Believe By Faith.

Believe By Faith.

The Greek word “believe” follows the article.

Faith is a noun. Faith is credit given to a declaration or promise on the authority of the person who makes it, whether directly expressed or implied. Jesus said to the nobleman of Capernaum,

John 4:50, “Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.”

Jesus said to the blind man in John 9:7, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.” — “He went his way, therefore, and washed, and came seeing,” the blind man believed and received his sight.

Faith spoke in the same sense in our everyday language. When we ask for directions, we first inquire, and then, on the faith of this information, we follow the directions.

Large parts of our knowledge and derived from the information of others, and to what degree we trust them depends on the credit and value we give to their words. Therefore, “to believe” and “to know” are interchangeable.

John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son (Jesus) hath everlasting life.” Compare this to John 17:3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.” Not that knowledge and faith are synonymous terms. Still, faith is the consent or the agreeing of the mind of someone to the truth of what someone else has declared, thus resting on his authority and veracity without any other evidence.

Faith is always distinguished from sight or observation. It is a way in which we become acquainted with Hebrews 11:1, “Things not seen.” The testimony of others we receive and credit it to is how we may obtain the knowledge of things that are not the subject of our observation. 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

So, “Faith” is the surrender or agreement of the mind to understand the truth of what God has revealed. Faith is the simple belief in the Scriptures, of His being and His perfections, of Christ’s existence, character, and doctrines, founded on the testimony of the Scriptures.

Faith is distinguished from presumption, which is to have confidence without sufficient authority or power behind it. When the Israelites passed through the Red Sea, they believed the promise that they would gain a safe passage. Exodus 14:16, The LORD said to Moses, “Lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.”

On the other hand, the Egyptians had no such promise or declaration given to them by God; it was not faith but presumption on their part that influenced them to follow the Israelites into the sea. Hebrews 11:29, “By faith, they passed through the red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying = (attempted), to do and were drowned.”

When the Israelites believed in the promises of protection and the success they would have, they could then go forward boldly against their enemies. But, when they doubted or denied God, we read in,

Numbers 14:11, “And the LORD said unto Moses, how long will these people provoke me and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have showed among them?” Then, the courage of the people failed them, and doubt set in. Num.14:3, the people said, “Wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Were it not better for us to return to Egypt?”

Because of unbelief and disobedience, the promises of the LORD were withdrawn. We read in Numbers 14:42 that Moses is speaking to the people, “Go not up, for the LORD is NOT among you; that ye be not smitten (defeated) before your enemies.” It was no longer faith on their part, for they had no declaration from God now, only presumption. This presumption induced them to go against their enemies. The Israelites went forth without God’s promise; the results were disastrous.

Numbers 14:45, “The Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in the hill, and smote (killed) them, and discomfited them.”

God warned Moses, and then Moses warned the people, but they refused to hear and, therefore, were destroyed.

Justifying faith, or saving faith, is the understanding of the mind to the truth of divine revelation and the authority of God’s testimony. This is accompanied by the full consent of our will, with the approval of our mind, and complete confidence and trust in God’s character and declarations, and the character and doctrines of Jesus Christ; this with an unreserved surrender of our wills to His guidance, and dependence on His merits for salvation. In other words, a firm belief in Christ’s testimony and the truth of the Gospel influences the will and leads to complete reliance on Christ for our salvation.

Romans 4:25, and 5:1, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God = (the Father) through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Faith is the belief in God’s declarations, whether relating to the past,

Hebrews 11:3, “Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.” Or it refers to the present,

Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for He that cometh to God must believe that He is,” or to the future,

Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house.”

The object of belief is the Almighty. The doctrine or system of doctrines believed and revealed truths received by Christians is through the teaching of the word. Gal.1:23, “But they had heard only, that he = (Paul) which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.”

The outward evidence of faith is the expression of emotions accompanying their belief in a declaration or the action prompted by such belief—an example found in Acts 2:36-37.

Peter had protested to the people of Jerusalem, “Let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” When the people heard Peter’s declaration, they believed its truth and were “pricked = (cut or pierced) in the heart.” Great emotion accompanied their belief, and they cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” The expression of their emotion and evidence of faith is seen in Acts 2:41, “They that gladly received his word were baptized.”

Hebrews 11:7, God warned Noah of His determination to punish the wickedness of men. God then instructed Noah to build an ark, which He assured Noah would save him and his family. Noah believed these Divine revelations, and “Being moved with fear,” because he feared and believed in God’s judgments, “He (Noah) prepared an ark to the saving of his house.” We see the action consequence of Noah’s faith, the emotion, and the action corresponding to the object of his belief, this being the evidence and the reality of Noah’s faith in God’s word.

We have a similar instance of faith and its evidence in the case of God, Jonah, and the Ninevites. Jonah 3:5 reads, “So the people of Nineveh believed God.” The people proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth; the king removed his robe and put on sackcloth. The animals were also covered. The people cried unto God, turned from their evil ways and violence.

Verse 10, “And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God repented (relented from the disaster.)”

Unbelief is when people withhold or lack faith, usually accompanied by a lack of emotion or action. We see this in Gen.19:14. Lot warned his sons-in-law of the coming destruction of Sodom. Lot urged them to leave, but they believed him not. In this case concerning Lot’s sons-in-law, and because of their unbelief, they had no fear of the approaching calamity, nor did they have any desire to escape from the city, so the Lord destroyed them. 

Again, we have a striking example of faith and unbelief in the same circumstances, shown by corresponding but opposite consequences in the conduct of the Egyptians. Exodus 9:20-21, Moses had told Pharaoh that His (Moses) God would send a grievous storm of hail to destroy every creature onto which it fell. He had warned them to gather in their cattle and bring their servants in from the fields.

We read, “He that feared the word of the LORD,” because he believed Moses’ declaration, “made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.” Ver.25 “The hail smote = (killed) throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast.”

The promises of God, His truth and faithfulness; Romans 3:3, “Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” The answer is no.

Because His word is true and promises sure, whoever believes and trusts in His promises will never be disappointed. There is a constant connection, a link between faith and success, coupled with patience on our part.

One instance found in Hebrews 11:32-34. Let’s focus on Gideon. The LORD encouraged and assured him of success against an enemy that outnumbered him. God said, “Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites; have not I sent thee?” Later in the story, by a more special promise, God said to him, “By the three hundred men that lapped (drank water from the river), will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into your hand.” Gideon had faith in the promises of God, so he attacked and eventually destroyed the enemy. Gideon believed and, according to faith, acted upon God’s promises and succeeded. The story is found in Judges 6 and 7.

There is a similar connection between unbelief and failure. We read in Numbers 14 that the Israelites had a promise from God that they could possess and conquer the land of Canaan. Had they,

1. Believed the promise.

2. Advanced against the enemy, as Joshua and Caleb urged them, they would have been successful.

Now, because they trusted in themselves, doubting the LORD word, they stood in fear; the results,

1. They did not attack,

2. They did not gain possession of the land promised. Therefore, Hebrews 3:19, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.”

Those who believe in God’s promises of blessings in this life will press on and obtain victory.

Hebrews 11:33-34 speaks of the Old Testament faithful, “Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, — waxed valiant in fight = (battles) turned to flight the armies of the aliens (foreigners.)”

Those who believe the doctrines and promises of the Gospel and trust in Christ Jesus shall obtain eternal life. John 3:15, Jesus said, “That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Faith in Jesus is connected with salvation and unites the act of understanding with reliance and belief with trust. John 15:16, Jesus said, “Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name,” that is, all that is dependent upon my works, interests, and promises, “He (the Father) shall give it to you.”

Christ was preached to the Jews and the Gentiles as the person they could trust. He preached as the only true sacrifice for sin. Both the Jews and Gentiles were required to renounce their dependence upon their sacrifices, foreign beliefs, and idols and now transfer that dependence to Christ’s works, death, and resurrection; he is the only Mediator between man and His Father.

Matthew 12:21, “And in His = (Jesus) name shall the Gentiles trust.”

Jesus is said to be set forth as the atoning sacrifice.

Romans 3:25, “To be a propitiation = (the mercy seat) through faith in His blood.”

This does not mean we believe the historical facts that His blood was shed by a violent death or the understanding that his blood had some atoning quality.

Not believing, in the same way the Jews and Gentiles had trusted in their old ways and old system, they were to have some form of power or means to make amends for sin. But this new faith required trust to be exclusively rendered to the work and blood of Christ as the only appointed sacrifice for sin and the only refuge.

So, when our minds fully understand this new Gospel message, it will bring a change to our body, soul, and spirit: also, to our understanding of evil, to the dangers of sin, and to attain hunger, a driving desire for salvation. The Spirit of God will then work with our spirit, bringing forth true repentance. We must reject any other form, method, or promise of salvation, trusting fully in Jesus as Savior and understanding and believing all of the merits of his work. Therefore, we shall receive Christ, trust in Him fully, and commit the keeping of our whole person unto His hands, in complete and humble confidence of His ability and willingness to save us. “He came to seek and to save the lost.”

When we receive Christ this way, we acknowledge our guilt and have no righteousness in ourselves. In this, we honor the Father and Son, our only Redeemer, glorifying their mercy and his free grace to the highest degree. It acknowledges on earth and in heaven forever that the salvation of sinful men is from the Father, and the merits, the intercession of Christ, and the promise of and through the power of His Holy Spirit.

Counterfeit Faith:

Let’s talk about counterfeit faith. James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead,” This kind of faith is not faith at all, even as counterfeit money is not money, or a dead man is not a man, but a corpse.

Direct proof of this deep-rooted blindness and hardness of the heart is as follows: when we do not believe the things God declares, even when convinced he spoke it. Yet, we are assured by God that knows what is in man and who cannot lie. Following are examples of counterfeit faith.

A. 1 Corinthians 2:14, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned = (unable to comprehend).”

B. John 3:11-12, Jesus said, “We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness = (only Jesus is here intended). If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?”

C. Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”

D. Ephesians 4:18, “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:” We cannot conceive of a bolder ungodliness than to discredit the God of truth, and in effect, to “make him a liar.”

E. 1 John 5:10, “he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God = (the Father) gave of His Son.”

In summary, Faith is all of the following combined: The idea of “Faith” in Scripture can at times be taken for the truth and faithfulness of God, Romans 3:3, “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” Answer: “of course not!”

It is also taken for the winning over of the mind as to the lawfulness of things indifferent. Romans 14:22-23, “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth, not himself in that thing which he alloweth = (approves). And he that doubteth is damned if he eats, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
It’s also put for the doctrine of the Gospel that is the object of faith,

Acts 24:24, “When Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.”

Philippians 1:27, “Let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ.”

Jude 3, “It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith.”

It’s the belief and profession of the Gospel by us, Romans 1:8, “I thank my God = (the Father) through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”

Christian trustworthiness seen in their performance concerning the promises God made. Christian faithfulness and fidelity are the strict adherence to our obligations and fulfillment of promises made.

An open profession of Gospel truth:

Romans 1:8, “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
To believe in the lawfulness of things that have no preference or interest.

Romans 14:22, “Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God.”

The word “believe” is a verb. In Greek, there are seven Greek words for “belief,” which translates into English, “believe,” which are used in the N.T. The word we are interested in is # 4100 Strong’s, “pisteuo.” To believe: to have a firm persuasion of anything. In Scripture, the word believe is often followed by “in, or, on.”

1. To believe in, is to hold as the object of faith. In the name of, is used in phrases of invoking, swearing, declaring, and praying. In prayer, it means by, or for the sake of. In the name of Jesus Christ, it means, on His behalf, or part, in his stead, or for his sake. John 14:1, “Ye believe in God, believe also in me.”
2. To believe is to trust, to place total confidence in, and to rest upon with faith.

John 1:12, “To them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”

In theology, to believe sometimes expresses the agreement and understanding of the truths of the Gospel as, in the case of Simon. Acts 8:13, “Then Simon himself believed also.”

To others, the word believing implies admitting with the mind gospel truths, and then a yielding of the will, giving our affections, accompanied with a humble reliance on Christ for salvation.

1-a. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”
1-b. John 3:15, Jesus said, “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
1-c. To be firmly persuaded as to anything, to believe.
2-a. Romans 14:2, “For one believeth that he may eat all things…”
2-b. Mark 11:23, Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.”
2-c. Romans 10:9, “That is thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
2-d. James 2:19, “Thou believest that there is One God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
3-a. More commonly, faith refers to words spoken by a person whose words one believes and confides in.
3-b. John 5:46, Jesus said, “For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me.”
3-c. Mark 16:13, “And they (Mary Magdalene, and Mary, mother of Jesus) went and told it unto the residue (i.e. the rest) neither believed they them.”
3-d. Acts 8:12, “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ,”
3-e. 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.”

John 4:21,
“Jesus saith unto her = (Samaritan woman at the well,) woman, believe me.”
4-a. With an adjunct of the words or thing spoken. Adjunct (something joined or added to another thing but not an essential part.)
4-b. Luke 1:20, “And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believe not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.”
4-c. John 4:50, “Jesus saith unto him, go thy way; thy son lives. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him.”
4-d. 2 Thessalonians 2:11, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” Also, Mark 1:15, Acts 24:14, Jer.12:6, Psalms 78:22.
5. With an adjunct of the thing believed.
5-a. Acts 13:41, “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder =(marvel), and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.”
5-b. John 11:26, Jesus said, “And whosoever lives and believeth in me shall never die. Believe thou this?”
5-c. 1 Corinthians 13:7, “Bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things.”
5-d. 1 John 4:16, “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us, God is love:”
5-e. 1 John 5:10, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in Himself: He that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” Also, John 14:10, Rom.10:9.
6. Verses where believing is implied from the context.
6-a. Matthew 24:23, Jesus said, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.”
6-b. John 12:47, Jesus said, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.”
6-c. Acts 8:13, “Then Simon himself believed also.” Compared with verse 12, “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
6-d. Acts 15:7, “And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe.”

To be firmly persuaded of God, to believe in God, to trust in him, as being able and willing to help, to listen, and to pray.
a. Acts 27:25, “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”
b. John 14:1, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God = (the Father,) believe also in me.”
c. Matthew 21:22, Jesus said, “And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
d. 2 Corinthians 4:13, “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak.”
e. Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
f. Romans 4:18, Abraham, “Who against hope believed in hope.”
g. Hebrews 4:3, “For we which have believed do enter into rest.”

To believe in the declarations and character of God as made known in the Gospel.
a. John 5:24, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life.”
b. Acts 16:34, “And when he (the keeper of the prison) had brought them (the apostles) into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”
c. 1 John 5:10, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”
To believe and rest upon, to believe in and profess.
a. 1 Peter 1:21, “Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead.”
b. Romans 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.”
c. Luke 8:12-13, compare verse 11, Jesus said, “Those by the wayside are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. verse 13, They on the rock are they which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.”

Verse 11, “The seed is the word of God.”
d. Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

A messenger from God. To believe in and trust in him as coming from God and acting under divine authority.
Concerning John, the Baptist.

a. Matthew 21:25, Jesus asked, “The baptism of John, whence was it, from heaven, or of men? And they (chief priests and elders) reasoned with themselves, saying, if we shall say, from heaven; he will say unto us, why did ye not then believe him?”
b. Matthew 21:32, Jesus said, “For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe Him.”

Of Jesus as the Messiah, as able and ready to help His followers.
John 14:1, Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

Of Jesus, in the healing the sick and comforting the afflicted.
a. Matthew 9:28, “And when he came into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.”
b. Matthew 8:13, “And Jesus said to the centurion, go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.”
c. Mark 5:36, “As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, be not afraid, only believe.”
d. John 4:48, “Then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”
Jesus was a teacher and Messiah sent from God.
a. John 5:38, Jesus said, “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”
b. John 8:31, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.”
c. John 10:37-38, Jesus said, “If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.”
d. Acts 5:14, “And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.” Also,
e. John 8:24, “I ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins.”
f. John 11:27, “I believe that thou art the Christ.”
g. John 20:31, “That ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”
h. 2 Tim.1:12, “I know whom I have believed.”
i. 1 John 5:1, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.”
j. 1 John 5:5, “Who is he that overcometh — but he that believeth.”
To believe and rest upon, to believe in, to profess:
a. Matthew 18:6, Jesus said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
b. John 2:11, “His (Jesus) disciples believed on Him.”
c. John 3:15-16, “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish.”
d. John 4:39, “Many — believed on Him.”
To believe in Jesus and invoke or profess his name:
a. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:”
b. John 2:23, “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in His name, when they saw the miracles which He did.”
c. 1 John 5:13, “You that believe on the name of the Son of God.”
d. 1 John 3:23, “We should believe on the name of His son Jesus Christ.”
e. Acts 9:42, “many believed in the Lord.”
f. Acts 11:17, compare to verse 21, “God gave them the like gift — who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ,” with, “a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”
g. 1 Timothy 1:16, “A pattern to them which — believe on Him to life everlasting.”
To believe and profess Christ, to be, or to become a Christian:
a. Mark 15:32, “Let Christ the King — descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.”
b. Luke 22:67, Jesus said, “If I tell you, ye will not believe.”
c. John 1:7, “That all men through Him might believe.”
d. John 12:39, “Therefore they could not believe.”
e. Acts 4:4, “Howbeit many — which heard the word believed.”
f. Romans 4:11, “He might be the father of all them that believe.”

Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com