What exactly is faith?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
J

John146

Senior Member
#1
Jan 13, 2016
17,129
3,689
113
#1
What is the difference between faith and believing?

Hebrews tells us...

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

By faith the elders obtained a dood report.

We also know in Romans 10...

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith begins with the hearing of God’s word.

Thoughts?
 
Dino246

Dino246

Senior Member
#2
Jun 30, 2015
25,472
13,785
113
#2
I like the wording of the NASB: "Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen."

"Certainty" carries a different sense than "substance". The word "substance", in 21st century English, means physical stuff. We can't sense faith with our fingertips. Calling faith "substance" is incomprehensible to many people.

"Certainty", in contrast, is how we consider gravity; we just know that we aren't going to float away if we jump vigorously. We know we will be resurrected because Jesus was resurrected.

Similarly, proof is meant as an incontrovertible absolute case, like a logical or mathematical axiom, not merely the watered-down popular misconception of an argument you or I happen to find convincing.

By the way, real faith isn't a matter of trying, striving, or straining. You don't try to have faith. You just have it (or you don't).
 
B

Blackpowderduelist

Guest
#3
#3
Trust. To put it as simple as it gets, faith is trust.
 
Pilgrimshope

Pilgrimshope

Well-known member
#4
Sep 2, 2020
14,143
5,720
113
#4
John146 said:
What is the difference between faith and believing?

Hebrews tells us...

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

By faith the elders obtained a dood report.

We also know in Romans 10...

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith begins with the hearing of God’s word.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
faith requires this frame of belief

“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.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

your correct that faith must come from what God said , and it must be something unseen so if Jesus told you the sky looks blue , you look up and it looks blue that is belief , but doesn’t require faith

if Jesus tells you this

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

if you believe this , it is faith . It requires one to believe not what we can see and prove , but requires us to believe Gods word before we see and have proof

one can say “ I believe in God “ and it might mean “ I believe God exists “

faith believes that , and also that he rewards those who seek him

for example Noah believed what God said when he told him he was about to flood the world and destroy everyone . Noah couldn’t prove it was true , but he was a believer in Gods word so he believed what God said , part of it was “ if you build this ark you will be saved with your household and I’ll make a new covenant with you “

again Noah believed what God said based upon God saying it and having no proof that’s faith

We often think faith comes from us , and we are creating things ahead , but the truth is God has foretold things ahead and we are believers of his word even though no one has any tangible proof we’re believers

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
‭‭John‬ ‭11:25-26‬ ‭

a non believer that means nothing to , but a believer sees the opportunity to get firm grasp upon faith
 
T

throughfaith

Well-known member
#5
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
113
#5
Acts 17
pistis = assurance
31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance( Pistis ) unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Its interesting ( For Calvinism) that he's given assurance ( pistis) to ALL men .
 
J

John146

Senior Member
#6
Jan 13, 2016
17,129
3,689
113
#6
Dino246 said:
I like the wording of the NASB: "Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen."

"Certainty" carries a different sense than "substance". The word "substance", in 21st century English, means physical stuff. We can't sense faith with our fingertips. Calling faith "substance" is incomprehensible to many people.

"Certainty", in contrast, is how we consider gravity; we just know that we aren't going to float away if we jump vigorously. We know we will be resurrected because Jesus was resurrected.

Similarly, proof is meant as an incontrovertible absolute case, like a logical or mathematical axiom, not merely the watered-down popular misconception of an argument you or I happen to find convincing.

By the way, real faith isn't a matter of trying, striving, or straining. You don't try to have faith. You just have it (or you don't).
Click to expand...
Over and over through the epistles, we read that salvation is to those who believe. Believe is the key. What's the difference between believing and having faith?

Does faith require works as in James? By works, faith is made perfect, complete. Faith without works is dead. For faith to be complete it requires obedience, not so with believing.
 
J

John146

Senior Member
#7
Jan 13, 2016
17,129
3,689
113
#7
throughfaith said:
Acts 17
pistis = assurance
31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance( Pistis ) unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Its interesting ( For Calvinism) that he's given assurance ( pistis) to ALL men .
Click to expand...
What do you see as the difference between having faith and believing?
 
Dino246

Dino246

Senior Member
#10
Jun 30, 2015
25,472
13,785
113
#10
John146 said:
Over and over through the epistles, we read that salvation is to those who believe. Believe is the key. What's the difference between believing and having faith?

Does faith require works as in James? By works, faith is made perfect, complete. Faith without works is dead. For faith to be complete it requires obedience, not so with believing.
Click to expand...
Believing and having faith are linked in Scripture. They are neither wholly distinct nor wholly synonymous. Faith, being the certainty of things not seen, is demonstrated by actions (works). Our outward actions demonstrate the genuineness of our faith... or absence of it. In that sense, it's the same with believing; I worship God because I believe in Him and in His worthiness to be worshiped.

However, believing is different from faith because I can believe simply on the basis of what I have seen, with no reference to anything I have done. I cannot have faith in what I have seen, but I can have faith in the extrapolation of what I have seen. Many believed in Jesus on the basis of His demonstrated acts of power, and they had faith in what He told them (but had not seen) because of their belief in what they had seen.
 
T

throughfaith

Well-known member
#11
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
113
#11
Acts 16 .
30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31¶And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
 
J

John146

Senior Member
#13
Jan 13, 2016
17,129
3,689
113
#13
Dino246 said:
Believing and having faith are linked in Scripture. They are neither wholly distinct nor wholly synonymous. Faith, being the certainty of things not seen, is demonstrated by actions (works). Our outward actions demonstrate the genuineness of our faith... or absence of it. In that sense, it's the same with believing; I worship God because I believe in Him and in His worthiness to be worshiped.

However, believing is different from faith because I can believe simply on the basis of what I have seen, with no reference to anything I have done. I cannot have faith in what I have seen, but I can have faith in the extrapolation of what I have seen. Many believed in Jesus on the basis of His demonstrated acts of power, and they had faith in what He told them (but had not seen) because of their belief in what they had seen.
Click to expand...
Good points.

Biblical faith starts with hearing the word of God. But faith is more than believing, it also involves obedience to complete the act of faith.

Those in Christ are called believers, not faithers. Salvation is about believing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
J

John146

Senior Member
#14
Jan 13, 2016
17,129
3,689
113
#14
throughfaith said:
Acts 16 .
30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31¶And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Click to expand...
Yes, dozens and dozens of times, the word is believe. Do a search of Acts - Philemon and see how many times it pops up and the context of the passage.
 
J

John146

Senior Member
#19
Jan 13, 2016
17,129
3,689
113
#19
T

throughfaith

Well-known member
#20
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
113
#20
1 cor 1.21
21For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.