In my life, I have heard dozens of definitions of faith. I have heard it explained in many different ways using examples that range from simple to extreme. Still I don't find many who firmly grasp the concept of faith. Even in my own life, I find only fragments of what true Biblical faith is meant to be.
I think part of the challenge of defining faith in our lives is that we use the word faith to describe so many things. We use the word faith in reference to belief systems… Christian faith, muslim faith, etc.
We talk about defending our faith as if it is so easy to explain exactly what faith is. The time has come, at least for me, to figure out exactly what faith is and how I am going to live by faith.
This exploration begins with a familiar passage of scripture.
Hebrews 11:1-6 (NLT)
What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith. By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen. 4 It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. God accepted Abel's offering to show that he was a righteous man. And although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us because of his faith. It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying -- "suddenly he disappeared because God took him." But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God. So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
We begin this exploration with the Biblical definition of faith — confident assurance; evidence. I think we misunderstand what faith really is. We often define faith as simply “belief”. We tell ourselves that if we only “believe” then we have faith. But faith goes so beyond belief. It is more than just believing in God. James 2:19 says, “Do you still think it's enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!” Faith goes beyond just belief.
Belief is comfortable.
Faith is crazy.
Faith is beyond crazy. Faith is being so completely convinced of God's person, word, love, and omnipotence that no fact or question of science or philosophy will ever convince me otherwise. Yet we get so caught up in searching for scientific evidences to argue the truth of biblical stories, explain miracles, and even convince others of the existence of God. I'm not saying these things are wrong, but they are not faith. A compelling argument is evidence.
FAITH IS THE EVIDENCE!
My wife's grandfather would say it this way. "My mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts." Faith is illogical, misinformed, and crazy. Faith can look at a mountain of convincing arguments against it and soldier on, sure of the hope possess, looking forward to what it does not see, but already owns within its heart.
I fully believe that this kind of faith in God should transform how we live our lives. I believe the breadth of God's vision for each individual life has some crazy things, some impossible things for each one of us to accomplish. He has a vision in our lives that is meant to be so much bigger than anything we can understand. All he asks of us is faith. Unfortunately, we accept weak, watered down versions of what our lives could be. We make our plans based upon what the world tells us we need to be successful. We select classes, careers and activities based on what we like and what we want.
When was the last time we asked God to give us a vision for our lives that was impossible?
Have you ever craved for something more than an existance in which you go to work, to get the money, to buy the food that gives you the energy to go to work to get the money, to buy the food that gives you the energy to go to work...
Steve Furtick said it this way, “If the scope of your vision for your life does not intimidate you, there is a good chance that it is insulting to God.”
So as we walk into this new year, perhaps it is time to begin exploring our faith from a new angle. Let us pursue the impossible. Let us live with the conviction that Christ is who he says he is and that he can do what he says he can do both in and through us. Just as our faith is evidence and confident assurance to us, let our lives be evidence and confident assurance to those who desperately need a life changing relationship with Christ.
