The word “faith” means to receive the testimony of another as true. John 3:33 gives the scriptural definition: “He that hath received His testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.” Faith is not only receiving the testimony (what is said) as true, but, importantly, it involves receiving the one who gives the testimony. In other words, our faith in what a person says depends upon our faith in the person. We need not only to have confidence in what God says, but confidence in God himself — “God is true.”
As one would expect, this issue has much to do with Abraham’s faith, for “he believed ... God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be” (Rom. 4:16-18).
When man first gave up his unquestioning trust in God Himself, he gave up his confidence in what God said. Soon he disobeyed God; he was “lost” and in need of salvation. God in grace did all that was needed to restore man’s faith in Himself, for if a man dies in unbelief, he is lost forever.
May we who have been saved by faith continue to learn to “live by faith.” May we live by the simple motto: “I believe God.”