Q21. Faith

[Pastor Ralph]

Q21. (Ephesians 2:8-9) What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

[Eudora]

Q4. What exactly is faith?

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

Faith is our assurance that God is who He says that He is, according to His written and spoken Word. The written Word of God is confirmation of our faith, like a title or a deed to fact, of all the things that we hope for, even though we do not see the reality, because our perception has not yet revealed this to our senses, but only to our heart, mind, body and soul.

Can we take credit for having it? Yes and no.

Every human is given a measure of faith. Every being that is human that has ever lived or ever will live upon this earth has been given, by God, an instilled measure of faith.

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according, as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Since faith is also a fruit of the spirit, we know that this is a gift from God. But our growth in faith is I believe, an effect of our obedience to search the scriptures. We have to be faith... full.

Full of faith to seek His Word daily which builds our faith. Our faith is not in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. We walk by faith and not by sight. We do this because we are obedient to follow the spirit, which is an evidence not seen with our perception, but found through our hope and trust in the provider of our faith. We attain fullness of faith by staying continually full in His Word.

This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says,

[Jezemeg]

I equate faith in remaining in the belief that despite what current circumstances indicate, that God is with us, that He will ensure that what He's asked of us comes to fruition. My faith does not depend on whether I'm instantly acceptable, nor the message of God's Love that I'm attempting to deliver is heard by all around me, in fact more often than not I am ridiculed. I remember once, just after my best friend amongst the street folk had been killed, I was helping the street folk celebrate Christmas. Suddenly I was aware that three individuals, three who I was pretty sure knew more than they let on about how my friend was killed, were approaching me as I was packing up. I sent a small prayer up to God, beseeching Him to turn these people away, as I just couldn't cope with their taunts tonight, it had been emotionally draining just completing the celebrations. To my surprise the leader of this group said 'Hey, this Jesus stuff, how do we get it???' To say I was stunned is an understatement, in fact I asked 'Are you serious????', thinking that it was just another attempt to get the better of me. To my amazement not only did they fervently repent of their past lives and sins, but they pleaded with Jesus, with tears rolling down their cheeks to accept them into His family. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing.

Afterwards, I hesitantly asked them what caused them to change their minds about Jesus, they responded 'You did'. Apparently the very fact that I continued in ministry in the area where my friend was killed, despite it being obvious my heart was close to breaking, and never once demanded to know which one or group had harmed my friend, instead leaving the matter in God's hands, had such an impact on these people, that they began to question just what caused me to continue, when so many others had abandonned them for far less reason.

After my friend was killed, I did struggle with my faith, questionning that I would ever get through to this group, yet despite my doubts, despite the disaster, God reached through it all and touched the hearts of the toughest of the group. It was through nothing that I could boast about, given the choice I too would have turned my back on these people, but despite my pleas God gently turned me back to serve Him in that very area, and I trusted Him enough to know that He would protect me and turn this tragedy into good. These three people are now leading some of the studies we offer, reaching those who consider themselves to be above needing God, so great is their transformation.

How would I explain 'faith' to a 10 year old, it would be with words like 'even when you see your greatest wish seemingly disappear before your eyes, leaving you with apparently no hope of ever attaining it, believe that you have it already in your hands, and when you do, you will discover something far better'

[Guest Tabatha]

The gift of faith is the supernatural ability to believe God with out doubt, combat unbelief, and visualize what God wants to Accomplish. It is not only an inner conviction impelled by an urgent and higher calling, but also a supernatural ability to meet adverse circumstance with trust in God's words and messages. Faith is also the ability to Function on the behalf of the believer to perform something impossible by ordinary human efforts. God intervenes with His sovereignity and glory to work this miracle for us.

The bible speaks of several different types of faith which increase from faith to faith ( Romans 1: 17 )

Saving faith-- Faith which gets you to heaven ( Ephesians 2 : 8-9 )

Fruit of Faith-- faith which gets Heaven into you ( Galatioan 5 : 22023 )

Gift of faith-- Stems from saving faith and the fruit of faith; It is the ability to believe for the miraculous ( 11 Thessalonianns 1: 3 )

This gift not only operates in healings and in miracles, but in the realm of the impossible as well

( Hebrews 11:1 ) Faith is the substance of things hoped for. the evidence of things not seen. Faith is established conviction concerning things unseen and settled expection of future reward. The Greek word substance literally means a " standing under " And was used in the technical sense of " title deed, the root idea is that standing under the claim to the propery to support it's validity.

No we can not take credit for having it Yes we can be condemned for lacking it. ( Matthew 6: 30 ) Jesus )Quoted " O ye of little faith " Telling a 10 year old about faith in words he can understand. He has been told He will be receiving a new bike when he turns 11. His Father has always kept his word and never made a promise he would not fulfill. He doesn't see the bike in the garage but he know in his heart it will happen. He believes and does not doubt his father.

[pickledilly]

Faith is the gift of being able to believe in something without being able to see it or personally experience it. A classic illustration is electricity. This is something I can't see and don't understand, but I believe in it because of the evidence of its reality and power and usefulness. My faith in the personal availability of electricity influences decisions I make and actions I take in my daily living.

I think perhaps there are "degrees" or levels of faith. This was made clear to me in the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, begging Him to heal the child if He could. In Mark 9:24, this man cried out "I believe; help my unbelief!" Well, the question I always wanted to ask is, do you believe or don't you? The lesson for me here was that this man believed in what he'd heard about Jesus with mental assent, an intellectual agreement with what someone else experienced and recounted to him. That is entirely different from believing in what you have come to know that you know that you know is true. That is faith of the heart, not the head. This man realized that the degree of faith he had was inadequate and he was asking for the gift of heart-faith that is willing to release everything into the hands and will of God because you know Him to be true even though you can't see, taste, touch, or hear it.

The Spirit provides faith to us, but we must choose to receive it and act on it. We can ignore, squelch, or deny the Spirit's gifts and provisions if we want. So in that sense, we can't take credit for having it because it's not something we can generate ourselves, but yet we can be condemned for lacking it because it won't grow and enlarge in us if we don't accept the gift and actively apply it in our lives. Faith strengthens and develops like a muscle being exercised. Every time you use it, especially when stressed to the limits, it grows more powerful. With the example of electricity, the source lines have been run to my home, the outlets and switches have been installed in the walls, and the power is on; but I must decide to utilize them. It's one thing to sit around believing that the power is real and quite another to actually go plug in a refrigerator and put your carton of milk in it. When you put your confidence in something enough to act on it, that is genuine, living faith. Faith leads you to trust God enough to think, speak, and act according to what He says rather than what you feel with the full expectation of seeing His promises come to pass. It's the ability to "see" beyond what you can see, and to know that you know that you know it is real and true.

[charisbarak]

Faith is believing without seeing. It is counting on the truth we have put our faith in--even to the point of death.

We cannot take credit for having what faith we have. God has given us each a measure of faith & that faith can grow. It is all God's doing in us---if we are willing.

Yes, I believe we can be condemned for the lack of faith. If we do not use the measure God has given us to believe & to accept Him, we can still be condemned to death--lacking salvation.

I think of a simple lesson as to faith--we sit down in a chair--we have faith that that chair will hold us up.

What's more, we get on a plane--we have faith that the pilots will get us to our destination.

It's us really knowing, believing & staking our lives on that which we believe is true.

[Commissioned]

Q4. What exactly is faith?

Faith is putting your total trust into something or someone for a result that you have not seen.

Can we take credit for having it?

No, we can't. The Bible said that God has given us all a measure of faith (Rom. 12:3).

Can we be condemned for lacking it?

Because faith has been given to us, there's no lacking of faith. Lack comes when we choose not to use it.

Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Ask a 10-year old to jump into his father's arms, from a distance, and without thinking they'd make the leap. Why, because he trust daddy not to let him fall.

[Diane44]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Believing/drawing near to God. No we cannot fully take credit for it. It is the Holy Spirit moving within us and God's drawing us close. I think everyone has an idea that they have a sinful nature, I guess it's how you respond or it as all you chose to. If we say we have faith but no actions we are then dead in our faith. It's a wonderful message. I know many who claim to have the faith and love the Lord, but do nothing at church, through church or their neighborhoods,schools to further the Kingdom of God. I would ask the child if their parents loved them. Yes they would say. I would then ask "how do you know"? They would say because the do things for them (actions) feed them, care for them. I would ask the child that if they got hurt would they have faith that their parents would take care of them. Yes they hopefully would answer. I would say that after all the Lord has done for us (given us water, food, pets, parents, siblings, friends the Lord Jesus to save our sins) we should also have faith in Him. He will supply our needs, just as our parents have and in turn we are called to return His love by helping further His Kingdom by works He has planned for us. Just as mom & dad have planned for some of you to do "chores". God has planned for you to do special work amond the earth. So be alert to the Holy Spirits leading. Look for the good you can do.

[Helenmm]

Faith, I think, is the belief system which motivates everything we do. If we believe we can get to the Olympics, we work for that. If we believe our child has a great talent we find teachers to bring it out. If we believe a film will be good we go see it. If we believe we are not important to anyone, then we'll project that in all our behaviours. It is belief in God (truth) which Adam abandoned when he believed satan and it is belief in truth that Jesus re-instituted through the cross. He brought us back to belief in God as the only arbiter and judge of al things. To put one's belief (faith) firmly back in God opens the door for the breath of Life (HolySpirit) to again take root in us, Hallelujah!

Everyone has a belief system, even if they firmly believe in nothing! However, only belief in Jesus is acceptable to God, and only belief in Jesus satisfies, because He is the Truth. With that belief comes love, life, light, grace, healing, strength, knowledge, wisdom and all the spiritual blessing of the heavenly places, because God our Father pours his grace into us abundantly to overflowing.

We can hardly take credit for having faith (belief) when God planted it in us in the first place. All we can take the credit for is the mis-application of that faith or belief, diversion from truth. Every man and woman has a faith built in, and even believing in nothing (like evolutionists and atheists!) can't negate the faith that is implanted in us. "We have no excuse" (Romans 1:20).

We aren't condemned for lacking faith, only for misplacing it (ie believing a lie or having faith in a lie). Pharisees put faith in their obedience to man-made law and were condemned for it. The centurion understood the authority of Jesus and was joyfully acknowledged by Jesus for perceiving what faith was all about. Jesus hadn't found such faith in all Israel. The centurion recognised who Jesus was and acted accordingly. Faith correctly focussed was powerful for the healing of his servant.

Master 10-year-old:

Faith is what you believe. If you believe in lies you'll give access to demons who'll plague you for the rest of your life. For example, if you believe that getting drunk or doing drugs will make you feel better, then you'll do that, and eventually be stuck with being drunk or drugged (and the psychosis that goes with it) most of the time. If you believe it when someone tells you that you're not worth talking to, then that lie will affect everything you do. You are worth the very blood of Jesus Himself, the living Son of God, the creator. You are worth everything that God is and has. Don't believe less than that! Don't believe negative things that are said. They are lies. You can walk in the Truth and remain free of all those lies! Believe everything that God says in His Word. Know it and believe it, because it is the truth. Not knowing it will cost you. You must know what and whom you believe. You must actively learn God's word by heart, or suffer the consequences of ignorance of the truth. That is what it is given to us for. It is our protection! Protection against what? Protection against lies, and fear, and their debilitating effects.

[janet]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

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[janet]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

What exactly is faith? The best way for me to describe faith is that it is somehing that you know is there. For example I have faith to know that if I put enough gas in my car it will take me to work without running out of gas. Maybe this is a silly illustration but I can't think of any other right now. The point is faith is something that you know will happen as the result of something else that has been put in place. I wouldn't say we could take credit for it , the credit comes in choosing to have it or not based on our relationship with Christ. Can we be condemned forlacking it? Yes because we have a choice to have it or not. Defing faith in terms that a 10 year old could understand. When one rides a bicycle do you know whether it will go when you get on it. You have to have faith to believe when you get on it and paddle that the bicycle will go and you will have a ride.

[Stan]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Faith is believing in your heart that something exists that can not be seen,felt, touched or heard. Something that you know is there but you can't quite put your finger on it.

Faith is given by the Holy Spirit in your relationship with God, but you faith in your self and what you can do I believe comes from yourself and how you relate to your enviorment.

No I don't think we can be condemned for a like of faith unless we have none at all in Christ because that is where our faith must rest knowing that with the love of Christ all things are possible, Jesus said with the faiht the size of a mustard seed we can move mountains. He also said that whomsoever believes. so that requires a little bit of faith to believe that He is who He said He is. When Jesus was ask how can a rich man get into heaven He said with man it would be impossible but with God all things are possible so that is why I believe we will not be condemned,but like Paul said to each man is give a measure of faith. A place to start for the Holy Spirit of God to work and bring each one of us to Him if we repent and let Him have His way in our lives.

Praise and Glory to a Merciful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[JustJeff]

Since we are all born with a measure of faith, that is belief and trust in God, then it is He, the Creator who has seeded us. Only a puffed up person could trie to take the Lord's glory and claim such a prize as their own initiative.

We really shouldn't condemn a person who does not exercise their faith rather, we need to be witnesses and examples by we ourselves walking in faith. There are too many factors that might cause a person not to believe, the prime being spiritual ignorance. You can catch more bees with nector than vinegar.

Teaching a 10 year old faith would be by I myself being trustworthy. Then, as the child has trust in me, so I would talk of my faith in God. I would use the world around me, the flowers, the sky, the sea, etc., as the doings of an invisible Maker, who can by a single thought, change the world.

[RonS]

Faith

Believing passionately in a God you can not see, while at the same time fighting relentlessly against the sinful human nature that manifests itself in your life everyday

Quotation:

Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and

never sees itself, faith is occupied with the Object upon

which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While

we are looking at God, we do not see ourselves--blessed

riddance. The man who has struggled to purify himself and has

had nothing but repeated failures will experience real relief

when he stops tinkering with his soul and looks away to the

perfect One.

... A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), The Pursuit of God [1948]

[Patricia A. Conti]

Faith is belief in God - belief in Jesus and the salvation he has won for us. God draws us into faith - He touches our hearts. We turn to Him in belief and trust. Faith is believing in something that you know in your heart to be true but cannot be proved.

[June]

Faith is the substance hoped for and the evidence not seen. Faith is knowing that God is ever present. It is knowing what you want and believing for it. F A I T H --------------Forsaking-All-I-Trust-Him.

We take no credit for grace but faith has to be accepted and responded to. God gets all the credit for grace and faith as they go hand in hand.

Faith is giving your life fully to Christ and believing that He is the risen Christ and your personal Lord and Savior. That He will lead and guide you in all things.

Believe that Christ died for you and has forgiven all your sins. That He arose and is ALIVE today. Trust Him to work in your life according to His plan.( because it was pre-planned)

[masika]

Faith is Belief and trust in and loyalty to God or a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.

For us believers we have our complete trust in Jesus Christ . Many hestate to witness about their faith in Christ because they do not feel the change in their lives has been spectacular enough . But we qualify as a witness for Jesus because of what He has done for us , not because of what we have done for Him. Christ demonstrated His great Love by setting us free from our sins by shedding His blood , quaranteeing us a place in His Kingdom, and making us priests to administer God's Love to others .

We are to tell others what God Has done for us in order for them to know God's Love in us .

[johnd]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true. Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance...

(from Eastons Bible dictionary).

I don't think we can take credit for having it or be condemned for lacking in it.

We have faith in gravity. We believe that we will be firmly rooted to the earth and not go shooting up out of the earth's atmosphere.

John.

[sahala p.s.]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Faith is the act of our own will to agree and accept God

[ElizabethTX]

I am so thrilled to receive this lesson. The eyes of my heart are beginning to focus on the truth about faith. I feel more at peace than any time in my life. It is an amazing thing to have knowledge about how God works in our lives. I feel so much more confident in my relationship with Him and I pray that His will continues to produce the works of faith in me. Their manifestation seems small right now, but believing that God is working in me to produce more faith based works is encouraging. I truly trust God to take care of me and guide me. I know God wants to bless me and guide me. The Comforter is amazing and the gifts that God has given me bring out such feelings of love for God. I feel my spirit being repaired and nourished by His Word, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The child in me delights with 'peek-a-boo.' I know you are here, God, and I am so happy and excited when I experience your presence.

[haar]

Faith is BELIEVING and TRUSTING in God.

Can we take credit for our faith? I would have said yes if I had not read Pastor Raph's notes. Now I have been made to understand that even faith that is supposed to be our own responsibility of the salvation process is GIVEN to us by God! Thus the credit is to my Lord.

Can we be condemned for lacking faith? I have no dought that we can be condemned for lacking faith. A gift has to be ACCEPTED before it becomes ours. So if we refuse to receive the free gift of faith then we stand condemned for lack of it. Period.

To a 10 year old I will tell him that faith is like that absolute TRUST/ BELIEVE he has in a parent (Mum) that a meal will ALWAYS be availble for him at the time of NEED.

[kiqstart]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Faith is believing without seeing, through him all things are possible.

I believe God has given us the choice to decide whether we believe or not.

If we don't believe how can we except his forgiveness.

It is like a fireman asking you to jump from a burning building, you must trust that he knows what is best.

[Lisa Rupert]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

No we can not take credit for having faith, it was a gift given to us from God.

Yes, we can be condemned for lacking it because it is a gift given with knowledge, who refuses a gift.

I would explain to a 10 year old child that faith is a gift given from God that brings us closer to his heart, it keeps us obedient and pure.

[Blessed Me]

Q4. What exactly is faith?

When I think of FAITH my mind goes back to Abraham. He was 75 years of age when he was told to leave his home and go to a new land he didn't know. God told him one day he would be a great nation.

Abraham believed God, even though he and Sarah had no children. The important part of FAITH is, God did not bring this promise to Abraham in the near future, in fact it took 25 years, he would be 100 years of age. and Sarah would be way past child bearing.

Abraham's FAITH was still strong when God told him this child of promise would come from him and Sarah. Talk about faith, this would take a maracle!

Rom 4:19 And being not weak in FAITH, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in FAITH, giving glory to God;

And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. FAITH I SEE IS COMPLETE TRUST IN THE LORD!

Can we take credit for having it?

It is a gift from God, so even there we are not to brag about the faith we have. The credit we get is, when we use this faith that was given to us. God does want us to build ourselves up in His faith, we do that when we use this measure of faith He has given to us, when we read and study the Word, when we give praise to Him, and when we spend time with Him in prayer. Even here the gredit we get is found in our desire, and effort, to build ourselves up in God's faith. As this FAITH grows in us it continues to come from Him, and not from ourselves. Keep giving it away and see what happens.

Can we be condemned for lacking it?

I would say no, for each of us have been given a measure of faith to believe, an awesome gift indeed. We are condemned if we have not used this faith in Christ Jesus, bringing us to salvation.

Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Because this is so important, we must be honest, and clear, as we explain FAITH to a 10 year old. The gospel is simple, easy to understand even a child can understand its meaning, that is why Christ said "let the little children come after Me."

God loves you even though you are disobedient, however, because of your disobedience (sin) there is a gulf between you and God. Where did this gulf come from? It originated in Satan, he loves it when you are disobedient. Satan would like you to follow him, and does not want you to love God. But God has the best in mind for you, God would like to be a Father to you, God would love to hear you call Him Daddy.

There is only one way for this to happen, Father God would have to send His only Son Jesus to earth as a man. He knew Jesus would have to die on the cross, your disobedience (sin) would be taken on Jesus body. Sin is so bad that God could not look upon the Son as He died on the cross. Here is the good news, Jesus was raised from the dead, and at that moment sin was forgiven, you can be part of God's family. You can be free from the hold Satan has on you. It gets even better, Jesus is in heaven preparing a place for His family, Jesus would speak on your behalf to the Father and Jesus would even pray for you.

What is your part in this, how can you receive this gift from God? It is simple, God has already given to you faith enough to believe, to understand why Jesus died for your sins, and rose from the dead. Jesus did this for who? For you. This faith to believe is in your heart, not in your head, as you feel it in your heart you are to confess it to all your friends, the faith in your heart will say, "Jesus is Lord." Just think, you will be on your way to a new life, found in Christ Jesus, received by the FAITH God has given to you, and you confessed with your mouth.

[Candygoo58]

Q4. What exactly is faith? Can we take credit for having it? Can we be condemned for lacking it? Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

What exactly is faith?

Its believing in something we can't see.

Can we take credit for having it?

No, because its God's work in us, that changes us and gives us a new birth from God.

Can we be condemned for lacking it?

No, because in Rom 8:1 it says: [There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Define "faith" in terms a 10-year-old could understand.

Its believing something that you can't see. Its like going and jumping in a chair knowing it will hold you up.