What is Faith?
Publish date:
May 25, 2009
Summary:
Faith is an integral part of any healthy relationship—especially a relationship with God.
Sometimes we wonder how we can get to know God. Well, it’s the same way we get to know anybody else. In order to get acquainted with anyone, three things are necessary:
1. We need to talk to them
2. We need to listen to them
3. We need to go places and do things together.
These are the ingredients of good communication. But how do we know God is even there?
We take advantage of many things we can’t see. How long has it been since you saw electricity or wind? We can’t see this mysterious thing called “life.” Yet we can see the results of all of the above.
Even though we cannot see God or hear His voice with our human equipment, we can still see the working of His power, and by taking advantage of the avenues of communication He has given us, we can come to know Him. It’s by knowing Him that we learn to trust Him.
Faith is important to the Christian life. Hebrews 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Some people think you need a whole lot of faith, but Luke 17:5-6 tells us that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains! It apparently doesn’t take a lot to achieve a lot. Faith is not measured by how much we have. A little faith, if it is genuine, does the impossible.
What if we don’t have the faith required for God to be able to work in our lives? We just need to ask God for it (Mark 9:20-27). We have only to ask God for the faith we need since faith ultimately comes from Him anyway. We shall never be at a place for which God cannot make provision in our lives. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” is what we can say anytime we don’t feel we have enough faith. He is faithful to help us at anytime in our need of Him.
The spiritual promises are always available. But the promises for temporal blessings, even for life itself, are given on occasion and withheld on occasion as God’s will sees best. Faith still trusts God even when things don’t work out the way we want them to. It’s easy to trust God when life is going smoothly.
The real test of faith comes when our prayers seem unanswered. The truth is that we don’t work on our righteousness nor do we work on faith. Both are gifts. Both come as a result of knowing Jesus. And knowing Jesus comes as a result of spending time in prayer and communion with Him. If we will come to Him, He will supply to us the genuine faith that we need.
One Phoenician woman chose faith and received a miracle from Jesus.
Faith in God includes both getting to know Him and learning to understand His will.
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This article is adapted from Truth Matters by Professor Walter J. Veith, an international speaker who has studied Biblical issues in-depth in his quest for truth. His popular series Genesis Conflict brings the debate between Creation and evolution to a new climax as he dissects the arguments with a scientific eye. His highly-acclaimed series Total Onslaught sheds light on the state of the world today as we move to a one-world government and an anticipated apocalypse.
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Disclaimer:
The contents of this article and website are not intended to accuse individuals. There are many priests and faithful believers in Roman Catholicism who serve God to the best of their ability and are seen by God as His children. The information contained herein is directed only towards the Roman Catholic religio-political system that has reigned in varying degrees of power for nearly two millennia. Under the influence of its successive popes, bishops, and cardinals, this system has established an increasing number of doctrines and statements that clearly go against Scripture.
It is our sincere desire to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, so you may decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find herein anything contrary to the Word of God, you need not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality, we encourage you to make all haste to accept that Truth which is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
It is our sincere desire to lay the clear Word of God before you, the truth-seeking reader, so you may decide for yourself what is truth and what is error. If you find herein anything contrary to the Word of God, you need not accept it. But if you desire to seek for Truth as for hidden treasure, and find herein something of that quality, we encourage you to make all haste to accept that Truth which is revealed to you by the Holy Spirit.
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Liberty of Conscience Threatened
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