Conversation: What is Faith?
What is does a Christian mean by Faith?
It is the trust of things we’ve put our hope in.
Ok, what do you mean by hope?
This is something we are confident in and know to be coming. This isn’t the same as “I hope I don’t mess this up”. It is closer to “My trust is in the God who’s raised Jesus from the dead and will fulfill his promise to us of eternal life”. God doesn’t lie, make mistakes so the trust/hope is a certainty, not uncertainty
How is hope trust?
Jesus’ disciples were eyewitnesses to all Jesus did. He heard their claims, saw them and witnessed his resurrected body, the hope for their future also. 2 Peter 1:16 talks about how Christians do not follow cleverly devised schemes. It’s not blind faith, not a casual hope, but a reliable one that’s been attested for.
It is not believing in God, it’s believing God and what he’s done.
How does faith work itself out in everyday life?
Faith is also a means by which we live in response to God moving in our lives. We can end up in tricky situations, perhaps lead into scenarios you wouldn’t willingly go yourself. But sometimes you are exactly where you were meant to be for a particular purpose that you’ll only ever contemplate in hindsight. Yet, the Christian is to trust in spite of current knowledge.
Can we put our hope in other things?
Sure, you can hope your team wins, your mum is going to pick you up from school etc. But your ultimate hope cannot be displaced. The opinion of the world, the hope you put in people should always be second to God.
How does hope in the Old Testament contrast to the New?
People such as Abraham, Moses, Isaiah and Noah would have faith in the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem his people. Now we live in the age of having faith in the fulfillment of that promise.
