Faith... How does it work?

[Twilight]

Here is my understanding...

Faith is a decision of the will.

It is a choice of the will.

As the will is exercised and choices to believe are made over and over, faith is strengthened.

The ability to exercise the will, is given by God, who does not allow total subjection to the flesh in sinful humanity, but gives us another choice.

----------------------

Practical example:

God says:

"You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God." (paraphrase)

I choose to accept that.

By a decision of the will I choose to accept that I am dead to my old self (this is a continous process).

By a decision of the will I choose to accept "my life is hid with Christ in God".

As I accept that truth by an exercise of the will (faith), God supplies His grace through the Spirit and that becomes a reality for me.

A divine act of creation is implanted in me, a creative work is performed.

This process then goes on moment by moment.

I exercise "faith".

I exercise "my will".

I accept Gods promises.

God supplies His power.

Your thoughts?

Mark

[Guest]

I believe we are given a measure of faith, and as we exercise that faith, like a muscle it becomes stronger and stronger. And God takes us from victory to victory.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Rom 1:17

They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. Psa 84:7

[Ted Oplinger]

Matthew 8:5-13...

What is Christ declaring to be faith...even great faith here?

I couple this with Deuteronomy 8:3 and Isaiah 55:10,11

The picture developing there is....

[Lutz13]

God says:

"You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God." (paraphrase)

I choose to accept that.

[Twilight]

Originally Posted By: Twilight

God says:

"You are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God." (paraphrase)

I choose to accept that.

When I read a promise and I make the claim that I accept it. Doubt then seems to enter in like a plague. Even though I have seen Gods work in my life, have been down paths that He set out before me. I still doubt in many areas. It is a constant frustration.

Originally Posted By: Twilight

I exercise "faith".

"If you are willing, you can make me clean."

I question where that leper received his faith. Was it because he was at rock bottom?

Originally Posted By: Twilight

God supplies His power.

"I am willing, be clean."

I wish I could have faith like that. My issue seems to come from self. I know that God and God only can make the change in me. He is the potter I am the clay. I seem to be stuck in this old covenant mindset where I have to do a work. Yet I know 100% that it is faith that pleases Him and not works. Faith in Him that He can fix me! I desperately want that faith that works.

Have you considered this my friend?

Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

This man wanted to believe, but was plagued with unbelief.

But the simple cry was help me, I have chosen to believe you.

Jesus response was to take that exercise of faith, despite the doubt and minister to the man.

Why?

Because Jesus had been asked to: "help thou mine unbelief".

The man presented his struggles to Christ, Jesus acted on that simple act of faith.

And the mans child was healed.

[Lutz13]

Have you considered this my friend?

Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

This man wanted to believe, but was plagued with unbelief.

But the simple cry was help me, I have chosen to believe you.

Jesus response was to take that exercise of faith, despite the doubt and minister to the man.

Why?

Because Jesus had been asked to: "help thou mine unbelief".

The man presented his struggles to Christ, Jesus acted on that simple act of faith.

And the mans child was healed.

You are right! That is something I have experience with and I often forget it. Thank you for the reminder.

When I struggled with smoking I tried to quit on my own several times. Then I asked God several times. I then admitted my lack of faith to Him and asked Him to help me with that. It was then that He said toss them out and bam, no more cravings!

I'm just curious. Throughout the day I can keep Him in my mind, and I speak to Him. Yet when adversity arises I quickly lose touch then things go down hill. How do you guys deal with it? My faith takes a nose dive and it can be a downer at times.

[Gerr]

One of the best definitions of faith that I have seen is:

Faith is taking God at His word - SOP

[Twilight]

Originally Posted By: Twilight

Have you considered this my friend?

Mar 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

This man wanted to believe, but was plagued with unbelief.

But the simple cry was help me, I have chosen to believe you.

Jesus response was to take that exercise of faith, despite the doubt and minister to the man.

Why?

Because Jesus had been asked to: "help thou mine unbelief".

The man presented his struggles to Christ, Jesus acted on that simple act of faith.

And the mans child was healed.

You are right! That is something I have experience with and I often forget it. Thank you for the reminder.

When I struggled with smoking I tried to quit on my own several times. Then I asked God several times. I then admitted my lack of faith to Him and asked Him to help me with that. It was then that He said toss them out and bam, no more cravings!

I'm just curious. Throughout the day I can keep Him in my mind, and I speak to Him. Yet when adversity arises I quickly lose touch then things go down hill. How do you guys deal with it? My faith takes a nose dive and it can be a downer at times.

Consider these texts:

Jam 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Jam 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse [your] hands, [ye] sinners; and purify [your] hearts, [ye] double minded.

Notice the pattern.

1. Submit yourself to God (which you have done by accepting Christ).

2. Resist the enemys attacks.

3. How? By drawing nigh to God by Faith, claiming His promises of His presence and victory over sin.

4. God will respond and draw close to you, giving you victory over the temptation.

So as you keep turning to the Lord in heart and mind, when temptation comes, you will gain victory over the temptation.

This is a learned habit.

This is what I do and I am learning to deepen.

Mark :-)

[Twilight]

One of the best definitions of faith that I have seen is:

Faith is taking God at His word - SOP

Amen. :-)

[teresaq]

I'm just curious. Throughout the day I can keep Him in my mind, and I speak to Him. Yet when adversity arises I quickly lose touch then things go down hill. How do you guys deal with it? My faith takes a nose dive and it can be a downer at times.

thats just normal. the closer and closer we get to God the less and less that will happen. :smile:

that is one of the reasons we need each other. to remind each other to trust and rely on God.

[Gail]

Quote:

I'm just curious. Throughout the day I can keep Him in my mind, and I speak to Him. Yet when adversity arises I quickly lose touch then things go down hill. How do you guys deal with it? My faith takes a nose dive and it can be a downer at times.

First of all, when that happens, don't lose hope! Christ came to the world to save sinners, and if you sin, that means you!

What I do when I am in that postion, is to start again right from where I am. The Bible talks about "leaving those things which are behind" and reaching out for the things that are ahead. Ask our Heavenly Father to forgive whatever you've done and carry on in faith. Faith in this case would be to believe in God's power to renew you and restore you and empower you. Then carry on as God's child.

Satan will try to get you to bring back to memory your mistakes and downfalls. But apart from learning from them there is no need, if you are forgiven. If our Lord blots them out of His book with the blood of Christ, then we can feel free to do the same in our personal guilt record.

Grace is awesome!

[Stewart (SDA)]

One of the best definitions of faith that I have seen is:

Faith is taking God at His word - SOP

Yes indeed! That is such a sublime definition.

Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, - these all took God at His word. They treated 'the hoped for' and the 'unseen' as solid and certain. They all relied upon the faithful promises.

And because their lives were intimately connected to the 'Unseen', their lives tell of wonderful things.

[skyblue888]

Faith is the hand by which the soul takes hold of the offer of mercy. Faith is the hand by which the soul takes hold of the remedy provided for sin, the all-sufficient merits of a crucified and risen Saviour to bring His righteousness into the life which makes every command of the law of God exceedingly great and precious promises by which we become partakers of the divine nature. Thus every command becomes a promise, a most positive promise of its own fulfilment.

sky

[pnattmbtc]

Robert J. Wieland defines faith as "a heart appreciation of the love of God (agape), especially as revealed at the cross."

[Twilight]

Robert J. Wieland defines faith as "a heart appreciation of the love of God (agape), especially as revealed at the cross."

I appreciate that. :-)

[Gerr]

Robert J. Wieland defines faith as "a heart appreciation of the love of God (agape), especially as revealed at the cross."

My problem with this definition is that I can truly appreciate something without

commitment, change or action on my part. I don't see it being any different from

just mental assent.

[Tom Wetmore]

In a word - trust...

For me, to say "Have faith in God" is the same as saying "Trust God."

[Dr. Rich]

Hey Tom, do you have trust in me? If so, why? If not, why?

You're answer will be interesting. Why? Because I have been the Trustee to hundreds of trusts and have many times wondered why anyone would ever trust anyone to be a trustee? Would it be because they just have faith in me? Or--would it be because they have knowledge in what I have done before and who I really am?

I have often wondered about this since I have never advertised for clients in my entire life time--all of my advertising was from satisfied clients--just word of mouth. I have also often asked someone seeking me to be their trustee--why me? Could it be that I kept my mouth shut and even did prison time just to protect private information of my clients?

From my perspective, I view the word faith much lower than the word trust. It is much the same as the difference between conviction verses preference.

[Tom Wetmore]

I don't know you nor anyone who does know you. So I have nothing on which to base putting any trust in you. It is not any reflection on you personally, it is just that trust requires something upon which to base it.

Based on what you just posted, I might being willing to trust you with some money or property, but not all my money or property until I had something beyond your word to go on. But would I be as willing to trust you with my life? I think that might require a bit more information and of quite a different sort.

Trust without relationship is foolhardy. The closer the relationship the deeper the trust.

Tom

[Guest]

I have to agree with that Tom, about the relationship. But I do know Rich a little bit, and I wouldn't trust him as far as I could fling him.

[Ted Oplinger]

Faith is knowing there is power in the Word of God, that this power is spoken on your behalf, is true for you and in you, and depending upon that powerful Word to do what is impossible for you to do yourself.

[Dr. Rich]

Well said Richard and Tom! All of that was about trust. What about faith? Or is faith equal with trust?

Rush Limbaugh once said "You can't argue facts with someone who has formed their belief upon faith."

I have said before: "Faith allows one to believe in a lie without feeling guilty for searching for and knowing the truth."

This quote was from Marilynn Robinson from her book THE DEATH OF ADAM: "We routinely disqualify testimony that would plead for examination. That is, we are so persuaded of the rightness of our [faith] judgment as to invalidate evidence that does not confirm us in it. Nothing that deserves to be called TRUTH could ever be arrived at by such means."

So--how can someone have faith or trust in Jesus without knowing everything He said and taught?

[Dr. Rich]

Oops, it should have read like this: "Faith allows one to believe in a lie without feeling guilty for NOT searching for and knowing the truth."

And I left out this: "When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease being honest."

[Ted Oplinger]

Oops, it should have read like this: "Faith allows one to believe in a lie without feeling guilty for NOT searching for and knowing the truth."

And I left out this: "When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease being honest."

This is true of those definitions of "faith" constructed on the ideas of man. What you had left out, is a gold nugget of truth there.

As I understand faith, living faith is not founded upon a lie, but on the truth and power upon the living Word of God, and it promotes the exploration of deeper truth.

Matthew 4:4 "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

It is this which the Roman Centurion depended upon to heal his slave, and what Christ Himself declared to be "great faith", such as He had not seen in all Israel (which included His disciples) - the Word only.

Not a simple trust, not an act of will, but rather a submission to and dependence upon the power of God as He speaks words to people.

[Dr. Rich]

Interesting Tom--Did you say "Faith is knowing.."? To my way of thinking--one either KNOWS or has faith in something. If you KNOW--then what is the value of faith? Much like Daniel KNOWING his God would tell him the dream and give him the interpretation rather than just believing by faith that this would happen.

I have no problem with faith as long as it is associated with an educated understanding (knowing). But Tom, I'm sure you would agree that you have run into people who call themselves a christian when their alleged knowledge is built only upon hearsay, opinions or beliefs of others. Such a person would be in the same position as the last person in a game of 'gossip'.

It is my belief that this type of person will be the ones that question Jesus by saying that they deserve to be saved because of all that they have believed and did--even cast out evil spirits--and Jesus will say to them--"Depart--for I don't even know you". (Perhaps meaning that these people really didn't KNOW Jesus--they only had FAITH?)