Faith that has value is no mystery but is a belief in God that is realized by acting in accordance with God’s directions. We can know this by looking at how God defines faith and the examples that He has provided. Indeed for God, faith without obedience to the will of God is dead. Some men have determined to teach that faith is a mere mental acceptance whereas if we use the bible to define faith that definition is totally invalid. Of course, we are talking about the doctrine of mentally accepting Jesus as savior that provides the believer with salvation. Like all truly dangerous doctrines there is some truth but it is partial, misleading and eternally costly. Since God cannot be pleased without faith it is something we should understand and as always not trust in any man/woman but allow the scriptures to be our guide. There is usually this person who you really trust in these matters and essentially are placing your eternity in that person’s hands. I wonder who they trusted in a similar manner you are now trusting them. As you begin to understand God you will understand mankind’s test is all about making a choice to follow man or follow God.

Faith Is Never Blind
Faith Is Always Obedient
Faith Always Involves Action

Faith Defined

We can use the bible to define faith and few would deny the definition and yet religions create numerous definitions and some are close to the Bible definition but most confuse people. Amazingly, many distort the Bible idea of faith to support their beliefs. Lets look at the Bible defining its own terms, in this case defining faith.

Hebrews 11:1

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

There is always an unseen part to faith because as defined above the evidence is not seen and this to some extent is always true. In the beginning the unseen dominates but as a child of God devoted to study and growing in grace and knowledge that unseen part fades. God’s word allows that because you will see that all things of God fit perfectly together. There is just absolutely no doubt that everything God says will come to pass and in the manner He prescribed.

We can get a good understanding of faith by looking at the consequence of not having faith. Such as, you cannot please God without faith.

Hebrews 11:6

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Atheists in their pride fail the entry exam because if you come to God you must believe that He is and also that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. There is no casual road to God but you need to be aggressive, diligent in your search and your obedience. There will be no good fortune where one might say, ” I am lucky to have made heaven.” Those that make it to heaven are those serving the God during their lifetime.

How does faith start? A good answer would be Roman 10.17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Mankind has received from God a tremendous existence, complicated and beautiful beyond description and in this we can see the creator. We can begin to go down this “faith” road simply with a strong desire for truth, no compromises but if there is truth, “I want to know it.” What is the purpose of life, what is my purpose? There is only one reasonable place to search for truth and it is not the religions of men. In the bible we see the creator is the God of the bible. In Romans 1.20 God tells us that we can see Him, His power in the creation.

Romans 1.20

20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse

Examples of Faith

In all the examples of faith God provides, you will see people doing something in relation to God’s direction, in relation to God’s commands. NEVER, NEVER has it been acceptable to mentally believe for salvation and it is a terrible lie and costly to millions. Faith is always related to obedience and that is why:
> God will condemn the lukewarm and nothing is more lukewarm than mentally believing but not acting in accordance with that belief
> Jesus is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey him
> God ties repentance/baptism to the forgiveness of sins – obedience begins and for the reason God says
> God indicates, Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
> In the parable of the sower, some of the seed (the word of God) is believed but later is choked out by the things of this life …………. faith in God must endure – being faithful unto death
> Romans 16.26 indicates ….. according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith

What a terrible thing to teach people that they are saved by a mental acceptance of Christ and then go further to teach they are saved forever despite how they live. God’s people love God and keep His commands by Faith. Please look at Conversions of the New Testament to better understand God’s commands in relation to salvation.
You see, BEHIND the actions of the bible characters given below (as examples) IS FAITH. Faith PROPERLY UNDERSTOOD as a lifetime of obedience to God can stand alone as the answer to salvation, to pleasing God. Who in the world would teach less than that? In fact if a person loves God why would they not want to do all God commands?

Now, Hebrews 11
God’s chapter on Faith
Examples of Faith

Hebrews 11.3

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

By faith, we see God as the creator and God as the God of the Bible.

Hebrews 11:4

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

Abel’s Faith: Offered the sacrifice that pleased God

ENOCH

Hebrews 11:5

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Enoch’s Faith:
The things Enoch did pleased God

NOAH

Hebrews 11:7

7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Noah’s Faith: Noah moved with godly fear, obeyed

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Abraham’s Faith: Abraham went out

Hebrews 11:9

9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as [in] a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

Abraham dwelt in the land of promise

Hebrews 11:11

11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

Sarah’s faith allowed her to do what was required, to have the strength to conceive and bear the child.

Abraham

Hebrews 11:17

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Abraham acts to take Isaac’s life

Hebrews 11:20

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau.

Hebrews 11:21

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

Jacob blessed each of his sons

Hebrews 11:22

22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Joseph made mention, gave instructions

Hebrews 11:23

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command.

Moses was hidden by His parents

Hebrews 11:24

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter

Moses refused

Hebrews 11:27

27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Moses forsook Egypt

Hebrews 11:28

28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

Moses kept the Passover

Hebrews 11:29

29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry [land, whereas] the Egyptians, attempting [to do] so, were drowned.

Moses and Israelites passed through the Red Sea

Hebrews 11:30

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.

They obeyed having faith and the walls fell down

Hebrews 11:31

31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.

Rahab received the spies

Gideon

Hebrews 11:32,33

32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also [of] David and Samuel and the prophets:
33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Gideon, Barak and Sampson subdued kingdoms

God and Jesus are Faithful

1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Revelation 1:5

5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood

So God is faithful to His word and this is both fearful and reassuring. Fearful to those who reject God since He promises a “difficult” eternity. God is reassuring to those who are obedient. God has created mankind and then in view of sin provided Jesus and carefully delivered the truth and all these things are behind God’s faithfulness, His commitment to mankind. We can count on God but how many can see past this short life and live a life of faith to achieve a wonderful eternity? Apparently not to many is the information, the serious admonition that comes from God.

Conclusion: So what is Bible faith?

There are obviously things we cannot see that we need to believe like God as creator, like our spiritual being. Yet we are not blindly believing. We see God in creation, we see our spiritual nature in the consistency and perfection of God’s word, eventually being assured more by “sight” in everything God has revealed. We believe in things from God, not from man. Unfortunately most things people believe by faith today are from man and thus eventually will disappoint. We see from Hebrews 11.6 that if faith is missing we will never please God. We see faith requires action, that is doing what God says. In all of the examples of faith listed above where God required something the person acted by Faith to do it. It is obvious that if they would have just believed mentally what God said but not acted it would have never satisfied, it would have never pleased God. We often come to realize that people let us down, and often people we loved and trusted. God, who first loved us, will never let us down and so we act to please God – we keep His commands. We do this because behind our actions is FAITH.