How does faith work?

[dcampsart]

so, to sum up answers to my post, would you say that expressions of faith are to give without thought to one's own needs, not having a concern whether those needs are met or unmet?

1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. [Philippians 2:1-4]

We are never to undervalue ourselves when considering others better than ourselves but, I believe, because of our faith in our place or position in Christ, we are free to concern ourselves with the needs of others even before our own!

[OneLight]

Yes, Lou, I agree. The beginning of faith is due to the love we have for Him and the need for salvation, but this is not where love ends, but only begins.

Hebrews says this about faith:

Hebrews 11:1

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

Faith is also the first step we take in maturing as a Christian:

(Taken from a previous post of mine when discussing about our callings.)

1 Peter 1:2-11

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now, how I see and apply it to my life.

These are steps in which we are to grow, pointed out in this particular pattern for a reason. We can not skip any step, or it will not be complete. If we follow these steps, we are promised "you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. "

If we follow these steps, we are told "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

.................................................................Love

..........................................................Brotherly kindness

..................................................Godliness

..........................................Perseverance

...................................Self-control

...........................Knowledge

.....................Virtue

...............Faith

We should notice that each step is one more step upward, toward our calling and election, which is the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

What starts out as faith should end up in love. We first need faith in God to bring Gods love to others.

[HenryL]

In the NIV translation of Galatians 5:6 it says this:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Speaking of the insufficiency of rule following for outward show, what exactly is an expression of faith through love?

Can you help me by showing an example from everyday life of faith working by love?

This may not be an everyday example, but if a person feels God is telling them to do something that involves taking a risk and you do, it is an act of faith (trust). At least to me

[desi2007]

In the NIV translation of Galatians 5:6 it says this:

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Speaking of the insufficiency of rule following for outward show, what exactly is an expression of faith through love?

It's put this way in the King James: but faith which worketh by love.

and like this in the NASB: but faith working through love.

Since it is the only thing that counts i would like to understand it in a more concrete way. Can you help me by showing an example from everyday life of faith working by love?

Feelings come and go, but God never changes. So I believe when you have a choice between trusting your feelings or trusting God, trust God.

Also, thinking here; It may be the most difficult time of your life. You may be enduring your own whirlwind. But that whirlwind is a temporary experience. God will see you through.

Faith is an ongoing process,,,building and sustaining our faith through prayer, worship... is like a a journey toward a spiritual maturity that lasts a lifetime.

Be Blessed,

desi

[Rhonda Lou]

Someone once said, "The closer you are to God, the more you'll have a heart for others." This is a true statement because we can't love unconditionally without intimately knowing the Father. That knowledge of the Father will cause us to trust or have faith in Him. When that trust and unconditional love is in a person's heart, he'll know it. That love will be on display for the world to see as he reaches out in good works to others. James 2:20 says that faith without works is dead.

My example of love in action was that I waited 37 years before my husband and I had a relationship. The unconditional love "made" me wait that long, and I'm happy (to put it mildly) that I did. Our Father is awesome!!!!!!!

Very... very... well said riel! I wouldn't want this thread to go in another direction but I would have to ask for your interpretation on something.

First off, considering all that you said about becoming intimately close to the Father through faith, resulting from deeper knowledge of him through his word, what would be your interpretation for, what I call, a key word "OF" in Galatians 2:20 from the King James Version?

20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. [Gal 2:20]

Considering the King James use of the word when Paul said that he lived by the faith OF the Son of God do you, or anyone else, believe that we can get to a place in our walk where it is Christ within that takes over and lives out his life, as he lived on earth, through our mortal bodies? What I mean is, can we become so "possessed" by Christ, so filled with HIM, that it becomes HIS eyes that we see through... HIS mind that we think with... HIS heart that we love with and lastly... HIS faith we operate in and express?

I know many other translations use the word "IN" instead of the word "OF". Faith "IN" the Son of God instead of Faith "OF" the Son of God. I haven't done any study for the word "OF" in the original Greek but I have sometimes wondered if we can walk in such closeness with the Lord that it becomes Christ's actual faith expressing itself through HIS love for all those we come into contact with?

Im sure that it is more universally interpreted to mean we live by OUR faith IN the Son of God instead of we living our lives BY the faith OF the Son of God. It would seem that if the word IN is more appropriate here I have a large role to play in developing this faith. I'm not trying to interpret the word OF in the KJV to allow me a "cop-out"... to excuse my lack of faith at times... but how inspiring and exciting the thought that we could get to a place that we are so aware of how crucified we truly are and Christ literally takes over in the area of faith and love.

I humbly request your thoughts...

I have always loved Galatians 2:20 in the KJV best because of that word "Of" rather than the word "In" used in other translations. Colossians 3:3-4 says, "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, WHO IS OUR LIFE, is revealed, then you also will appear with Him in glory." John 15:4-5 says, "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me yu can do nothing." In truth, practically every page of the epistles mentions that we are "in" Christ, we do things "by" and "through" Christ, and He is "in" us. It is because we believe this, and acknowledge as one said here that God is love, and that His love is shed abroad in our hearts, that we believe we have the ability to love others, or allow God to love them through us. Ezekiel 36:26-27 says that He will give us a new heart and Spirit and CAUSE us to keep His statutes. I spend several years waiting for Him to live through me and carry out what He was causing to occur through me before it dawned on me (I'm a little slow) that, for my part, I needed to be where He could love through me if He was ever going to love through me. I'm His arms, legs, eyes and ears, in the world. Even in Hebrews 11, the chapter on faith, people acted before they saw the results. That is what faith is. It requires a close relationship with God to know how best to use our arms, legs, ears and eyes to express His love. Some people want ears to listen, some want arms and legs to ack, each situation calls for different things. The best way I can explain it is to say as we see one, "God, I know that your love is in me, and that You have empowered me to act in this person's life to show them (express/manifest) Your love to them. What do you want me to do?" I have faith in His love through me, I then act on that faith, and love is shown. Faith is thus expressed through love. Does that make any sense?