Perspectives on faith
Biblically, faith is considered a belief and trust in God
Without God’s word, you can have a wish, a desire, and you can express that desire in prayer as a request; but you can have no faith—you have no grounds for expecting God to do what He hasn’t said He would do.
And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for the one coming to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those who seek Him (Heb 11:6).
This faith never took root – it never even reached the soil. It was trampled because it was weak and it was eaten because it had nothing to ground it.
This faith is apathetic. It is present because it exists, but it sits idly on the sidewalk.
This kind of faith, or lack thereof, permeates today’s society. It thrives in the ideology of: “If I live a good life and I do the best I can and I don’t hurt anyone, then I’m fine. I’m a good person after all.
Selfish Faith
This is selfish faith, thriving in the belief that: “If only I pray enough, if I serve enough, if I do enough good works – God will bless me and I will live a full and prosperous life.”
This faith misses the point – the foundation of this faith is wrong. This faith is me-centered, not Christ-centered. It looks hopeful in the beginning, manifesting itself in prayer and good works.
Material Faith
Those who subscribe to this faith may recognize God’s presence and his blessings in their life – and indeed there may be many to acknowledge– but soon their attention turns away from God.
Instead of worshiping the creator of all things one begins to worship his creations, deriving happiness and fulfillment not from the love of Christ but from the presence of material possessions.
The true identity of this faith is obsessed with adorning itself in worldly jewels, not building itself up in the armor of God.
Devoted Faith
The fourth – is a faith where the seed fell on good soil, to grow and be nourished and yield abundant crops.
This is dedicated faith. This faith is established to last and nourished to survive even the toughest trials.
This is faith with Christ at the center
Faith includes belief in God’s existence and especially in God’s trustworthiness to keep his promise to reward his followers.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of visible things.
By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commended him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
“Abraham believed in God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
The Qur'an states that faith can grow with the remembrance of God. The Qur'an also states that nothing in this world should be dearer to a true believer than faith.
Imân is one of the most common words in the Muslim vocabulary. It is often translated as faith, belief, or conviction. At its most basic meaning, imân is belief in God (Allah), His prophets, revealed books, angels, the Hereafter, and Allah's divine decree.
Koran- God's revelations to Muhammad, known as the Koran, from the Arabic word Qur'an, or "recitation";
Reports- the reports about Muhammad's life and deeds, which are known as the hadith, from the Arabic word for "report."
Modern Christianity- does not state that there is only one way to serve God and many who follow this movement do not consider repentance, confession and trust in Christ as the only ways to be saved.
Welcoming all to be involved regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, tradition, etc.;
Recognizing that others follow their own paths to God;
Striving to protect and restore the integrity of the Earth;
Aiming for peace and justice among all people;
Affirming that the teachings of Jesus offer one of many ways to experience the sacredness of life.
Traditional Islam- was a complete "way of life" in which social conventions and religious beliefs were closely integrated.
Modern Islam- is moving toward a position more like that of Western religion, with separation of church and state.
Faith serves as a guiding principle in human life. It offers comfort, direction, and a sense of community. While it can face challenges, such as doubt, the clash with science, and the diversity of beliefs, it continues to be a central aspect of personal and social life.
Biblically, faith is considered a belief and trust in God
Without God’s word, you can have a wish, a desire, and you can express that desire in prayer as a request; but you can have no faith—you have no grounds for expecting God to do what He hasn’t said He would do.
And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for the one coming to God must believe that he is and that he is the rewarder of those who seek Him (Heb 11:6).
This faith never took root – it never even reached the soil. It was trampled because it was weak and it was eaten because it had nothing to ground it.
This faith is apathetic. It is present because it exists, but it sits idly on the sidewalk.
This kind of faith, or lack thereof, permeates today’s society. It thrives in the ideology of: “If I live a good life and I do the best I can and I don’t hurt anyone, then I’m fine. I’m a good person after all.
Selfish Faith
This is selfish faith, thriving in the belief that: “If only I pray enough, if I serve enough, if I do enough good works – God will bless me and I will live a full and prosperous life.”
This faith misses the point – the foundation of this faith is wrong. This faith is me-centered, not Christ-centered. It looks hopeful in the beginning, manifesting itself in prayer and good works.
Material Faith
Those who subscribe to this faith may recognize God’s presence and his blessings in their life – and indeed there may be many to acknowledge– but soon their attention turns away from God.
Instead of worshiping the creator of all things one begins to worship his creations, deriving happiness and fulfillment not from the love of Christ but from the presence of material possessions.
The true identity of this faith is obsessed with adorning itself in worldly jewels, not building itself up in the armor of God.
Devoted Faith
The fourth – is a faith where the seed fell on good soil, to grow and be nourished and yield abundant crops.
This is dedicated faith. This faith is established to last and nourished to survive even the toughest trials.
This is faith with Christ at the center
Faith includes belief in God’s existence and especially in God’s trustworthiness to keep his promise to reward his followers.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of visible things.
By faith, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commended him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
“Abraham believed in God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
The Qur'an states that faith can grow with the remembrance of God. The Qur'an also states that nothing in this world should be dearer to a true believer than faith.
Imân is one of the most common words in the Muslim vocabulary. It is often translated as faith, belief, or conviction. At its most basic meaning, imân is belief in God (Allah), His prophets, revealed books, angels, the Hereafter, and Allah's divine decree.
Koran- God's revelations to Muhammad, known as the Koran, from the Arabic word Qur'an, or "recitation";
Reports- the reports about Muhammad's life and deeds, which are known as the hadith, from the Arabic word for "report."
Modern Christianity- does not state that there is only one way to serve God and many who follow this movement do not consider repentance, confession and trust in Christ as the only ways to be saved.
Welcoming all to be involved regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, tradition, etc.;
Recognizing that others follow their own paths to God;
Striving to protect and restore the integrity of the Earth;
Aiming for peace and justice among all people;
Affirming that the teachings of Jesus offer one of many ways to experience the sacredness of life.
Traditional Islam- was a complete "way of life" in which social conventions and religious beliefs were closely integrated.
Modern Islam- is moving toward a position more like that of Western religion, with separation of church and state.
Faith serves as a guiding principle in human life. It offers comfort, direction, and a sense of community. While it can face challenges, such as doubt, the clash with science, and the diversity of beliefs, it continues to be a central aspect of personal and social life.
