What is Faith?
There are times in our lives when we know that we need more than a vague feeling about spiritual things, we want certainty. Actually the Bible defines faith in terms of certainty, in Hebrews it says now "faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen" - Hebrews 11:1.
Sometimes people think it's impossible to be sure but actually this word assurance speaks of certainty. Now this is important, the Bible is not talking about a mystical certainty some mysterious feeling that religious people have but others don't, it's speaking about a conviction of things not seen. This is the idea of being persuaded by proof. Actually the Greek word in the ancient manuscripts can be translated here as proof or evidence. There's evidence to evaluate, their truths to be persuaded about, there are even facts to be checked. So when the Bible speaks about faith, it's not talking about blind faith, but if you ask the question about what exactly do you need to be convinced of, what do you need to be persuaded about, what's the content of genuine Christian faith, well the answer to that is actually straight forward.
In the same chapter in Hebrews, it says "if anyone comes to God he must believe that he exists and he's the reward of those who diligently seek Him" - Hebrews 11:6. First of all, and you need to be persuaded about the existence of God and once again there's evidence you need to evaluate. It might not be the evidence that the sceptics demand but there's plenty of evidence to consider. We're not talking about the elimination of every possible doubt but enough evidence for you to secure a verdict, more than enough for you to have this assurance this conviction of things not seen.
The second area you need to evaluate is the whole message about Jesus Christ, who He is, the forgiveness available through his sacrifice. It's called the good news but actually it's only good news for those who believe. Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" - John 11:25. He said "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" - John 3:16.
Now Jesus summed up biblical faith when he said whoever believes in Me. It means believing in him, who he is, believing in what he accomplished on the cross. What is faith? faith is coming to the point where you have assurance, where you have the conviction that these things are true, that Jesus spoke the truth.
You know if you look into it all the evidence you need is available for you.
But one more thing because it's possible to be convinced and yet still not possess faith that saves. Let me explain it like this, in the Bible, Grace is contrasted with works as the means of salvation (Ephesians 2:8). We're not saved by works, were saved by God's kindness and mercy, His grace through the sacrifice of Jesus.
The Bible says we only receive that through faith, faith is not merely believing the message to be true intellectually, faith is relying on it, which means that you have to abandon all your efforts to save yourself by your good works and pray to God for undeserved forgiveness.
Faith is trusting that although you come to God empty-handed, you will be forgiven because Jesus died for sinners.
There are times in our lives when we know that we need more than a vague feeling about spiritual things, we want certainty. Actually the Bible defines faith in terms of certainty, in Hebrews it says now "faith is the assurance of things hoped for the conviction of things not seen" - Hebrews 11:1.
Sometimes people think it's impossible to be sure but actually this word assurance speaks of certainty. Now this is important, the Bible is not talking about a mystical certainty some mysterious feeling that religious people have but others don't, it's speaking about a conviction of things not seen. This is the idea of being persuaded by proof. Actually the Greek word in the ancient manuscripts can be translated here as proof or evidence. There's evidence to evaluate, their truths to be persuaded about, there are even facts to be checked. So when the Bible speaks about faith, it's not talking about blind faith, but if you ask the question about what exactly do you need to be convinced of, what do you need to be persuaded about, what's the content of genuine Christian faith, well the answer to that is actually straight forward.
In the same chapter in Hebrews, it says "if anyone comes to God he must believe that he exists and he's the reward of those who diligently seek Him" - Hebrews 11:6. First of all, and you need to be persuaded about the existence of God and once again there's evidence you need to evaluate. It might not be the evidence that the sceptics demand but there's plenty of evidence to consider. We're not talking about the elimination of every possible doubt but enough evidence for you to secure a verdict, more than enough for you to have this assurance this conviction of things not seen.
The second area you need to evaluate is the whole message about Jesus Christ, who He is, the forgiveness available through his sacrifice. It's called the good news but actually it's only good news for those who believe. Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" - John 11:25. He said "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" - John 3:16.
Now Jesus summed up biblical faith when he said whoever believes in Me. It means believing in him, who he is, believing in what he accomplished on the cross. What is faith? faith is coming to the point where you have assurance, where you have the conviction that these things are true, that Jesus spoke the truth.
You know if you look into it all the evidence you need is available for you.
But one more thing because it's possible to be convinced and yet still not possess faith that saves. Let me explain it like this, in the Bible, Grace is contrasted with works as the means of salvation (Ephesians 2:8). We're not saved by works, were saved by God's kindness and mercy, His grace through the sacrifice of Jesus.
The Bible says we only receive that through faith, faith is not merely believing the message to be true intellectually, faith is relying on it, which means that you have to abandon all your efforts to save yourself by your good works and pray to God for undeserved forgiveness.
Faith is trusting that although you come to God empty-handed, you will be forgiven because Jesus died for sinners.
