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“Faith (πίστις)” From
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
This is a kindred word to “believe,” and indeed the two cannot be separated. In the O. T.
the word
“faith” occurs but twice (
Deut. 32:20
20
And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. (Deuteronomy 32:20)
;
Hab. 2:4
4
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)
). The words are emun, emunah; but aman is often translated “to believe.” The first
time
this occurs in the O. T. is when it is said of
Abraham
that "he believed in the
Lord
, and he counted it to him for
righteousness
" (
Gen. 15:6
6
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6)
). This is referred to in Romans 4 where the faith of the
believer
is counted for righteousness, and the conclusion is drawn that if any believe on Him that raised up
Jesus
the Lord from the dead, righteousness will be reckoned to them.
This may be called saving faith. It is
confidence
in
God
founded of His word; it is believing in a person, as Abraham believed God. "He that believeth on
the
Son
hath
everlasting
life
" (
John 3:36
36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)
). There is no virtue or merit in the faith itself; but it links the
soul
with the
infinite
God. Faith is indeed the gift of God (
Eph. 2:8
8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)
).
Salvation
is on the principle of faith in contrast to
works
under the
law
(
Rom. 10:9
9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)
). But true faith is manifested by good works. If a
man
says he has faith, it is reasonable to say to him, "Show me thy faith" by thy works (
James 2:14-26
14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.
19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (James 2:14‑26)
). Otherwise, if the faith does not manifest itself, it is described as “dead,” and is altogether different from real, active belief. A mental assent to what is stated, as a mere matter of history, is not faith. A
natural
man can believe such things: "the devils also believe and tremble," but true faith gives
joy
and
peace
.
There is also the
power
and action of faith in the
Christian
's walk: "we walk by faith; not by sight" (
2 Cor. 5:7
7
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) (2 Corinthians 5:7)
). We see such faith exemplified in the lives of the
Old
Testament
saints; as given in Hebrews 11. The Lord had often to
rebuke
His disciples for their want of faith in their daily walk. The believer should have faith in the living God concerning all the details of his daily life.
THE FAITH is at
times
referred to in the sense of “the
truth
;” that which has been recorded, and which the Christian has believed, to the saving of his soul. For this the Christian should contend earnestly; for it is fundamental; and many
false prophets
are gone into
the world
, and have even crept into association with the saints unawares (
Jude 3
3
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3)
).
“Hope” From
Concise Bible Dictionary
:
This is described as waiting for something that is not seen but which has been promised. Rom (8:24-25). Blessed is the
man
whose hope the
Lord
is; though troubles arise he will not cease to
bear
fruit (
Jer. 17:7-8
7
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
8
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:7‑8)
). There is nothing vague in the
Christian
’s hope: it is an
anchor
of the
soul
, sure and steadfast, because the Lord Himself is his hope, and Christ in him is the hope of
glory
(
Col. 1:27
27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)
;
1 Tim. 1:1
1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; (1 Timothy 1:1)
;
Heb. 6:18-19
18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19
Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (Hebrews 6:18‑19)
). The coming of the Lord, and not
death
, is a blessed part of the Christian’s hope (
1 Thess. 4:13-18
13
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18
Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑18)
;
1 John 3:2-3
2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2‑3)
).
Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:
Number:
1680
(
find all occurrences in KJV Bible
)
Greek:
ἐλπίς
Transliteration:
elpis
Phonic:
el-pece’
Meaning:
from a primary ἔλπω (to anticipate, usually with pleasure); expectation (abstractly or concretely) or confidence
KJV Usage:
faith, hope
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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