Faith

What is faith?

Faith is considered to be the complete trust or confidence in someone or something. It is a term primarily used in the context of religious belief.

Some sources suggest that faith is a belief in something without proof. But a belief held without reason is blind faith. It is subscribing to a particular point of view without evidence or enquiry. True faith, however, is a reasonable belief. It is genuine and at least in part is based on evidence. It is a belief that offers the best explanation of events or things unseen.

Hebrews 11:1 –Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Is Christian faith unfounded?

I don’t believe that Christian faith is unfounded. There is considerable evidence that supports Christian belief. This demonstrates that it is not blind faith. There are eyewitness accounts, in addition to historic and archaeological evidence that demonstrate the validity of the biblical story. There has also been extensive scientific examination of the shroud of Turin, which is apparently the burial wrap for Jesus. These are topics for a later blog.

When I experienced my epiphany it convinced me that Christian faith was justified . The impact of that day on my life was profound and the changes within me were not due to self-reflection. I could only conclude that my transformation was due to me having received the Holy Spirit. My blog post titled “The Holy Spirit” described those effects.

John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 – And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Is faith at conflict with reality?

It is a common misconception that faith is an absolute and blind belief in something or someone. But we have faith in many things. Every time we do something with the expectation of a certain result we are exhibiting faith. Our past experiences, our trust and hope creates our faith.

Christianity is also based on past experience and requires trust in God and our hope for the future. That past human experience extends over thousands of years.

Reality for any person, however, is limited by their individual experience. Bearing in mind that individual experiences vary it is clear that there are many opinions about what is reality. In fact we all feel that what we know is reality and we are resistant to anything that presents a different view. I commented on this in my blog posts titled “The psychology of belief” and “Why it can be difficult to change”. I would much rather trust thousands of years of experience rather than an opinion formed by me in isolation.

Christianity is a belief in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is an understanding of the impact on others of goodness, kindness and love. The desire for good things is why Christianity has survived for so long (good always wins against evil).

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Romans 12:21 – Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The impact of having faith

There is ample evidence that Christian belief has a beneficial effect for those going through difficult times. It offers hope, eases stress and brings peace of mind to those who truly believe.

Isaiah 26:3 – You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Why is having faith important?

If you have faith you will have hope. You will be in a good position to call on God for assistance. Hope is a belief in a better future and that will bring you peace of mind.

Romans 8:24-25 – For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Is it enough to simply be a good person?

You may feel that you know what it means to be a good person. After all you have a moral code and know the difference between right and wrong. Incidentally, that moral code is not yours. It is the same for everyone and God placed it within you. 

None of us can live up to God’s expectations and we all tend to act in self interest. If we are to achieve salvation and end up in heaven we must receive God’s grace and follow his directions. 

Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Will faith alone save you?

This is an interesting question. There are many references to faith in the bible. It identifies that provided you have faith and a belief in both Jesus and the resurrection you will have salvation. It is necessary, however, that you demonstrate that you have true faith. So unproven faith has no value.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

How do I demonstrate my faith?

Your behaviour demonstrates the extent of your faith. The Holy Spirit will guide you to do what is right if you are a true believer in Christ and wish to follow his teaching. Your belief will lead you to change your behaviour and to become closer to Christ. This will lead you to love God and others both in your community and around the world. As a believer you will admit and genuinely regret your sins and seek forgiveness. The Holy Father will measure your faith by your behaviour.

John 3:17-18 – But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

James 2:26 – For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

How do I maintain my faith?

It doesn’t matter how much evidence we have that something is true. If we cannot see it within our life we will all have doubts about its validity. That’s especially true when it comes to faith in a divine power. 

In order to maintain your faith it’s important to immerse yourself in a Christian lifestyle. That involves constantly evaluating your behaviour and striving to be more like Jesus. It means developing a personal relationship with God through prayer and study of his words and messages within the Holy Bible.