Faith

Faith is the confidence or trust that we place in what God has promised. It is not founded on circumstance but on our understanding of God’s faithfulness.

• Hebrews 11:1 HCSB Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.

We may increase our degree of faith by asking for it as a gift from the Lord and by meditating on His word.

• Mark 9:24 HCSB Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief."
• Luke 17:5 HCSB The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
• Romans 10:17 HCSB So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

Saving faith entails trusting God absolutely and without reservation.

• Hebrews 10:38-39 HCSB But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.

Faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice gets us declared righteous. We are saved by faith or trust, not by our good works.

• Romans 5:1 HCSB Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 HCSB For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift-- 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.

True faith however will result in good works. If there are no good works then odds are we have not yet experienced saving faith.

• Ephesians 2:10 HCSB For we are His creation--created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.
• James 2:17-20 HCSB In the same way faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead by itself. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe--and they shudder. 20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless?
• Titus 3:14 HCSB And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works for cases of urgent need, so that they will not be unfruitful.
• Hebrews 10:24 HCSB And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works,
• James 2:24-26 HCSB You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
• James 3:13 HCSB Who is wise and understanding among you? He should show his works by good conduct with wisdom's gentleness.