Scraps of Wisdom

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Scraps of Wisdom

• FAITH
• Belief and Believing

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First Scrap

• What is Faith
• THE WORD "FAITH" IN THE BIBLEIn the Greek
  language of the New Testament there are five
  words which are rendered "faith" in the King
  James Version.

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1. Faith

• pistis, noun, meaning "faith faithful reliable
  that which is believed", and, with the definite
  article, "doctrine"

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2. Faith

• pistos, adjective, meaning "dependable inspiring
  of trust believing"

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3. Faith

• pisteuo, verb, meaning "to believe
• to be convinced"

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4. Faith
peitho, verb, meaning "to obey (in the present
tense) to be persuaded (in the aorist) to have
confidence (in the perfect) faith (all tenses)"

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5. Faith

• pistoo, verb, meaning "to show oneself faithful
  to feel confidence"

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What is faith?
"Faith is the substance of things in which one
has confidence, the evidence of things not seen."
HEB.116

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Faith simply believes Gods Word.

• When we believe in Him and His work on the cross,
  then we receive Christ to our self.
• John 112

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Faith is a Standard Operating Procedure of human
life.

• In practice, a person employs the mental process
  of faith dozens of times every day, just to carry
  out life's routines.
• Can you name a few?

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Think about it.

• A person who studies the past, and who writes
  about it, is continually involved with the
  concept of faith.

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First, he must decide which of his sources are
reliable enough to be believed.
A careful student of history will have faith only
in historians who meet his standards for
honesty.It is not the objective of the historian
to construct a history from preconceived notions
and then to adjust it to his own liking, He must,
rather, reproduce history from the best evidence,
and let it speak for itself.

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History, then, is knowledge of the past based on
testimony.

• The plausibility, the believability, of history
  depends on the trustworthiness of the witnesses,
  not upon the scholarly learning of the
  historian.

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HOW THE BELIEVER USES FAITH

• The Biblical concept of faith is that it amounts
  to complete confidence in something for which
  there is no empirical or rational proof
  available.

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A person is said to have faith in something if he
has believed it without having had a physical
demonstration of it or a logical explanation of
the truth behind it.

Or, a person who has believed something without
having it proved to him has exercised faith.
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Empiricism

• Empiricism is a technical word which refers to
  the using of scientific methods to learn
  something or to prove something. The scientific
  method relies on the five senses for the proof of
  propositions

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A child who does not take his mother's word for
the fact that the stove is hot may attempt
empirical proof by touching the stove himself. He
receives immediate experimental verification of
the truth of his mother's statement.

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Rationalism

• The term rationalism is used to describe the
  method of arriving at proof through the logical
  method. This is proof by logical process of
  reason. In rationalism, logic produces
  documentation or or not, of a point of view.

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Both empiricism and rationalism are very useful
in learning but neither is equivalent to
faith.
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Faith is

• Complete confidence in something which is not
  subject to logical or experimental proof
  Acceptance of an established criterion as the
  basis of reality

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THE CHRISTIAN'S FAITH IN THE BIBLE

The "established criterion" or standard, which
the Christian accepts by faith is that the Bible
is the Word of God. The Christian accepts the
Bible as being what it claims to be, the "mind of
Christ". By accepting this fact the believer has
a basis from which to delve into the whole Bible
with its hundreds of concepts vital to all
aspects of human life.
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The faith system of learning Bible truth is the
only fair way for man to know and approach God.

No one can claim personal credit for having
believed the Bible, because even a person of very
low intellectual ability can believe and
understand Bible truth.
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Therefore, the faith system for acquiring
doctrinal knowledge is perfectly fair and
compatible with Grace.

• It is the only method of learning which is
  commonly available to all members of the human
  race.

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Faith is valid only when it has a valid object.

The merit of faith lies, rather, in the idea or
object which is believed.
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Saving Faith has as its object the Lord Jesus
Christ and His substitutionary work on the Cross
for man's salvation, JOHN 336 ACTS 1631.

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A belief in any other "plan" of salvation,
however strongly and emotionally held, will prove
to have been faith in an invalid and useless
object, ACTS 412.

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Several important factors in the development of
Christian faith are

Faith requires the continuous intake of truth
from the Word of God. "...faith comes by hearing
and hearing by the Word of God...", ROM.1017.
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Faith is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and
requires the control of the Spirit for its
function. "...the fruit of the Spirit
is...faith...", GAL.522,23 EPH.518.
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Faith must be exercised daily
(1) using Faith-Rest principles in day to day
living, "...we who have believed do enter into
rest...", HEB.41-3 and (2) by using Faith
Patience in all situations, "...the testing of
your faith works patience", JAMES13.

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exercise of faith

• Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith...",
  EPH.317-20.

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Moving towards maturity
development of great faith. "...this is the
victory that overcomes the world, our faith...",
1JOHN54,5 HEB.116.

•  

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Daily occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ

"completes" faith. "Looking unto Jesus, the
author and finisher of our faith...", HEB.122.
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Undeserved suffering both tests and strengthens
faith

"...the trial of your faith...", 1PETER17,8.
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BAHTAK
A verb, the Faith Rest verb which was originally
a word used by wrestlers for giving someone a
body slam. See PSALM 373 912. It means "to
slam your troubles on the Lord", and it means
"faith" in the sense of the function of the
Faith-Rest principles. This verb is used
extensively in the Old Testament.
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KAHSAH
A verb, PSALM571, used of a rabbit fleeing from
a desert fox and finding refuge in the cleft of
the rock where the fox can't reach him. It means
"to believe" in the sense of finding refuge in
the Word or taking shelter in the Lord.
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YAHKAL
A verb, "to trust" in circumstances of pressure
or suffering. JOB1315 LAM.321,24.
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KAHWAH
Used in the sense of binding or twisting strands
of fiber together to make a rope. Threads which
are weak in themselves are woven together into
strength. The meaning is that we are weak and can
be broken, but woven into the Lord and His Word,
we cannot be broken. ISA.4031 LAM.325.

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By faith Abraham dwelt in the land of promise.
Hebrews 119

• In the Bible, the life of faith is often
  described as a walk (Gen. 171 Ps. 8411 Mic.
  68 Rom. 81 Gal. 525).

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For most of us, our Christian pilgrimage involves
plodding, a pace that sometimes feels unspiritual
and unproductive. My dictionary defines plodding
as "making one's way slowly and perseveringly."

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Two of God's earliest plodders, Abraham and
Sarah, trusted God's promises even though they
had to wait many years for those promises to be
fulfilled (Heb. 118-12).
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The rightness or wrongness of faith is determined
by its object--by what you believe in.

• Right faith is not just a warm, secure feeling.
• Right faith is not a blind, wild, irrational
  hope.
• Right faith is not an end in itself.
• Right faith is not based on one's imagination.

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The conclusion, therefore, is this The rightness
of faith is determined by its object! Your faith
is right if you put your trust in the right
thing.
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People will always believe in something.

• They often put their faith in the wrong
  thing--something not worthy of their trust and
  allegiance. This was true when the pagans of past
  ages invented their own gods of wood and stone,
  and it is true in our age of mushrooming
  scientific knowledge and astounding technological
  achievements.

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Today man turns in many different directions

In an attempt to find the right thing to believe
in, he unfortunately, usually winds up putting
his faith in himself and in his own methods,
philosophies, and systems of belief.
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Christ Is The Right Object Of Faith

• Even from a human perspective, Jesus was the kind
  of person people are looking for to believe in.
  He was a wise master teacher. He had such power
  and personal magnetism that great crowds followed
  Him. He was a man of high principle and
  impeccable character. He spoke with authority. He
  refuted the falsely pious of His day. He was a
  man of truth, integrity, prayer, and patience.
  Yes, He was the kind of man to believe in. But
  even more important, Jesus is the right object of
  faith because He is God.

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His Deity
In the beginning was the Word Jesus Christ, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God (Jn.
11).The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth
(Jn. 114).No one has seen God at any time. The
only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who is in the
bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jn.
118).To the Son Jesus Christ He the Father
says "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever"
(Heb. 18).

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When Jesus Christ was born

• the second person of the eternal trinity became
  man. Without losing His deity, He took on Himself
  our human nature (Phil. 25-11). Although this is
  hard to comprehend, the deity of Christ is
  clearly taught in Scripture (Isa. 96 Mt.
  2663-65 Jn. 1030 149 1711 Col. 115 Heb.
  13).

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Because Christ is God, faith placed in Him has
unshakable stability

• Christ is eternal (Jn. 11 175).
• Christ is all-knowing (Jn. 1630 2117).
• Christ is all-powerful (Jn. 519).
• Christ is unchanging (Heb. 138).
• Christ is everywhere (Mt. 1820 2820).
• Christ is the Creator of all (Col. 116).
• Christ is the Upholder of all (Heb. 13).

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Faith in Jesus Christ is further strengthened
when one considers what He has done, what He is
doing, and what He will do for us. For example
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Christ became human to rescue us from eternal
death (Phil. 25-8 Heb. 29). Christ lived as a
man, giving us an example to follow (1 Pet. 221
1 Jn. 26). Christ suffered and died to free us
from the penalty of sin (Mk. 1045 Heb.
926-28).
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Christ rose from the dead, proving His victory
over death and His power to provide eternal life
(Rom. 68-11 1 Cor. 1520-22). Christ is in
heaven preparing an eternal home for those who
have put their faith in Him (Jn. 142). Christ
intercedes on behalf of His children (Rom. 834
Heb. 725).
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Christ defends believers against Satan's
accusations (1 Jn. 21 cp. Heb. 923 Rev.
1210). Christ provides the supernatural peace
of God (Jn. 1427 Phil. 46-7). Christ will
raise the bodies of believers from the grave and
transform them into an incorruptible, immortal
form (1 Cor. 1551-54 1 Th. 415-17).
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Christ will reward the faithful and condemn those
who have not trusted in Him (Jn. 524-30 1 Cor.
311-15 2 Cor. 510-11 Rev. 2011-15). Christ
will rule the earth with His saints for 1,000
years (Rev. 204,6). Christ will create an
eternal new heaven and earth that will have no
death, sorrow, crying, or pain (Rev. 211-6).
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The Bible says that Jesus is to be the object of
our faith.

• We must put our trust in Him if we are to have
  our sins forgiven and to be at peace with God.

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When the Philippian jailer asked the apostle
Paul,

"What must I do to be saved?" he replied,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will
be saved" (Acts 1630-31). Elsewhere, the Bible
says
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For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should
not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 316).
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He who believes in Him Jesus Christ is not
condemned but he who does not believe is
condemned already, because he has not believed in
the name of the only begotten Son of God (Jn.
318).
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And this is the testimony that God has given us
eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who
has the Son has life he who does not have the
Son of God does not have life. These things I
have written you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, that you may know that you have
eternal life (1 Jn. 511-13).
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According to these verses, he who believes in
Christ will be saved, will not perish, and will
not be condemned.
But the one who refuses to put his faith in
Christ is already condemned and does not have
eternal life.

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Putting Faith In Christ.

• If your faith is in anyone or in anything other
  than Christ, your faith is inadequate. It is the
  wrong kind of faith. To have the right kind of
  faith, the Bible gives the following steps

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You must admit your sinfulness and desire to turn
from it. Jesus said, "Unless you repent you will
all likewise perish" (Lk. 133). You must
believe that "Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures, and that He rose again the
third day" (1 Cor. 153-4).
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You must trust in Jesus Christ alone as your
personal Savior and Lord. Romans 109 says, "If
you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him
from the dead, you will be saved." By an act of
faith, by a deliberate choice, you must accept
God's offer of salvation through His Son and be
willing to let Him take control of your life.