An Ongoing Essay of Thoughts on Faith
Faith is authentic trust: a trust that is intrinsically expressive of relational fidelity to its objet.
What is an example of Biblical faith in action, telling someone that you “believe in them,” or falling backwards into their arms and letting them catch you?
What is an example of Biblical faith in action, saying “I’ll do business with you,” or signing a contract? To those whose word is their bond, saying something with their mouth may be an expression of the same strength of faith as signing a binding contract. Could the same words be uttered insincerely? Of course. In Romans 10, “confessing with your mouth” is connected with truly “believing in the heart,” and we see a posture of saving faith towards God that is effectual in receiving the free gift of eternal life offered to all in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Faith is an active reliance. Faith in Jesus Christ is a reliance upon Him and His finished work to save you from sin and reconcile you to God. Through faith, we enter into a covenantal relationship with God that has continued trust and reliance at its core.
Pistis (the Greek word for faith used in the New Testament and Septuagint) and its cognates carried an underlying meaning of relational fidelity. True faith manifests in trusting allegiance to its object. As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.
The Bible doesn’t teach blind faith. In as much as it teaches a “leap of faith” concept, it is congruent with the idea of “leaping” into the arms of someone you trust, knowing that they will catch you, but Biblical faith is not the same as leaping across a dark abyss hoping that your blind faith will make you fly. We ought not place our faith in our faith/trust, as though we are trusting our mental accent that we call “faith” to save us. True faith can only be placed in a person, and personal genuine pistis/faith in someone necessitates a posture of trust in and fidelity towards them. God through the drawing of His Spirit, conscience, nature, and other revelations of Himself, gives us good reason to trust Him and His Word.