Topical Bible: Faith: Sum Total of Religious Belief and Life

◄ Faith: Sum Total of Religious Belief and Life ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Faith, in the Christian context, is the cornerstone of religious belief and life, encompassing trust, confidence, and reliance on God and His promises as revealed in Scripture. It is both a gift from God and a response to His revelation, shaping the believer's entire existence and relationship with the divine.

Biblical Foundation of Faith

The Bible presents faith as essential to the Christian life. Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see." This verse underscores faith as both a present assurance and a future hope, rooted in the unseen realities of God's promises.

Faith is central to salvation, as articulated in Ephesians 2:8-9 : "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." Here, faith is depicted as the means by which believers receive God's grace, emphasizing its divine origin and the exclusion of human merit.

Faith in the Life of the Believer

Faith is not merely intellectual assent but involves the whole person—mind, heart, and will. James 2:17 states, "So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead." This highlights that genuine faith manifests in works, demonstrating its vitality and authenticity.

The life of faith is characterized by trust in God's character and promises. Proverbs 3:5-6 exhorts believers to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." This passage encourages a reliance on God's wisdom and guidance, integral to a life of faith.

Faith and the Community of Believers

Faith is not only personal but also communal, as believers are called to encourage and build one another up in faith. Hebrews 10:24-25 urges, "And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." The community of faith is vital for mutual edification and perseverance.

Faith and Trials

The testing of faith is a recurring theme in Scripture, serving to refine and strengthen the believer. James 1:2-3 advises, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." Trials are seen as opportunities for growth, producing steadfastness and maturity in the believer's faith journey.

Faith and the Promises of God

Faith is intricately linked to the promises of God, as believers are called to trust in His faithfulness. Romans 4:20-21 speaks of Abraham, who "did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised." Abraham's example illustrates the unwavering confidence in God's ability to fulfill His word, a model for all believers.

Conclusion

Faith, as the sum total of religious belief and life, is foundational to the Christian experience. It encompasses trust in God's promises, shapes the believer's actions, and is nurtured within the community of faith. Through trials and the assurance of God's faithfulness, faith remains the guiding principle of the believer's life, directing them toward the ultimate hope in Christ.

Nave's Topical Index

Romans 1:8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Nave's Topical Index

Jude 1:3
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write to you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write to you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Eve of the Restoration
... Cyrus's profession of faith, then, is an example of ... is so rife as in regard to religious
belief. ... head do not correspond with the sum total, the discrepancy ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the eve of the restoration.htm

The Bible in the Life of To-Day
... It cannot accept blind faith. ... move much of the time in half-light, yet the sum total
of the ... fact, that our times have and still need the religious influence of ...
/.../mcafee/study of the king james bible/lecture vi the bible in.htm

Contradiction Between Our Life and Our Christian Conscience.
... in many countries) professes his religious faith in accordance ... it was generally of
a religious character) was ... Their total sum amounts to four hundred millions ...
/.../the kingdom of god is within you/chapter v contradiction between our.htm

Essay v. Whose Powers Shed Round Him in the Common Strife...
... no allowance for those vices, from their religious or political ... army (he used to
say) is the sum total of the ... On him they relied with implicit faith; and even ...
/.../coleridge/confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay v whose powers shed.htm

The Collection for St Paul: the Farewell
... things+, in the details and in the total, I have ... am hunting for") +the gift+, the
mere sum of money ... solidity, the sobriety, the strength, of the faith which is ...
/.../moule/philippian studies/chapter xii the collection for.htm

The Third Book
... As God is greater than the sum total of human reason ... all other races, because they
are more religious than all ... who wish our reward for belief and faith in this ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the third book.htm

part ii.
... This the experience of the religious world proves, as is ... To refuse to exercise this
faith in the circumstances ... it would greatly increase the sum total of our ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clark/the faithful steward/part ii.htm

The New Testament view of the Old Testament
... find miracles useless as an aid to faith. ... Perhaps the sum total of the general Christian
consciousness ... an ultimate criterion in matters religious or Christian ...
/.../eiselen/the christian view of the old testament/chapter i the new testament.htm

On the Advisableness of Improving Natural Knowledge.
... purer in life, or more fervent in religious faith, than the ... the top, but I fear that
the sum total would be ... that it is the improvement of our faith, nor that ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/i on the advisableness of.htm

The Abrogation of the Saybrook Platform
... or Consociated Church," and the almost total absence of ... from the doctrines of men
in matters of faith,... ... and put him in gaol for a trifling sum, destroy his ...
/.../chapter xi the abrogation of.htm