Last week we studied biblical repentance. This week we will look into biblical faith. Outside the Scriptures the word faith has many different meanings, but in our present study we do not need to concern ourselves with these.
Within the Scriptures there are two definite, distinguishing features of faith. First, faith always originates directly in God’s Word; second, it is always directly related to God’s Word.
Faith is one of comparatively few words actually defined in the Bible. This definition is found in Hebrews 11:1.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
This verse might also be translated: “Now faith is the ground, or confidence, of things hoped for, a sure persuasion, or conviction, concerning things not seen.”
This important verse brings out various facts about faith. First of all, it indicates a distinction between faith and hope. There are two main ways in which faith differs from hope. The first is that hope is directed toward the future, but faith is established in the present. Hope is an attitude of expectancy concerning things that are yet to be, but faith is a substance – a confidence, something real and definite within us – that we possess here and now.
The second main difference between faith and hope is that hope is anchored in the realm of the mind; faith is anchored in the realm of the heart. This is very strikingly brought out in Paul’s description of scriptural armour required by the Christian soldier.
“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breast- plate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.” (1 Thess. 5:8)
Notice that faith – together with love – is found in the region of the breast; that is, the region of the heart. But hope is pictured as a helmet, in the region of the head, or mind. Thus, hope is a mental attitude of expectancy concerning the future; faith is a condition of the heart, producing within us here and now something so real that it can be described by the word substance.
In Romans Paul again directly associates the heart with the exercise of faith, or believing.
“With the heart one believes unto [literally, into] righteousness.” (Rom. 10:10)
Many people make a profession of faith in Christ and the Bible, but their faith is only in the realm of the mind. It is an intellectual acceptance of certain facts and doctrines. This is not true, scriptural faith, and it does not produce any vital change in the lives of those who profess it.
On the other hand, heart faith always produces a definite change in those who profess it. When associated with the heart, the verb “to believe” becomes a verb of motion. Hence Paul says, “With the heart one believes [into] righteousness” – not merely “unto righteousness,” but “into righteousness.” It is one thing to believe with the mind “unto righteousness,” merely as an abstract theory or ideal. It is quite another thing to believe with the heart “into righteousness”; that is, to believe in a way that produces a transformation of habits, character and life.
Father, how grateful I am to you that You have found me! Thank You Lord, for the grace of repentance, as a result of which my life is constantly moving towards You. Thank You that I may live in this way by your Holy Spirit who lives in me. Amen.
