Christian Faith Defined
Introduction
“Now faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding onto things your reason has once accepted.”[1] When considering evidence for the existence of God, the Christian is accused of believing in God by faith. The non-believers typically make the argument that Christians do not have evidence, but all their evidence is just faith based. Is this true? Is faith used as a measure of knowledge, or is faith the result of a knowledge that is presupposed? As CS Lewis stated above, does our faith cause us to hold on to reasons or does reason cause us to hold on to faith? How does the Bible define faith? The goal of this paper is to define Christian faith from a Biblical perspective. Questions that will be discussed are: What does faith mean? What core beliefs are essential if one is to have Christian faith? To what extent is trust an essential component of the biblical notion of faith? Finally, what does a life of faith look like?
Faith
There is always this initial thought behind the definition of faith when we consider faith from a non-biblical perspective. For example, Fredrich Nietzshe defines faith as “not wanting to know what is true.”[2] While this definitions may have a leg to stand on in the non-biblical world, this is clearly not the definition of faith as it concerns the bible. The biblical definition of faith is not seen as a way of gaining knowledge, but faith is seen as being obedient, submissive and totally reliant on God and His provisions for His people. The biblical definition involves the mind or notitia (understanding the contents of the Christian faith, fudicia (trust), and assensus
(the assent of the intellect to the truth of some proposition.)[3] The faith that the Christian has is a faith based on what he or she has reason to believe is true. This faith is a faith that is not blind, but a faith that has reason behind it. The clarity upon which the Christian sees his or her faith expands that faith. The accusation that faith is a way of gaining knowledge is far from the truth of the definition of faith. Faith is always measured as reactionary. In other words, faith is a response to believing that God will do as He said He would do. For example, in Matt 6:30 says, “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!”[4] Jesus Christ, in the middle of His sermon on the mount, is addressing the concern of worrying. Speaking to the crowd that has gathered, He explains that by worrying it does not benefit the believer’s life. Rather, the believer is to have faith that He (God) will provide every necessity for His people. Also looking at Roman 3:21-31, we read Paul the Apostle elucidating how having faith justifies those who trust in the Lord, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the Greek term that’s associated with justify (δικαιούμενοι/dikaioumenoi)[5] is a legal term that declares one justified. It is by faith that the believer is declared clear of debt. Faith in who? Christ! Christ is the one that the believer should put his or her faith in to obtain salvation.
Once again, faith is not seen in either of the passages that has been presented to mean a knowledge level of faith. Throughout scripture faith is seen as a behavioral component for the Christian. When faith is placed in Christ the behavior of the Christian should be to put all trust in Christ. This is what it means to be a Christian. The believer can have knowledge that God exist, but knowledge does not produce faith, it only grows it. Complete trust in God is the relational component of God. Relational Components involves the believer trusting God based on what is believed. Yes the believer sees evidence of God in creation, for example, but his or her faith and trust in God is not merely concerned with evidence for God’s existence, but it is a belief that God is reliable. God has shown throughout history that He is reliable. It is from this area of understanding that the believer believes God is trustworthy. Thus, this belief that He is trustworthy is faith. Again faith, according to the Bible, is not concerned with epistemology or how we know things, but it is concerned with trusting and having confidence in God that He will do what He said he would do.
The more famous verse that many believe gives a proper definition of faith in found in Hebrews 11:1,” Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” While this verse indeed touches on the subject matter of faith, it does not, however, give a definition of faith that would be considered epistemological. Ronald Sauer Ph. D. explains, “Faith is not formally defined here, but what is given is a description of what faith does”[6] Hebrews 11:1 is referring to faith that is solidified by the confidence the believer has in God. The future implications are great for the believer and trusting in God that those things He has promised will come to fruition. Faith means to wait on the Lord for His full glory to be displayed to His people. This idea that the Christian’s use faith to cover knowledge that may be missing, or to fulfill the “God of the Gaps” theory is complete nonsense. Faith, from a Biblical perspective, is the active practice of the Christian, and not totally one that comes from knowledge.
Key Essentials of Faith and Trust
The definition of the Christian faith is clearly noted above, but there are other areas that are of concern. There are core essentials that every Christian should believe and or have when it comes to faith in God. Trust is one of those essential beliefs. To have full confidence and trust in God means to not have confidence and trust in every area of life. To clarify, this is not to say that one cannot trust sources of facts. For example, when we read that the moon is 233,000 miles away from the earth we can trust the accuracy of that number. There is no problem with trusting what we discover to be a fact. The notion of trust in God is that He will supply our every need. Moreover, trust is the understanding that in the most confusing times of life Christ gives clarity to see passed the fog. So there is a difference between having worldly trust (the earth is 233,000 miles away from the moon) and Godly trust (God will supply every need and He is our confidence.) In Proverbs 3:26 we see this idea of confidence in the Lord. God will not forsake his people. A confidence that is beyond human confidence. A confidence and trust that gives peace and liberty to the believer. The understating of Christian Faith surrounds trust. Without trusting in the Lord there is no such thing as Christian faith.
A Life of Faith
Elaboration on the result of this faith is needed. The fact that the believer has faith and trust in Christ should manifest results in not only the way we behave, but the way that we think as well. Moral behavior should surround doing the right thing that will bring glory to Christ. Same with the thinking and having reason in our faith. We should think with an intellectual mindset that brings glory to God. J.P Moreland Ph. D believes “if we as the church are to engender a current reform throughout our culture, then we need laypeople who are intellectually engaged with their faith”[7] Our faith and trust in God encapsulates all that we are, including the way we think intellectually. The current idea that Christians should just rely on faith and not intellect is false. Our faith should mold our minds into taking our faith to another level intellectually. The fact that the Christian does trust in God should encourage him or her to desire a deeper thought concerning the author and finisher of the Christian faith. Our faith is not reliant on our intellect, but our intellect is reliant on our faith and trust in God.
For the Christian, faith should challenge the thinking of the believer to produce a life that is glorifying to Christ. This trust and devotion to God with our hearts, mind, and soul (Matt 22:37) should result in a very fulfilling life. While the non-believer essentially builds intellect for no purpose if we take their ideologies to its logical conclusion, the believer in Christ should know that their building of reasonable faith will hopefully bring many to Christ for a salvific purpose. As biblical faith is defined as trust and confidence in the Lord, this trust and confidence should continue to propel the believer to know more and more about God throughout his or her whole life. As St. Augustine puts it, “Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” [8]Indeed, as the Christian’s faith grows in God his or her understanding grows as well. The reward of understanding the faith from cognitive perspective is a reward of having trust in God. Staying fixed on the things of God is a grand sign of the life of faith. Calling on Christ in every situation, trusting in His grace, desiring more of Him, obedience and submission to His magnificence and growing in knowledge and wisdom for His glory are all ways that the Christian lives a life of faith.
Conclusion
In this essay the thesis, “What is Christian Faith”, has been clearly argued and defined. Christian faith is having confidence and trust in God in all things. The thesis and definition has been defended by using scripture and extra-biblical text to support the definition that was given. By proposing particular questions concerning faith, such as, what does faith mean, what core beliefs are essential if one is to have Christian faith, to what extent is trust an essential component of the biblical notion of faith, and what does a life of faith look like, clarification was able to be given to further answer the thesis in a clear and concise manner. It is the hope that this essay will push further discussion in the area of the meaning of Christian faith.
[1] CS Lewis, Mere Christianity, (London:UK: HaperCollins Publishers LTd,1980) 106.
[2] Fredrich Nietzshe, The Happy Science, (Digireads.com Publishing, 1882) 48.
[3] JP Moreland and William Lane Craig, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview (Downers Grove: IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017) Location 657. Kindle
[4] Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the New American Standard Bible.
[5] William Mounce, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words(Grand Rapids:MI:Zondervan, 2006)
[6] Ronald Sauer, Hebrews: The Moody Bible Commentary (Chicago:IL:Moody Publishers, 2014) Location 77520.Kindle.
[7] JP Moreland and William Lane Craig, Philosophical Foundations for a Christian Worldview. Location 451. Kindle.
[8] Brian Davies, Brian Lethow, The Cambridge Companion to Anselm (New York:NY: Cambridge University Press, 2004) 66.
