The Faith Factor

What is faith?  I realize that most Christians know what faith is according to what Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”  But what is faith or how do you demonstrate it?

Faith has a lot to do with obeying the Lord and keeping His commandments.  Hebrews is called the faith chapter and it gives us some insight into what faith is and how those who are mentioned in it were blessed because of their faith accompanied with their actions.  Many times we may be tested to see what kind of faith we really have.  It seems like the Christian walk consists of either mountaintops or valleys, going from one to the other.  In the valley is where we will grow the most and on the mountaintop we seem to rejoice the most.  I always thought if we could learn to rejoice as much in the valleys as we do on the mountaintops we would have a breakthrough and the valleys wouldn’t seem so much like valleys.  The Word says in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.”  

Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and He is a rewarded of them who diligently seek Him.”  So if you are born-again you were given a measure of faith when you were drawn to Jesus by God, His Father.  Faith is an action word that we have to act on in order to keep it alive in us.  In James 2:18-26, “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’  You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.  But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?  You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,’ and he was called the friend of God.  You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?  For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”  

This is saying if you say you have faith and are doing nothing to further God’s kingdom then you are just fooling yourself and you have no faith at all.  I have heard it said that only ten percent of people do all the work in the church and from my experience over the years I believe it.  If you are reading this and you are one of the ten percent, praise the Lord.  If you are not, shame on you, you had better examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.  

I would suggest that you don’t take this tidbit lightly.  If you need to repent and confess, do it, then receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  You will never be the same again, then start furthering God’s kingdom whether it be in or out of church.  God bless and have a great day.