FAITH.

Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding. Assent to the truth is of the essence of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed truth rests is the veracity of God. Historical faith is the apprehension of and assent to certain statements which are regarded as mere facts of history. Temporary faith is that state of mind which is awakened in men (e.g., Felix) by the exhibition of the truth and by the influence of religious sympathy, or by what is sometimes styled the common operation of the Holy Spirit. Saving faith is so called because it has eternal life inseparably connected with it. It cannot be better defined than in the words of the Assembly’s Shorter Catechism: “Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel.” The object of saving faith is the whole revealed Word of God. Faith accepts and believes it as the very truth most sure. But the special act of faith which unites to Christ has as its object the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 7:38; Acts 16:31). This is the specific act of faith by which a sinner is justified before God (Rom. 3:22, 25; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:9; John 3:16-36; Acts 10:43; 16:31). In this act of faith the believer appropriates and rests on Christ alone as Mediator in all his offices. This assent to or belief in the truth received upon the divine testimony has always associated with it a deep sense of sin, a distinct view of Christ, a consenting will, and a loving heart, together with a reliance on, a trusting in, or resting in Christ. It is that state of mind in which a poor sinner, conscious of his sin, flees from his guilty self to Christ his Saviour, and rolls over the burden of all his sins on him. It consists chiefly, not in the assent given to the testimony of God in his Word, but in embracing with fiducial reliance and trust the one and only Saviour whom God reveals. This trust and reliance is of the essence of faith. By faith the believer directly and immediately appropriates Christ as his own. Faith in its direct act makes Christ ours. It is not a work which God graciously accepts instead of perfect obedience, but is only the hand by which we take hold of the person and work of our Redeemer as the only ground of our salvation. Saving faith is a moral act, as it proceeds from a renewed will, and a renewed will is necessary to believing assent to the truth of God (1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4). Faith, therefore, has its seat in the moral part of our nature fully as much as in the intellectual. The mind must first be enlightened by divine teaching (John 6:44; Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1:17, 18) before it can discern the things of the Spirit. Faith is necessary to our salvation (Mark 16:16), not because there is any merit in it, but simply because it is the sinner’s taking the place assigned him by God, his falling in with what God is doing. The warrant or ground of faith is the divine testimony, not the reasonableness of what God says, but the simple fact that he says it. Faith rests immediately on, “Thus saith the Lord.” But in order to this faith the veracity, sincerity, and truth of God must be owned and appreciated, together with his unchangeableness. God’s word encourages and emboldens the sinner personally to transact with Christ as God’s gift, to close with him, embrace him, give himself to Christ, and take Christ as his. That word comes with power, for it is the word of God who has revealed himself in his works, and especially in the cross. God is to be believed for his word’s sake, but also for his name’s sake. Faith in Christ secures for the believer freedom from condemnation, or justification before God; a participation in the life that is in Christ, the divine life (John 14:19; Rom. 6:4-10; Eph. 4:15, 16, etc.); “peace with God” (Rom. 5:1); and sanctification (Acts 26:18; Gal. 5:6; Acts 15:9). All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved (John 6:37, 40; 10:27, 28; Rom. 8:1). The faith=the gospel (Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5; Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 3:9; Jude 1:3).

FAITH. The word in the N.T. denotes (1) the truth of the gospel of Christ and the kingdom of God. Acts 6:7; Rom 1:5; Gal 1:23; 1 Tim 3:9; Jude 3 ("the faith which was once delivered to the saints"). (2) The act by which we lay hold of and appropriate the truths of the gospel and Jesus Christ, and rely for salvation upon the work done by him in our stead. This is the prevailing sense of the word. Matt 8:10; John 3:16; Rom 1:16, etc., and all through John and the Pauline Epistles. The verb corresponding to the noun "faith" is "believe." Acts 16:31. The word occurs only a few times in the O.T., but the principle is there designated by other terms, such as to "look" to God, Isa 45:22, to "wait on" him, Ps 27:14, and to "trust" in him, Nah 1:7. Abraham is "the father of the faithful," because unbounded trust in God was the very essence of his piety. Comp. Rom 4:1. Paul derives the theme of his Epistle to the Romans from the passage of Habakkuk: "The just shall live by faith." Rom 1:17; comp. Hab 2:4. The Epistle to the Hebrews gives a bright catalogue of the heroes of faith under the old dispensation. Heb 11:1 ff. The nature of saving faith is threefold. It includes a conviction of the understanding, assent of the will, and trust of the heart. The principal element of faith is trust when its object is Christ. But it is impossible for us to trust in him without first being convinced of the genuineness of his claims. We believe a thing when we are assured of its reality; in a person when we add to this assurance trust. Faith apprehends Christ, and takes actual hold of him and all his benefits. Hence he who believes in Christ has already eternal life. John 3:36. Faith is opposed to doubt, Matt 21:21, and to sight, 2 Cor 5:7. Things which are the objects of faith we do not see. Heb 11:1. The importance of faith consists in this-that without faith we cannot become partakers of the merits and righteousness of Christ. As by the hand we lay hold of a treasure, and as by the eye we perceive the beauties of scenery, so by faith we lay hold of Christ. We who come within hearing of the gospel must exercise faith in order to become heirs of salvation. By faith we "put on" Christ. It is by faith that we are justified, and not by works. The work of salvation was all accomplished when the Saviour uttered the words, "It is finished." But a living faith will be accompanied by works, as much as a rose must diffuse perfume, and a good tree bring forth good fruit. As our Lord said, "Thy faith hath made thee whole," so Paul says, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God," Eph 2:8. But "faith without works is dead." Jas 2:26. Faith is operative in love. Gal 5:6. The "faith of God," Rom 3:3, means his faithfulness.

FAITH. The word in the N.T. denotes (1) the truth of the gospel of Christ and the kingdom of God. Acts 6:7; Rom 1:5; Gal 1:23; 1 Tim 3:9; Jude 3 ("the faith which was once delivered to the saints"). (2) The act by which we lay hold of and appropriate the truths of the gospel and Jesus Christ, and rely for salvation upon the work done by him in our stead. This is the prevailing sense of the word. Matt 8:10; John 3:16; Rom 1:16, etc., and all through John and the Pauline Epistles. The verb corresponding to the noun "faith" is "believe." Acts 16:31. The word occurs only a few times in the O.T., but the principle is there designated by other terms, such as to "look" to God, Isa 45:22, to "wait on" him, Ps 27:14, and to "trust" in him, Nah 1:7. Abraham is "the father of the faithful," because unbounded trust in God was the very essence of his piety. Comp. Rom 4:1. Paul derives the theme of his Epistle to the Romans from the passage of Habakkuk: "The just shall live by faith." Rom 1:17; comp. Hab 2:4. The Epistle to the Hebrews gives a bright catalogue of the heroes of faith under the old dispensation. Heb 11:1 ff. The nature of saving faith is threefold. It includes a conviction of the understanding, assent of the will, and trust of the heart. The principal element of faith is trust when its object is Christ. But it is impossible for us to trust in him without first being convinced

of the genuineness of his claims. We believe a thing when we are assured of its reality; in a person when we add to this assurance trust. Faith apprehends Christ, and takes actual hold of him and all his benefits. Hence he who believes in Christ has already eternal life. John 3:36. Faith is opposed to doubt, Matt 21:21, and to sight, 2 Cor 5:7. Things which are the objects of faith we do not see. Heb 11:1. The importance of faith consists in this-that without faith we cannot become partakers of the merits and righteousness of Christ. As by the hand we lay hold of a treasure, and as by the eye we perceive the beauties of scenery, so by faith we lay hold of Christ. We who come within hearing of the gospel must exercise faith in order to become heirs of salvation. By faith we "put on" Christ. It is by faith that we are justified, and not by works. The work of salvation was all accomplished when the Saviour uttered the words, "It is finished." But a living faith will be accompanied by works, as much as a rose must diffuse perfume, and a good tree bring forth good fruit. As our Lord said, "Thy faith hath made thee whole," so Paul says, "By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God," Eph 2:8. But "faith without works is dead." Jas 2:26. Faith is operative in love. Gal 5:6. The "faith of God," Rom 3:3, means his faithfulness. FAITH'FULNESS is a divine attribute, and denotes the certainty of the accomplishment of all that the divine Being has declared. Num 23:19; Ps 89:1, Ps 89:33-34; Heb 10:23.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.

2. The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth. Faith, that is, fidelity, -- the fealty of the finite will and understanding to the reason. Coleridge.

3. The belief in the historic truthfulness of the Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of its teachings, sometimes called historical and speculative faith.

4. The belief in the facts and truth of the Scriptures, with a practical love of them; especially, that confiding and affectionate belief in the person and work of Christ, which affects the character and life, and makes a man a true Christian, -- called a practical, evangelical, or saving faith. Without faith it is impossible to please him [God]. Heb. xi. 6. The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the mind which is called "trust" or "confidence" exercised toward the moral character of God, and particularly of the Savior. Dr. T. Dwight. Faith is an affectionate, practical confidence in the testimony of God. J. Hawes.

5. That which is believed on any subject, whether in science, politics, or religion; especially (Theol.), a system of religious belief of any kind; as, the Jewish or Mohammedan faith; and especially, the system of truth taught by Christ; as, the Christian faith; also, the creed or belief of a Christian society or church. Which to believe of her, Must be a faith that reason without miracle Could never plant in me. Shak. Now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. Gal. i. 23.

6. Fidelity to one's promises, or allegiance to duty, or to a person honored and beloved; loyalty. Children in whom is no faith. Deut. xxvii. 20. Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, I should conceal. Milton.

7. Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity; as, he violated his faith. For you alone I broke me faith with injured Palamon. Dryden.

8. Credibility or truth. [R.] The faith of the foregoing narrative. Mitford. Act of faith. See Auto-da-fé. -- Breach of faith, Confession of faith, etc. See under Breach, Confession, etc. -- Faith cure, a method or practice of treating diseases by prayer and the exercise of faith in God. -- In good faith, with perfect sincerity.

Part of speech: interjection (interj.)

By my faith; in truth; verily.