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Believing
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. God seeks those who will believe and trust Him. We want to explore some “facets” of faith in these lessons. According to the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4, there is only one faith, but there are elements we might differentiate within that “one faith.” In these five lessons, we will explore a little bit about them.
The first part of the series will be short, discussing “believing” and what that means. The second part will explore saving faith. The third lesson will explore living according to faith, including how we operate daily and approach provision. The fourth lesson discusses trusting God, which can be difficult when things are unplanned. The fifth and final lesson explores faith as expressed in doing for the Kingdom of God; we demonstrate our faith when we work to glorify God.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
At The Victory Fellowship, we often discuss belief and its meaning. We repeat this to confront the common “wisdom” in “orthodox” Christianity: belief alone is enough. Believing a falsehood can be very dangerous.
Belief is a very intimate part of each person. It is what initiates all we do and all we avoid. Much of our beliefs is informed by how we are raised and taught as children. However, as we learn through real and vicarious experience, our beliefs grow. Ideally, over time a person will grow in his faith in God. Some of that faith is informed by our experience with God and the world. However, it is wise to allow the Word of God to guide how we interpret experience. Also, much of our faith must come from the Word of God, studied (2 Tim. 2:15) and preached (Rom. 10:17).
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The word “faith” is very common in both the Old Testament and New Testament. In the New Testament, it is listed in Strong’s Concordance as letter G4102. It comes from the Greek word πίστις (pistis). The first definition of the word in Strong’s is:
Conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT, of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it.
The word appears in the New Testament 244 times, and is rendered “faith” 239 times in the King James Version.
The word “believe” appears in the New Testament 248 times, and is rendered “belief” or “believe” 239 times in the King James Version. The Greek word is πιστεύω (pisteuō). The word is number G4100 in Strong’s. The first definition of the word in Strong’s is:
to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in; (a) of the thing believed; (i) to credit, have confidence. (b) in a moral or religious reference. (i) used in the NT of the conviction and trust to which a man is impelled by a certain inner and higher prerogative and law of soul; (ii) to trust in Jesus or God as able to aid either in obtaining or in doing something: saving faith; (iii) mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith
The word comes πιστεύω (pisteuō) from πίστις (pistis). One cannot have belief without faith; One cannot have faith without belief.
14 How then shall they call on him (Christ) in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Is it enough to believe that God is?
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Even the devils believe there is One God. Devils, when confronted with Jesus, knew who He was immediately. There was no question. The devils believe with the certainty of repeated experience over eons.
Therefore, it would appear believing is not enough. The last definition of belief was the “mere acknowledgment of some fact or event: intellectual faith.” The devils merely acknowledge the fact that there is One God. It does not alter their behavior. Paul writes about this in his letter to the Ephesian church.
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Our belief in God and who He is should drive us to act according to the Scriptures that the Lord gave us to guide us. That is why James wrote in 2:20 that faith without works is dead. John the Baptist told his audience that repentance should be followed by fruit.
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
The Jews said they had Abraham, but were that so, they would have believed the testimony of John, who pointed to Jesus, their messiah. Both John and Jesus preached repentance. Repentance is the fundamental response to belief.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God calls all to repent. Since the beginning, God’s counsel to man has been to repent. That they did not until Noah led to the Great Flood. Jonah didn’t tell the Ninevites that they had to submit to circumcision. God’s only requirement for Ninevah was to repent (and acknowledge God as the Lord, thereby). They believed Jonah’s warning, and for over 100 years, Ninevah had peace with God. Living a repentant life leads to peace with God!
We should hear Jesus’ warning to repent. Note ‘should.’ Should in scripture indicates choice, with one choice being wisdom and the other foolishness.
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
The Apostle Paul told the church at Thessalonica that God chose for salvation. Salvation is achieved through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth. Yet, we know from Romans 2:11 that God is no respecter of persons. There are no Jews or Gentiles when it comes to salvation. There are no “special” churches in Thessalonica or Keene. We are all in need of salvation: we all need a Savior!
We will end the lesson with two scriptures.
23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
We must believe to have faith. However, our belief must be informed by the Word of God and godly preaching. Our faith must be such that it compels us to action; again, action informed by Scripture. Action is striving. We all need to be able to enter that narrow gate of which Jesus spoke. As Noah was, we need to be moved with fear (Hebrews 11:7). ‘