FAITH
A) WHAT IS FAITH?
Hebrews 11: 1. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction (or the real proof) of things unseen. The basis on which this insurance is that belief in God's word.
Meaning of the word "faith" as used in connection with the Bible:
Jacques 1: 5-7, Mark 11: 24. Faith without prayer is awaiting firm, provided the thing requested (1 John 5: 14-15).
Meaning of the word "faith" in relation to God:
1 John 5: 10, Acts 17: 22-25, John 5: 24, Romans 4: 3.Believing in God is to have absolute confidence in him .It is taking God at his word. Faith is not belief without evidence.It is a certainty based on the One who can not lie (Titus 1: 2).
There are two Hebrew words for "confidence" and "faith"The first means to believe and trust, means first of all, in the form transitive"Hold high, support, sustain." And the intransitive form "remain." The second results in"Confide" seems to mean "to rely on."
When we believe in God, we remain in His word and we trust in it.
Meaning of the word "faith" in relation to Jesus Christ.
John 14: 1, John 14: 12, Matthew 9: 21-22, Matthew 9: 29.
Have faith in Jesus is to trust in him, rely totally on Him. Is the assurance that he will do the things we ask him (2 Timothy 1: 12). Rely on Christ for healing is healing, count on him for forgiveness, forgiveness brings, etc ...
B) THE "SAVING FAITH"
How do we believe to be saved?
"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.Because the heart is believing unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. "Romans 10: 9-10
The "saving faith" is the heart. To be saved, we must think of the heart. In the Bible, the heart represents the thinking, feeling and will.
The faith of the heart is manifested by acts consistent with that faith (Hebrews 11: 7).
Have "saving faith" is the fact of receiving Jesus Christ when he gives himself to us and take ownership of all it is Himself for us (1 John 1: 12).
He offered Himself to bear our sins. The "saving faith" is to recognize Jesus Christ as Lord and his hopes of forgiveness based on the atoning blood of Christ. He offered to deliver us from the power of sin (John 8: 34-36).
Have "saving faith" is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Master (John 13: 13). It is also invoke the name of the Lord (Romans 10: 13-14).
Invoke its name implies:
a) That we recognize our deep need of salvation.
b) we wanted fervently to be saved.
c) That we should abandon all hope of saving us otherwise.
d) What is our hope of salvation in Him. Have this faith is to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
One who has "saving faith" does not shrink from the confession of the Name of Jesus Christ and to his service in the danger and the test. (Hebrews 10: 38-39).
To have life we must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (John 20: 31, 1 John 5: 1). This faith must be the heart and should not be based on a theological opinion but an assurance and certainty that drives us to trust in Jesus Christ and submit our thoughts, our feelings, our ambitions and our lives whole.
"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, to the Jew first and then the Greek.". Romans 1: 16
To be saved, we must first believe in the message of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4).
"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ... He was buried and that he rose again. This is what we believe to be saved. This implies faith in Him as the Christ Son of God "(Romans 1: 4).
Faith in His death shows us forgiveness. Faith in his resurrection gives us power over the issue of sin. (Romans 10: 9-10).
To be saved we must believe that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. This implies a belief in his divinity. (Romans 1: 4), in his atoning death, (Romans 1: 4).
FAITH IN THE RACES
Hebrews 11: 24-26
This faith is active even in difficult times, because it does not look to things visible, but the invisible things.
THE RESULT OF FAITH
Ephesians 2: 8
We are saved by faith. Salvation is the gift of God, faith appropriates this gift freely available to all (1 Timothy 4: 10).
We receive forgiveness of sins by faith. God offers forgiveness to all the men on the basis of Christ's blood shed for us (Romans 5: 1). We are justified by faith. There is in the word of God purifying power. If we believe in this saying it will exercise that power in our hearts (Psalm 119: 9-11).
By faith we have the victory over the world and the evil. We are also fulfilled by faith (Mark 11: 24).
HOW TO GET THE FAITH
Romans 12: 3, 1 Corinthians 12: 4-9, 1 Corinthians 2: 4-5.
It is the gift of God. This gift is available to those who truly desire for God is no respecter of person.
THE SOURCE OF FAITH
Romans 10: 17, Acts 4: 4
The word of God is the instrument that God has chosen and he uses to give us faith.If we believe that our prayer is heard, we must seek God's promises and rest our faith on them. To become powerful in prayer, we must feed on the word of God. This does not serve as many pray for faith, if we neglect to give its main food (the word of God). Galatians 5: 22
Faith is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Speech is the instrument by which it is produced and is made alive by the Holy Spirit. <> Hebrews 12: 2 Jesus is the author and finisher of faith. If we want faith, we must rely on the promises of God. Faith in the Word of God leads to repentance (Acts 11: 19-21, Acts 2: 37-41). The main element of repentance is a change in attitude toward Christ. True faith in Christ implies confession and forsaking of sin. True repentance and true faith are inseparable and dependent on each other.
