The Nature of Faith: Believe in God's Promise

The nature of faith is believing in God's promise (Rom. 4:20-21). It is amazingly how that many Christians today misinterpret such biblical passage with such wrong application. Interpretation precedes with that of application; not application goes before interpretation (2 Tim. 2:15). Also many Christians today fail to give into the account the biblical, historical, and theological analysis of the biblical passage/s of scripture so as to give a clear meaning of what it says and mean. Even though there are some who will make such analysis, but the goal is to bend the text to fit within the cultural understanding of that culture instead of allowing scripture to speak for itself.  We do not speak by putting into the mouth of scripture, but scripture once again speak in behalf of its own witness. Also in order to understand the message of the Bible is to read the immediate context of the passage of scripture in light of its own context along with previous and preceding verses: that of it surrounding context.  

    The promise by faith come by the faith of Abraham (Rom. 4:18). In so many words salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ; not by the law or human works. Neither is the promise by faith through such Abrahamic covenant does not entail what it material blessings, but the blessing of promise of faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is Only in Jesus Christ by which a person must come to faith in Christ in order to receive the gift of salvation (Rom. 6:23).  Even though in verse 17 it says, "As it is written: I have made you a father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed---the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not (Heb. 11:3).  Though God made Abraham to be a father of many nations are those who come to faith in Jesus Christ regarding salvation; not what is material.  The Sovereign God gives life to the dead and calls into being things there were not: that of His divine decrees and commands as it relates to the creation of the universe (Ge. 1:1, 2, 3; Col. 1:15-17; Heb. 11:3).  Such divine decrees and commands are allocated to God; not Man.

    Against all hope Abraham believe in God's promise. In the OT believers were saved by faith or believing in the promise of God, but in the NT believers are saved through personal faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came through the lineage of Abraham whereby which believers are saved by the promise of faith in God's Only begotten Son Jesus Christ. We are children of Abraham through the promise of faith in Jesus Christ regarding salvation; not the promise of material blessings. There are many Faith peddlers who will have the Church to believe that not only does faith entails coming to know Jesus by being saved, but also comes along with it is material blessings (Gal. 3:13).  Interpretation with wrong application.  We have to take into account the historic-biblical narrative of Abraham in Genesis 12:1-2.

    Abraham was not weaken in his faith, but that he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead. He was old in age along with his wife Sarah whose womb was also dead. God promise Abraham that his wife Sarah even though was barren was going to bear a child. It seems quite improbable to Abraham's wife Sarah to bear a child in an old age, but God promise Abraham that she will be with child. But in verse 20 it says, "Yet (Abraham) did not waver through unbelief regarding the [promise] of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. The promise that God gave to Abraham was that his wife Sarah was going to have a child in their old age. The nature of faith is to believe in the promise of God by faith; not a "blind" faith that deny the reality of what reality is at the expense of staking one's claim based upon God's Word through such positive confession of faith. Neither did Abraham disregard the reality of the fact that he and his wife Sarah was old in age, but that he believe in God's promise as to his wife bearing a child. Thus he did stake his claim based upon God's promise by making such false confession based upon the Bible but that he had such "real" faith in promise of God by faith. Not of works (i.e. "work one's faith), but by faith in the promise of God. It is there grace that the believer is saved through faith in Jesus Christ; not by works or any human achievement (Eph. 2:8-9).  

    The system of Faith theology pride itself based upon a faith-works system that guarantees the outcome of its followers working their faith through such positive confession (1 Tim. 6:20; 2 Tim. 2:17, 18).  Many proponents of the Faith movement ostentatiously gives credit to the "faith" they possess through some "magical" faith of their own without giving glory to God. Faith is the object of the believer's faith; not faith in the God of the Bible.  Such "carcinogenic" is toxic whereby it destroys the Christian faith by which it ruins the moral lives of believers (2 Tim. 2:17, 18).

    In Romans 4:21 it says, [Abraham] being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Because of the promise by faith in God's promise that Abraham was fully convince that God was able to do what He says He will do. The problem with many Christians today who believe that God is obligated to do what He says without any reservation. Even though there are many promises in the Bible that God is not obligated to do what He says simply because He has a Sovereign will.  The sovereignty of God does not fit within the worldview of those who believe that God is obligated to do what He says without any reservation. Even though God's Word is the Church's source of authority and it has many promises in the Bible, but when it comes to God answering the believer's prayer as the believer make such divine petition is solely based upon God's Sovereign will in order to grant such a request. The nature of faith is trusting in God's divine promise, but the predominant theme: "Faith in Christ for Personal Salvation."  Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; not by works or any human merits (Eph. 2:8, 9).  

    Religion teaches works-righteousness; Christianity teach salvation through faith in Jesus Christ so as to have God's righteousness (Rom. 3:22-24).

Rev. Darryl L. Miller is founder & Lead pastor of Contending for the Faith Church of Atlanta, Georgia. He is also president and Chairman of Darryl Miller International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia and travels extensively throughout the United States and continents. Darryl is bestselling author, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From: Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation? As an apologist, senior researcher/editor, evangelist, and lecturer he is in great demand both in the United States and around the world. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."