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Faith Rev.

9-Jul-09

The Webster's dictionary says this:

faith (fÀ»)

n.

1 unquestioning belief that does not require proof or


evidence

2 unquestioning belief in God, religious tenets, etc.

3 a religion or a system of religious beliefs

4 anything believed

5 complete trust, confidence, or reliance

6 allegiance to some person or thing; loyalty See


also bad faith and good faith

interj.

indeed; in faith

SYN. belief

break (or keep) faith

1 to be disloyal (or loyal) to one's beliefs, principles,


etc.

2 to break (or keep) a promise

in faith indeed; really; on faith through trust; without proof or evidence

But the Bible says this:


Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen.

In my humble opinion therefore, My comments are these:

Faith as the bible portrays it for the Christian is not the same as for outsiders (Non
Christians). Faith and trust are not in this case exactly synonymous terms. A person
may trust that the brakes on the car will work when needed, but they have no
promise from God that they will always work. Note that the bible verse here has
two parts to the Christian faith. 1. The substance of things hoped for, & 2. The
evidence of things that remain unseen. The context of our Christian faith should be
related to our hopes in Yahweh God’s promises & words, and as long as they are
hoped for and remain unseen or unrealized, they constitute our faith. These things
hoped for are the promises made by God the Father, through some messenger, for
this life as well as the future Kingdom that he promised to all who believe in Him.
This evidence is pure blind trust in God, in that he is, and as one who will maintain
his promises. (Hope comes to an end when it is realized and is no longer faith, But
by true faith, we continue to hope and strive for the things not yet realized. This
faith leads to faith and to our Salvation. [Salvation simply stated is a state of living
eternally in something like a real and true Utopia].

Why a religion built on Faith? IMHO, this is the only thing I know where all
persons are equal in that the only thing required is the "choosing to believe in God
and His words, because they want to believe". It eliminates all other presumed
prerequisites. If our religion were based on intelligence, we would probably all be
lost. If it were based on wealth, then would there be pure hell in Heaven and that
can not be. Faith costs nothing but is more valuable than gold.

If anyone is interested in living in a Heavenly Kingdom where Peace, Justice,


Righteousness, & Goodness and good health prevail, they have only to ask of God
and he will receive. But he must first choose to believe that God is. For the
Christian, only through God's Christ is he made known and not just heard of. So if
anyone is interested, he has only to listen to one who has been sent by God to preach
Christianity. If a preacher can not be found, which IMHO is the real problem with
modern Christianity in many parts of the world, studying a Christian bible, after a
prayer for help from the Holy Spirit, is the surest method that I know of. Regarding
this topic, the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 gives a long list demonstrating the faith
of our forefathers from Abel on. It is highly recommended to read these accounts,
for they can help you with your faith also. You must however believe in God and
His words. The only comment I have to offer regarding these verses is Heb 11:4
(KJV) “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God
testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh”. [The
manner in which this KJV translates it, seems to indicate that it
was the sacrifice itself that made the difference. However,
when we read the account in Gen 4, we can understand that it
was the gift coupled with the manner in which it was offered,
that made the difference by the faith of Abel. Conformation to
this idea is found in the parable of the Widow’s mite (Mk
12:42-44 & Lk 21:2-4). ]

The following are some of the verses with comments that I put together to help
people who have a genuine interest in the matter.

Mark 16:16 KJV) "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned." [Faith in action. If you
never try to believe using faith alone, and not knowledge, which is not
faith but intellect, you can never know God. Sooner or later a person
must reach out with faith and believe in God and his plans for man,
and stop rebelling against the creator and his ways. This constant
rebellious reaction is like saying, "I know better than that". For there
will be no room in the hereafter for unbelievers. All survivors will
have proven their ability to be obedient to God or his Christ, by their
faith and therefore they have in a sense, learned their lesson for their
redemption by their faith, especially through him, the redeemer, who
paid the price by his blood which he shed for us.]

(John 3:18 KJV) "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he
that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of God." CAUTION: Jesus
is/was not the only begotten son of God. Scripture states clearly that
God has many sons. This was an error in the LXX translation of the
Hebrew term Yachiyd/H3173/one that can not be replaced as one
beloved or a special child; Ref Gen 22:2. [This believing by Faith, is
believing that God's “Yachiyd” son, who was made both Lord and
Christ in the man Jesus that had the spirit of The Christ at his
baptism. (Jesus had no physical earthly father, but much like Adam.
He is called the second Adam. The first Adam was “son of God” also
according to Lk 3:38.]

(John 6:47 KJV) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on
me hath everlasting life." [Blind faith leads to faith, and is necessary
to combat doubt. (Such as the belief in God the creator, who is
invisible.)

(John 7:38 KJV) "He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." [The faithful will
have problems keeping it to themselves. It will often times just
overflow through their mouths. This often offends the non believers
because of their misunderstanding]
(John 10:38 KJV) "But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the
works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I
in him." [Be believing and eventually try to imitate him in order that
you may be (in the future).]

(John 20:27 KJV) "Then saith he to Thomas, "Reach hither thy


finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it
into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." [Believe with the
believing. Some people need help to believe some things. John 20:29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast
believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.]

(Acts 10:43 KJV) "To him give all the prophets witness, that through
his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."
[And consequently, the possibility of eternal life. A gift for your
unfailing faith.]

(Acts 13:48 KJV) "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad,
and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to
eternal life believed." [After they heard that the gentiles could also
inherit Gods kingdom, they believed because now, they had hope.
However, one must have hope first. (Heb 11:1). The word "ordained"
as used above is equal to "tasso Gk" meaning something like "to
arrange in an orderly manner" or conditioned in an orderly manner.]

(Acts 16:31 KJV) "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." [Faith is required even for
those who were with Christ for 3 years. Note Thomas. He had
problems and doubts even after all those things that he saw. His faith
was tested by those who reported having seen Jesus after his
resurrection. Blessed are those who believe and have not seen.]

(Rom 10:14 KJV) "How then shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they
have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" [Faith
is the results of those who chose to believe after hearing. They will
want to believe only if they hear something that agrees with their
longing for the heavenly existence with justice, righteousness and
peace, etc. However, our faith should come by way of the preacher of
the gospel. By hearing, the inflections and emphasis of the words, this
helps to reveal the spiritual significance.]

(2 Cor 4:4 KJV) "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the
minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of
Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." [Only
believers are to receive this grace, possibly as a reward for their
obedience to God's words.]

(Gal 2:16 KJV) "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in
Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not
by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be
justified." [Some translation read "Faith in Jesus" rather than "faith
of Jesus". However, his faith will be made manifest by his
works/actions.]

(Eph 1:15 KJV) "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints," cease not to give thanks for
you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope
of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints. [To further increase their faith, a prayer for knowledge to
support their faith helps to lead to more faith]

(Phil 1:27 KJV) "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the


gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I
may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one
mind striving together for the faith. [Faith in the Gospel; (what is
preached of Christ)]

Phil 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered
the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win
Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being
made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead. [It costs to have stronger faith. But
faith leads to faith.]

(2 Th 2:13 KJV) "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for
you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the
beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit
and belief. [This word "belief" is translated as "faith" (pistis/G4102
in Greek), therefore not just plain belief, but belief in God’s
promises.]
(1 Pet 2:6 KJV) "Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that
believeth on him shall not be confounded." [Hold to your faith if it is
based on the promises from our Heavenly father, because it is God’s
word and true.]

(1 John 2:3 KJV) "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we


keep his commandments." [The ones who do the Christian thing give
testimony to their faith by their actions/works.]

Amen, and may God bless you.

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