The preachers quoted here describe faith as a conviction of the reality of what cannot yet be seen, and as receiving and resting on Christ alone. They insist it is not a feeling a person works up, and that it is the foundation of the whole Christian life.
The Bible's own definition is Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The Greek word is pistis, persuasion and reliance;1 the Old Testament root, aman, means to be firm and so to trust.2 The prophet's sentence, "the just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4), is quoted three times in the New Testament.
Faith takes its worth from what it rests on. In Scripture it is never faith in faith but faith in God and in his Son: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). It is awakened by God's word: "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). The older Bible dictionaries treat it under these two heads, belief of the truth and trust in the person.3
The Reformation catechisms describe saving faith as more than agreement. The Heidelberg Catechism says true faith is not only knowledge of what God has revealed but also "an assured confidence" that his promises are for me.4 The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it in a sentence: "Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation as he is offered to us in the gospel."5
Faith is at once God's gift and a person's act. "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Yet people are everywhere commanded to believe, and are held responsible when they will not (John 3:18).
Paul says a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Romans 3:28); James says faith without works is dead (James 2:26). The two are answering different errors. Paul himself speaks of "faith which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6).
Faith, then, is taking God at his word and resting on Christ. Hebrews 11 shows what it looks like in practice: Noah building, Abraham going out, Moses choosing reproach, each acting on a promise before it could be seen. "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).
- Strong's Greek 4102, pístis: "persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious...".
- Strong's Hebrew 539, ʼâman: "properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or...".
- "Faith," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Theological Dictionary (with 21 other reference works).
- Various, The Heidelberg Catechism, "Question 21 What is true faith?".
- Westminster Assembly, Westminster Shorter Catechism, "What is faith in Jesus Christ?".
In their own words
Each line below is quoted exactly from a sermon on this site. Follow the link to hear or read it where it was said.
Faith is a conviction of the reality of the unseen.
Leonard Ravenhill
in (Hebrews) 8-Faith
Listen at 15:24
Faith is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon Christ alone for salvation as he is offered to us in the Gospel.
Joel Beeke
in Adam & Eve - Simple Faith
Listen at 8:51
Faith is the ability of the mind to see what the eyes can't see yet.
Paris Reidhead
in A Word of Faith
Listen to the sermon
Faith is not some feeling that we manufacture.
Pat Kenney
in Hebrews 11
Listen at 56:46
And faith is the foundation of our Christian life or Christian living.
Hoseah Wu
in Faith in Impossible Situations
Listen at 2:48
Faith is the moral relationship that allows God to behave in terms of a man's humanity.
Major Ian Thomas
in The Faith That Lets
Listen at 6:58
What Scripture says
- Hebrews 11:1 faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
- Romans 10:17 faith comes by hearing the word of God
- Ephesians 2:8-9 saved by grace through faith, the gift of God
- James 2:17 faith without works is dead
- Habakkuk 2:4 the just shall live by his faith
How this page is made: the quotes are taken word for word from sermons on SermonIndex and checked against them by program before the page is published. The transcripts of audio and video sermons are machine-made, so follow the link to hear the words as they were spoken. The answer above the quotes is an overview with its sources listed; it is not a statement of doctrine by SermonIndex.