What is faith?
Q. I hear a lot about faith and faith-based organizations; what is faith, really?
A. Depending on the context, faith has two primary meanings in Scripture. First, faith can be described as trust in God. This ‘faith’ is what is commonly misunderstood and misrepresented. Second, faith can be described as the beliefs a person or church hold to be true. Many churches today still have what is called a Confession of Faith. This document outlines the doctrinal positions of the congregation and is (should be) based upon the Bible. Due to the confusion regarding the first description of faith, let’s take a closer look at it.
The Bible states that faith is necessary for individuals to please God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And 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 seek Him.” This passage speaks of trust regarding God’s existence and character. If a person does not believe in God, as He is revealed in the Bible, then he has no faith. He may have faith in himself, the government, or just be extremely optimistic but God does not recognize any of these as true Biblical faith. Today many are promoting belief in self and calling it faith, yet they are mistaken as far as God is concerned. To have real faith, one must direct their trust toward the God of the Bible.
God’s promises, power, wisdom, and character are what we trust. Faith is not power, or a force. It is not some tool we use to get what we want. Faith is not some formula by which we pray. It is not presumption based on our desires or emotions. Faith is not any of these things. It is easy to misplace our trust and begin shifting our focus from God. If a person prays a certain prayer for 30 days and expects great things to happen, chances are the person trusts the prayer and or the repetition of that prayer rather than simply trusting God.
Ultimately, the object (or focus) of your faith is the issue. You must trust God. God is the source of power and wisdom; faith is simply trusting in this truth.