What does the Bible say about faith in Jesus Christ?

Faith in Jesus Christ is at the core of Christianity, and it is what the Bible talks extensively about. The Apostle Paul stressed faith when he wrote in Romans 3:27-28, “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.” he goes on to explain that it is faith, not works, that makes us right with God. Here in Romans 10:17 we are further informed, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Christ is very clear on his teachings about faith. He says in Matthew 21:22: “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Jesus even taught that by just having a little faith, you can do great things, like move mountains in Matthew 17:20.

We find further affirmations of faith in other passages. In Hebrews 11:1 we learn “now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” which point to our assurance in the good news that Christ has performed for us. Then in Mark 9:23 Jesus sets forth the necessity of faith when he says “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” For a Christian, having faith should be a natural part of their life.

Jesus not only encourages faith in himself, but also by extension in the Father. In John 20:29 Jesus tells Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”. Through these words Jesus promises us a special blessing because of our trust in the Father. This is also expressed in Psalm 118:15 where it declares “Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous.”

Believing in Jesus is the only way to truly be saved and not continue to live in sin. We are told by Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” It is through our faith in Jesus that we enter into the grace God has promised us.

With all this in mind, it is clear that having faith in Jesus Christ is essential for having a close relationship with the Father. Closely connected to this theme is the idea of sanctification.

Sanctification

Sanctification is the process by which a Christian grows more like the Lord. The Bible has much to say about this topic. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3, the Apostle Paul commands us to “abstain from sexual immorality” so that we may “be holy”. This is because “all who rely on the works of the Law are under a curse” (Galatians 3:10). Therefore, we need to rely on faith.

Paul also insists that believers should “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” in Philippians 2:12. Or, as stated in Romans 12:1, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.” In other words, we are to dedicate ourselves fully to the Lord’s will and allow His Spirit to fill us. Romans 8:13 says, “for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

The Bible is full of examples of those who believed in God and followed Him with great faith. Abraham is a good example. Hebrews 11:8-9 says that “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.”

We also have the example of Moses, who in Numbers 12:1-3 “regarded the reproach of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt… He count it nothing to be equipped with fame (or faith) in comparison with seeing the glory of the Lord.” These two examples illustrate the faith it takes to follow God’s call.

The writer of the book of Hebrews also speaks to those who were struggling with a lack of faith. Hebrews 11:6 advises them to “not neglect so great a salvation, for he[God] is faithful who promised.” We must never lose sight of the promise that Christ made to us when we believed in Him.

God has also promised us that if we trust him, he will give us strength beyond our own. Isaiah 40:29-31 reads, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” This is an incredible promise to give us hope and strength.

Obedience

Faith in the Lord does not end with believing in Him. True faith leads to obedience. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” The prophet Samuel is referring to the fact that obedience to God’s commands is more important than making sacrifices. We often find ourselves struggling to obey his commands but He gives us strength to obey.

God often gives commands that we cannot understand completely. We may not understand why, but it’s still important to obey. In Exodus 14:14-16, He tells Moses “Tell the people to go forward” which seems like an odd thing to do when they’re being pursued by Pharaoh’s army. But Moses followed the instructions and God parted the water, allowing them to cross the Red Sea on dry ground.

Deuteronomy 28:1-2 explains the importance of following the Lord’s commands: “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands… all these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” We can be sure that if we obey the Lord he will reward us for our loyalty.

Obedience is not always easy, but it is necessary to demonstrate true faith in Jesus. In James 2:18-19, we read “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Faith and works go hand-in-hand because God requires us to show our faith through our actions.

We are also reminded of our faith through the words of Jesus himself. Philippians 2:5-8 says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus; who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!”

Witnessing

Witnessing is an extremely important part of spreading our faith. Our faith is not something to be kept to ourselves; rather, we should share our faith boldly with others so they too can benefit. Matthew 28:19-20 makes this very clear: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

We are also instructed to be prepared to make a defense in front of anyone who would ask us about our faith in 1 Peter 3:15: “Be ready to give your answer in defense of the hope that lies within you”. We should be prepared to explain our beliefs to those who may not understand.

We should also remember that our example speaks louder than words in any witnessing situation. In Colossians 4:6 we are told to “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Our words and actions should be a reflection of our faith, which others should be able to see.

Finally, our witnessing should never be done out of an arrogant attitude. Instead, we should always strive to show respect for the beliefs of others and lovingly share the truth of the gospel in an effort to reach more people for Christianity.

Perseverance

Perseverance is a key part of faith, as our faith will be tested from time to time. The Bible has a lot to say about this, starting with Romans 5:3-4, which states: “Not only that, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.” We should not be discouraged by hardship, instead we should use it as an opportunity to grow in our faith.

The book of Job is another great example when it comes to persevering in faith. In Job 1:21-22, Job says “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrong doing.” Despite all that he had lost, Job chose to trust God and remain faithful.

Perseverance is also illustrated in the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8. Jesus tells a story about a widow who comes to an unjust judge asking for justice. The judge has no fear of God and shows no respect for the widow, yet she continues to ask for justice and eventually the judge gives in. Jesus explains that “Our Father in heaven does not always grant what we ask immediately, but he always brings justice to those who persevere.”

Jesus knew how important it would be for the early Christians to stand firm in their faith, which is why he gave us the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27. The wise builder built his house on a rock foundation, and the foolish builder built his house on sand. The rain and floods destroyed the foolish builder’s house because it did not have a strong foundation. Only those with strong faith can persevere in the face of hardship, just like the wise builder.

The Bible also tells us that God will help us in our time of need. In Hebrews 13:5-6, we read that “He will never leave us or forsake us. So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” God has given us his word and he will remain faithful to us, no matter what.

Conclusion

Faith in Jesus Christ is essential for having a close relationship with the Father. We learn from many scriptures that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Having faith is not just about believing in Jesus, but also obeying his commands, perseverenting in the midst of hardship and sharing our faith boldly with others. Our faith should be a strong foundation that keeps us focused on the promises made by God.