STUFF ABOUT GOD AND CHRISTIANITY | Dr. Ron Braley
Jesus encouraged us by saying that faith can move mountains. Fine. But what is faith, and how do we get and keep it? You’ll find it is the outcome of experience turned into action.
Let’s explore this by first defining faith.
Faith defined
Faith, confidence, belief and assurance are synonymous and provide the foundation and motivation for all else in a Christian’s journey: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith’s sources
Faith in all things related to God is born and nurtured, never meant to be blind. Even Jesus fostered great confidence about God’s Kingdom and power through spirit-fueled miracles and fulfilling ancient promises. Our faith comes through learning about these things: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
A primary source is the Scriptures that “were inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Faith also develops by witnessing God’s work in people’s lives through testimonies and our own experiences as we activate what we’ve learned. Of course, the common experiential source is God’s spirit working through us on God’s behalf, illuminating his words and ways, and nudging us to stay on the Way of Life (e.g., John 16:13).
The vehicle for all of this is discipleship.
Discipleship
Creating a foundation through discipleship is of utmost importance in developing (and keeping) faith. Besides charity, it is supposed to be the church’s focus. Every function within it must support discipleship, or the church becomes just a collection of nickels and noses fueling religious business: a whitewashed tomb. Discipleship demands walking with people in their daily rhythms of life as Jesus did. And, as he also did, it involves training, observing, correcting and sending.
Discipleship is the soil that produces good spiritual fruit (Matthew 13:3-8 and 18-23). It’s the stuff of obedience, imitation and replication that ensures faith is, and faith does.
Faith is as faith does We love claiming we are “saved by faith alone” as if actionless belief in Jesus alone magically keeps us from God’s judgment. As Paul Harvey often quipped, “Now for the rest of the story.” Faith in God through Jesus must lead to charity (Godly love): “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. …” (James 1:22-25). “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. … But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?” (James 2:17-20)
Summary
Faith is confidence in what God has done and is doing. It is built through experiences born of discipleship and the spirit, and it must produce. Relationships are the backbone of discipleship, so let’s go there next time. Meanwhile, believe, grow spiritually and get to work.
God’s blessings and peace.
Braley, a Taylorbased minister, Air Force veteran, husband and father, earned a Master of Divinity degree from Regent University in 2018 and a Doctor of Ministry from the same school in 2021.
