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Faith: Definitions and Misconceptions

March 31, 2017
Copyright © 2000 Ronald W. Leigh
Biblical quotations are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

—————— Contents —————— A. Fuzzy Faith B. Synonyms for the word "faith" C. Definitions of faith D. Misconceptions about faith E. Conclusion    Annotated Bibliography —————————————————

A.  Fuzzy faith

The word “faith” has become one of the most vague and confusing words in our vocabulary.  Faith means different things to different people, and many of the current notions about faith are contrary to the biblical view of faith.  The Bible has a lot to say about faith and it is important for us to understand the Bible's teaching on this subject.  But we will not see it properly if we look only through the dark glasses of our present culture.

Many misconceptions about faith exist today, in both the nonchristian and Christian communities.  We hear them all the time.

We need to be very clear in our understanding of faith and how it works.  Later in this paper we will discuss a number of misconceptions about faith, but we need to lay a foundation first.  As with any topic, we need to establish a definition of faith before we can intelligently discuss it.

B.  Synonyms for the word "faith"

We are especially interested in the biblical concept of faith, so we will begin by examining the Greek words translated “faith” in the New Testament, and taking note of their various English synonyms.

The New Testament writers have much to say about the subject of faith.  Words like “faith” and “faithful” appear many times, and in the vast majority of instances they are based on one particular root word in the Greek.  When this word appears as a noun (pistis), it is almost always translated “faith.”  When this word appears as an adjective (pistos), it is usually translated “faithful.”  But when this word appears as a verb (pisteuo), it is very often translated “believe.”  The table below lists various English synonyms (taken from Greek lexicons) for this word.

Here is Vine’s definition of pisteuo:

To believe, also to be persuaded of, and hence, to place confidence in, to trust, signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence. (W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words)

We can use these synonyms, for example, when reading a verse like John 3:16.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in [trusts in, has faith in, has confidence in, relies on] him shall not perish but have eternal life.

The editors of The New Scofield Reference Bible provide the following helpful note on the phrase “whosoever believeth in him” (King James wording) in John 3:16:

Belief in the N.T. denotes more than intellectual assent to a fact.  The word (Gk. pistis, noun; pisteuo, verb) means adherence to, committal to, faith in, reliance upon, trust in a person or an object, and this involves not only the consent of the mind, but an act of the heart and will of the subject.  “Whosoever believeth in him” is equivalent to “whosoever trusts in or commits himself to him [Christ].”

Similarly, when we define faith we will build our definition around these synonyms.  And when we discuss certain questions about faith we will restate those questions using these synonyms.  This approach will help us avoid forcing an incorrect concept of faith onto the Bible, and will help us arrive at an understanding of faith that is taken from the Bible rather than from our confused culture.

However, out of this handful of synonyms, two words deserve special caution, namely “faith” and “believe.”  These terms are commonly used to convey ideas that are contrary to the biblical concept of faith.  In our culture the word “faith” is often equated with some sort of unfounded hope-so.  For example, we are told to have faith if we are denied the assurance of objective evidence or hard facts.  Often faith is thought of as a person’s last hope, as though one is to employ faith when nothing else will work – when one is so desperate that he will grasp for a straw.  Such usage betrays a weak concept of faith when compared to the New Testament concept.

Also, in our culture the word “believe” is often used to represent mere mental activity.  We might say “I believe there is a planet Mars,” and this belief involves simple assent to the fact of the existence of Mars.  But simple assent falls far short of the personal commitment that accompanies adherence, trust, and reliance.  The word “believe” is also used when we are not sure of something.  We say, “I believe she said she would arrive at 7 o'clock.”  But by using the word in this way we imply that we may easily be mistaken.  Again, such obvious uncertainty is not found in the words adherence, trust, and reliance.  Thus, the words “faith” and “believe” are typically used in a sense that is far different than what the New Testament writers had in mind when they discussed faith.  So we will have to use them cautiously in our discussion of faith.

C.  Definitions of Faith

1.  Definition versus Description

There is a difference between a description of faith and a definition of faith.  Also, we are concerned with three different aspects of faith, namely, faith in general, saving faith, and Christian faith in general.  Consider the various descriptions and definitions of faith in the table below.

Although both the definitions and the descriptions use the word “is,” there are some important differences between them.  The definitions begin by placing faith in a category ("the act"), then further limit the concept within that category, using the synonyms listed earlier.  Thus each definition narrows down the concept to the point where it includes only what is faith, and excludes everything that is not faith.

But descriptions are not nearly as precise.  Of course, they do use the word "is," and they are often true.  But that does not make them definitions.  For example, no one would consider the statement “The sky is blue” to be a definition of the word “sky.”  It does not include enough (the sky is much more than its color) and it does not exclude enough (many other things are also blue).

The description of faith found in Hebrews 11:1 (quoted in the above table) is sometimes mistaken for a definition.  However, based on the above distinction between description and definition, this passage should not be understood as a definition.

These words [Hebrews 11:1] are not a definition or a complete account of faith: they tell what faith is, but they do not tell all that it is, and they do not separate it from all that it is not.  (J. G. Machen, What is Faith? Eerdmans, 1946, page 229)

They do not define faith in itself; they describe it in its power.  They are the sort of statement we make when we say, Knowledge is power.  That is not a definition of knowledge, by any means.  It is a description of it in one of its great effects.  (Moule, The Fundamentals, II, 114)

Notice Berkhof's remarks about faith in general:

In common parlance the word "faith" is often used to denote the conviction that the testimony of another is true, and that what he promises will be done; a conviction based only on his recognized veracity and fidelity.  It is really a believing acceptance of what another says on the basis of the confidence which he inspires.  And this faith, this conviction based on confidence, often leads to a further confidence: trust in a friend in time of need, in the ability of a doctor to give aid in times of sickness, and in that of a pilot to guide the vessel into the harbor, and so on.  In this case faith is more than a mere matter of the intellect.  The will is brought into play, and the element of trust comes to the foreground.  (L. Berkhof, Systematic Theology, Eerdmans, 1938, p. 501)

Berkhof also comments on saving faith:

When the Bible speaks of faith, it generally refers to faith as an activity of man, though born of the work of the Holy Spirit.  Saving faith may be defined as a certain conviction, wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the gospel, and a hearty reliance (trust) on the promises of God in Christ.  ... Christ is the object of saving faith .... (ibid, p. 503)

Leon Morris says this about faith:

Faith is clearly one of the most important concepts in the whole New Testament.  Everywhere it is required and its importance insisted upon.  Faith means abandoning all trust in one's own resources.  Faith means casting oneself unreservedly on the mercy of God.  Faith means laying hold on the promises of God in Christ, relying entirely on the finished work of Christ for salvation, and on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God for daily strength.  Faith implies complete reliance on God and full obedience to God.  ("Faith" in The New Bible Dictionary, Eerdmans 1962)

Here are Spurgeon's definition and illustrations of faith:

"Believing" is most clearly explained by that simple word "trust." Believing is partly the intellectual operation of receiving divine truths, but the essence of it lies in relying upon those truths. I believe that, although I cannot swim, yonder friendly plank will support me in the flood – I grasp it, and am saved: the grasp is faith. I am promised by a generous friend that if I draw upon his banker, he will supply all my needs – I joyously confide in him, and as often as I am in want I go to the bank, and am enriched: my going to the bank is faith.  (Charles H. Spurgeon, "The Warrant of Faith," a sermon at Metropolitan Tabernacle, London, Sept. 20, 1863)

2.  The Three Internal Elements of Faith

Faith involves our intellect, but also more.  Faith involves our desires, but also more.  Faith involves making a decision, but also more.  Faith is an act of the total person: mind, emotions, and will.  This is true whether we are discussing faith in general, saving faith, or Christian faith in general.

Saving faith involves all three of the following aspects.  (1) An individual must understand that in God's eyes he is a sinner, and that Jesus Christ took the punishment for his sin.  He must not only understand these statements, but must also assent to them, that is, he must agree or concur that they are true.  (2) Based on what he knows, he must also feel negatively toward his sin enough to want to turn from it, and feel positively toward Christ enough to want to turn to Christ.  (3) And based on what he knows and feels, he must respond with a decision to trust in Christ as savior.  This normal human chain of events (from understanding and assent, to emotional response, to decision) is illustrated in the experience of the Corinthians in their reaction to Paul's earlier letter,  2 Corinthians 7:8-10.

These three aspects of faith accord well with the intellectual and emotional preparatory work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit on behalf of all sinners.  Jesus enlightens all men (John 1:9).  Also, Jesus draws all men and the Holy Spirit convicts all men of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 12:32, 16:8).  Even with this help, we still could not respond properly were it not for the enabling of the Holy Spirit (John 3:5-8;  Galatians 6:8;  1 Corinthians 12:3).  No one would trust in Christ on his own apart from all this divine assistance.  This is why we praise God and say that salvation is all of grace.

3.  Faith and Repentance

Faith and repentance are two sides of the coin called conversion.  As Spurgeon said,

Where there is repentance there is faith already, for they never can be separated.  (from the same sermon quoted earlier)

Repentance is the act of turning away from sin, whereas faith is the act of turning to Christ.  In that sense, repentance is negative while faith is positive, and in salvation they always go together.

Repentance involves the same three internal elements as faith.  Intellectually there is the awareness of personal sin and guilt.  Emotionally there is a repulsion that comes from a sense of the ugliness of one's sin.  And volitionally there is the decision to turn from that sin.

The interdependence of faith and repentance can be readily seen when we remember that faith is faith in Christ for salvation from sin.  But if faith is directed to salvation from sin, there must be hatred of sin and the desire to be saved from it.  Such hatred of sin involves repentance . . . .  It is impossible to disentangle faith and repentance.  (John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, Eerdmans, 1955, p. 113, italics added)

Some theologians and even evangelists place all their emphasis on faith and neglect repentance.  But notice the important place repentance had in the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus, his twelve disciples, Peter, and Paul  (Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17; Mark 6:12: Matthew 11:20; Luke 15:7 Acts 2:38; 17:30; 26:20).

4.  The Negative and the Positive

The three internal elements of repentance and faith can be viewed as a ladder.  Repentance and faith are not genuine unless they go beyond the merely intellectual and reach the volitional, the top rung of this ladder.

5.  Subjective and Objective

Although biblical faith is subjective (within the individual), it is tied to something objective (outside the individual).  The three internal elements (the intellectual, the emotional, and the volitional) are always related to an external object of faith.  This object of faith, whether a person, an event, or a truth, is external in the sense that it is independent of the individual.

On the one hand, if faith is not tied to some external object, then it is totally subjective – not a true faith in the biblical sense.  Also, if the external object is not trustworthy, the faith (even if it is sincere) leads to a disappointing result.  On the other hand, if the external object is trustworthy but the internal elements are incomplete, then again biblical faith is absent.  Intellectually, the person may be uninformed or misinformed.  Or, emotionally, the person may not have the proper response.  Or, volitionally, the person may simply never make the appropriate decision.  Biblical faith is a faith in which all three internal elements are engaged with a trustworthy object.  Thus biblical faith involves the whole person.

Certainly the presence or absence of faith makes a huge difference, for "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life" (John 3:36).  But there is more needed than just the presence of faith.  It would be a serious mistake to think that, as long as you have faith, you have eternal life, for the passage says "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life."  The importance of the object of faith cannot be overemphasized.

The New Testament identifies the object of faith often, sometimes referring to the facts of the message as the object of faith, sometimes referring to God as the object of faith, and sometimes referring to Jesus Christ and his death as the object of faith, as indicated in the following chart.  The notes in the right hand column make it clear, however, that what appears at first glance as three objects of faith is in reality only one object of faith.

Believing Certain Facts (a message)	The truth, that is, the gospel that Christ died for our sins  (2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14;  compare 1 Corinthians 15:3-4) The good news  (Mark 1:15;  the good news is about Christ, Mark 1:1) God exists and rewards those who seek him  (Hebrews 11:6) Jesus is who he claimed to be, the Christ, the Son of God  (John 8:24; I John 5:1; 16:27; 20:31) Christ died for our sins,  rose again  (Rom 10:9;  1 Corinthians 15:3-11, esp. verse 11;  2 Thessalonians 1:10)	Note:  The "facts" focus on God and Jesus Christ his Son who died for our sins.
Believing in God	John 5:24; 14:1 Acts 16:34 Romans 4:5,24 Galatians 3:6 Hebrews 6:1	Note:  True belief in God requires belief in the Son (John 5:23;  6:45;  1 John 2:23;  2 John 9)
Believing in Jesus Christ (& his blood)	John 1:12; 3:15-18,36; 6:29,40; 11:25-26; (12:22; 14:1) Acts 10:43; 14:23; 16:31; 20:21 Romans 3:22,25,26 Galatians 2:16; 3:22,26 Philippians 3:9 1 Timothy 1:16 2 Timothy 3:15 1 John 3:23;  5:10,13	Note:  Belief in the Son includes belief in the Father (John 12:44)

 

D.  Misconceptions About Faith

1.  Misconception: Faith is good.  Faith has value in itself.  Faith saves.

We can clarify this issue easily if we substitute several synonyms for faith.  Is trust good?  Does reliance have value in itself?  Does confidence save?  Well, it all depends on what you are trusting, relying on, and having confidence in.  If your doctor is a quack, then your trust is misplaced and ineffective.  Your trust does not change your doctor into a competent doctor.  Similarly, it is not good if your faith rests on "men's wisdom" (1 Corinthians 2:5), or if you have faith in a false Christ (Matthew 24:23).

It is to be remembered that the efficacy of faith does not reside in itself.  Faith is not something that merits the favour of God.  All the efficacy unto salvation resides in the Saviour. . . .  It is not faith that saves but faith in Jesus Christ; strictly speaking, it is not even faith in Christ that saves but Christ that saves through faith.  (John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, Eerdmans, 1955, p. 112)

The primary value of faith is never in the faith itself, but always in the object of the faith.  Paul says that our faith is "useless" and "futile" if Christ has not risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:14,17).  It is God, the object of our faith, who is good.  It is Jesus Christ, the object of our faith, who saves.  The correct “formula” is not that we are saved "by faith," but that we are saved "by grace" (that is, by God who is gracious) "through faith" (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Thus, we should not praise faith (as is done in the old song, "Faith is the Victory").  Rather, it is the object of our faith that deserves our praise.

2.  Misconception:  Only Christians have faith.

Again, it helps to use the synonyms.  Is trust unique to Christians?  Do only Christians rely on someone or something?

The obvious answer is, No.  Every day Christians and nonchristians alike trust the brakes on their cars and rely on their alarm clocks.  The Moslem trusts the accuracy of his watch, and the atheist relies on (or in) an elevator.  Trusting is something that everyone begins doing early in life and continues doing throughout life.

Thus, everyone trusts, or has faith.  There is nothing special about the Christian’s trust; it is an ordinary human act.  Only the object of the Christian’s trust is special.

3.  Misconception:  Faith produces results, or "I have faith that ..."

If I say, "I have faith that my friend will be healed", will my faith heal him?  If he says, "I have faith that I will be healed," will his faith heal him?  (Again, substituting such synonyms as trust and confidence helps clarify the issue.)

The Bible tells us what faith produces: In Hebrews 10:22, faith produces assurance.  In Romans 15:13 faith produces joy and peace.  In Matthew 6:30-31 faith produces calmness.  But in each case, what faith produces is internal.  Other than this inner assurance, joy, peace, and calmness, faith produces nothing!  Rather, it is the object of our faith, God, who produces those things that are external to us.  And then God produces them only according to his will.

But what about those passages where Jesus said “Your faith has healed you.”?  In several stories in the Gospels Jesus appears to credit a person's faith for producing a healing.  There is the story of the woman who had a long history of bleeding (Matthew 9:22;  Mark 5:34;  Luke 8:48).  There is the Canaanite woman with a demon possessed daughter (Matthew 15:28).  There is blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:52;  Luke 18:42).  And there is the story of the two blind men (Matthew 9:29).  In each case Jesus said "Your faith has healed you" or something similar.  Does this indicate that faith has power in itself – that it can produce healing?

There is a pattern in these stories that should not be missed.  For example, notice that Jesus had asked Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?" (Mark 10:51; Luke 18:41).  There was no question in either Jesus' or Bartimaeus' mind who was doing the healing.  Also, Jesus asked the two blind men, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" (Matthew 9:28).  Here again there is no question as to who is doing the healing.  And before the woman with the bleeding condition was healed, Jesus said, "I know that power has gone out from me" (Luke 8:46;  Mark 5:30).  So the pattern is that Jesus does the healing, and in most cases he makes it clear that he is the one doing the healing, but then he says, "Your faith has healed you."

Is it a contradiction to say that faith healed, when Jesus is the one who healed?  There is no contradiction here at all.  This is merely the way language works.  Here is an illustration to show that we all use language the same way.  Suppose your neighbor and his family are out of town when their house catches on fire.  You spot the fire, call the fire department, they hurry out, hose down the house, and thus put out the fire.  Later, when your neighbor returns and hears what has happened, he comes to you to thank you and says, "It was your phone call that put out the fire!"  You would certainly not argue with his statement, but at the same time you and he both know that it was the water that put out the fire.  But, of course, if there had been no phone call, the fire would have continued.  So the phone call was the one link in the chain of events that was needed to put out the fire, and everyone understands what we mean when we speak of the phone call putting out the fire.  It is the same way with healing and faith.  Jesus did the healings, but he did them only when the people had faith.  Just as the phone call was necessary before the water could put out the fire, the individuals' faith was necessary before Jesus healed them.  So it is perfectly natural for Jesus to say "Your faith has healed you" when the fact is that he did the healing.  (Speaking in this manner is actually a standard figure of speech known as metonymy.)

Similarly, when Paul says we are "justified through faith" (Romans 5:1) we should not give our faith too much credit, for as Paul says later in the same context, we have been "justified by his blood" (verse 9).

It would be nonsensical if faith could produce, then the object of faith would be faith itself.  Unfortunately, this is exactly the mistake many people make when they glorify faith.  However, when we understand that it is God, the object of our faith, that produces, and not our faith itself, then we realize how futile it is to exhort a person to have more faith.  Instead, we should simply remind him of the faithfulness and trustworthiness of God.  Rather than drawing the person's attention to himself and his lack of faith, help him focus his thoughts on God's faithfulness.  Whereas it would be hard for him to drum up more faith for the sake of having more faith, it will be much easier for him to trust in God as his awareness of God's faithfulness grows.

This should serve as a caution when we hear someone tell us to have "faith that ..."  Of course, faith in God or Christ is appropriate.  But faith that a certain event will happen is not appropriate unless God has specifically promised it.  For example, faith that Christ will return is legitimate because Jesus made that promise.  But faith that Christ will return today is not, because Jesus never said that.  Neither is faith that there will be a certain number of people at prayer meeting this week, or faith that a certain candidate will win the election.  We should beware any time we are tempted to say, "I have faith that," as though our faith were able to produce a certain outcome.

When Paul sailed toward Rome, his ship faced peril between the island of Crete and the island of Malta.  After several days of storm, when the crew had given up all hope, Paul received a message from an angel which said that "God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you." (Acts 27:24)  As a result, Paul told the crew, "I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me." (verse 25)  Paul had the word from the Lord to bank on.  He was not banking on his faith as though his faith would keep everyone safe.

4.  Misconception:  Faith is all that matters.

The truth does not matter, but faith does matter.  This is the mistaken notion of neo-orthodoxy.

Was Jonah really swallowed by a large sea creature?  The neo-orthodox would say that it doesn’t really matter exactly what happened, just respond in faith to whatever moral intent you find in the story.  Did Moses part the Red Sea?  (Same answer.)  Did Jesus rise from the dead?  (Same answer.)

To understand neo-orthodoxy, one must understand the ideas that were prevalent during the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Liberal theologians were busy trying to build a case against the reliability of the Bible.  The liberal assumption was that only the natural exists – no God, no soul, no miracles.  Thus, they took the approach that all religions evolve over time based on large cultural, sociological, and psychological forces, and that Israel's religion and the religion of the early Christian church were no different.  They assumed that everything could be explained on humanistic and naturalistic grounds.  Of course, liberal pastors continued to use God-words, but their meanings were in many cases just the opposite of their historic meanings.  They would continue to use the Bible, but it was now seen as a mere human book, full of inaccuracies and mythical stories.  They would continue to talk about God, but God was no longer the objective, personal God of the Bible.  He became an imminent God, infused in all of nature, especially man.  This was the basis of the liberals' belief in the "divine spark" in every person.

However, World War I did not fit into the liberal theory of the goodness of man.  Karl Barth and others saw this inconsistency and attempted to restore the supernatural and faith.  But they tried to do so without re-establishing the historical basis.  The liberal critics (German higher critics) had claimed to shot holes in the historical reliability of the Bible, but the neo-orthodox theologians failed to show that those views were incorrect.  Instead they accepted the higher critical views, but continued to say that faith was still important.  They claimed that the Bible was still the Word of God, not because it is literally true, but because God can use it to encounter individuals.  They claimed that God is "wholly other," that is, so different from man that man cannot think about God in rational thoughts, nor can man be in communication with God using human language.  God encounters individuals directly, so spirituality does not need to be tied to history.  So, they thought, let the higher critics have their way, we will still have our religion.  When God reveals himself to an individual, it is in an experience that cannot be understood nor described.  In their view, this is the true faith experience.  But, according to Paul, it is a false religion, for true Christianity is dependent on historical fact.  This is the heart of Paul's argument that "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).

Many mainline denominational churches today espouse a blend of liberalism and neo-orthodoxy.  They talk a lot about faith, but deemphasize the object of faith (and completely ignore, or deny, the historical fact that Jesus died for our sins).  The language, since it uses the word "faith," sounds very religious, but the real meanings of their terms call forth Paul's condemnation,

Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!  (Galatians 1:8)

5.  Misconception:  It is the amount of faith that is important.

The disciples once said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5).  Sometimes that request is taken as an indication that the amount of faith is important, and that we should also ask the Lord for an increase in our faith.  However, after the disciples made this request, Jesus told them that they had said the wrong thing, and instead should have simply obeyed.  (Luke 17:3-10, especially verse 10)

On the other hand, there appears to be some sense in which the amount of faith matters.  Consider the statement of Jesus to the woman who had come to have a demon cast out of her daughter, "Woman, you have great faith!" (Matthew 15:28), and the statement of the man who had come to Jesus to have a demon cast out of his son, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).  Also, in five different situations Jesus chided people telling them that they had "little faith" (Matthew 6:30;  8:26; 14:31; 16:8, 17:20).

So which is it?  Is the amount of faith important or not?  It is possible that this last passage above give us a clue.  The disciples had failed to heal a boy who suffered from seizures.  Jesus called the people "unbelieving", then later he said to his disciples, "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you" (Matthew 17:20).  Jesus' statement implies that the disciples did not even have faith as small as a mustard seed.  Perhaps the phrase "little faith" is Jesus way of saying idiomatically that, in reality, they had no faith.

Granting the possibility that a desire for an increase in faith may be a godly desire in certain circumstances, there are still three pitfalls to avoid here.  First, when we are given a command (as the disciples were in Luke 17:3), we should not ask for more faith;  we should simply obey!  Second, if there is lack of faith, we cannot blame it on the Lord as the disciples did when they told the Lord to increase their faith.  Third, we need to be sensitive to the idea that, in certain circumstances, we may think that we have faith, but we really do not.

By the way, none of the passages cited above implies that the amount of faith has anything to do with salvation.  In other words, when it comes to salvation, the crucial issue is the object of faith, not the amount of faith.  That is, the issue is not "Do you have enough faith?", but "Are you trusting in Christ rather than yourself or something else for your salvation?"

6.  Misconception:  Faith goes beyond reason (or is the opposite of reason), and therefore is opposed to science.

To many people, faith is believing what you cannot understand, and what you have no firm evidence to support.  (This is similar to the neo-orthodox notion that faith comes through “encounter” with God directly, and cannot be described with words.)  But faith is squarely based on facts.  This is true whether it is faith in general, saving faith, or Christian faith in general.  In each case, there is something objective which must be known before the person exercises faith.

Consider saving faith in particular.  Paul makes it clear that saving faith is a response to a message (Romans 10:14b, Compare John 17:20;  19:35;  20:31).  And, of course, that message must agree with the facts (1 Corinthians 15:13-17).  Information was at the heart of the ministry of John the Baptist, so that "all men might believe" (John 1:7).  It was the testimony of the woman at the well that was the basis of belief for many Samaritans (John 4:39).  Satan also knows that faith depends on knowledge, and that is why

The devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.  (Luke 8:12)

Jesus never expects us to set our minds aside in order to exercise faith in him.  On the contrary, Jesus said:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  (Matthew 22:37)

Of course, as we gain knowledge, observe, reason, and build our system of beliefs and our world view (our philosophy of life), we need to be careful to start with "the fear of the Lord" (Proverbs 1:7) and the person and work of Christ (Colossians 2:8).

But if we have no firm basis for our views, that is, if we have no evidence from the Bible or from careful observation (which is the heart of science), then we are guilty of gullibility or wishful thinking, not faith.

7.  Misconception:  God gives faith to certain individuals, effecting their salvation.

This notion is at the heart of Calvinistic theology.  The reasoning goes like this:  Man is depraved; dead in sin.  He cannot understand anything spiritual.  Nor can he do anything to acquire salvation.  God in eternity past selected certain individuals to be saved (this is the Calvinistic doctrine of election).  God regenerates these individuals and gives them faith.  They could neither understand the gospel, nor desire God, before being regenerated.

But this view of election fails to take into account the general grace which God affords to all men through the enlightening work of Christ, the drawing of Christ, and the convicting work of the Holy Spirit (described earlier under "The Three Internal Elements of Faith").  It also conflicts with Paul's clear teaching that even the heathen understand certain truths about God, an understanding that results in their being "without excuse" (Romans 1:18-20).  If the heathen can understand certain spiritual truth, then it makes no sense to claim that a person must be regenerated before he can understand any spiritual truth.

This notion, that God gives certain individuals faith, is also based (at least in the minds of some Calvinists) on Ephesians 2:8-9.  It is assumed that the phrase “this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” applies to the word “faith” which precedes it.  However, both grace and faith are feminine nouns in the Greek, but the word “this” (touto) is neuter and therefore does nor refer specifically to either grace or faith, but to the whole concept of salvation, which, of course, is certainly a gift of God.

8.  Misconception:  Faith is only for people who have a religious personality, and it comes easier to women than men.

Is there such a thing as a religious personality?  If so, how would you define it?

Is it possible that faith comes easy to some people?  Is there a  psychological tendency to trust, or a need for faith that is greater in some than in others?  Just as some people are more outwardly emotional than others, perhaps some people are more religious or more trusting than others.  This is all rather subjective and depends on the unique make up of each individual.

Of course, it appears to be true that different individuals have different levels of self-sufficiency.  It is also true that in different cultures the two sexes are raised to relate differently to the opposite sex, leading perhaps to one sex having a greater tendency to rely on the other.  However, this is all on the human level.  Even if it is true that, for mundane things, some people have a more dependent personality, would that fact mean that they would be more likely to have faith in God?

Remember that for all men and women, the inherited sin nature produces pride and thus self trust rather than God trust.  Without God's general grace, no one would be able to seek God or have any tendency at all to trust in God.  So, when it comes to faith in God, the concept of "faith coming easier" appears to have little meaning.

9.  Misconception:  Faith is a work.

Many modern Calvinists treat faith as though it were a good work.  They argue that God’s foreknowledge is not a matter of God looking ahead and seeing an individual’s faith, because that would mean that God’s election was based on some merit in that individual.  Thus, they make faith out to be a merit, that is, a good work.  But Paul's clear distinction between faith and works (Romans 4:4-5; Galatians 2:16) rules out any view which classifies faith as a work.

10.  Misconception:  Faith?  Who cares?

This is the so-called postmodern approach to any issue – it’s no big deal!

Although postmodernism is a slippery issue, we will attempt to describe certain key features here by highlighting the contrast between postmodernism and its two predecessors, modernism and neo-orthodoxy.

The modernist argued that the Bible is false, therefore don’t believe it.  At least the modernist understood that both truth and belief are important, and that belief should be based on truth.  Then the neo-orthodox said that the Bible may be false, but you should still believe.  So, to them, only belief was important, and belief has lost its connection with fact.  But the postmodernist says that neither truth nor belief is important, and opts out of the discussion.

Today's culture not only is post-Christian but also is rapidly becoming postmodernist, which means it is resistant not only to Christian truth claims but to any truth claims.  Postmodernism rejects any notion of a universal, overarching truth and reduces all ideas to social constructions shaped by class, gender, and ethnicity.  (Charles Colson, How Now Shall We Live, Tyndale, 1999, p 23-24)

Post-modernism has some of its roots in existentialism, which among other things considered life meaningless so each individual has only the "meaning" of his own desires and choices.  Here, too, meaning is separated from external reality.  Since it is totally subjective, any one person's meaning is just as good as that of the next person.

In postmodernism, all viewpoints, all lifestyles, all beliefs and behaviors are regarded as equally valid....  Tolerance has become so important that no exception is tolerated.  But if all ideas are equally valid, as postmodernism insists, then no idea is really worth our allegiance; nothing is worth living or dying for -- or even arguing about.  And this climate of apathy can actually make it harder than ever to witness to the truth of Christianity.  In the past, Christians proclaiming their faith might expect to encounter a vigorous debate over the rational grounds for belief, but today the same message is likely to be met with bored indifference.  (ibid.)

But the Bible counters, “how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

E. Conclusion

We must remember that faith does not start with us.  It starts with God who is faithful, and we are merely responding to God and his faithfulness.  Faith is trusting a faithful God.

The faithfulness of God relates to every area of our Christian experience.  When we first become Christians, God is faithful to his promises.  He promised, "whoever comes to me I will never drive away" (John 6:37), and "whoever believes in the Son has eternal life" (John 3:36).  So he is faithful to us by keeping his promises to accept us and give us eternal life at the start of our Christian experience.

And then, all during our Christian walk, he is faithful in guarding us from temptations which are beyond our endurance.  "God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

As Christians we stumble and sin, and when we do, we must confess our sin.  And when we confess our sins, "he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

He is faithful to us both in life and in death, for "we are confident" that being away from the body means being "at home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8)

When we realize the dependability, the reliability, the trustworthiness of God, we say with Jeremiah, "great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:23)

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Annotated Bibliography

Richards, Lawrence O. — article entitled "Faith/Believe" in Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (Zondervan)

An excellent article which surveys the biblical terms for faith through both Old and New Testaments with special attention to key passages in the epistles.

Stott, John R. W. — chapter 10 in Basic Christianity (Inter-Varsity Press, 1958)

This chapter, entitled "Making a Decision," focuses on Revelation 3:20 and provides a very helpful discussion of the decision to accept Christ.

Morris, Leon L. — article on "Faith" in The New Bible Dictionary (ed. J. D. Douglas, Eerdmans, 1962)

An excellent article by a widely recognized New Testament scholar.

Anderson, David — chapter 8 entitled "Faith" in his Free Grace Soteriology (Xulon Press, 2010)

A helpful discussion of faith.  This chapter is primarily a discussion of the debate concerning "lordship salvation."

Strong, Augustos Hopkins — pages 829-848 in his Systematic Theology (Revell, 1907)

This is a more comprehensive discussion of conversion, repentance, and faith.  It includes some interesting thoughts on the content of the faith of those who have never heard of Christ.  (The reader should be aware that some theologians find fault with Strong's theory of the atonement, labeling his views as "evolutionary pantheism" and claiming that he identifies Christ with the human race to such an extent as to make Christ responsible for human sin and under obligation to pay for sin.  For one evaluation of Strong's theory of the atonement see James Oliver Buswell, A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, Vol 2, p. 97-100.)

Jewett, Paul K. — article on "Neo-orthodoxy" in Baker's Dictionary of Theology (Baker, 1960).

A good general article on neo-orthodoxy and its understanding of faith.