Robust Faith

As you are well-aware, I enjoy a good cup of coffee. I particularly appreciate a fresh, bold, full-bodied coffee that is has a rich, yet balanced, flavor with a clean finish. I hold diluted, stale, and bitter coffee in contempt (yes, I am a coffee snob; although, since I am also a coffee addict, you might still catch me drinking the bad stuff). My impression is many American Evangelical Christians continue to drink a stale, weak brew of faith that leaves them with a bitter aftertaste. Genuine, saving faith is far richer and more robust. It empowers and energizes good works via a flavorful balance between legalism and license. I think the following definition of faith offers a recipe for a more satisfying brew:

Faith is a state of believing, which is justified according to the reliability of the object or the subject that is being trusted. A belief is the mental assent to the truthfulness of a conclusion, that is, the noetic acceptance of its congruence with reality (the real state of affairs, things as they actually are). As such, it is formed or developed in the human mind. In other words, a person’s knowledge, feelings, and will are all significant factors in the reasoning process that precedes assent; thus, they can either foster or hinder faith. However, the main point is this – the essence of faith requires an object or a subject. In short, I must have faith in something or someone (e.g., faith in God; see Mark 11:22; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; and 1 Peter 1:21).

In the New Testament the Greek term for faith (pistis ) is also used to refer to a collection of beliefs–that which is believed, a body of faith, or specific teachings (Philippians 1:27; Titus 2:2; and Jude 3). For Christians, this propositional content is summed up in the deliberate profession, “Jesus is Lord.” As a result, the term often denotes the acceptance of the gospel message of salvation based on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. However, given the nature of this conclusion, believing that the resurrection is true entails believing in the risen Jesus (John 3:16; Acts 3:12-16; Ephesians 1:15; and 1 Timothy 3:13). Indeed, true knowledge about Jesus is dynamically linked to an actual encounter with him.

Consequently, in addition to rational assent, the notion of faith also conveys the relational concepts of conviction, commitment, and consecration. God is a speaking God – the initiator or the antecedent of faith. Accordingly, faith is a repentant response to God’s voice. It is submitting to God’s leading and guiding in an act of total reliance upon his promises (Acts 13:3, 14:22, 16:6-10, 23:11). Undeniably, then, faith is an ongoing, interpersonal relationship in which we assume an orientation of humble discipleship, a receptive posture of listening and learning.

Given the above discussion, it is evident that the meaning of faith includes the idea of faithfulness or trustworthiness. It requires a position of confidence in which a person aligns his or her motives, considerations, choices, and aspirations according to the credibility and fidelity of the other. God’s faithfulness, then, logically and ontologically precipitates man’s faith. In other words, God has made himself known such that he has shown his reliability – God’s trustworthiness has been demonstrated in history and is known through revelation, tradition, reason, and experience. Hence, faith requires an initial mental assent to certain propositions about God as well as a continuing trust in a living, dynamic relationship with God.

Lastly, faith is a dynamic, future-oriented attitude of living-in-trust. It constitutes an interpersonal relationship with God that grows and develops in knowledge and understanding through shared experience. That is, there are degrees of faith (and doubt) as well as a maturing of faith (Ephesians 4:13). As has been noted, faith is a living act of trust for a future outcome based on past reliability. In sum, faith is a receptive, trusting orientation to the unlimited possibilities present in communion with God that finds its certainty in his trustworthy nature and consistent character as revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.