If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
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Go to the source! Discover what the Bible says about …
These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
Introduction
Faith is trusting God that what He says is true. What He says comes through two key avenues. Firstly, what He has revealed of Himself and His purposes through the Bible. Secondly and more subjectively, what He has revealed for us personally. Often what He has said goes against what our senses or our culture assume to be the case. Faith is worked out as we make decisions based on our trust of Him and His revelation.
Bible Zone
Here are what some Bible verses say about faith -
- Faith defined - What is faith? Sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see..
- Example Faith - a man commended by Jesus for his faith.
- Greater than Gold - Link between faith and gold.
- Faith for Salvation - God saves us when we trust Him.
- Seeing faith, God acts - God acts for those who trust Him.
- Faith Valued - The Lord links faith with blessing.
This is how the Bible defines faith Hebrews 11:1 -
- How does the Bible define faith?
- Consider someone you trust. How can you be sure of what they say without it having happened, or without having seen what they speak of?
- How could this idea of faith be expressed in terms of trusting God?
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Here is an example of faith. It is one of the few places where Jesus is amazed. Matthew 8:5-13.
- How does the army officer express confidence in what is not seen?
- What is the basis of his confidence?
- How does Jesus commend this faith?
- What are the results of exercising faith?
Matthew 8:5-13 5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer* came and pleaded with him,6 "Lord, my young servant* lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain."
7 Jesus said, "I will come and heal him."
8 But the officer said, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed.9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, 'Go,' and they go, or 'Come,' and they come. And if I say to my slaves, 'Do this,' they do it."
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, "I tell you the truth, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven.12 But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, "Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened." And the young servant was healed that same hour.
In heaven there is a great reward for heaven. 1 Peter 1:3-9
- What reward and hope is set before God’s children? Now, and in heaven?
- How are both gold and faith refined?
- What is the value of trials?
- Peter talks both of God’s protection and the presence of trials. What does this combination tell us about the trials we endure?
- What value is God putting on our future blessing compared to current comfort?
1 Peter 1:3-9 Now we live with great expectation,4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
6 So be truly glad.* There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
The way to a relationship with God that saves us from the consequences of all the evil we have done is through our faith in God. He saves us because He loves us and we have taken the hand He extends. It is not some reward for being cleaver enough to pass a beliefs test. Paul explains this in Romans 3:21-26
- What way has God provided to make us right with Him?
- Why do you think it would be impossible to reach God’s standards by keeping His laws?
- What does it mean to put our faith in Jesus?
Romans 3:21 But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses* and the prophets long ago.22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
In Mark 11:22-26 Jesus made some bold statements about what God is ready to do through when we believe Him. It is helpful to hold these comments in the context of keys to answered prayer. The underlying question that this passage raises is not can we force ourselves to believe enough, but how close am I to Jesus, and do I trust Him?
- What does Jesus promise in this passage?
- What are the practical limits to this promise?
- What are the relational limits to this promise?
Mark 11:22-26 22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God.23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.*"
In this example we see some of the value Jesus holds for faith. John 20:24-29
- What did Thomas require in order to believe?
- How did Thomas respond when he saw Jesus?
- How does Jesus compare the blessing for those who have believed because they have seen, and those who have not seen?
- How has your faith been tested?
John 20:24-29 24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),* was not with the others when Jesus came.25 They told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side."
26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you," he said.27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!"
28 "My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."
FAITH - Trust
