Faith is a principle of immense importance in the lives of men. Faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ transforms the lives of men, and determines their eternal destiny.
In Paul's Epistles, faith is the principle wrought of God in the soul. True faith involves both mind and heart. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness" (Rom. 10:10; quotations in this article are from JND’s translation). The mind must be convinced, and the heart must be exercised.
Scripture speaks of faith in the individual believer in four aspects or connections:
First:Faith, in salvation.
Second:Faith, as productive of good works.
Third:Faith, as making real the unseen.
Fourth:Faith, in prayer.
We will take these up in the order given.
Faith, in salvation.
Throughout the entire Scriptures faith is the vital requirement for salvation. In the Old Testament faith appears as a living fact in the lives of men. The comment on these men of faith is found in the 11th chapter of Hebrews.
In the New Testament the necessity of faith for salvation is stated as a doctrine. The great exposition of the doctrine of faith, as necessary for justification, is found in Romans. The doctrine set forth in this Epistle is briefly as follows:
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth (Rom. 1:16). Apart from faith in the gospel-faith in Christ our Saviour-man is hopelessly lost, as demonstrated in chapters 1,2, and 3; the conclusion being that, "ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Paul establishes the indisputable fact that all men are sinners, and also that none can be justified by their works in the sight of God. "By works of law no flesh shall be justified before God." This universal ruin of man is further emphasized in chapter 5 by the statements that man is without strength, is ungodly, and at enmity toward God. This condition of man would be hopeless, apart from the grace of God, who has provided a way of salvation open to all through faith in Jesus Christ. God's grace has operated in sending Jesus Christ to be a Saviour for the whole world. Christ has given His life, has shed His blood for sinners, thereby manifesting to all the world God's love for man, and God's holiness in judging sin. God now invites sinners to approach Him in faith through Jesus Christ, and He is righteous in so doing. For now, "apart from law, the righteousness of God is borne witness to by the law and the prophets- the righteousness of God, by faith of Jesus Christ, toward all, and upon all those who believe" (Rom. 3:21, 22).
In chapter 5:1, 2 we have set forth the immense results of justification by faith:"Therefore, having been justified on the principle of faith, we have peace toward God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have also access by faith into this favor in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God." Well may the Christian rejoice in a salvation based on the death of Christ and the righteousness of God, made good to him on the principle of faith. Every question of guilt and sin is settled, access into God's presence is given, and the future is made bright with the glory of God. This is the portion of everyone who has faith in Jesus.
Works of Faith.
The second great result of faith is the transformation of the life of the believer. God has not only done a perfect work for the sinner, but in everyone who believes He does a work in his soul. "For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has before prepared that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). A vast amount of doubt and distress has been caused by failure to see these two great truths, namely, that we are freely justified by God's grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, on the principle of faith, and that after having been thus justified by the work of Jesus, God works in the soul producing good works.
The apostle James distinguishes true faith from an empty profession by this statement:"Faith, if it has not works, is dead by itself" (Jas. 2:17). Professing Christians may well test themselves by this solemn statement, and we all do well to examine our manner of life, our works, as to how much they prove to be works of faith- works that accompany salvation. Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, said that in his prayers he remembered unceasingly their work of faith, and recalls how "they turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God." This is the proper characteristic of a Christian life.
Faith makes real the unseen.
A third effect of faith is that it enables us to apprehend the unseen and spiritual things of God, and makes them living realities to the soul. "Now faith is the substantiating of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen" (Heb. 11:1). Abraham was a pilgrim in Canaan, for "he looked for a city which has foundations whose builder and maker is God." He "desired a better country, that is, a heavenly one." Faith made the eternal and unseen things real to him. Faith does the same thing for us. Salvation is as real to the believer as any earthly possession, and more so, in that it abides forever. God's work in his soul is more real to him than any mental acquisition that he may obtain through education. Jesus Christ is as real to the believer as his nearest friend, and heaven is as definite a place as his own earthly dwelling, and far more to be desired.
Faith answers a thousand questions that we otherwise could not answer. Faith tells us where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. Faith tells us the origin of all material things. "By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear" (Heb. 11:3). How precious is this faith which opens heaven to us and makes us able to commune with God while still in a world at enmity with Him. Let us be jealous that no fleshly lusts or sin which so easily beset us spoil our appreciation of unseen things.
The prayer of faith.
The fourth great result of faith in God is to make it possible for us to approach Him in prayer with the assurance that He hears us. There is a great difference in this respect in individual believers. Some are known as men of great faith, others of little faith. Some have power with God, as did Jacob when he clung to the Angel-Jehovah for His blessing, and his name was changed to Israel. What a grand privilege vouchsafed to man to have power with the Almighty! What a noble figure was Moses pleading with God for the sinful people, when he succeeded in turning aside the judgment that was hanging over the guilty nation.
The prayer of faith is conditioned in Scripture on several things. James tells us, "The fervent supplication of the righteous man has much power. Elias was a man of like passions to us, and he prayed with prayer* that it should not rain, and it did not rain upon the earth for three years and six months. *He "prayed with prayer" is a Hebraism, to show the earnestness of the prayer-a supplication.* And again, he prayed, and heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to spring forth" (James 5:16-18). This principle runs throughout Scripture, that God will give more heed to a righteous man than to one who is not righteous. Another principle is that we should ask according to God's will. "If we ask anything according to His will He heareth us" (1 John 5:14). Importunity in prayer is a mark of faith, and we are urged to perseverance until we receive God's answer to our request. God's answer will be for our good; and if our requests are not for our good He will answer in another way, according to His perfect knowledge and His perfect love. We are encouraged to make the utmost use of the prayer of faith. "Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24). May we know more of the prayer of faith and the abundant answers that God give« to those who ask in faith, nothing doubting.
To summarize:Faith makes ours the mighty riches of God's salvation. Faith bears fruit in our daily life, producing good works, like riches laid up in heaven. Faith in connection with the unseen brings us into God's presence. Finally, faith enables us to lay hold of God for all our needs, and gives us power with God to intercede for others, claiming every good thing which is according to His will. May God grant us more richly the fulness of faith as set before us in His Word.