Basics: An Overview

Basics: Faith

Faith is defined as a firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth. The word believe is defined as to
trust. Therefore, if you have faith you have a deep trust in God and in the truth He reveals to you.
This is a deep conviction that is persuaded by God, convinced that what He says is true. If you
choose to truly trust God, you can be saved.

But how do you get this faith, where does it come from? Romans 10:17 says,

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Your faith, which you need in order to be saved from sin, comes by hearing the word of God. Now,
many misled ministers would tell you that the “word of God” means the Bible. That is a sad deception
since the Greek defines “word” as – a word uttered by a living voice. And although God speaks
through the Bible, it is the voice of God we are to trust.

As valuable as the written word of God is, it can be no substitute for the voice of the Living God.
The reality is that God speaks and reveals His will to everyone willing to listen. The question is: When
God speaks, will you listen? Will you trust in faith what He tells you?

Will you trust Him when He points out your sin? Will you trust Him when He tells you to change? Will
you trust God when He tells you to repent because you’re offended, angry, or acting selfish? God
wants you to trust His voice when He speaks to you in a dream, a vision, or a still small voice – but
He will also let you brush Him off because deep down inside you want to go your own way.

You can only be delivered from the dominion of sin when you trust the grace-influence of His spoken
word. This is how you will be able die to yourself, be able to repent, and be able to have the cross of
Christ applied to your life. Of course, God will always allow you to trust what you tell yourself. But
salvation doesn’t come by trusting your own understanding – it comes when you trust the spoken
word of God.

1. Spiros Zodhiates, TH.D., The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, D/B/A AMG Publishers, copyright 1992
by Spiros Zodhiates and AMG International Inc., Strong’s #4102.
2. Ibid., Strong’s #4100.
3. Ibid., Strong’s #4487.