People can choose to have faith in many things. Most, of which, is faith in things that they can see and touch. And, that’s OK! I like to have faith that my family members love me and I like to do things and help with things going on in their lives that demonstrate to them that I love them as well! We could all write many lists of people and things that we can choose to have faith in.
What about what it means to have faith in God and Jesus Christ?
The faith that is spoken of in Scripture is precisely defined and described by the prophets in the Old Testament, as well as the disciples, apostles, and writers of the New Testament. Each were guided along by the Holy Spirit of God, because we are told that Scripture is God-breathed. This is why we can trust the Scriptures!
2Ti 3:16
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
2Ti 3:17
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
So, now that we have established why we can trust the Scriptures, what does the Bible reveal to us regarding having faith in Him?
Heb 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Jesus spoke to doubting Thomas and proclaimed:
Jhn 20:29
Jesus said to him, “Thomas,[fn] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
In the Old Testament, the Israelites were waiting for the coming Messiah. They did not live to see Him, however their hope for Him and belief that He would deliver them from their sin was enough at that time in history to save them.
Isa 30:18
Therefore the LORD will wait, that He may be gracious to you;
And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
Blessed are all those who wait for Him.
Jesus told us that ‘if we love Him, keep His commandments.” Belief in His sacrificial death on the cross saves us from the penalty for our sin. However, the sanctification process continues throughout a believer’s lifetime. That is why keeping His commandments shows our love for Jesus and what He did for us on the cross and the resurrection to life that is promised for all who believe in His Name.
Rev 22:14
Blessed are those who do His commandments,[fn] that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
All of Hebrews 11 is a description of faith and gives examples through history of those who held onto the faith.
I especially like David Guzik’s commentary on Hebrews 11. He shows examples of faith to help the discouraged.
Here is just a portion:
A. Faith defined.
1. (Hbr 11:1) A definition of faith.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
a. Now faith is the substance: Just as our physical eyesight is the sense that gives us evidence of the material world, faith is the “sense” that gives us evidence of the invisible, spiritual world.
i. Faith has its reasons. The Bible doesn’t recommend a “blind leap” of faith. But the reasons can’t be measured in a laboratory; they have to be understood spiritually. “Faith extends beyond what we learn from our senses, and the author is saying that it has its reasons. Its tests are not those of the senses, which yield uncertainty.” (Morris)
ii. “Physical eyesight produces a conviction or evidence of visible things; faith is the organ which enables people to see the invisible order.” (Bruce)
b. Of things hoped for… of things not seen: If you have the substance before you or if you can see it, there is no use for faith. Faith is needed for what we can’t see and can’t touch.
i. Faith does not contradict reason, though it may go beyond reason. One may objectively prove the Bible is the most unique book ever published and has impacted society more than any other book. But only faith can prove that the Bible is the Word of God. Therefore, this is a belief beyond reason but not in contradiction to reason or against reason.
c. Faith is the substance… the evidence: Faith is not a bare belief or intellectual understanding. It is a willingness to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to.
People can refuse to have faith in Jesus Christ. That is their free will choice. However, there is a caveat regarding faith! It is revealed very well in Mr. Guzik’s paragraph below (that faith is of things hoped for…of things not seen).
b. Of things hoped for… of things not seen: If you have the substance before you or if you can see it, there is no use for faith.
Faith is needed for what we can’t see and can’t touch.
Tags: Bible, faith, hope, Jesus Christ
Talk Wisdom 
August 26, 2017 at 5:58 pm |
Amen! This was well said.
I’d just add, if we think we can see, touch, and know everything outright, oh boy, are we in trouble already. There are some who actually believe that and so refuse to put their faith in anything they haven’t got concrete evidence and peer reviewed science telling them it’s okay to believe in.
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August 26, 2017 at 6:45 pm |
Very true!
Plus, many “scientists” refuse to believe the evidence that shows them wrong in their inferences; and the minions who are foolish enough to trust them end up getting scammed into believing their lies . They claim to have the knowledge that the issues are “settled,” especially when it comes to the “global warming” hysteria…or is it just “climate change” now? Hmmm…isn’t that a kind of false faith that they are utilizing in order to deceive the public; and to make huge amounts of money? Would seem so…
At least we can trust the Word of God and the Person of Jesus Christ to ultimately clear away the lies and falsehoods in order to steer us in the right direction!
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August 26, 2017 at 9:00 pm |
Many ‘holy men’ also refuse to believe the evidence that shows them wrong in their inferences; and the minions who are foolish enough to trust them end up getting scammed into believing their lies. You’ve even mentioned a few by name yourself!
Well, it’s ‘settled’ that the Israelite Empire never extended from Egypt to the Euphrates River. It’s ‘settled’ that the world was not drowned in a Godly display of genocide. It’s ‘settled’ that the Earth is round.
It hasn’t yet been settled that any gods exist, or if any do, that it’s your one God.
Of course, the faith that there is one has long been utilized to deceive the public and to make huge amounts of money. Would seem so…right?
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August 27, 2017 at 4:45 pm |
For readers who are interested, there is an excellent blog post with additional links over at Wintery Knight entitled, Why does atheist historian Gerd Ludemann accept the post-mortem experiences of the risen Jesus?
I have not read through all of the additional links yet, but since the author tells us that Gerd Ludemann is an atheist historian, I’m guessing that his acceptance of the post-mortem experiences of the risen Jesus did not change his mind on the matter.
People who ask for “proof,” are not always inclined to believe after researching and reading such accounts as these experienced by so many individuals and groups after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So, we can view this as a perfect example of those who refuse to see the truth because they don’t want to believe the truth. It is also an example of why the importance of faith is significantly imperative for those who actually become believers.
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August 27, 2017 at 10:17 pm |
“Proof” is for mathematics and alcohol. What’s needed here is evidence. Jesus was executed by crucifixion,we’re told, and there is abundant evidence that the Romans executed people that way. There is no evidence of anyone, ever, walking about days after their reported death, outside of legend (which would put Jesus and Dracula on the same level), or unless the person wasn’t really dead at all, but only believed to have been dead.
The importance of faith is significantly imperative for those who want to become believers–it’s why they’re called ‘believers’. Faith is also imperative for those who wish to maintain that belief.
Since a new fact could change one’s entire point of view, it becomes necessary to make sure one’s information is the truth. Science has testing to achieve that goal, while theology has only apologetics.
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August 27, 2017 at 4:57 pm |
Oh…I see now. Going to the first link provided by Wintery Knight showed me that Mr. Ludemann attributed these sightings of the risen Jesus Christ as “hallucinatory experiences.” That view breaks down immediately when we consider:
I’m not a psychiatrist/psychologist, but I think that Licona and Habermas’ reasons destroys Ludemann’s “hallucinatory experiences” claim quite well!
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August 28, 2017 at 12:51 am |
“Science has testing to achieve that goal, while theology has only apologetics.”
I’m actually neither a theologian nor an apologetic. In truth, I am actually a scientist, in the sense that I have been testing God for about half a century now. Are your promises true? Do you have the power to transform lives? Are you worthy? Can I believe in your promises? The answer to those question is an unequivocable “yes,” proven over and over again by hundreds of thousands of believers.
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August 28, 2017 at 2:41 am |
In what other sense are you ‘actually a scientist’?
If the answer to those questions you’ve posed is an unequivocable yes, then I contend your answer is flawed, on the grounds that it’s believers who claim to confirm your conclusion.
By the way, you are practicing apologetics here, with your Argument From Popularity; if something is true, it’s true whether ‘hundreds of thousands’ believe it, or no one.
Hundreds of thousands of Buddhists, Muslims, Shintoists and Hindus can say exactly what you have…and I’m certain you don’t agree with them!
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August 28, 2017 at 5:03 am |
I actually don’t practice apologetics, I practice unapologetics.
“In what other sense are you ‘actually a scientist’?”
You said, ‘science has testing to achieve that goal.’ That is what I and many other believers have been doing all our lives, testing and watching our faith achieve a goal. There are thousands, perhaps millions of personal testimonies that show precisely that.
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August 28, 2017 at 5:49 am |
What you actually said was
“…I am actually a scientist, in the sense that I have been testing God for about half a century now.”
So…in what other sense are you actually a scientist? I thought that was a fair question. We can discuss (un)apologetics later.
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