What is faith?

The woman who had been bleeding for 18 years reached out and touched Jesus' garment.

She would not have been healed if she didn't have the faith (or guts) to go out and reach out and touch him. She could have stayed home for 18 more years waiting for him to come to her.
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello Major;

I blue highlighted your quote and agree, this is definitely "What is not Faith!"

I'm reading a book by Nate Sweeney titled, "The Abiding Church." In it Nate writes, "Jesus accused the religious leaders of His day of creating a follower who looked like them but was not pleasing to God. This pupil was worse off than the scribes and Pharisees themselves. Much like the teacher, this pupil worked within the system that looked religious and godly on the outside."

"This duplication happens in a lot of seminaries and Christian colleges in America. People go there in hopes of becoming a minister of the gospel and they come out less like Christ than when they began. They, in turn, take this methodology into their churches and the cycle continues." Quote Nate Sweeney

"I think that education is important, but many times we educate our minds at the expense of our hearts." Quote Nate Sweeney

Major, you and I serve as Pastors. I'm still serving full time today. But I'm sorry to say, the church (not all, mind us) has become confusing because the gospel has become diluted.

Therefore, "What is faith?" is a reminder and important for all of us to discuss because when we do, God will honor our search and provide us the TRUTH, revealing what is faith in our hearts.

Personally, I'm grateful for attending seminary but I still need to be me, a man of God seeking for answers everyday in my life. I have to be able to get the answers wrong, make my knucklehead mistakes and ask for forgiveness. I feel this is God's way of working within me with the answer, "what is faith?"

If I get everything right, no matter what education, then how can God work in me?

Thank you, Major, and everyone, for your posts. It gives me much to think about in my daily "what is faith?"
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I don't know if you have considered this, but IMO one of the traps that Satan has used, and it is very effective, is FAITH.

It is vert subtle but it can be turned by Satan into idolatry. It happens when we begin to place FAITH IN FAITH.

Allow me to explain. Ephesians 2:8-9..........
"for by GRACE are you saved THROUGH FAITH and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God".

According to those Scriptures, the INSTRUMENT of salvation is GRACE. Grace is the plan of God.

In the original Greek the word "Through" means AGENT. Therefore, FAITH was the AGENT whereby God was able to apply His GHRACE to the life of a sinner.
FAITH is then simply the way that we as lost sinners say YES to Gods eternal free gift of life in heaven with Him.

So where am I going with this. OK, here it comes......what we see today in churches all over the land and religious TV is dominated with the teaching of........
FAITH IN FAITH. FAITH is not SOME KIND OF POWER THAT WE CAN TAP INTO SO THAT WE CAN GET WHAT WE WANT, WHEN WE WANT IT IF..............
WE HAVE ENOUGH FAITH.

When we fall for that kind of theology we are in effect making God a "cosmic Santa Clause" because FAITH IN FAITH has replaced faith in God which then effectively becomes IDOLATRY. We are to have faith in almighty God and nothing else.

Some of our dear brothers and sisters are welding FAITH as something we can tap into and get what we CLAIM like Luke Skywalker's FORCE in Star Wars.
Faith is NOT a lasso we slip around God's neck to force Him to give us what we have NAMED and CLAIMED.

So what is FAITH???? Faith IS confidence that God will do what He said He will do even if we can not see with our eyes what that thing is.
 
Major said:
I don't know if you have considered this, but IMO one of the traps that Satan has used, and it is very effective, is FAITH. It is vert subtle but it can be turned by Satan into idolatry. It happens when we begin to place FAITH IN FAITH.
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Hello Major;

I was responding to the thread titled, "what is faith" with God Faith. You're describing Counter Faith to God Faith.

I agree with you that growing disciples need to be aware of the counter examples, serving God versus serving money, God's Kingdom instead of self motives, applying our church calling versus doing church projects as an idol.

I feel that one KEY to growing our God Faith is asking Him to help us grow in our personal relationship daily. The Lord will respond to People Faith (in relationship with Him) and follow His guidance and growing trust daily.

God bless you, Pastor, and your family.
 
I have seen some churches have those kinds of teachings called 'word of faith' where if you say a magic formula it's assumed it will instantly happen, or if you pray really fast or loudly enough God will hear. If you've ever been praying with church members who have faith in faith this is what they do, pray really fast until they are out of breath and flatter God for favours, tell him He's wonderful and assume He can do anything..which He already knows....

I mean I know there's fervent prayer but this is a whole 'nother level. It's like they are twisting His arm to perform miracles...and when it doesn't happen because God doesn't work that way, the prayer ramps up the prayer even more and blasts His ears again.
 
the term “ fake it TIL you make it” sometimes gets equated with having Faith.
. I hate faking things. But if I’m honest the verse in Mark 11:24 does state we need to believe to receive..

I tried faking confidence once and it backfired. Because It was faked. This was Before I accepted Christ. I had heard this cliche and gave it a go....

if only. I’d have listened to the still small voice
 
Lanolin said:
I have seen some churches have those kinds of teachings called 'word of faith' where if you say a magic formula it's assumed it will instantly happen, or if you pray really fast or loudly enough God will hear. If you've ever been praying with church members who have faith in faith this is what they do, pray really fast until they are out of breath and flatter God for favours, tell him He's wonderful and assume He can do anything..which He already knows....

I mean I know there's fervent prayer but this is a whole 'nother level. It's like they are twisting His arm to perform miracles...and when it doesn't happen because God doesn't work that way, the prayer ramps up the prayer even more and blasts His ears again.
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Hi Lanolin;

Yes, its called "name it and claim it". Some denominations believe this in their doctrine. Problem is, when we name it and claim it, doesn't God have something to say first, before we name and claim?

Via dolarossa said:
the term “ fake it TIL you make it” sometimes gets equated with having Faith.
. I hate faking things. But if I’m honest the verse in Mark 11:24 does state we need to believe to receive.. I tried faking confidence once and it backfired. Because It was faked. This was Before I accepted Christ. I had heard this cliche and gave it a go....if only. I’d have listened to the still small voice
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Hi Via, Here's a twist. I have seen people fake a "low self esteem" to appear they are being humbled. Discernment can see right through that.

Be thyself! If we are truly humbled it will be exposed and God exalts the humble. When we are truly conceited, oops. Own up to it and ask God to forgive because He is always sees the heart when we catch ourselves.

God bless you both, sisters!
 
bobinfaith said:
Hello Major;

I was responding to the thread titled, "what is faith" with God Faith. You're describing Counter Faith to God Faith.

I agree with you that growing disciples need to be aware of the counter examples, serving God versus serving money, God's Kingdom instead of self motives, applying our church calling versus doing church projects as an idol.

I feel that one KEY to growing our God Faith is asking Him to help us grow in our personal relationship daily. The Lord will respond to People Faith (in relationship with Him) and follow His guidance and growing trust daily.

God bless you, Pastor, and your family.
Click to expand...

You are probably right. Faith has been so misused by religious people that it is just a go to comment for me.

"Just have enough Faith and you...………"!
 
Via dolarossa said:
the term “ fake it TIL you make it” sometimes gets equated with having Faith.
. I hate faking things. But if I’m honest the verse in Mark 11:24 does state we need to believe to receive..

I tried faking confidence once and it backfired. Because It was faked. This was Before I accepted Christ. I had heard this cliche and gave it a go....

if only. I’d have listened to the still small voice
Click to expand...
So we proclaim, Lord we believe help our unbelief. And in that proclamation. The children that God has placed in our care that know not God and are casting themselves in the fire. Those to whom are in our sphere, that we come in contact with everyday will be healed.
 
lightbearer said:
Many do not realize that Faith is to be who we are. It is a noun, that becomes verbal.
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Think a moment about what Faith is not.

It is NOT a lasso we slip around God's neck to force Him to give us what we want.

It is NOT a button we push to get God to act.

It is NOT a "force" we can tap into to use for our benefit.
 
Via dolarossa said:
Well if that’s true I don’t want to be who I am! Should I have faith in that?


I really doubt my salvation today.
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So we pray, Lord we believe, help our unbelief.
Faith is a gift from God. The changed heart and mind. It seems however it takes us or some time to catch up with the reality of who we are in Christ, a New creation. Paul said not that he was already perfect or had already obtained. But he was determined. Forgetting those things that were behind and focused on the high calling which we have in Christ Jesus.
 
Major said:

STOP THAT!!!!

You, ME, ALL Christians must have faith in God.

Do not allow Satan to rob you of you of the peace and joy of knowing that YOU my child are a child of God.
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Yes it’s stopped!

Funny how we start to doubt our salvation when we FEEL Like things are not coming along quick enough.

Honestly, I’m certain that He started a good work in me and He will bring it to completion. Philippians 1:6.
 
Via dolarossa said:
Yes it’s stopped!

Funny how we start to doubt our salvation when we FEEL Like things are not coming along quick enough.

Honestly, I’m certain that He started a good work in me and He will bring it to completion. Philippians 1:6.
Click to expand...

Agreed! Remember....it is God who is in control and we live by and through His plan not ours.

We can doubt the government, the next door neighbor, the dog and yes even our mates...….but NOT GOD!
 
Via dolarossa said:
Well that’s not been my experience As yet but I so I hope your right.
ultimatley I think He must be behind it all, He just allows the devil his final days hehe
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Romans 8:28...……..
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Yes, Satan does indeed have powers.

Satan has power and authority in the current world system in which we exist, his power is limited, always under the sovereign control of God and it is temporary. God has not revealed all of the whys and whens concerning Satan’s rule, but He has made it clear that there is only one way to escape the power of Satan’s dominion, and that is through His Son, Jesus.

It is Jesus who, speaking of the impending cross, declared victory in John 12:31...…... “Now the prince of this world will be driven out”.
 
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