Faith

Trusting the one who is faithful

The Hebrew verb for believing comes from aman (אָמַן), to be firm or faithful: to believe is to lean one's whole weight on God's word. "Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6); he was "fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised" (Romans 4:21). The Greek pistis (πίστις) likewise means both faith and faithfulness. The strength of faith lies not in the size of the believer's feelings but in the faithfulness of the one it trusts.

Above all, faith receives Christ:

But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God

John 1:12

Faith is born of the word: "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). It is more than agreeing with facts; it gives the whole person to Christ. Augustine distinguished believing Christ from believing in him: "To believe in Him is believing to love, believing to honor Him, believing to go to Him, and be made members incorporate of His Body" Augustine. So what matters is "faith expressing itself through love" (Galatians 5:6). Yet faith is not always strong, and Jesus did not turn away the father who cried, "I do believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24).

How the church came to say it

The Reformers taught faith above all in connection with justification: it is not a payment to God but the empty hand that receives Christ and his righteousness. Protestant theology came to describe faith as knowledge of the gospel, assent to its truth, and trust in Christ. The Heidelberg Catechism puts it this way:

It is not only a certain knowledge whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed to us in his Word, but also a hearty trust which the Holy Ghost works in me by the Gospel

Heidelberg Catechism, Q. 21

The Westminster Shorter Catechism calls faith in Jesus Christ "a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel" Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q. 86.

Where the traditions differ

All the churches confess that faith is a gift of grace and that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). They differ on how faith is joined to justification. The Catholic Church teaches that faith is a supernatural virtue by which, moved and helped by God's grace, we believe that what he has revealed is true First Vatican Council, Dei Filius. The Council of Trent called faith the beginning, foundation and root of justification, but taught that unless hope and love are added, faith does not unite a person perfectly with Christ Council of Trent, Decree on Justification. The Orthodox speak of faith as the way into union with God, alive in love and in keeping the commandments. The Reformation churches confess that we are justified by faith alone, and add, as Calvin put it, that the faith which justifies is never alone but bears good works Calvin, Antidote to the Council of Trent.

Evangelicals differ on how faith arises. Reformed churches stress that faith is the Spirit's gift to those God has chosen (effectual calling); Wesleyans and Arminians teach that prevenient grace enables everyone to believe, and that those who believe do so by that grace. They have also asked whether assurance belongs to faith itself; the Westminster Confession holds that a true believer "may wait long, and conflict with many difficulties" before having it Westminster Confession 18.3. All agree that faith is nothing to boast of. See also What is faith? and the lesson Faith and justification.