Biblical Faith?

[moselle]

First, let me ask if I'm correct in believing that there are two kinds of faith discussed in the Bible - faith given by God that accompanies salvation and a more general faith. It's the "more general" faith that I'm thinking about. (If it has a name, or if that's completely wrong, please let me know )

There seems to be a general belief among Christians (and "Christian Teachers") that having faith means you believe in something "really hard", and that if you "believe super, super intensely and quote scripture along with it", that something in particular will occur, then it will. Sort of intense wishing. For example, you are running low on cash for the monthly budget, and you "have faith" that God is going to send you $300 to get you through the month. Or, you "have faith" that God will get your husband that perfect job he interviewed for. Or that a hurricane will not hit your ministry headquarters.

I guess my thoughts lead to this: isn't faith simply believing that God will do what HE promises he will do? And we know what His promises are because He tells us what they are in the Bible? He promises that he will never leave or forsake us, he will provide the things we need (according to HIS purpose in our lives, not our own, of course), etc.

On the other hand, he never promises that we will be healed of our physical or emotional struggles, or that we will live an exciting life of supernatural miracles, or that His plans will work out just the way we wanted them to. But then what do we make of Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Assurance of things hoped for?

One other rambling question - what is the "gift of faith", that is listed among the spiritual gifts? Is it simply the Holy Spirit providing an extra amount of faith (believing that God will keep his promises) for people who are going through particularly difficult times?

 

[TaylorOtwell]

Great post!

I think you are definitely on the right track.

Regarding the "other rambling question", I will let others more learned respond.

 

[Neogillist]

First, let me ask if I'm correct in believing that there are two kinds of faith discussed in the Bible - faith given by God that accompanies salvation and a more general faith. It's the "more general" faith that I'm thinking about. (If it has a name, or if that's completely wrong, please let me know )

There seems to be a general belief among Christians (and "Christian Teachers") that having faith means you believe in something "really hard", and that if you "believe super, super intensely and quote scripture along with it", that something in particular will occur, then it will. Sort of intense wishing. For example, you are running low on cash for the monthly budget, and you "have faith" that God is going to send you $300 to get you through the month. Or, you "have faith" that God will get your husband that perfect job he interviewed for. Or that a hurricane will not hit your ministry headquarters.

I guess my thoughts lead to this: isn't faith simply believing that God will do what HE promises he will do? And we know what His promises are because He tells us what they are in the Bible? He promises that he will never leave or forsake us, he will provide the things we need (according to HIS purpose in our lives, not our own, of course), etc.

On the other hand, he never promises that we will be healed of our physical or emotional struggles, or that we will live an exciting life of supernatural miracles, or that His plans will work out just the way we wanted them to. But then what do we make of Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Assurance of things hoped for?

One other rambling question - what is the "gift of faith", that is listed among the spiritual gifts? Is it simply the Holy Spirit providing an extra amount of faith (believing that God will keep his promises) for people who are going through particularly difficult times?

Indeed, what you call "general faith" is found throughout the Bible and typically refers to trusting God in general things. As for "saving faith" or "justifying faith", it comes as the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in a person following regeneration. Calvin simply calls it "faith" in his Institutes, although he points out that certain passages speak of faith where there is only "the beginning of faith," and is not truly saving. I think he does this because he sees a connection between general faith and saving faith, where general faith comes as the by-product of saving faith.

You could also add a third category called "natural faith," which is simply to make a mental assent to a fact or a set of doctrines. For example, James speak of the demons as "believing in God" in that they believe God exists, they know he exists. Another place is in John 2:23-24:

"23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
24But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,"

You may observe here that people are said to believe in Jesus because they saw the miracles. However, this is not saving faith; it is natural faith because it simply comes naturally in the light of nature. Yet, certain people will refuse to believe even in face of the most undeniable facts and not even exercise this natural faith which they have the ability to do.

In regard to "the gift of faith", I guess you are referring to 1 Cor. 13:2 and 2 Cor. 12:9. Reformed Scholars typically agree that it refers to one of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, which God would give to certain people for a time. John Calvin comments:

"The term faith is employed here to mean a special faith, as we shall afterwards see from the context. A special faith is of such a kind as does not apprehend Christ wholly, for redemption, righteousness, and sanctification, but only in so far as miracles are performed in his name. Judas had a faith of this kind, and he wrought miracles too by means of it. Chrysostom distinguishes it in a somewhat different manner, calling it the faith of miracles, not of doctrines. 739739 Chrysostom’s words are: Πίστιν οὐ παύτην λέγει τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν σημείων. “By this faith he means not that of doctrines, but that of miraeles.” — It was called by the schoolmen fides miractelorum (faith of miracles.) — Ed This, however, does not differ much from the interpretation previously mentioned."

Other Reformed scholars that are "continuationists" would say it this gift is still around today in certain believers and would point out to George Mueller has an example.

I would personally line up with Calvin's view.