Faith

Definition

“Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Hebrews 11:1) Faith is an intellectual understanding and appreciation of God’s Word and a confident reliance upon that Word. The true “Christian faith” is the sum of beliefs concerning Jehovah God and His Kingdom as delivered to us by His chosen Seed, Jesus Christ, and His inspired disciples. It is based upon the ancient Hebrew Scriptures, to which Jesus constantly made reference to support what He taught and to which later the inspired Greek Scriptures were added as a source of accurate knowledge for developing faith.

Jehovah, the Faithful God

Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that Jehovah your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps cove­nant and loving-kindness with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.”

Faith Necessary for Relationship with God

Hebrews 11:6 “Without faith it is impossible to win His [God’s] good pleasure, for he that ap­proaches God must believe that He is and that He becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seek­ing Him.”

Romans 10:13, 14 “For ‘anyone that calls upon the Name of Je­hovah will be saved’. However, how will they call upon him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they bear without someone to preach?”

God’s Legal Recognition and Hope of New World Based on Faith

Genesis 15:6 “And he [Abraham] believed in Jehovah; and He reck­oned it to him for righteousness.”

Romans 5:1, 2 “Now that we have been declared righteous as a re­sult of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have gained our approach by faith into this undeserved kind­ness in which we now stand.”

Romans 4:13 “For it was not through law that Abraham or his seed had the promise that he should be heir of a world, but it was through the righteousness by faith.”

Faith Is a Gift from God That Draws Men to Christ

Ephesians 2:8 “By this undeserved kindness, indeed, you have been saved through faith; and this not owing to you, it is God’s gift.”

John 6:44, 45, 47 “No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent Me, draws him, and I will resurrect him in the last day. It is written in the Proph­ets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard the Father’s teaching and has learned comes to Me. Most truly I say to you, He that be­lieves has everlasting life.”

True Faith Founded upon Christ Jesus

Hebrews 12:2 “We look intently at the leader and perfecter of our faith, Jesus.”

Colossians 1:23 “Provided, of course, that you continue in the faith, established on the foundation and steadfast and not being shifted away from the hope of that good news which you heard, and which was preached in all creation that is under heaven.”

Acts 3:13, 15, 16 “The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified his Servant, Jesus, whom you, for your part, de­livered up and disowned before Pilate’s face, when he had de­cided to release Him.. .. you killed the Chief Agent of life. But God raised Him up from the dead, of which fact we are witnesses. Con­sequently, His Name, by our faith in His Name, has made this man strong whom you behold and know, and the faith that is through Him has given the man this complete soundness in the sight of all of you.”

1 Timothy 3:16 “Indeed, the sacred secret of this godly devotion is admittedly great: ‘He was made manifest in flesh, was declared righteous in spirit, appeared to angels, was preached about among nations, was believed upon in the world, was received up in glory.’ “

Faith in Christ’s Ransom Leads to Salvation

Romans 3:24, 25 “It is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by His undeserved kind­ness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus. God set Him forth as an offering for propitiation through faith in His blood.”

1 Peter 1:8, 9 “Though you never saw Him, you love Him. Though you are not looking upon Him at present, yet you exercise faith in Him and are greatly rejoicing with an unspeakable and glorified joy, as you receive the accom­plished end of your faith, the sal­vation of your souls.”

Gift of Faith Must Be Developed According to Accurate Knowledge

2 Thessalonians 1:3 “We are obligated to give God thanks . .. because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love of each and all of you is increasing one toward the other.”

Ephesians 4:13 “Until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God.”

Hebrews 6:1 “For this reason, now that we have left the elemen­tary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation again, name­ly, repentance from dead works, and faith toward God.”

By Trials One’s Faith Is Tested to Prove Its Quality

James 1:2, 3 “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith works out endurance.”

1 Peter 1:6, 7 “You have been grieved by various trials, in order that the tested quality of your faith, of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being proved by fire, may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “But God is faith­ful and He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”

Added to Your Faith Must Be Works and Virtue

James 2:17, 26 “Faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself. Indeed, as the body without breath is dead, so also faith with­out works is dead.”

2 Peter 1:5 “Supply to your faith virtue.”

Faith Removes Obstacles Hindering True Worship

Matthew 17:20 “For truly I say to you, If you have faith the size of a mustard grain, you will say to this mountain, ‘Transfer from here to there,’ and it will trans­fer, and nothing will be impossi­ble for you.”

1 Corinthians 13:2 “If I have all the faith so as to transplant moun­tains, but do not have love, I am nothing.”

1 Timothy 6:12 “Contend for vic­tory in the right contest of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called.”

Hebrews 11:33 “Who through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict.”

Overcomes the Devil and the World

1 Peter 5:9 “But take your stand against him [the Devil], solid in the faith, knowing that the same things in the way of sufferings are being accomplished in the en­tire association of your brothers in the world.”

John 5:4 “And this is the conquest that has conquered the world, our faith.”

Keep Healthy in the Faith

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Keep testing whether you are in the faith, keep proving what you yourselves are.”

Titus 1:13 “For this very cause keep on reproving them with se­verity, that they may be healthy in the faith.”

Faith Governs a Christian’s Life-Course

2 Corinthians 5:7 “We are walking by faith, not by sight.”

Hebrews 10:38; Habakkuk 2:4 “But My righteous one will live by reason of faith.”

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have run the course to the finish, I have ob­served the faith.”

Lack of Faith the ‘Sin That Easily Entangles’

Hebrews 3:12 “Beware, brothers, for fear there should ever develop in any one of you a wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God.”

Romans 11:20 “For their lack of faith they were broken off, but you are standing by faith. Quit having lofty ideas, but be in fear.”

Hebrews 12:1 “Let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Matthew 13:58 “And He [Jesus] did not do many powerful works there on account of their lack of faith.”

Strong Faith Gives Protection Against Wicked Demons

Ephesians 6:16 “Above all things, take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the wicked one’s burn­ing missiles.”

1 Thessalonians 5:8 “Let us keep our senses and have on the breast­plate of faith.”

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