Saved by faith

[justjake]

Ephesians 2:8-9 tell us that we are saved by God's grace through faith.

Faith saves, justifies, and keeps us.

What is faith? Is it only accepting intellicutally or is it more than that? Is it belief?

Is it belief in motion?

What exactly is faith?

[nebula]

Hi, Jake! Welcome to the Boards!

I love your avatar - too cool lookin'!

I think you kind-of asked a loaded question there - because there's the dictionary definition of faith (confident belief, belief without evidence,loyalty, belief and trust in God, set of values and principles), the Scriptural definition of faith ("...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen), and then the application of the passage you provided.

I believe the passage given is specified towards faith in God - or more specifically, faith in the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Son of David.

Be interesting to see what the others say!

[Guest LadyC]

i believe faith is unconditional acceptance of something. i believe that a person who has faith in God, that faith is a part of their core existence, and is as inseparable from him as his DNA is.

[eric]

Hi Jake, there's forty verses in Hebrews depicting faith and I for one cant add any more to it.

cheers, eric.

[Rick]

I remember hearing a preacher describe once, the difference between faith and trust. He described a scene taking place at niagra falls, where a tightrope was stretched across the falls. There is a man at one end of the falls with a wheelbarrel, who declares that he can push the wheelbarrel across the falls without falling off, or losing the wheelbarrel. Faith in the man says that he can indeed do it! That he can do what he says he can! and that he will make it across, just as he says he will. But then comes trust. lol Trusting the Lord in your faith, requires that you get in that wheelbarrel while the man pushes it across niagra falls.

Faith is believing in God's ability to do what He says. Trusting requires that through faith, we put away our fears, our understanding , etc...and leave everything in God's hands. Knowing that he will deliver us to the other side, Just as He said He would. Life requires much faith. Some times more so, than at others, but in each case our faith in Jesus Christ is well founded. He can do what He says He can do! He has never, and will not ever fail.

Rick

[His son]

I would suggest that you spend some time in The Book Of James. He was one who was very close to Jesus, and he realy lays out faith for a good inspection. It will help you more than anything else you can find in that pursuit.

[Andrew007]

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

You have a brain, you know its there, but you haven't seen it. You have faith that its there.

You know God exsists, yet you have not seen Him physically. You have faith He is there.

Greater is the mans faith that sees not and believes than the one that sees and beleives.

[OneAccord]

I have heard Ephesians 2:8 interepreted that faith is a gift given to us by God, not something we already had and then He activated it.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Most say that it is the grace that is the gift of God, but I think the faith to believe in and to accept the grace was provided by God also. Faith is often turned in to a 'works'.

Interesting question, it reminds me of a thread a while back started by Blindseeker asking 'what is grace?' Not as cut and dry as we think. The more we grow in Christ, the more these simple words are magnified.

[CaliGuy4Christ]

James

15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18But someone will say,

[Hvnly1Rose]

I'd like to add that many people don't know what works really are so that in it self can be misconstrude. The example of Abraham taking his son Isaac to sacrifice him because the Lord told him to do so, many would not see that as works becuase they don't understand works. If we have a definition of works that would help to make clear why it is important that the two go hand in hand.

I challenge that we all look for and point out scripture that specifically shows works and faith performed at the same time to show how they are to go together for the great purposes of the Lord. And Abraham is a great place to start....thank you CaliGuy4Christ.

Well I am going to have to do some homework to find these...to be continued....