Faith is a complete trust or confidence in something. To live in this world, you need to have faith. You board an aeroplane because you have faith in the pilot to take you to your destination. There are many persons, places and things that we could put our faith in during our lifetime, but when it comes to things eternal we must make sure that we get it right.
A.W. Tozer
The great Christian writer and thinker A.W. Tozer has this to say about faith: “I do not recall another period when ‘faith’ was as popular as it is today. If only we believe hard enough we’ll make it somehow. So goes the popular chant. What you believe is not important. Only believe… What is overlooked in all this is that faith is good only when it engages truth; when it is made to rest upon falsehood it can and often does lead to eternal tragedy. For it is not enough that we believe; we must believe the right thing about the right One.”
The object of our faith is thus most important. Jesus says: “Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me” and “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:1, 6). Unless our faith is in God through Jesus, we do not have the right kind of faith.
Complete trust and confidence in God
For the Christian, faith is a complete trust and confidence in God and what He has done through Jesus. There is no fear or doubt in faith. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.” Faith, however, is not guesswork. It is not a blind leap in the dark. It is based upon clear, historical evidence. The apostle John says: “but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ…” (John 20:31).
Active obedience to God’s word
What faith produces, is active obedience to God’s word. Faith is not just a mental thought; it is a mental thought that leads a person to act, to work, to obey. This leads to unity among believers and the desire to proclaim the Gospel – which often leads to persecution.
What is wonderful about faith is the reward we receive for having it – eternal life: “
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
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