Faith

Faith

1.What is Faith?
2.How strong does my faith have to be?
3.Is faith enough?
4.How can I tell others about my faith?

1.What is Faith?

Faith is a word with many meanings. It can mean faithfulness (Matthew 24:25). It can mean absolute trust, as shown by some of the people who came to Jesus for healing (Luke 7:2-10). It can mean confident hope. (Hebrews 11:1) or, as James points out, it can even mean a barren belief that does not result in good deeds (James 2:14-26). What does Paul mean when, in Romans, he speaks of “saving faith?”
We must be very careful in understanding faith in the way Paul uses it, because he ties faith closely to salvation. IT is not something we must do in order to earn salvation; if that were the case, then faith would be one more deed, and Paul clearly states that human deeds can never save us (Galatians 2:16). Instead, faith is a gift God gives us because He is saving us (Ephesians 2:8). It is God's grace, not our faith, that saves us. In His mercy, however, when He saves us He gives us faith – a relationship with His Son that helps us become like Him. Through the faith He gives us, He carries us from death into life (John 5:24).
Even in Old Testament times, grace, not deeds, was the basis of salvation. As Hebrews points out, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (10:4). God intended for his people to look beyond the animal sacrifices to Him, but all too often they instead put their confidence in fulfilling the requirements of the law – that is, performing the required sacrifices when Jesus triumphed over death, He canceled the charges against us and opened the way to the Father (Colossians 2:12-15). Because He is merciful, He offers us faith. How tragic if we turn Faith into a deed and try to develop it on our own! We can never come to God through our own Faith anymore than his Old Testament people could come through their own sacrifices. Instead, we must accept His gracious offer with Thanksgiving and allow Him to plan the seed of faith within us.

2.How strong does my faith have to be?

Matthew (17:17-20) says, “O unbelieving and perverse generation,' Jesus said. 'How long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.' Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, 'Why couldn't we drive it out?' He replied, 'Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
The disciples had been unable to drive out this demon, and they asked Jesus why. He pointed to their lack of faith. It is the power of God, not our faith, that moves mountains, but faith must be present to do so. The mustard seed was the smallest particle imaginable. Even small or undeveloped faith would have been sufficient. Perhaps the disciples had tried to drive out the demon with their own ability rather than God's. There is great potential in even a little faith when God is with us. If we feel weak or powerless as Christians, we should examine our faith, making sure we are trusting not in our own abilities to produce results, but in God's.
Luke (17:6) says, “He replied, 'If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you.”
A mustard seed is small, but it is alive and growing. Like a tiny seed, a small amount of genuine faith in God will take root and grow. Almost invisible at first, the seed will begin to spread, first under the ground and then visibly. Although each change will be gradual and imperceptible, soon this faith will have produced major results that will uproot and destroy competing loyalties. We don't need more faith: a tiny seed of faith is enough.

Romans (14:1) says, “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing Judgment on disputable matters.
Who is weak in faith and who is strong? We are all weak in some areas and strong in others. Our faith is strong in an area if we can survive contact with sinners without falling into their patterns. It is weak in an area if we must avoid certain activities, people, or places in order to protect our spiritual life. It is important to take a self-inventory in order to find out our strengths and weaknesses. Whenever in doubt, we should ask “can I do that without sinning? Can I influence others for good, rather than being influenced by them?” In areas of strength, we should not fear being defiled by the world – rather, we should go and serve God. In areas of weakness, we need to be cautious. If we have a strong faith but shelter it, we are not doing Christ's work. If we have a weak faith but expose it, we are being extremely foolish.
What is weak faith? Paul is speaking about immature faith that has not yet developed the muscle it needs to stand against external pressures. For example, if a person who once worshiped idols were to become a Christian, he might understand perfectly well that Christ saved him through faith and that idols have no real power. Still, because of his past associations, he might be badly shaken if he knowingly ate meat that had been used in idol worship as part of a pagan ritual. If a person who once worshiped God on the required Jewish holy days were to become Christian, he might well know that Christ saved him through faith, not through his keeping of the law. Still, when the feast day came, he might feel empty and unfaithful if he didn't dedicate those days to God. Paul responds to both weak brothers in love. Both are acting according to the consciences, but their honest scruples do not need to be made into rules for the church, certainly some issues are central to the faith and worth fighting for, but many are based on individual differences and should not be legislated. Our principle should be in essentials: unity. In nonessentials: liberty. In everything: love.

3.Is faith enough?

2 Kings (5:12) says, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?' So he turned and went off in a rage.”
Naaman left in a rage because the cure for his disease seemed too simple. He was a hero, and he expected a heroic cure. Full of pride and self-will, Naaman could not accept the simple cure of faith. Sometimes people react to God's offer or forgiveness in the same way. Just to believe in Jesus Christ somehow doesn't seem significant enough to bring eternal life. To obey God's commands doesn't seem heroic. What Naaman had to do to have his leprosy washed away is similar to what we must do to have our sin washed away: humbly accept God's mercy. Don't let your reaction to the way of faith keep you from the cure you need the most.

Matthew (3:9-10) says, “And do not think you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father. I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown in to the fire.”
Just as a fruit tree is expected to bear fruit, God's people should produce a crop of good deeds. God has no use for people who call themselves Christians but do nothing about it. Like many people in John's day who were God's people in name only, we are of no value if we are Christians in name only. If others can't see our faith in the way we treat them, we may not be God's people at all.

Philippians (3:2-3) says, “Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we are the circumcision. We who worship by the spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus and who put no confidence in the flesh.”
It is easy to place more emphasis on religious effort (confidence in the flesh) than on internal faith, but God values the attitude of our hearts above all else. Don't judge people's spirituality by their fulfillment of duties or by their level of human activity. And don't think that you will satisfy God by feverishly doing his work. God notices all you do for him and will reward you for it, but only if it comes as a loving response to his free gift of salvation.

James (2:1) says, “My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.”
In this chapter James argues against favoritism and for the necessity of good deeds. He presents three principles of faith:
Commitment is an essential part of faith. You cannot be a Christian simply by affirming the right doctrines or agreeing with Biblical facts (2:19). You must commit your mind and heart to Christ.
Right actions are the natural byproducts of true faith. A genuine Christian will have a changed life (2:18).
Faith without good deeds doesn't do anybody any good.
It is useless (2:14-17). James's teachings are consistent with Paul's teaching that we receive salvation by faith alone. Paul emphasizes the purpose of faith – to bring salvation. James emphasizes the results of faith – a changed life.

4.How can I tell others about my faith?

Exodus (3:16-17) says, “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, The LORD, the God of your fathers – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – appeared to me and said: I have watched over over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites - a land flowing with milk and honey.”
God told Moses to tell the people what he saw and heard at the burning bush. Our God is a God who acts and speaks. One of the most convincing ways to tell others about him is to describe what he has done and how he has spoken to his people. If you are trying to explain God to others, talk about what he has done for you, for people you know, or for people whose stories are told in the Bible.

Revelations 1:5 says, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the ruler of the Kings of the Earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father – to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”
Many hesitate to witness about their faith in Christ because they don't feel the change in their lives has been spectacular enough. But you qualify as a witness for Jesus because of what He has done for you, not because of what you have done for Him. Christ demonstrated his great love by setting us free from our sins through His death on the cross (freed us from our sins by his blood), guaranteeing us a place in his kingdom, and making us priests to administer God's love to others. The fact that the all powerful God has offered eternal life to you is nothing short of spectacular.
If you have never opened your mouth, you are guilty of the sin of silence. Maybe you think you can't make much of a difference, but you can – consider, for example, the following story. One evening a deacon, for a reason known only to him, set aside a visitation card that somebody had turned into the church with a request for a home visit. That week President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. To that Deacon's shock, the next Tuesday when he came back to look at the cards for visitation, the name on that particular card was Lee Harvey Oswald, the man who had assassinated the President.