Search for Truth

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Faith, biblically, is of the utmost importance. It is the requirement for salvation and the pathway to a relationship with God. The questions must be asked then: What is faith? How do we obtain it? What is its importance? And to tie it all together: What is salvation?

Defining Faith

Faith, biblically, is the trust in God’s promises. It is the embodiment of trust, love and knowledge in and of God. It is not boiled down to one confession nor is it a work by our own hands. God, in his mercy, calls us to have faith.

What must we believe, then, to trust in God’s promises? We must believe that the Bible is the reliable Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, Psalm 119:105, Matthew 4:4), we must believe that Jesus is God and that he sacrificed himself for our sins (that we may receive forgiveness because of him and only because of him, John 14:6, Acts 4:12), and we must believe that God is sovereign, divine and holy.

• God’s Sovereignty and Divinity: Colossians 1:16-17, Isaiah 45:7-9, Job 42:2, Lamentations 3:37-39, Psalm 115:3, Proverbs 19:21, and countless more
• God’s Holiness and Goodness: James 1:7, Mark 10:18, Psalm 145:9, Psalm 23:6, Psalm 25:8, Ezra 3:11, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Matthew 7:11, and countless more

The heart of a person with true faith is one who seeks God and lives in a state of repentance; also known as the changing of the heart and mind to seek righteousness. The faithful person is not perfect (for no one is but God alone, Mark 10:18, Psalm 14:1-3, Romans 3:10-12) but they hold a deep care for God and his Word/mission. They forsake sin, deny themselves, and seek always to obey Jesus. Essentially, the person who has faith seeks a close relationship with God. That means abiding by the Bible in all ways, and amending their life to do so.

It is important to understand, however, a distinction: Faith produces good fruits (works, actions) but it does not exist because of our actions. Faith produces obedience, obedience does not produce faith. Obedience is apart of the restoration, which comes to the one with faith, as a part of sanctification. All who believe in Jesus will go through the process of sanctification, the renewal of the mind to act righteously and obedient.

• Renewal of the Christian: 2 Timothy 2:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, John 17:17, 2 Corinthians 5:17

A Common Misunderstanding

The concept of faith is often considered synonymous with belief. This, in itself, is not a wrong statement. The Bible often uses faith and belief interchangeably.

• Salvation by Belief: John 3:16, Acts 16:30-31, Romans 10:9-11, John 14:1, John 3:36
• Salvation by Faith: Romans 3:23-25, Philippians 3:8-9

*They are simply separated here by individual word; These verses all assert the same truth.

The issue arises when assuming, however, that our modern interpretation of “belief” aligns with biblical belief. For example, one can “believe” in God while still living their lives separate from him, actively seeking to perform sin without a single indication of repentance. That “belief”, as we consider it in modern society, would not qualify as true biblical belief. The modern day usage of the word “belief” cannot be attributed to the Gospel.

Seeking Faith

Perhaps you aren’t a believer yet, and if that is true, praise God that you’ve given this a read! Seeking faith may seem complicated or hard to grasp, but it all starts with one simple step: A prayer. God says that those who seek for truths will find them. Though a single external confession doesn’t necessarily prove faith, a single confession is often the emergence of faith. Pray to God for faith and confess Jesus as Lord. God will meet you where you are, spiritually. Perhaps you’re an atheist, an agnostic, or a member of another religion. Regardless of where you are, if you seek God earnestly and in truth, he will meet you there. My testimony is an example of this, and I am certain he would do likewise for you.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” – Matthew 7:7

You may not necessarily feel something during the prayer; And it’s not necessarily instant (God welcomes people in many different ways according to his divine plan). However, I can promise one thing: If you have a heart to seek God, he listens. He will not put you to shame.

The Holy Spirit

Given by God, believers have a helper by the name of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God, a member of the trinity, which empowers believers in their process to serve God here on Earth. The moment in which we accept Jesus as our savior, we have faith and are therefore bestowed with the Holy Spirit.

“Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” – Ephesians 1:13-14

Believers, who by definition have the Holy Spirit, all have different gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:6-8). These gifts empower us to serve God in various ways, all giving us unique purpose. The Spirit therefore empowers us to do God’s will, and we must attune our minds to listen to his convictions (John 16:3, Romans 8:6, Romans 8:14). Reading the Bible is the main way of determining our behaviors, and by the Spirit we are empowered to understand.

The Free Gift of Salvation

Salvation is being rescued from the punishment of Hell, eternal suffering, which we all deserve for our countless evils and wicked ways. The Gospel makes it clear that we all are immeasurably evil, and thus our only way of redemption is through another: Jesus, The Son.

• The Evil of Humanity: Romans 3:10-12, Galatians 5:16-17, Genesis 6:5, Mark 7:20-23, 1 John 2:16, Genesis 8:21, 1 Peter 4:3

Jesus lived the perfect life expected of us and died as a sacrifice to cover our sins. Our faith in him means we entrust him as the one who already paid our penalty, and therefore we are seen as clean as Jesus before the Father. Salvation is, therefore, considered a free gift from God, not based upon our works. The only condition for salvation is faith. This is supported across the entire Bible.

• Salvation by Faith, Separate from Works: Romans 6:2, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:23-25, Isaiah 57:12, Hebrews 7:25-26, John 15:3-5, Romans 11:6

If we could earn our salvation, we would be stating that the sacrifice of Jesus was not sufficient (Hebrews 10:12-14). It is only by his holy and perfect love that we are given grace, for our works are like dirty rags before him (Isaiah 64:6), always motivated with selfish intent. Praise God for his amazing grace.

• For more on this topic: Coming soon

The Necessity of The Son

It is not simply enough to believe in The Father. God is triune: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. You cannot ignore Jesus if you truly believe in God.

• For more on this topic: Coming soon

Since Jesus (The Son) is ultimately the source of our salvation (and the one to decide our fate on judgement day, see John 5:22-23), he is necessary to believe in. This means that one who denies Jesus as God and Christ (whether Jewish, Mormon, Muslim or otherwise) remains condemned.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” – John 14:6-7

Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins. The one who does not believe in Jesus, therefore, has no coverage. As illustrated by Hebrews 10 (and prophesied in Psalm 40:6-8) the Christ is the ultimate and true sacrifice for sins.

Christian Perseverance

It is our duty, therefore, if we truly have faith, to live with Christ-like perseverance to overcome our sinful habits and ways by the power of the Holy Spirit. The one who has faith does not idle in his sin, but stands back up again.

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.” – Proverbs 24:16

This does not mean we abuse God’s grace, for he is no fool. But, if you truly do have a heart for God, you will not be put to shame before The Lord despite your wrongdoings.

“For the scripture says ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’” – Romans 10:11

Faith is about walking with Christ. It is about fighting your flesh, overcoming your evil ways and using what God has given you to do good.

We do not have faith simply for salvation; We have faith because we serve a wondrously merciful God. What a blessing indeed!

References:

• ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008), used throughout for study notes and background; see Crossway’s publication details. OpenBible.info, “Topical Bible—Bible Verses by Topic,” used as a research tool for surfacing verses on specific topics; see also the site’s technical/methodology notes. Got Questions Ministries, GotQuestions.org.