WHAT IS FAITH?

by esther phinias | 26 December 2019 08:46 pm12

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Faith is one of the central pillars of the Christian life. But what is faith? Can we truly have faith that moves mountains? How is it developed, and what is its source? Romans 10:17 gives us a profound insight:

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ

(Romans 10:17, ESV).

Faith is not a vague hope or mere courage—it is certainty and confidence in God’s promises. Hebrews 11:1 explains this clearly:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen

(Hebrews 11:1, ESV).

Faith is the inner certainty that something God has promised will come to pass, even if it is not yet visible. While hope is a desire for something to happen, faith is knowing that it will happen because it is guaranteed by God’s Word and character.

Faith Requires a Foundation

Faith is never arbitrary. It cannot exist in a vacuum; it requires a foundation. Just as a student who has studied diligently and practiced will expect to pass an exam with confidence, so faith in God requires preparation.

In the Christian context, faith is grounded in knowing God’s Word and His past works. For example, to have faith for healing, one must understand that Jesus heals (Mark 5:34), and ideally, one has seen or heard testimonies of His healing power. Faith grows through hearing, understanding, and internalizing God’s Word, as Romans 10:17 explains.

“Faith comes from hearing…”—hearing what? Hearing the Word of Christ. And what is the Word of Christ? It is Jesus Himself (John 1:1, 14). Faith begins with a personal encounter with Christ through His Word.

Biblical Example: Bartimaeus

Consider Bartimaeus, the blind man healed by Jesus:

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many rebuked him, but he shouted all the more. Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called the blind man. ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you,’ they said. Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him. ‘Rabbi, I want to see,’ he replied. ‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road

(Mark 10:46–52, NIV).

Notice that Bartimaeus’ faith was rooted in knowledge of who Jesus is—the Son of David, the Messiah, and the promised healer. His faith was active: he called out, refused to be silenced, and approached Jesus. Faith requires both understanding and action (James 2:17: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”).

Faith Grows Through Testimonies

Faith is strengthened by witnessing God’s past works. David’s faith in facing Goliath did not appear suddenly. His experiences of God’s protection from lions and bears gave him confidence:

Your servant has killed both lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine

(1 Samuel 17:36–37, NIV).

Faith is cumulative: past experiences of God’s faithfulness, combined with Scripture and testimonies, build certainty. This principle is consistent with Hebrews 11, where the faith of Old Testament saints is described as confidence in God’s promises, even before their fulfillment.

Faith and Salvation

Before we can have true faith for anything else, we must first place our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith begins with believing in Him, His death and resurrection, and His promise of eternal life:

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast

(Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV).

Without faith in Jesus, there is no foundation for any other faith. Faith in God’s Word, faith for healing, provision, or miracles all flows from our first faith in Christ.

Practical Steps to Build Faith

1. Know the Word of God deeply – Not just memorization, but internalization of Jesus’ words and works.

2. Study testimonies of God’s power – Both biblical and contemporary accounts.

3. Act on your faith – Pray, step out in obedience, and trust God’s timing.

4. Be baptized – In water and in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38), signifying new life in Him.

5. Rely on the Holy Spirit – He strengthens faith and leads into all truth (John 16:13).

In Summary

Faith is being certain of what we hope for and convinced of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Its source is trust in the words of Jesus Christ, and Jesus Himself is the living Word (John 1:1). When we receive Christ and His promises, faith naturally grows. It leads to action, breakthrough, and the supernatural in our lives.

Faith is not wishful thinking. It is certainty in God, rooted in His Word, confirmed by His works, and strengthened by personal experience. Through this faith, the impossible becomes possible.

May the Lord richly bless you as you grow in faith.

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Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2019/12/26/54657/