![]() ![]() Real faith is more than just believing in God alone. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?” (James 2:21-22). The apostle James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, uses the example of Abraham, who had both faith and works because he believed God and he obeyed what God commanded him to do. They believed God would deliver them because they obeyed His commandments and did not bow down to worship any others gods. Their faith or trust was built on serving God and obeying His commandments. Their faith or trust was the substance of what they hoped for, and it was the evidence of that which was not yet seen or received. They did not know in advance how God would deliver them from the fiery furnace, whether at that time by saving their physical lives or later in the resurrection. ![]() But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:17-18). The three young Jewish men (Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego) who refused to bow to the image told King Nebuchadnezzar: “If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. Those who refused to bow to the image were threatened with being thrown into a fiery pit alive. An Old Testament example of faithĪnother example is that of Daniel’s three friends who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold. ![]() They believed that is, they had faith in advance that it would be done. It also gave them the evidence or trust that they would receive what they asked for. Their faith and assurance that Jesus could give them sight was the substance or reality they hoped for. Jesus first asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” and their reply was, “Yes, Lord.” “Then He touched their eyes saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened.” What is faith? A New Testament exampleĪn example of this definition is found in Matthew 9:27-30 where two blind men came to Jesus and asked Him to heal them. If we have received what we asked for, then faith is not needed. Faith comes before a prayer is answered or before an individual has received what he or she has requested from God. Faith (confidence, belief, trust) is also our evidence of that which is not seen-the invisible spiritual things. The Bible also defines pistis in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”įaith is the substance or assurance of things we hope for, but have not yet received. ‘Faith’ means trust, confidence, assurance, and belief” (p. The New Strong’s Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words says, “Pistis is used of belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same. In the New Testament the English word faith is used to translate the Greek word pistis. But just what is faith as described in the Bible, and does it really work? The expression “just have faith, it will work out” is used by people to encourage and comfort someone facing serious problems or stressful situations. ![]()
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