|
DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
1] Faith is the sure knowledge that
God exists and that He will accomplish those things He has promised.
Faith in God-trust in His promises and belief that He is in overall
control is a major element in the Christian life and is absolutely
necessary for salvation.
DOCTRINAL OVERVIEW
2]
"...the just shall live by his faith." These words were first
uttered by the prophet Habakkuk and quoted three times by the apostle
Paul. Living faith is at the heart of true Christianity. It is
absolutely essential for salvation (I Pet. 1:5-9). Christ described
faith as a weightier matter of the law (Mt. 23:23). Paul listed it among
the three greatest Christian virtues (along with hope and love). Without
faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Far from being simply
a feeling in his heart, the Christian's faith motivates his entire
pattern of living. Faith functions as the fulcrum of true Christian
thought and behavior. back to
top
back to answers
3]
The two distinct meanings of the word "faith" are found in the
English translation. When preceded by the definite article ("the faith")
it means the overall system of doctrine and belief accepted by the
Church, and by extension, the Church itself (Acts 6:7; 13:8, 14:22).
When used without the article it means "the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1) which is perhaps the
clearest biblical definition of faith. Faith is thus an absolute belief
that God exists and a total trust in His statements (Heb. 11:6).
back to top
back to answers
4]
Ultimately, faith deals with God's promises-with the future. It
is the trust in "things not seen." Of course, belief cannot be blind. It
must be built on genuine conviction. It has to come from perceiving
God's hand in creation, His work in history and the experience of His
fulfilled promises in one's own life. This is the foundation of
faith. But one does not need faith in what has already been
accomplished. Faith, therefore, is the willingness to believe God will
not fail even though He has not actually brought about what is promised
(Heb. 11:1).
back to top
back to answers
5]
True faith must come from God and has many facets, though the
primary ones relate directly to Jesus Christ. Faith in its simplest but
most profound manifestation is a deep personal belief in Jesus Christ;
in the fact that He is our Savior; in the truth that His death paid the
individual penalty of our personal sins. Faith is the full confidence in
the message Jesus brought. This faith in Christ is the belief that leads
us to baptism. (Baptism is merely an outward symbolic testimony that we
have inward faith in Christ.) Paul speaks of this faith in Galatians
2:16 when he remarks we "have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ."
back to top
back to answers
6]
After baptism, one receives God's Holy Spirit through the laying
on of hands. At this point Christ, through the Spirit, lives in us and
empowers us with a growing and internalized godly faith. Since faith is
not self-generated, but is rather the faith of Christ's Spirit in
us, it is termed the "faith of Christ" (subjective genitive). It is this
faith of Christ that we must express and live by in every facet of life.
back to top
back to answers
7]
But faith is not an end in itself. It is rather the vehicle by
which we may obtain salvation. Of course, salvation can in no way be
earned, either by obedience or faith, for nothing man can do would
obligate God to grant salvation had He not decided to give man this gift
of His own volition (according to certain terms). But God nevertheless
has obligated Himself to grant salvation if one has living faith. God
says the presence of this faith is counted in His eyes as righteousness
and indeed justifies us before God (Rom. 4: 1-7).
back to top
back to answers
8]
Faith is the motivator which causes us to live a godly
life. From this it follows that one who has real belief in God and
hopes in His promises will demonstrate this fidelity by his actions, by
his obedience. Indeed, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23).
back to top
back to answers
9]
The true Christian will obey God and do good works, for "faith
without works is dead" (Jas. 2:20). Our good works do not save us, but
they do demonstrate faith. James wrote, "I will show you my faith by my
works" (Jas. 2:18), directly contradicting the notion that faith can
maintain an exclusively mental / spiritual existence devoid of any
physical action and behavior. One who does not obey God is said to
possess "dead" faith, a trait no better than that of the demons who
themselves believe God exists but refuse to obey Him (Jas. 2:19).
back to top
back to answers
10]
To have real faith, does not mean that one will never doubt.
Doubt is a normal human characteristic and emotion, and even the truly
begotten Christian is not immune from it. Yet one must contest doubt,
not by deluding oneself but by rehearsing reality. One should return to
the fundamentals of biblical belief, to one's first love, by thinking
the thoughts and doing the works he did when he was first being
converted. Doubt need not undermine faith, but true faith can surmount
doubt.
back to top
back to answers
11]
God commands that "the just shall live by faith" in every facet
and area of his life. One must fully live by faith, because God has made
promises which affect virtually every part of man's existence. He has
promised to help us in trials if we are faithful and to answer every
prayer that is prayed according to His will and in faith. These
expressions of faith are again not ends in themselves. In fact they are
secondary as compared to a Christian's main thrust of faith which is
belief in God's promise of the resurrection from the dead and in
salvation. Other areas of faith are important only as they contribute to
our faith in the resurrection. Paul says one who does not earnestly hope
for the resurrection has "faith in vain" (I Cor. 15:14), because one who
has no hope of being resurrected from the dead has no hope at all! It is
a Christian's faith in the resurrection from the dead which lies behind
all his earthly actions. It is this faith and hope which encourages him
to press onward toward salvation in spite of trials and disappointments.
back to top
back to answers
12]
God's ultimate design is to bring every human being from the
human level to the divine level-from flesh to spirit-from a temporary
physical existence to an eternal spiritual existence. This is the
foremost frontier of faith. It involves development of character, which
includes the trials and experiences of human life. God's promises for
the "good life" on the physical level are subordinated to His ultimate
purpose of fulfilling His main promise on the spiritual level.
back to top
back to answers
13]
A Christian who is living by faith realizes physical promises may
be delayed for his spiritual benefit, but he knows that his life is
absolutely in God's hands no matter what. Some by their faith have been
delivered, while others by the same faith have been martyred (Heb. 11)
or allowed to die without seeing the ultimate fruit of their endeavors
in this life.
back to top
back to answers
14]
The faith of Christ in us is one of the fruits of God's Spirit
mentioned in Galatians 5:22. As such it cannot be "worked up" and is in
no other way self-generated. It should never be static but must be
constantly growing and expanding in every aspect and area of life. This
faith may be built and grow in different ways, through experience,
through trials (Rom. 5:1-5), by reading the inspired Word of God (Rom.
10:17), through the interaction with the faith of others, etc. Faith
must be constant, unfeigned, based upon true promises, without time
limit and always growing.
back to top
back to answers
15]
The Bible illustrates the faith of the patriarchs and men of God
throughout history as an example and encouragement to us. We are told of
Abraham, the father of the faithful. We are reminded of Enoch, Elijah,
Samson, Jephthah, David and the prophets. We see the awesome example of
Jesus Christ Himself, who gave up His exalted position as God, emptied
Himself into human form and was sacrificed in faith, so that He could
become the Savior of mankind after the Father would resurrect Him.
Likewise, we look at the examples of the apostles and of fellow brethren
who were martyred for the sake of Christ. Finally, we learn that God
will grant these faithful men salvation and eternal life in God's
kingdom, because they believed they would receive it, and because they
had real faith. They will receive the reward they hoped for,
because they believed that God existed and that He was the rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). Our task is to follow their
example and receive this same reward.
back to top
back to answers |
