Faith

[NeoInarien]

How might one define faith?

Faith in Jesus, God our father. That he died for our sins, and he shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.

According to protestant tradition, our definition of faith also includes the conviction that through our faith we are saved. So essentially one has faith in faith.

Would this be a somewhat accurate description? If not, how might one state faith along with this conviction?

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

Q72: What is justifying faith?
A72: Justifying faith is a saving grace,[1] wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit [2] and word of God,[3] whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition,[4] not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel,[5] but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin,[6] and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.[7]

1. Heb. 10:39
2. II Cor. 4:13; Eph. 1:17-19
3. Rom. 10:14, 17
4. Acts 2:37; 4:12; 16:30; John 16:8-9; Rom. 5:6; Eph. 2:1
5. Eph. 1:13
6. John 1:12; Acts 10:43; 16:31
7. Phil. 3:9; Acts 15:11

 

[Average Joey]

Originally posted by webmaster
Q72: What is justifying faith?
A72: Justifying faith is a saving grace,[1] wrought in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit [2] and word of God,[3] whereby he, being convinced of his sin and misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him out of his lost condition,[4] not only assenteth to the truth of the promise of the gospel,[5] but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin,[6] and for the accepting and accounting of his person righteous in the sight of God for salvation.[7]

1. Heb. 10:39
2. II Cor. 4:13; Eph. 1:17-19
3. Rom. 10:14, 17
4. Acts 2:37; 4:12; 16:30; John 16:8-9; Rom. 5:6; Eph. 2:1
5. Eph. 1:13
6. John 1:12; Acts 10:43; 16:31
7. Phil. 3:9; Acts 15:11

Wow!Enough said!

 

[Irishcat922]

Robert Traill said that "faith is simply an empty hand extended to receive the grace of God"

 

[NeoInarien]

Hebrews 11:1

"Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen."

How could people be cured when Jesus healed them as credited his work to their faith? It clearly wasn't their faith him Jesus, but rather God the Father. And it clearly had nothing to do with sins, only the belief in God.

That said, does the meaning of "faith" change after Jesus dies?

 

[Average Joey]

Originally posted by NeoInarien
Hebrews 11:1

"Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen."

How could people be cured when Jesus healed them as credited his work to their faith? It clearly wasn't their faith him Jesus, but rather God the Father. And it clearly had nothing to do with sins, only the belief in God.

That said, does the meaning of "faith" change after Jesus dies?

I don`t believe it changed after Jesus died.If you notice that almost every time Jesus healed someone or performed miracles it never caused people to believe in Him.All they believed were His works.Whenever Jesus started preaching on believing in him the people would murmur amoung themselves because they couldn`t accept it.Even when Jesus calls himself the bread of life and to eat of his flesh and drink his blood.They all except the diciples walked away.Jesus turned to them and asked why are you still here?Peter said,Lord where should we go?You have the words of life.It had nothing to do with his miracles.They believed on his word.

 

[BobVigneault]

Faith is the vital connection established by God, as a gift, which functions as the channel through which our new life in Christ, through Christ, is transmitted.

I've described it as being similar to the "switch" at the phone company that gives you service. It's either on or off and there's nothing you can do to throw it.

Faith gives us assurance that our pressupositions are true.

 

[NeoInarien]

So to sum up faith as being:

Belief in the existence of God, Jesus is God, Jesus dieing for our sins.

That would be inadquate, or good?

 

[BobVigneault]

Somewhat inadequate for it is BY faith that we are able to grasp those truths.

We many times use the word 'faith' to mean our system of belief, our worldview, the body of christian thought. I am defining it as it is used in 'by grace through faith'.

The important point to remember is that no amount of mental gymnastics can work up faith. God the Father is always the giver and Christ is always the object.

 

[NeoInarien]

but faith is explained in Hebrew's 11:1. Wouldn't any further construction of the term faith be uncanonical?