FAITH

INTRODUCTION: Faith is not mere intellectual assent to some facts but also includes spiritual appropriation, and personal commitment.

                     - Faith is the first and supreme duty of man.

                        Heb. 11:6 "Without faith it is impossible to please him."

                        John 6:28-29 "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom He hath sent."

                        1 Cor. 13:13 "Now abideth faith." 

Faith will not cease to operate when the work of salvation is completed.

                        If Love is the Greatest, Faith is the First. Faith is the root. Love is the Flower.

                     - Christians are said to be "believers"-- not "repenters" or "converts".

                                 Acts 5:14 "And believers were the more added."

                        1 Tim. 4:12 "Be thou an example of the believers."

                        Faith is man's unlimited willingness to let God do all the saving.

 THE NEW TESTAMENT WORDS AND THEIR USAGE

            -           noun "pistis" - translated "faith" except once in A.V.

            -           verb "pistueo" - translated "believe" generally.

                   They are used in three general senses:

                        (1) A Quality - that which makes one worthy of belief.

                                    Rom. 3:3 - rare cf. A.S.V. "Make of none effect the faithfulness of God."

                                    (KJV) - "The faith of God."

                                    cf. O.T. Amen – faithful  cf. Isaiah 65:16

                                    cf. - Gal. 3:9 "Faithful Abraham."

                                  (2) An Object - that which is believed.
                                    Jude 3 "Earnestly contend for the Faith."

                                    Gal. 1:23 "Now preacheth the Faith."

                                  (3) The Act of Belief - (or state) many times
                                    Acts 16:31 "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."

              

As an Act, the terms are used of four different things:

                        (1) Intellectual Assent - short of saving faith.

                                    John 8:30-31 with 44; also 45 in which He says they do not believe.

                                    Also 46 and 59

                        (2) Faith to work miracles.

                                    Luke 17:5-6 "Faith as a grain of mustard seed...."

                        (3) One of the gifts of the Spirit. Not all possessed these gifts. But all have saving faith.

                                    1 Cor. 12:9 "To another faith."

                                 (4) Act of believing on Christ for Salvation (soteriological) So most of the texts - saving faith