WHAT IS "THE FAITH?"

PART ONE

     This is a question that has come to mind many times since I’ve been a Christian. I’ve encountered many differences of opinions in our churches. As a young novice and immature church member who knows more about what their church believes than what the Bible teaches, it can be quite confusing in knowing exactly what "the faith" is in the context in which it presents itself in the Bible alone for yourself and is a journey worth taking in order to strengthen our faith and make proper applications to our lives and weather out the storms of confusion in Christendom which in so many ways tosses us to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:11-16) There’s so many different side roads in Bible-rejecting Christendom that ultimately leads to hell. We must avoid and expose them at all costs. Too much is at stake to be playing around with labels, religion and politics. The statistics show that only 9% of all professing born-again evangelical Christians in the USA have a Biblical world-view. Many have the right questions and right theology according to their church group, etc. but fail to give proper answers from the Bible alone. We live in a computer-literate society that is Biblically-illiterate. The Word of God is very seldom read and obeyed anymore. Dear reader, I encourage to read all the Scriptures mentioned in this article plus read more and more in the Bible every day. So we will take a brief trip through the Bible in order to hopefully help clear up most of the confusion that may exists in our minds and help us better understand in contexts of the Bible what "THE FAITH" is. If you have any questions, answers, and comments, etc. please feel free to write me and share what God has laid on your heart. May God richly bless you in this study.

     The first common error concerning "the faith" is making it mean only the sum total of Christian doctrine. In a Bible study course, I recently read, "The term "the faith" means the sum total of Christian doctrine as contained in the Scripture- Read Acts 6:7; I Timothy 4:1; 6:10; Jude 3." (Foundations Bible Study: Lesson 8, Emmaus Bible Study International, p.22) At first thought this may sound Scriptural but when we go back to the Bible, we find that God’s definition of "the faith" is quite different. Before we enter into the proper divine order of this teaching, don’t jump the gun and think that I am belittling the importance of Christian doctrine. Christian doctrine is very important, but when it becomes more important than Christ in the sense that it becomes a religious substitute for a simple, growing, prayerful and childlike relationship with the Father, it is in danger of being idolized and worshiped like the religious leaders did during Jesus’ time. A proper spiritual balance is greatly needed in how we handle the Word. Our spiritual maturity is dependent on growing in this area to the point to where we come "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4:13)

     The first time the term "the faith" is mentioned in the Bible is in Acts 3:16. Listen very carefully to this verse: "And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all." Notice the words ". . . . .the faith which is by him. . . ." Now let’s search to see whether this thing is so and let me reason with you out of the Scriptures as Brother Paul did and ask questions as our Lord Jesus Christ did in order to challenge our minds and help us separate our opinions from God’s full truth in the Bible.(Read Luke 2:46; Acts 17:2, 11, Jude 1:3)

Question: How can "the faith" only mean the sum total of Christian doctrine when according to Acts 3:16 "the faith which is by Christ " alone results in perfect soundness?

Answer: To believe both (that the faith is the sum total of Christian doctrine and the faith is the sum total of Christ alone: disorder) would be a contradiction inferred by man. Theologically and traditionally speaking, "the faith" may be the sum total of Christian doctrine. But alas, to put it as the first and only primary meaning can be very misleading to the intellect and spirit in the wrong sense because it is not harmoniously connected to the will and emotions. But to make "the faith" a doctrinal system is contrary to Col. 1:18 and I Cor. 2:4-16. It subtly weaves the thinking of man into its Final Authority. It is also contrary to what Christ said to the religious leaders concerning the Scriptures and Himself. (John 5:39-40) Mr. Ian Pitt-Watson says in his book, A Primer for Preachers, p. 99: "The special kind of truth of which the Bible speaks is a holistic truth in which intellectual assent, emotional involvement, and volitional commitment are fused together when we wholeheartedly embrace the Christian faith." This is a very well-rounded statement that humbly expresses what the faith is all about. The Christian faith must be embraced in Christ alone as a person to be related to, not a propositional truth of knowledge which disregards feeling and action. (Read James 2:14-26;I John 3:18) It is clear from the Bible that we are not saved by works. But if we have a true Bible salvation, it is a salvation that works. (Read Phil. 2:12-13)

     Not only did the once lame man have "perfect soundness" physically but also spiritually. (Read Acts 3:7-9) This man might have already been saved before he was healed physically. But the principle of faith remains the same interchangeably. The point is that it takes "the faith which is by Christ alone" is heal both physically and/or spiritually.

     It would not make practical sense to believe "the faith" is only the sum total of Christian doctrine when it is evident that this man, possibly a new-born Christian, could have in no way contained the sum total of Christian doctrine all at once. Even if he was an aged believer, he could never attain sinless perfection, unhindered growing knowledge, and absolute understanding in sound doctrine until he was probably completely glorified (spirit, soul and body). He had to grow in grace. (Read I Peter 2:1-3) The faith which is by Christ alone is not the sum total of Christian doctrine. It is a personal relationship produced by a regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the sinner. (Read Titus 3:5; John 3:3, 7; 14-16; I Pet. 1:23) Christ is the foundation of "the faith" which becomes our faith when we are saved in the sense of being connected to Christ alone, not the sum total of Christian doctrine (the Scripture) which the religious pharisees stumbled over believing that eternal life was in them alone when in reality eternal life (Christ: Read John 6:53-58; 14:6; Rom. 6:23; I John 1:1-4; 5:11-13; 5:20) was staring them in the face! (Read John 5:39-40)

Acts 6:7: "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."

Question: What does it mean to be obedient to the faith?

Answer: Since this is also an open-ended question, one that cannot be answered with a yes or a no, we must think this thing through and probably reread all the Scriptures in this article including more in the Bible to really get a firm hold of what God is saying. I perceive that it means to listen attentively and respond by an act of the mind, will and emotions in a continual progressive manner. Lydia is a great example in this case. After she was saved, she was obedient to the faith in the sense that she attended "unto the things which were spoken of Paul." (Read Acts 16:14-15)

     If being obedient to the faith meant being obedient to the sum total of Christian doctrine as contained in the Scriptures, it would be impossible for a Christian to grow in sanctification or even for a person to ever be saved. Christianity has evolved into such a theological wild-haired system that Christian doctrine has been compartmentalized into different church groups who claim to be 100% sound and right Scripturally when in reality the Bible is subtly laid aside. Absolute truth comes from the Bible alone. None of us can claim absolute Scriptural perfection no matter how much we know. We can be certain about absolute basic truth from the Bible. True Christian doctrine is not church doctrine that Christians learn from other men but Bible doctrine which is learned by the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Read I John 2:26-28; John 16:13; I Cor. 2:9-16)

     Now if it was possible for a Christian to once and for all time to be obedient to the sum total of Christian doctrine, he would be sinless like God, never having to confess their sins and never having potential to sin again (Read I John 1:5-10) Such a one could assent to such foolishness if the sinful condition of his heart wasn’t revealed to him by God. If a person tried to assent to do such a thing, it would be mere pride and arrogance in the face of the Holy God, excluding God altogether and making oneself the master or god! So many scholars, theologians, and religious church leaders, etc. are running sincerely but fruitlessly after these things like a lost man in the wilderness playing with many exciting toys to the extreme and wasting time.

     To be obedient to "the faith in Christ" is another good example of God’s definition in the Bible. Acts 24:24: "And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ." Notice that the faith is not something you learn about but someone special you hear in your heart. (Read Rom. 10:14-15, 17) Professing Christians are ever learning today but are never coming to the knowledge of the truth which is in Christ Jesus our Lord alone because they are dead spiritually and do not have ears to hear what the Spirit says. (Read I Tim. 2:3-6; II Tim. 3:6-8; Matt. 11:15; 13:9, 15; Acts 28:25-29) When they resist the truth, they become reprobate concerning the faith because (1) Christ is the Truth (John 14:6) and (2) Christ who is the truth is the very person and essence of the faith who is rejected. (Read II Tim. 3:7-8)

Acts 6:7 which was the first verse in the quote from Emmaus Bible International can be used as a common argument as well as other Scriptures to obscure the true Biblical nature of "the faith." William Wilberforce wrote in his original introduction on pg. 17 of Real Christianity (revised and updated by Dr. Bob Beltz): "I am disturbed when I see the majority of so-called Christians having such little understanding of the real nature of the faith they profess. Faith is a subject of such importance that we should not ignore it because of the distractions or the hectic pace of our lives. Life as we know it, with all its ups and downs, will soon be over. We all will give an accounting to God of how we have lived." We must yield to the Holy Spirit’s authoritative teaching and illumination as we compare Scripture with Scripture in order to understand what God is saying. For instance, it wouldn’t make Scriptural sense to believe that the great company of the priests who were obedient to the faith were being obedient to the sum total of Christian doctrine when we now know from many other Scriptures compared and rightly divided by the guidance of the Holy Spirit that they were actually being obedient to the object of the faith which is Christ. We do see clearly that they were being obedient in practicing the Christian doctrine of the Great Commission but they were still growing one step at a time in other Christian doctrines.

     So what is "the faith"? Here’s my best thoughtful and most short, simple and fallible definition I developed myself: "The sum total of Christ alone revealed by the Scripture alone." Christ is inseparatable from His written Word. Those who look at the Scripture as a theological system of the faith (their traditional, church faith, etc.) are missing Christ altogether! Let’s listen to what Mr. Ian Pitt-Watson said in his book, A Primer for Preachers, p. 26: "The Bible offers no systematic theology. The task of systematizing is the responsibility of the reflective theologian. But the gospel itself comes to us in Scripture not as a system of ideas, but as a series of stories, separate episodes, yet all part of the same story-the continuing story of God’s purpose for his people." To look at the faith as the sum total of Christian doctrine or even a mere Scriptural system is to ignore, belittle and dishonour Christ. It is not giving Him His first, final and rightful place in the Scripture. If we look at the Scripture as a glass or mirror that reflects the perfect beauty of Christ, it will humbly lead us to His feet so that we can learn more of Christ His way.

     So we conclude from our study that a person can not be obedient to the faith unless the Lord first opens that person’s heart to receive Him and then and only then can that person be divinely enabled to be obedient to the faith progressively in a way that please the Lord. (Read again carefully Acts 16:14. Read Rom. 1:16-17; Heb. 11:6) Sad to say, many professing Christians still have the "vail" upon their hearts when reading the Bible. They are part of the professing church which they cling to in appearance as a Christian but like Israel who are not all Israel or like Abraham who are not all children of the same faith, (Read Rom. 9:6-8), their minds are blinded with the covering of the literal letter of the law that killeth. (Read II Cor. 3:14-16) They can not see beyond the letter. Since Christ is not in them, they can not see Him, even darkly in His Word which testifies of Him.

     The Spirit who gives life to the heart by breathing and writing the Word in it and illuminating the believer is a stranger to them. Now the priests who were not at all true Christian priest were obedient to the faith in the sense that after they were saved, they listened attentively to the things of God in a continual progressive manner becoming disciples of Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission as God’s will for their appointed time. (Read Matt. 28:18-20) Being obedient to the faith is two-fold: (1) salvation and (2) sanctification. Sanctification begins at salvation and becomes progressive for the remainder of a true Christian’s life. These priests could not have been obedient to the faith in the sense of growing in sanctification which resulted in Great Commission kingdom growth had they not been saved to serve. Neither could have Lydia attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul, had not the Lord opened her heart to receive Him. We, the redeemed, can be thankful that God is completely sovereign in our salvation who makes us partakers of His divine nature in order to be glorified in us, enjoyed by us, and manifest His Son through us by His Spirit and Word to lost and needy souls who respond by choice to His drawing, taking Him at His Word and trusting in Him alone.

     In part two, we will deal with the second common error that exists in our churches among all true Christians and in the process hopefully grow a stronger spiritual conviction of the "one faith" of the Bible alone.