Tag: faith

The Action Words of Faith

The Action Words of Faith

Marissa

The other day as I was reading through Hebrews 11, I noticed the faith chapter follows a pattern: “By faith [name] [action].” Each time the writer mentions a hero of faith, they following it by saying what it was this person did by faith.

As we’ve been studying here on this blog for the past three weeks, faith is linked with the actions we take (see “The Obedience of Faith,” “Be Careful How You Listen,” and “Increase Our Faith“). I thought it might be fitting to follow these posts up with one that’s more concrete; one that moves past discussing faith in action as a concept to looking at the actions that people of faith really did. Hebrews 11 isn’t an exhaustive list, but it is a great place to start.

We Understand

 By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God’s command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.

Hebrews 11:3, NET

I’ve never before stopped to think about the fact that the faith chapter starts with us. We think of this as a list of heroes of the faith, but the very first people mentioned is “we”–the author and all the readers. None of us were there at the creation of the world. The understanding we have to worship God as Creator is something we do by faith.

Abel Offered

  By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith he still speaks, though he is dead.

Hebrews 11:4, NET

Abel’s faith prompted him to give an offering to God. If we do this today it’s usually money, but in the Old Testament God’s followers gave physical offerings. In Genesis, we read, “Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering” (Gen. 4:4, WEB). Something about Abel’s offering and the way he presented it pleased God and led to Him commending Abel’s righteousness. We’ll see this connection between action, faith, and righteousness repeated with Abraham as well.

Enoch Pleased God

 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God. Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 

Hebrews 11:5-6, NET

Enoch is the one break in our “By faith [name] [action]” pattern. Here, “Enoch was taken” by God–it’s God doing the action, not Enoch. The lines that follow, though show that Enoch was doing something to please God. We’re not sure exactly what all was involved in that, but it is linked with “believe” (translated from pisteuo, the verb/action word form of pistis, which is faith as a noun/thing/concept).

Noah Constructed, Condemned, and Inherited

 By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11:7, NET

I still think about a study I published in 2016 “Grace To Build An Ark.” The first time we see “grace” in the Bible, it’s when God decided to spare Noah and his family from the flood. Like the grace we receive, Noah couldn’t have enacted this salvation on his own, but once he received grace he took action. He built an ark, and here we learn that he did that “by faith.”

We’re also told that through faith Noah “condemned the world.” The word translated “condemned” is katakrino, “to give judgement against” (G2632, Thayer’s Dictionary). Noah wasn’t the one who decided the world was “worthy of punishment” (Thayer), but the actions he took by faith highlighted that he was the only one alive who would be obedient to God and drew a sharp contrast between him and the sinful world.

Noah also “became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” In Romans, Paul talked extensively about how “faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness” (Rom. 4), but this points out that it happened for Noah as well. It’s really an amazing thing to say about someone in the Old Testament, when many people who knew about God were “pursuing a law of righteousness” yet fell short of “righteousness that is by faith” (Rom. 9:30-31, NET, see Rom 9:30-10:13). Noah’s example provides further support for one of Paul’s main arguments in Romans: that God has always worked with people who pursued righteousness through faith and obeyed God from the heart rather than simply by rote obedience to the letter of the law.

Abraham Obeyed, Went Out, Lived, Looked Forward, Procreated, and Offered

 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.  For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. So in fact children were fathered by one man—and this one as good as dead—like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand on the seashore. …

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,” and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense he received him back from there.

Hebrews 11:8-12, 17-18 NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Gen 21:12)

Abraham is known as the father of the faithful, and for good reason (Rom. 4:12, 16). His whole life is characterized by faithful action in obedience to God and based on trust in God. Most of the other action words used in this section of Hebrews 11 hinge on that first word: “obeyed.” It was in obedience to God that he left his homeland and “lived as a foreigner” in the land God promised to his descendants. He was obeying when he “offered up Isaac.” We also see a lot of trust in Abraham’s life–trust that God would raise up Isaac if he died, trust when looking forward to a heavenly city, and trust that God would give him a child. For Abraham, as for all of us, faith is an action that involves trusting God, staying loyal to Him, and obeying Him.

Image of a smiling woman with her arm raised in praise overlaid with text from Heb. 11:6, NET version: “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
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Isaac and Jacob Blessed

By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future. By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff.

Hebrews 11:20-21, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Gen 47:31)

When we think of blessing today, we usually think of it as something God does for us (e.g. “God blessed us with protection during the storm”) or that we do for God (e.g. “Bless the Lord, O my soul”). In the Bible, though, there’s a third type of blessing as well. People can bless other people. It’s part prophecy, part asking God to bless them. To bless someone like this, you have to have faith in God–faith that He’s guiding the words of your blessing and faith that He’ll carry it out.

Joseph Mentioned and Instructed

 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel and gave instructions about his burial.

Hebrews 11:22, NET

This is another example of faith that includes trusting God about the future. Joseph’s only guarantee that Israel would leave Egypt is that God told Him about it (Gen. 50:24-26). He trusted God’s word so much that he made plans for the Exodus that would happen long after his death, instructing his brothers to pass down this command all the way to Moses (Ex. 13:19).

Moses’s Parents Hid

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 

Hebrews 11:23, NET

We often think of hiding as something we do because of fear, but that’s the opposite of what’s happening here. Moses’s parents hid him to keep him safe from the murderous pharaoh. My baby is almost 3 months old now, and I can’t imagine how much faith it took for his mother to overcome her fears, put her little baby into a basket in the river, and hope that he’d be safe (Ex. 1:22-2:3).

Moses Refused, Chose, Suffered, Left, Persevered, and Kept

By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the reward. By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Hebrews 11:24-28, NET

Movies like The Ten Commandments and Prince of Egypt make it seem like Moses didn’t know about his Israelite heritage until shocked by the revelation as an adult, but this passage in Hebrews indicates he knew for a while. He didn’t stumble into the knowledge or run away because he was scarred. He chose, by faith, to align himself with the people of God even though that meant suffering.

All of the faithful actions recorded here for Moses hinge on looking to the future and relying on God. He chose God over Egypt–long-term good over “fleeting pleasure” and treasures in heaven over earthly wealth. He trusted in God to pass the last plague over Israel if they obeyed His instructions, and though it isn’t mentioned here, we know Moses and generations of Israelites to follow continued keeping the Passover as they looked forward to the Messiah.

People of Israel Crossed Red Sea and Watched Jericho Fall

By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days. 

Hebrews 11:29-30, NET

The people of ancient Israel are often seen as a cautionary tale–an example of disobedience that we’re to learn from and not imitate (1 Cor. 10:1-12). But there were times that they acted in faith, and we can look to those times as positive examples. They were scared at the Red Sea, but when God parted the waters they fled through this supernatural way of escape by faith. They weren’t the most formidable army in the world, but Joshua didn’t hesitate to lead them into the promised land and trust God to provide the victory. Once again, we see that actions of faith are linked with trusting God.

Rahab Escaped

 By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

Hebrews 11:31, NET

Rahab didn’t know anything about the God of Israel except what she’d heard about the things He’d done through and for His people (Josh. 2:8-13). That was enough, though, for her to say, “Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath” (Josh. 2:11, WEB), and to act based on faith in Him. You don’t need to know everything about who God is and what He expects from you to begin a life of faith.

Summary of Other Faithful Actions

Image of a man sitting at a table with a Bible in front of him and his head bowed in prayer, overlaid with blog's title text and the words, "Hebrews 11 records actions that people did “by faith” and teaches us about things we can do if we have faith."
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And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.  Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, gained what was promised, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight, and women received back their dead raised to life. But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life. And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised. For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us.

Hebrews 11:21-40, NET

The actions of faith often seem exciting and heroic when we look back on them. At the time, though, I imagine they were often harrowing for people. The verses in Hebrews tell us people like Moses and his parents acted without fear, but there was still uncertainty. They trusted God, but they didn’t know the outcome when they started out.

Sometimes, the actions we take by faith lead to things like conquering kingdoms, attaining the promises, escaping from lions, and raising the dead. Other times, these actions lead to God’s people being tortured, mocked, imprisoned, and homeless. No matter what the outcome, the point of this chapter is that we can trust God when we act in faith. In the grand scheme of things, He always works things out for good. Sometimes that’s obvious in this life, but whether we see a good outcome here or not, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises will happen in His kingdom.

These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 

Hebrews 11:13-16, NET

Every single person mentioned here in the faith chapter is still waiting to receive all that God promised them. They’ll be resurrected at the same time as the New Covenant believers are at Jesus’s return (see “Rethinking Heaven: Capturing A Vision of the Resurrection“). The faith chapter begins by including us (“by faith we understand”) and it ends with us as well (“they would be made perfect together with us”). When we remain faithful to God–demonstrated by the actions of faith that we take in obedience to Him–we’ll inherit the promises right alongside all the faithful people who’ve followed God over thousands of years.

Featured image by Pearl from Lightstock

Song Recommendation: “Find Us Faithful” by Steve Green

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Increase Our Faith

Increase Our Faith

Marissa

In our lives as Christians, we’ve probably all thought at some point that we’d like to have more faith. We look at the heroes of faith in the Bible and read Hebrews 11, and we think it’d be nice to have faith like that. Jesus’s disciples had a similar desire.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” So the Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this black mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled out by the roots and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Luke 17:5-6, NET

At first, it seems like Jesus didn’t give them a helpful answer. They asked for more faith, and He said if you had faith you could do this and this, but didn’t actually tell them how to get that faith. But then, as He so often did when teaching, He proceeded to tell them a story.

“Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? Won’t the master instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may eat and drink’? He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told, will he? So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Luke 17:7-10, NET

The disciples asked for more faith, and Jesus gave this enigmatic response. First, He told them what they could do if they had faith. Then, he told them this story about the slave and the master. Finally, He gave them an instruction: “So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’” It’s this story and concluding instruction that serve as the answer to the disciples’ plea, “Increase our faith!”

Image of a man pushing open two doors to go outside overlaid with text from Luke 17:5-6, 10, NET version: The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” So the Lord replied ... “when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”
Image by Pearl from Lightstock

Master and Slave

When we read the word “slave” with modern eyes, we become very uncomfortable. We think of involuntary subjugation and mistreatment. In many English translations, they use the word “servant” or “bondservant” to avoid using “slave.” However, “δοῦλος (doulos) … does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another” (NET footnote on Matt. 8:9). “Bondservant” is a pretty good translation, since doulos “often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another,” but it’s not a word that most modern English speakers are familiar with. That makes “slave” the best translation option even though our modern sense of what that means is a little different than what doulos meant in the ancient world.

It’s important that we understand doulos because the master-slave relationship is one that Jesus and New Testament writers frequently use to explain how God and His followers relate to each other. Jesus has multiple parables about the kingdom that compare us to slaves and He and/or His father to a master (Matt. 24:45-51; 25:14-30). While Jesus did say, “I no longer call you slaves … But I have called you friends” near the end of His human life (John 15:15), Paul, Timothy, James, Peter, and Jude all call themselves slaves of God the Father and Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Tit. 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:1; Jude 1:1). In the sense that Biblical writers use the word, we don’t have a choice about whether or not we’re slaves. All people either serve sin and the devil as their master, or serve righteousness and the one true God (Romans 6). We just get to choose whom we serve. With that in mind, let’s look at Jesus’s response to His disciples again.

“Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? Won’t the master instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may eat and drink’? He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told, will he? So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Luke 17:7-10, NET

First, Jesus asked His listeners to put themselves in the master’s role. You wouldn’t think it was a remarkable thing, He points out, if your slave did as they were told and served you. Like the slave in this story, we have a master that we’re expected to serve. When we do everything God has commanded us to do, we shouldn’t think we’ve done something amazing. That’s just what’s expected of us. It is our duty to obey God in everything. And somehow, that is connected to faith.

Image of a woman sitting at a table with a bible overlaid with text from Heb. 11:6, NET version: “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."
Image by Prixel Creative from Lightstock

Doing What We Hear

Paul tells us that “faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17, NET). As we talked about last week, a Jewish writer like Paul would have connected the idea of hearing to the action of doing. If you really hear or listen to something God says, then you’re going to act on what you hear. Faith follows from hearing God’s word and, as we talked about the week before last, that faith involves obedience to what God says.

When I read, “when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty’” I think of the difference Jesus drew between people who made a show of righteousness and people who lived genuinely righteous lives. Usually, this came up in relation to the Pharisees, who prided themselves on keeping God’s law to the letter and even adding more laws on top of it.

 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven!”

Matthew 5:17-20, NET

Clearly, the true righteousness Jesus talks about here has something to do with keeping the commands of God but it isn’t confined to just being an expert in the law or keeping that law as strictly as possible. In the rest of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continued talking about taking God’s law to the next level. Our righteousness has to go beyond the letter of the law to obeying God in the spirit and intent of His law. For example, it’s not enough to avoid murder; Jesus also expects us not to despise or condemn others (Matt. 5:21-22). It’s not enough to refrain from cheating on our spouses; we’re not even to lust after someone who doesn’t belong to us (Matt. 5:27-28). If we’re only keeping the letter of the law, then we are servants who have merely done our duty. If we want to be deserving of “special praise,” we need to demonstrate a higher degree of commitment to God than what He expected under the Old Covenant.

Now we have such confidence in God through Christ. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Corinthians 2:4-6, NET

Paul explains “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” more fully in Romans, especially Romans 7-8. The law gives knowledge of sin, but it can’t save us from the death penalty that comes from breaking God’s law. We need Jesus’s sacrifice for that, and when we have a relationship with Him we’re “free from the law of sin and death” and under “the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2, NET).

The Law That Gives Freedom

Image of a man sitting on the beach, overlaid with the blog post's title text and the words, "When Jesus's disciples asked for more faith, He talked about going beyond simply doing your duty as a servant of God. There's a connection between what we do and the level of faith we have."
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Many people think of God’s law as something restrictive, demanding, and confining. But when we’re in a New Covenant relationship with the Father and Jesus, the law becomes something else. It’s not so much that the law of God changed, but that our relationship with it changed.

But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. For the one who obeys the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law. Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

James 2:8-13, NET (bold italics mark quotations from Lev. 19:18; Ex. 20:13-14)

While Paul often emphasized how we don’t rely on the law for salvation (even though we still owe God our loyalty and obedience), here, James emphasizes the continuing importance of God’s law. If we really love our neighbors as ourselves, then we’re keeping God’s whole law the way He intends us to (Rom. 13:8-10). But if we break one of the more detailed commands summed up by “love your neighbor as yourself” then we’re guilty of violating God’s law. He’s merciful, though, and the law is there for freedom not condemnation. It lets us know what kind of works we should produce when we have faith.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it? So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

James 2:14-26, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Gen. 15:6)

Belief that acknowledges God’s nature then does nothing based on that knowledge is the same kind of “faith” that the demons have. Faith that’s linked with righteousness takes action. Active faith does good works, not because works will save us but because our salvation links us with God the Father and Jesus Christ. A real relationship with them inspires change, growth, and goodness in us. As we follow Jesus’s example and obey God in the spirit of the law, not just doing our duty to obey in the letter of the law, our faith continues to grow.

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Song Recommendation:  “By Faith” by Keith & Kristyn Getty

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Be Careful How You Listen

Be Careful How You Listen

Marissa

Are you a good listener?

Being a good listener is an important skill, and not one that everyone masters. There’s a difference between hearing something and really listening to it. I might hear that my husband is talking, for example, but if I’m distracted in the kitchen or thinking about something else I’m not really listening to him and might not even register what he says. The same is true when we’re interacting with God. We might hear or read His words, but unless we’re paying attention we aren’t actually listening.

As I was reading through Luke’s gospel in the Tree of Life translation, I noticed a phrase I hadn’t really thought about before: “So pay attention how you listen” (Luke 8:18, TLV). The other translations that I most frequently use say, “Be careful therefore how you hear” (WEB) and “So listen carefully” (NET). The New English Translation’s footnote says the Greek literally means “Take heed therefore how you hear” and it could also be translated, “Therefore pay close attention.”

God speaks to us. Most commonly through His written word, but also through other people inspired by His holy spirit and directly into our hearts and minds. We need to make sure we’re actively listening to His voice and acting on what we hear, not just hearing without doing.

Image of a man sitting at a table reading a Bible overlaid with text from Ecc. 5:1, WEB version: Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.
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Context for Hearing

Whenever we’re looking at a passage from the Bible, it’s helpful to look at the context. An isolated phrase like this might seem to mean something on it’s own, but mean something else when read in the context of the rest of the sentence or passage. Or it might mean just what it seems to mean, but take on deeper significance when we read what’s going on around it. The latter is what’s happening in the case of this passage from Luke. In this section of the gospel account, Luke records Jesus’s parable of the sower. After hearing that parable, the disciples asked Jesus what it meant. Notice how often He mentioned hearing in His explanation:

He said, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.

“Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.”

Luke 8:10-15, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Is. 6:9)

Hearing the word of God is a starting point. But just hearing it doesn’t guarantee a good outcome. Sometimes the word is snatched away before it makes anything more than a surface-level impact. Sometimes people respond joyfully when they hear, but they don’t actually let it take deep root in their lives. Others hear, but the word isn’t as important to them as other things. And then there are the ones who hear, really listen, cling to the word at the heart-level, and then do something with what they heard.

“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

Luke 8:16-18, NET

If we do something with what we hear–if we listen and act on it–then that will become apparent in our lives. The more we use what we hear, the more God will give us to listen to.

Image of a young woman standing in church services reading a Bible with text from Deut. 5:1, NET version: Then Moses called all the people of Israel together and said to them: “Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am about to deliver to you today; learn them and be careful to keep them!”
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The Greatest Commandment

When someone asked Jesus what the most important commandment was, He famously answered it’s to love God and to love your neighbor. The instruction to “love the lord your God” is a quote from the Deuteronomy 6 passage known as the Shema, and in Mark’s account Jesus quotes more of the passage than He did in Matthew.

Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

Mark 12:28-31, NET (bold italics mark quotations from Deut. 6:4-5 and  Lev. 19:18)

The instruction to “listen” or “hear” (depending on the translation) is an important part of the commandment. According to The Bible project, “The opening line, ‘Hear, O Israel,’ does not simply mean to let sound waves enter your ears. Here, the word shema means to allow the words to sink in, provide understanding, and generate a response—it’s about action. In Hebrew, hearing and doing are the same thing” (Tim Mackie, “What’s the Meaning of the Jewish Shema Prayer in the Bible?”). Though the New Testament was written in Greek, Jesus and the other Jewish people who wrote the Bible were steeped in Hebrew thought. When they talked about hearing or listening, they would have thought about acting on what was heard. James talks about this in his epistle.

But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22-25, WEB

We need to “do” the law of God, not just hear it. The Bible–including the commandments and instructions–isn’t there just to be an interesting academic study. God shared His words to reveal His mind and character, and to show us how we ought to live in order to get the best outcome from our lives. Obeying His commandments is a way to connect with, understand, and become like Him if we really listen to Him and act on what we hear.

Hearing Builds Our Faith

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Last week, we discussed a short phrase from Paul’s letter to Rome: “the obedience of faith.” Today’s post builds on that discussion in many ways, because faith is linked with what we hear from God.

 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” But not all have obeyed the good news, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.

Romans 10:13-17, NET (bold italics mark quotations from Isa. 52:7; 53:1; Nah. 1:15; Joel 2:32)

Faith is vital to our lives as Christians. According to Paul in this passage, faith comes from hearing the word of Jesus the Messiah. That would be all the words that came from Him (Old and New Testament) as well as the words about Him. Put that together with what James wrote and what Paul said here about obeying the good news, and we know that hearing the words isn’t going to provide faith on it’s own–it’s listening to and putting the words into action, just as is implied by the Hebrew word shema. Then, once we have a starting faith, we keep adding on to it as we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

 May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord! …

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love. For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately.

2 Peter 1:2, 5-8, NET

As we continue to learn and grow as Christians, it’s vital that we put into practice what we hear. Head-knowledge isn’t going to cut it–we need to know Jesus and the Father, not just know about them. Living, vibrant faith is relational, and relationships involve listening closely and taking action to keep that relationship healthy.

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Song Recommendation: “Voice of Truth” by Casting Crowns

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The Obedience of Faith

The Obedience of Faith

Marissa

Romans is one of my favorite books in the Bible. I think it’s because there’s so much depth to it. I like the challenge of reading the book and interpreting it correctly, as well as the profound and encouraging truth contained in this letter. One of the things that makes Romans unique is that Paul was writing to a church he hadn’t visited. It’s an introduction rather than a letter that addresses specific issues he knew about in a congregation. As such, Romans includes statements where Paul explains his theology and his responsibilities as an apostle. The statement that caught my eye and prompted today’s study is found at the beginning of the letter.

From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Romans 1:1-7, NET

The specific phrase I want to look at today is “the obedience of faith.” Often, we modern people think of faith as a belief system that we intellectually agree with rather than something that requires obedient action. We make a mistake if we think like that. Faith is an active thing and it’s inextricably linked with obeying God.

Image of five bibles open on a table with people's hands resting on the pages. This image is overlaid with text from Romans 1:17, NET version: "“For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, ‘The righteous by faith will live.’”
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To Bring About Obedience

Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name.

Romans 1:5, NET

As with much of Romans, the phrase “obedience of faith” has generated scholarly debate about the correct interpretation. Some say that it means obeying “the Christian faith” and others that it means “the obedience faith produces [or requires].” It could also be “an attributive genitive (‘believing obedience’)” or a case where “‘faith’ further defines ‘obedience.’” Finally, the phrase could be “deliberately ambiguous” (NET footnote on Rom. 1:5). As you’ll see, I tend to favor the “obedience faith produces/requires” interpretation.

One thing I find very interesting is that Paul says they received grace and their apostleship “to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles.” People often say that Romans is Paul’s explanation for why Gentiles (e.g. non-Jewish people) who believe in Jesus as the Messiah don’t have to obey the law. But from the very start of this letter, Paul points out that being a faithful Gentile involves obedience. We can debate exactly what they’re obeying and how to read this phrase, but the link between faith and obedience is unmistakable. And this isn’t the only time Paul mentions it. He circles back to a very similar phrase near the end of the letter.

But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

So I boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Romans 15:15-19, NET

Once again, Paul says that he received grace from God to be a minister to the Gentiles. His goal is that they become sanctified–holy and set-apart for God. He also says the goal of the wonderous things that Christ accomplished through him was “to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles.” Faith isn’t mentioned here, leaving what they’re to obey open to interpretation if we haven’t read the rest of the letter. If we have read the whole letter, though, then we have a pretty good idea as to what Paul means when he says obedience.

Back at the beginning of the letter, Paul says that God “will reward each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness” (Rom. 2:6-7, bold italics mark a quotation from Ps. 62:12 and Prov. 24:12). If we want eternal life, then we need to obey the truth, follow righteousness, and do good works. This “obedience of faith” is so important that Paul ends the letter with the phrase as well as beginning it.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages, but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen.

Romans 16:25-27, NET
Image of a woman looking up at the sky overlaid with text from Rev. 14:12, NET version: “This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.”
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Righteousness and Faith

Reading Romans as a whole gives us a fuller picture of Paul’s view of faith, obedience, and the law of God than we could ever get from taking just a few verses in isolation. He does say we’re “not under the law,” but in saying that he doesn’t mean we shouldn’t obey God. Paul sets up the question of obedience for Christians as a choice between two masters. We don’t get the option to not obey someone. Either we’re obeying and serving God or we’re obeying and serving His adversary.

So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not! Do you not know that if you present yourselves as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves to sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching you were entrusted to, and having been freed from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. 

Romans 6:11-18, NET

We’re not under the penalty of the law or under a covenant that’s only based on an external law. We’re under grace and under a covenant where God puts His law inside our hearts. God has taken things to another level with the New Covenant, and our “obedience resulting in righteousness” has to come “from the heart.”

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the law: “The one who does these things will live by them.” But the righteousness that is by faith says … “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we preach), because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness  and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? … Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.

Romans 10:5, 8-15, 17, NET (bold italics mark quotations from Lev. 18:5; Deut. 30:14; Is. 28:16; Joel 2:32)

Notice that when Paul explains “the righteousness that is by the law” and “the righteousness that is by faith,” he quotes from the Torah both times (first from Leviticus and then from Deuteronomy). God has always wanted a heart-connection with His people. He’s been setting things up so we could get to an intimate relationship with Him from the very beginning, but it wasn’t widely possible until Jesus’s sacrifice enabled forgiveness and reconciliation to God (note that some people, like King David, did have close relationships with God and received forgiveness in the Old Testament, but they were still waiting on the Messiah to fully accomplish the promised salvation [2 Sam. 12:13; Acts 4:11-12; 13:22; Heb. 11:39-40]).

Relational Obedience

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God wants us to live righteous lives because we have a relationship with Him built on hearing His word and responding in faith, not because we think we can save ourselves by doing the things the law says. We can’t earn salvation by any of our own efforts, but when we receive the gift of salvation we’re supposed to respond in a certain way. In the first century, “grace” was a reciprocal concept–if you received such a great gift, then you owed the giver your loyalty even though you can’t pay back the debt. Similarly, “faith” was an active thing that involved living your whole life with trust, obedience, loyalty, and commitment to the covenant relationship you have with God.

We can see evidence of this perspective sprinkled throughout the New Testament. When “a large group of priests” started believing in Jesus as the Messiah, it’s said they “became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7, NET). When the author of Hebrews talks about Abraham’s example of faith, it says he demonstrated that faith by obeying God (Heb. 11:8). And in Revelation, “the saints” are defined as people “who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus” (Rev. 14:12, NET). Obedience and faith are inextricably linked.

You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed—not by perishable things like silver or gold, but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart. You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 

1 Peter 1:18-23, NET

Salvation, forgiveness, redemption, purification–all of that can only be accomplished through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But we aren’t just passive recipients of those gifts. When Paul said, “with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation” (Rom. 10:10, NET), the word “believes” is translated from pisteou–the verb (action) form of pistis, which is the Greek word translated “faith.” When you read “belief” or “believe” in the New Testament, it’s the action-word version of “faith.” We don’t even have that concept in English–faith is a noun (person, place, or thing) rather than something you do–but “faithing” is a key part of scripture. The work that God is doing in us to accomplish salvation is participatory, and that participation involves obedience (John 14:15; Phil. 1:27; 2:12-13; Gal. 6:7-9; 2 Pet. 1:5-10). Paul knew that, and he made sure his readers did as well. The obedience of faith is a vital aspect to walking with God.

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Song Recommendation: “Faith is Not A Feeling” by Josh Wilson

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Faithfully Continuing Toward Salvation in the End Times

Faithfully Continuing Toward Salvation in the End Times

Marissa

I’d been trying to decide what topic to write about this week, and then one morning I woke up with this phrase running through my head: “our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.” I think I might have been dreaming about editing a blog post, since I woke up feeling like I needed to add it to an article. I couldn’t think of an existing post that needed editing, so I decided to look up where the quote came from, check out the context, and see where that took me.

Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to arouse its desires.

Romans 13:8-14, NET (bold italics mark quotations from  Ex. 20:13-15, 17; Deut. 5:17-19, 21; Lev. 19:18

I quote the first part of this passage a lot, but I always stop after the part about love fulfilling the law. If you keep reading, Paul adds a sense of urgency to his instruction to fulfill the law by loving each other. We should “do this because we know the time.” What does that mean? And if Paul could say, “the day is near” to readers almost 2,000 years ago, what would he say to us today?

Image of a man studying the Bible overlaid with text from James 5:7-8, NET version: "So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s return. Think of how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient for it until it receives the early and late rains. You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near."
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Getting Ready For the End

As you read the New Testament, it seems clear that the apostles originally thought Jesus’s second coming would happen in their lifetimes, but that they eventually realized it was farther off in the future. That didn’t soften their sense of urgency, though. Paul probably wrote Romans around 57 A.D. and John wrote his letters around 100 A.D., and yet they both have the same sense of urgency (dates from Britannica.com).

Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let’s therefore throw off the deeds of darkness, and let’s put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:10-11, WEB

 Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. 

1 John 2:18, WEB

One of the things that we can learn from this sense or urgency is that even if Jesus doesn’t return in our lifetimes, it’s useful to live as if He will. This is the final hour. The Day of the Lord is near. We do live in the end times. Whether Jesus returns in our lifetimes or not, we have a finite amount of time for our human lives here on this earth. And if God has opened our eyes to the truth, we’ve entered a relationship with Him and committed to following Him in this life, then we’re part of His house and His judgement starts with us.

For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. Above all keep your love for one another fervent, because love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:7-8, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Prov. 10:12)

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or thief or criminal or as a troublemaker. But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear such a name. For it is time for judgment to begin, starting with the house of God. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who are disobedient to the gospel of God? And if the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners? So then let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator as they do good.

1 Peter 4:15-19, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Prov. 11:31)

As the church of God (the faithful, believing body of Jesus Christ), we’re judged based on how we live our lives here on this earth. What happens to unbelievers is a little more vague, but their resurrection happens at a different time and their judgement is handled a little differently (see “Rethinking Hell: A Clearer View of God’s Judgement“). For us, though, this is our time to learn about God and live His way of life, with the hopeful expectation that in the final judgement after the resurrection we’ll hear “well done, good and faithful servant” (“Rethinking Heaven: Capturing A Vision Of The Resurrection“).

Heading Toward Salvation

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One of the interesting things about the verse we started with in Romans 13 is that Paul says, “our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.” Modern Christianity tends to treat salvation as a thing that happens when you commit to Jesus Christ, but the New Testament writers treat salvation as a process that begins with our commitment to follow God for the rest of our lives (Phil 3:8-16, for example). This topic comes up in some of the most sobering warnings that Biblical writers deliver to New Covenant Christians.

Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let’s press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. This will we do, if God permits. For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 6:1-8, WEB

It is vital that we press on once the salvation process begins, building on the elementary principles we first learned. We’re supposed to grow as believers and become more and more like God the Father and Jesus Christ. If we’re not growing, then we’re falling away and that’s a dangerous thing. Notice, though, what the author of Hebrews says right after issuing this sobering warning.

But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this. For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them. We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises.

Hebrews 6:9-12, WEB

Though the author penned these warnings, he’s sure that the people he’s writing to are doing “better things … that accompany salvation.” The warning isn’t because he thinks they’re all about to miss out on eternal life, but because he wants them to be awake, diligent, and press on faithfully “even to the end.”

As we look at the world around us, many Christians feel that things are getting so bad it must be close to Jesus’s return. We’re not the first generation to feel this way, but whether we’re right or not we should live with a sense of urgency in our walk as believers. We’re not supposed to be afraid, but we are supposed to be aware of the dangers in complacency. It’s our duty to keep following God faithfully, holding onto the hope He has given us firmly, and keep learning and growing as part of our living, dynamic relationship with the Father and Jesus.

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Song Recommendation: “When the Stars Burn Down (Blessing and Honor)” by Phillips Craig & Dean

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Faith As A Fruit

Faith As A Fruit

Marissa

Faith is a huge topic in the Bible, one that whole books have been written about (I reviewed one of those books just last year). Today, I want to look at faith specifically from the perspective of the fruit of the spirit passage in Galatians. In other words, we’re examining faith as something that’s produced in your life when God’s spirit is inside of you.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23, NET

Last week, I mentioned that I realized I’d never finished my 30-Day Scripture Writing series on the fruit of the spirit. The last two remaining topics are “faith” and “gentleness,” so today we’re focusing on faith. I spent this past week reading through the many Bible verses mentioning faith as well as belief (since they’re such closely related words) and looking into the Greek and Hebrew words behind the English translations. My initial “short list” as I started narrowing down which scriptures to include was 78 passages, which gives you an idea just how many verses on faith there are in the Bible. I did eventually get it down to 30 (you’ll find a link to the finished scripture-writing plan at the end of this post).

Faith and Truth

In the Old Testament, you’ll find the word “faithfulness” more often than “faith.” Usually, it’s talking about God’s faithfulness (Deut. 7:9; Ps. 33:4; 89:1; Is. 25:1; Lam 3:23) or humanity’s faithfulness or unfaithfulness to Him (2 Chr. 29:6; 31:20; Hos. 4:12). In these scriptures, “faith” as a concept takes a backseat to the idea of living a faithful life. It’s clear that faith involves action; a change in your entire way of life because of being in a covenant relationship with God.

You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham, found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him … for you are righteous.

Nehemiah 9:7-8 , WEB

In Hebrew, the word “faith” is typically translated from the root word aman (H539) or one of several other words in this word family (e.g. amen, emuna, emet) (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament [TWOT], entry 116). Interestingly, this is the same group of words for “truth.” At it’s most fundamental, the “root idea is firmness or certainty” and it “shows that biblical faith is an assurance, a certainty, in contrast with modern concepts of faith as something possible, hopefully true, but not certain” (TWOT 116). It’s something that’s absolutely dependable; something that gives you stability.

Know therefore that Yahweh your God himself is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with them who love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations

Deuteronomy 7:9, WEB

We can rely on our faithful God. This fact is emphasized over and over in scriptures, particularly in the Old Testament. But God also wants to be able to rely on us to act faithfully. It’s a commitment that is supposed to go both ways, as it did with Abraham, David, and Hezekiah (Neh. 9:7-8; 1 Kings 3:6; 2 Chr. 31:20).

Image of four people sitting around a table with their Bibles open overlaid with text from Ps. 101:6, WEB version: "My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me."
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A Thing and an Action

Faith in the New Testament also involves action and devotion, but it’s a little harder for us to see that in our modern translations. In Greek, “faith” is translated from the noun pistis (G4102), which implies active loyalty and trust. The verb form pisteuo (G4100) is often translated “believe.” Now, that makes things a bit confusing because in English faith and belief aren’t quite the same. The top definition for “faith” provided by Google and Oxford Languages is “complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” For “believe,” the top definition is “accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of” and it’s also become synonymous with “think” or “suppose.” So there are overlaps in the definitions, but they don’t have the same connotations.

As I talked about in my newsletter earlier this week, there isn’t a verb (action) form of “faith” in English–it’s always a noun (person, place, or thing)–so translators had to use a different word to translate the action-form of “faith.” We need to keep that in mind when we’re reading the New Testament. When we read “believe” it’s not just an intellectual agreement or an emotional feeling that something is true; it is faith in action. Even when Bible writers use the noun form, they still describe faith as something that you’re supposed to do, not just have.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 

Matthew 23:23, WEB

We can’t leave faith “undone.” It’s an active thing. When we read that Jesus came preaching, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News” (Mark 1:15, WEB), “believe” is a command to engage in the activity of faith.

 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake. Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.

John 14:11-12, WEB

We often think of faith as separated from works in modern Christianity, thinking of verses like Paul saying Abraham was justified by faith rather than his works (Rom. 3:27-4:21) while ignoring James using the exact same example to show that faith without works is dead (Jam. 2:14-26). Faith is absolutely connected to works–a faithful life naturally produces certain fruit. (Paul’s point is that salvation is not dependent on works, but on the faithfulness of Jesus and our active belief in Him.)

Image of a woman looking up at the sky overlaid with text from Jude 1:20-22, WEB version: "But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, maintain yourselves in the love of God, while anticipating the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that brings eternal life."
Image by Brightside Creative from Lightstock

Cultivating Active Faith

So what does faith do? In other words, if you have faith, what does it look like to turn that into action? For one thing, it leads to growth as a Christian.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.  I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he will grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love, you will be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you will be filled up to all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19, NET

Remember, we’re talking about “faith” in the context of the fruit of the spirit. Here in Ephesians, Paul prayed for those in the church that they would be “strengthened with power through His spirit” so “that Christ will dwell in your hearts through faith.” God’s spirit inside us enables Christ to dwell in us through faith, and then that leads to major spiritual growth. One result of this growth is that faith shifts our mindset about things.

Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.”

Mark 11:22-24 , WEB

This verse isn’t just about literally picking up mountains (though it certainly isn’t the only verse about faith/believing having tangible effects in the world [Mark 16:15-18; John 14:11-12]). It’s also about actually trusting that God responds when you talk with Him (John 16:24-27). To put it in Old Testament terms, faith on your part means actually trusting that God is faithful to His part of the covenant relationship.

But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him. But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.  …

Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 10:38-11:1, 11:6, NET (bold italics mark a quotation from Hab 2:4).

We can’t function as Christians without faith. And we need to make a conscious effort to cultivate that faith in our lives. We need to hold onto faith (1 Tim. 1:18-19), pursue it (1 Tim. 6:11-12; 2 Tim. 2:22), fight for the faith (Jude 1:3; 2 Tim. 4:7-8), and build up our faith (Jude 1:20; Col. 2:6-7). Like the other character traits and inner attitudes described as “fruit of the spirit,” faith isn’t just something we have passively but something we actively cultivate as God works in and with us.

Acting On Faith

Image of a basket of fruit, overlaid with blog's title text and the words, "Faith is part of the fruit of God’s spirit, and it influences every aspect of our lives as people who are being transformed by God."
Image by HeVoLi from Pixabay

Many people today think that faith in God means simply believing that He exists. But in biblical terms, that head knowledge only turns into faith when we act on it. If it’s just an intellectual acknowledgement of God’s existence and power, then it’s not any more “faith” than the sort of belief in God that demons have.

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, what good is it? So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by my works. You believe that God is one; well and good. Even the demons believe that—and tremble with fear.

James 2:14-19, NET

We need to be cautious about counterfeit versions of faith or things that tempt us to fall away from the faith. About 2,000 years ago, Paul warned Timothy, “Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared” (1 Tim. 4:1-2, NET). That’s no less true today than it was then. Somewhat ironically, navigating a world where people desert the faith and try to lure God’s people away from living faithful lives is one of the trials that can strengthen our faith (James 1:2-3).

… you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away—and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, because you are attaining the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:6-9, NET

Here, Peter reminds us that the end goal of faith is salvation. It’s not a one-time thing where we have a moment of faith, say we love Jesus, and then salvation happens right there. It’s a life-long process. When we enter a relationship with God, we’re making a covenant with Him that includes an agreement to be faithful to Him for the rest of our lives and on into eternal life (Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:10; Phil. 3:8-15) (and, on His part, He agrees to faithfully grant us forgiveness and salvation, share His spirit with us, and enable us to become like Him).

With God’s spirit inside us, faith reshapes our lives. It becomes a central aspect of us and something that we actively do as well as believe. Living in faith involves what we think, the way we conceptualize the world, how we respond to other people, the choices we make every day, and all of our actions. If you’d like to spend more time on this topic, follow this link to download any of my free 30-day scripture writing plans or click here to download the “faith” PDF directly:

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Song Recommendation: “By Faith” by Keith & Kristyn Getty

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