - Luke_7:50
Nathanael - John_1:49
Samaritans - John_4:39
Martha - John_11:27
The Disciples - John_16:30
Thomas - John_20:28
Stephen - Acts_6:5
Priests - Acts_6:7
Ethiopian - Acts_8:37
Barnabas - Acts_11:24
Sergius Paulus - Acts_13:12
Philippian jailor - Acts_16:31,34
Romans - Rom_1:8
Colossians - Col_1:4
Thessalonians - 1_Thess_1:3
Lois - 2_Tim_1:5
Paul - 2_Tim_4:7
Abel - Heb_11:4
Enoch - Heb_11:5
Noah - Heb_11:7
Abraham - Heb_11:8,17
Isaac - Heb_11:20
Jacob - Heb_11:21
Joseph - Heb_11:22
Moses - Heb_11:24,27
Rahab - Heb_11:31
Gideon etc. - Heb_11:32,33,39
Faith - Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Php_1:27; 2_Thess_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 (Rom_10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John_10:38; 1_John_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 (Rom_3:22,25; Gal_2:16; Php_3:9; John_3:16-36; Acts_10:43; Acts_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_Cor_2:14; 2_Cor_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_Cor_4:6; Eph_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; Rom_6:4-10; Eph_4:15,16, etc.); "peace with God" (Rom_5:1); and sanctification (Acts_26:18; Gal_5:6; Acts_15:9). All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved (John_6:37,40; John_10:27,28; Rom_8:1).
The faith=the gospel (Acts_6:7; Rom_1:5; Gal_1:23; 1_Tim_3:9; Jude_1:3).
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