Four Things About Faith In God

The Bible has a lot to say about faith, from Genesis to Revelation, but here are five vital things to know about faith in God.

More than Hope – Hebrews 11

Why do believers know that faith is more than just hoping for something? They know that faith is the assurance of the things we hope in, but it’s also the conviction of the things we do not yet see (Heb 11:1). When we’re driving over a hill, we have faith that the road will continue…even if we can’t see it. I know from experience from living in Arkansas that some of the roads look as if they’ll head off into thin air, but the sign indicates the road is not curved, and so you drive in faith, straight ahead, knowing the road will be there to greet you when you finally see it. You only have to keep driving, so our faith in Christ is not a hope-so faith…it is a know-so trust. It’s not the way the world thinks of hope. For example, people can hope their team wins the Super Bowl or World Series, but with that kind of hope, you can never have assurance.

Dead without Works – James 2

James tells us to show our faith by the works we do, not that we’re saved by works, but they show that our faith is real. When we look at a homeless man, it may be Jesus’ in disguise, as He said, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matt 25:40), because the way Jesus sees it, whatever you do to others, you do to Him. He said, when “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (Matt 25:35-36). James gives us a great example by asking, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that” (James 2:15)? That’s like hearing someone ask you for help and you say, “I’m so sorry…I will pray for you,” and then doing nothing. I do not believe you can have any assurance of your salvation if you are doing nothing for Christ as a pattern or lifestyle (Matt 25:41-46). It’s not that you’re saved by these works, but saved for these works that God has long ago determined for us to walk in (Eph 2:10).

Justified by Faith – Genesis 12

Paul tells us just what the Old Testament stated long ago, and that is we are justified by faith and not by works. Belief or trust in God is not unique to the New Testament. There are many Old Testament saints that will be in the kingdom. Those who die before Christ were saved by their faith in God. They believed God and God accounted that to them as righteousness. The cross of Christ has salvific power enough to go backward in time, to be in the present time, and yet go on into eternity for those not yet saved, or those not yet even born. Abram (later, changed to Abraham) was justified by his faith in God and we see that faith in action when “the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Gen 12:1-2). There was no discussion or hesitation on Abraham’s part. It simply said, “So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him” (Gen 12:4). He was going to a land he’d never seen and to a land that would be his own, and his children’s children. Even before Jesus Christ came in the flesh to die for sinful flesh, Abraham “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6).

Living by Faith – Galatians 3

It’s not hard to please God without faith…its impossible (Heb 11:6), so whoever believes in God and draws near to Him have a great reward for their faith in Him. Not only do they receive the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21), they believed God and it was accounted to them as righteousness, “just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (Gal 3:6)? The gospel hasn’t changed in the sense “that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (Gen 3:15), the very reason “gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). If it begins to be about “do this” and “do that,” we’re placing ourselves under the curse of the law, and no one is justified by the law anyway since not one of us could ever keep the law. Besides, “whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10). We’re not saved by the law but saved from the penalty that the law would incur upon us (Rom 6:23a).

Conclusion

The Apostle Paul writes, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame” (Rom 10:11), and if we are unashamed before others, the Lord Jesus Christ will unashamedly announce us before the Father, however, “whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:26). There is no shame in trusting in Christ. Who else can you trust with your life…and the life to come? Just like I trust that unseen road over the hill, so I trust Christ, even if my eyes tell me otherwise.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is a writer at Christian Quotes and also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.