Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Faith"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Faith
Faith is in general the persuasion of the mind that a certain
statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea
is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It
admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in
accordance with the evidence on which it rests.
Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is
an essential element in all faith, and is sometimes spoken of as
an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are
distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent,
which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the
understanding. Assent to the truth is of the essence of faith,
and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed
truth rests is the veracity of God.
Historical faith is the apprehension of and assent to certain
statements which are regarded as mere facts of history.
Temporary faith is that state of mind which is awakened in men
(e.g., Felix) by the exhibition of the truth and by the
influence of religious sympathy, or by what is sometimes styled
the common operation of the Holy Spirit.
Saving faith is so called because it has eternal life
inseparably connected with it. It cannot be better defined than
in the words of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism: "Faith in
Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon
him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel."
The object of saving faith is the whole revealed Word of God.
Faith accepts and believes it as the very truth most sure. But
the special act of faith which unites to Christ has as its
object the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John
7:38; Acts 16:31). This is the specific act of faith by which a
sinner is justified before God (Rom. 3:22, 25; Gal. 2:16; Phil.
3:9; John 3:16-36; Acts 10:43; 16:31). In this act of faith the
believer appropriates and rests on Christ alone as Mediator in
all his offices.
This assent to or belief in the truth received upon the divine
testimony has always associated with it a deep sense of sin, a
distinct view of Christ, a consenting will, and a loving heart,
together with a reliance on, a trusting in, or resting in
Christ. It is that state of mind in which a poor sinner,
conscious of his sin, flees from his guilty self to Christ his
Saviour, and rolls over the burden of all his sins on him. It
consists chiefly, not in the assent given to the testimony of
God in his Word, but in embracing with fiducial reliance and
trust the one and only Saviour whom God reveals. This trust and
reliance is of the essence of faith. By faith the believer
directly and immediately appropriates Christ as his own. Faith
in its direct act makes Christ ours. It is not a work which God
graciously accepts instead of perfect obedience, but is only the
hand by which we take hold of the person and work of our
Redeemer as the only ground of our salvation.
Saving faith is a moral act, as it proceeds from a renewed
will, and a renewed will is necessary to believing assent to the
truth of God (1 Cor. 2:14; 2 Cor. 4:4). Faith, therefore, has
its seat in the moral part of our nature fully as much as in the
intellectual. The mind must first be enlightened by divine
teaching (John 6:44; Acts 13:48; 2 Cor. 4:6; Eph. 1:17, 18)
before it can discern the things of the Spirit.
Faith is necessary to our salvation (Mark 16:16), not because
there is any merit in it, but simply because it is the sinner's
taking the place assigned him by God, his falling in with what
God is doing.
The warrant or ground of faith is the divine testimony, not
the reasonableness of what God says, but the simple fact that he
says it. Faith rests immediately on, "Thus saith the Lord." But
in order to this faith the veracity, sincerity, and truth of God
must be owned and appreciated, together with his
unchangeableness. God's word encourages and emboldens the sinner
personally to transact with Christ as God's gift, to close with
him, embrace him, give himself to Christ, and take Christ as
his. That word comes with power, for it is the word of God who
has revealed himself in his works, and especially in the cross.
God is to be believed for his word's sake, but also for his
name's sake.
Faith in Christ secures for the believer freedom from
condemnation, or justification before God; a participation in
the life that is in Christ, the divine life (John 14:19; Rom.
6:4-10; Eph. 4:15,16, etc.); "peace with God" (Rom. 5:1); and
sanctification (Acts 26:18; Gal. 5:6; Acts 15:9).
All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved (John
6:37, 40; 10:27, 28; Rom. 8:1).
The faith=the gospel (Acts 6:7; Rom. 1:5; Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim.
3:9; Jude 1:3).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Faith \Faith\, n. [OE. feith, fayth, fay, OF. feid, feit, fei,
F. foi, fr. L. fides; akin to fidere to trust, Gr. ??????? to
persuade. The ending th is perhaps due to the influence of
such words as truth, health, wealth. See {Bid}, {Bide}, and
cf. {Confide}, {Defy}, {Fealty}.]
1. Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is
declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his
authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.
2. The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of
another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he
utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of
any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth.
Faith, that is, fidelity, -- the fealty of the
finite will and understanding to the reason.
--Coleridge.
3. (Theol.)
(a) The belief in the historic truthfulness of the
Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of
its teachings, sometimes called historical and
speculative faith.
(b) The belief in the facts and truth of the Scriptures,
with a practical love of them; especially, that
confiding and affectionate belief in the person and
work of Christ, which affects the character and life,
and makes a man a true Christian, -- called a
practical, evangelical, or saving faith.
Without faith it is impossible to please him
[God]. --Heb. xi. 6.
The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the
mind which is called ``trust'' or ``confidence''
exercised toward the moral character of God, and
particularly of the Savior. --Dr. T.
Dwight.
Faith is an affectionate, practical confidence
in the testimony of God. --J. Hawes.
4. That which is believed on any subject, whether in science,
politics, or religion; especially (Theol.), a system of
religious belief of any kind; as, the Jewish or Mohammedan
faith; and especially, the system of truth taught by
Christ; as, the Christian faith; also, the creed or belief
of a Christian society or church.
Which to believe of her, Must be a faith that reason
without miracle Could never plant in me. --Shak.
Now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
--Gal. i. 23.
5. Fidelity to one's promises, or allegiance to duty, or to a
person honored and beloved; loyalty.
Children in whom is no faith. --Deut. xxvii.
20.
Whose failing, while her faith to me remains, I
should conceal. --Milton.
6. Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity; as, he
violated his faith.
For you alone I broke me faith with injured Palamon.
--Dryden.
7. Credibility or truth. [R.]
The faith of the foregoing narrative. --Mitford.
{Act of faith}. See {Auto-da-f['e]}.
{Breach of faith}, {Confession of faith}, etc. See under
{Breach}, {Confession}, etc.
{Faith cure}, a method or practice of treating diseases by
prayer and the exercise of faith in God.
{In good faith}, with perfect sincerity.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Faith \Faith\, interj.
By my faith; in truth; verily.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
faith
n 1: a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that
control human destiny; "he lost his faith but not his
morality" [syn: {religion}, {religious belief}]
2: complete confidence in a person or plan etc; "he cherished
the faith of a good woman"; "the doctor-patient
relationship is based on trust" [syn: {trust}]
3: institution to express belief in a divine power; "he was
raised in the Baptist religion"; "a member of his own
faith contradicted him" [syn: {religion}]
4: loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person; "keep the
faith"; "they broke faith with their investors"
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