Now comes the moment when faith steps in, as they proclaim that even if God does not deliver them, they still would not worship or serve the King’s god. Their faith said that even if they were to perish, it still did not change that God is good. Biblical faith is not placed in the outcome of a situation but instead in God. This was so profound for me. It was a moment of realizing that every battle belongs to the Lord and He controls the outcome. My faith says that God is good no matter the outcome of my situation. I believe that God can save the day. I believe that He can work miracles. My faith says that whether or not I follow Him will not be dependent on things working out to my benefit. It says that I will follow Him no matter what.
Then came those great passages in Hebrews 11. (33-39)
“who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[a] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promise.”
As he read that passage, I heard things that I had never paid attention to in the past. Through faith there were those who conquered kingdoms, shut the mouths of lions, escaped the sword, and much more, but then there were those who were put into prison, stoned to death, tortured, sawed in two, killed by the sword. What a mix. No matter how good or how bad, whether or not they received what had been promised to them, their faith was not shaken. They chose to follow and obey God even when they could not see the outcome, choosing to follow even when the outcome may not have been one that they would have chosen. They each had a faith in the character and nature of God.
Article comments
1 - Wendell
Im really moved by your articel, thank you very much and God bless. Now i know what really a faith is. Again thank your very much
2 - Manix73
Excellent! Very clear explanation of belief vs. faith...the LORD bless you all the more...
3 - Segun
This is quite interesting and revealing! It adds another dimension to my spiritual thinking. Thank you for this piece.
4 - Rick
I believe the missing component to account for the difference between faith and belief is experience. The experience may not serve as proof to anyone else, but it would account for ones ability to take a given action in support of ones belief. My life is a pursuit of a spiritual experience or awakening that enables me to take actions that will close the gap between my belief and the reality of what faith can produce in my life.
5 - william reinholt
In the Christian world there are those whose faith hinges on their obedience and then there are those who know they are lost sinners; who know they would be hell bound if had not been for what God did for them in the gift of His ONLY begotten Son Jesus Christ...in short one of the above relies on their present obedience while the other relies on what God has done for them and from that basis look to His Word to direct their lives.
Here is where faith and doctrine are both used and is the rub that so many oppose.
What is not evident in your wonderful explanation of a faith centered in God and His unfailing promises is the importance of repentance as well as God's will as He is the one who chooses; who are thecalled;the elect...and I would have to say that those who are the called; the chosen; the elect would have such a faith as you have presented; a faith that no matter what happens to them in this life be it good or bad; again as you have so clearly described in human language what saving faith is like...all that they do to please God; all the faults they see in their lives; all the successes they have in overcoming where they onve were to where they are now; all of this they will never low to discourage them or be the reason for their hope. It all centered in God and His goodness.
Thank You
6 - Gerald Collins
The word to believe is a state of mind in which it takes a set of facts whether they are true or false makes no different to the mind, and sets them up for a standard to be compared with. Believing never can change one thing from one state to another for there is no action required to believe in something or about something.
7 - KIDIST ABRAHAM
God bless you and your ministry.
8 - pingpong
I'm Thai sorry for my naive catholic and english flaw. Faith is like gambling and believe is and educated guess.