Faith - a word used by everyone - understood by very few. This article will give a definition and explanation of what faith is and what purpose it serves.

By: Arnold Ahlstrom Posted on: 2008-09-07 Downloads: 51 ** Print Article ** ** Copy Article ** Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5  Not yet Rated

Article Summary: It really does make sense, faith has to be the first principle in true religion. As soon as truth is revealed and is preached, men have to have to make up their mind about it by attaining faith in this god-given truth. Without this faith righteousness is not attainable. Therefore, it is really the

It really does make sense, faith has to be the first principle in true religion. As soon as truth is revealed and is preached, men have to have to make up their mind about it by attaining faith in this god-given truth.

Without this faith righteousness is not attainable. Therefore, it is really the very base of righteousness. Acts that appear to be righteous acts will not blessed as righteous if reason behind them is anything but faith, exercised in free agency. Paul's explained;

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1).

From this we have learned that faith is the conviction which men may have of the veracity of things which which they cannot see with their mortal eyes. This conviction is bestowed by God to the individual through the Spirit of God, and it is the result that comes from asking God for a witness of the truth.

Faith is the principle of action in all intelligent beings. And as it is the very thing that causes any man to act in temporal concerns, so it is in spiritual things.

typical example of faith in temporal things is when the farmer prepares the soil for planting, and then puts seeds into the soil, whereafter he waters his crops and makes sure they have proper nourishment. All this hard work, filled with faith that comes fall, he will have a crop to bring to his barns.

Faith is also a principle of power. When Jesus created the the heaven and the earth he commanded the elements, filled with faith that they would obey him then, and forever. In that, and every other situation where the result of an action is critical, it is important to differentiate “faith” from “hope”. “Take up thy bed and walk into thine house” would have been something of a fiasco if Jesus would not have had the power of faith. The same would have been true with every act of power that have been performed by the apostles and prophets ever since.

Faith, then, is the first great ruling principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by faith they exist, by it they are upheld, by it they are changed, or by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be neither creation nor existence.

Faith is based on truth and is preceded by knowledge. Not until a person gains an understanding of the truth he can have faith.

Faith unto life and salvation has its foundation in Christ. There is no salvation in that general principle of faith alone, that moving cause of action, which causes the farmer to plant his seed with the unseen hope that it will bear grain. But there is faith unto salvation when Christ is the focal point in which the unseen hope centers.

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About the Author:
Arnold Ahlstrom
Arnold Ahlstrom is educated in Psychology at the University of Lund. No doubt, his passion lies in understanding and proclaiming the word of God. His main gate for doing so today is his website; http://www.jesus-explained.org. This website opens oportunities for him to travel the world to give lectures and to preach the Gospel.