This entry will list down briefly the key teachings about faith, including
- God’s attitude towards faith
- God’s command for us pertaining to faith
- Core teachings on faith
Each teaching will be explored in greater detail in separate entries, which will be linked once completed.
Definitions
Faith is a feeling of certainty/trust directed towards something, hoped for, that is not fully perceived or understood (See What is Faith).
This is not to be confused with faithfulness, which is remaining faithful, i.e. loyal.
God’s attitude towards Faith
God values faith, or is pleased by faith
See Hebrews 11:6; James 1:6-8
Example: Matthew 13:58, 15:28
God credits belief in/towards him as righteousness
See Romans 4:3-8, 4:20-22; Galatians 2:16
Example: Genesis 15:6; Galatians 3:6; James 2:23
God can determine who would believe in Him
*This entry has not yet include the conversation on double predestination which asserts that God not only chooses who will be saved (election) but also those who will be damned (reprobation). However, it is clear from John 12:37-40 that God has the ability to choose.
See: John 12:37-40
God will keep in perfect peace those that have faith in Him
See Isaiah 26:3
God judges disputable matters based on what one believes, or have faith in
See Romans 14:22-23
God (Jesus) “could not” do miracles if there is a lack of faith
“Could not” here may refer to a choice not to, as a matter of God’s principle, rather than inability as a result of lack of faith.
See Mark 6:4-6
See God’s power in situations where faith is absent: Mark 3:1-6, 4:35-41
God’s command for us pertaining to Faith
Have faith in God
See Psalm 4:5, 62:8; Proverbs 3:5; Mark 11:22; Isaiah 26:4; John 6:29, 14:1; Galatians 2:20
For disputable matters, keep peace and not cause another to stumble
See Romans 14:1-22
Core teachings on Faith
Faith without love is nothing
See 1 Corinthians 13:2
Faith without action is dead
See James 2:17, 2:26
Faith, in God, has power (or enables power)
See: Mark 9:23-24, 11:22-24
Example: Matthew 9:20-22, 9:27-30, 17:20, 21:21-22; Mark 5:33-34, 10:52; Luke 7:50, 8:47-48, 17:5-6; Acts 3:16; James 5:15
Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord
See Psalm 40:4, 84:12; Proverbs 16:20; Jeremiah 17:5-8
Jesus’ performing of signs were written so that we may believe in Jesus
See John 20:30-31
Example: 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
Only those who believe in Jesus will have eternal life
Some verses/passages use, or is translated into, believe and faith (belief not arising from evidence) interchangeably. However, the key message seems to be that belief in Jesus grants one eternal life, regardless of whether it comes from faith or supported by evidence.
See John 3:16-18, 3:36, 5:24, 6:35, 11:25-26; Romans 3:21-31, 4:1-25, 10:8-13; Galatians 2:15-16, 3:1-14; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 1:4-9