Faith and Belief - Two Completely Different Things
Faith and Belief - Two Completely Different Things
Monday Meditation – Episode 2
Originally written August 15 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/15/monday-meditations-hebrews-111/
Today's Meditation Verse:
Hebrews 11:1 KJ
I Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
This verse is the definition of faith! What is faith? Well if you will picture this with me…
You want to build a patio so you get some boards and you begin to build a form with those boards the size of the patio you want to build. You could say that the form is the hope of a patio.
Then you get your concrete and it begins to pour into the form and takes the shape of the form. The concrete is the substance of the patio.
You could take that little analogy and read it into the verse this way:
Now concrete is the substance of the patio hoped for, and the evidence of the patio before it was seen.
What is it today that you hope for? Begin to see what it is and what it will be. That is hope. Then as you walk with God allow Him to 'fill-in' your form of hope until you have what you were seeing as you hoped!
Wednesday Word Study – Episode 2
Originally written August 17, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/17/wednesday-word-study-faith-2/
Hebrews 11:1 AMP
1NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
This is the Strong's Greek Concordance Number 4102 Transliteration: pistisPhonetic Spelling: (pis'-tis)Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.
I love the way this verse reads in the Amplified version. Faith is the assurance, the title deed of the things we hope for.
Once you hold the title deed to something, it is yours! No one can take it away unless you give it to them and sign it over to them.
So, if we hope for our children to come to the Lord, or if we hope for the finances to get out of debt, or if we hope for healing for our bodies, do we also have the faith to fill the hope? Do we have divine assurance that this will happen?
You cannot generate hope by yourself. It must come from God. It is a God given gift; a divine gift.
Romans 12:3 Amplified Bible
3) For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].
There is a difference between belief and faith. You may say you believe something, but the devil himself believes. Belief is something you choose on your own usually based on previous experience. Faith is a gift. Human belief is merely confidence. Faith is a God given assurance in something. Something that probably hasn't even happened yet. Belief is based in the past. Faith is based in the future.
Ephesians 2:8-9 Amplified Bible
8) For it is by grace [God's remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9) not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].
When the world says they have faith that their car won't break down, that is simply belief that their car won't break down. From repeated past experiences they believe it will function properly on that day too, and that it won't break down.
Faith is a gift of the Spirit and is divine assurance. So when a believer says they have faith that their car won't break down, it could very well be that they have divine assurance that their car will not break down. They believe because they have read about and know firsthand about God's divine care and protection over His children. They have received the faith for the promise ahead.
Evaluate your faith today. Do you use the word faith when you really mean you believe? Is your belief based on repeat experience and knowledge, or do you really have faith based on divine assurance?
Receive faith from the Holy Spirit today. The faith that can move mountains.
Friday Finale – Episode 2
Originally written August 19, 2011 posted here: https://forthesakeofthetruth.com/2011/08/19/are-confusing-faith-with-belief/
Are You Confusing Faith With Belief?
Have you ever encountered someone who made a comment similar to: "Their faith was shattered"? Or maybe they said it of themselves, "After that situation, my faith was just shattered".
The problem with these comments is that they are confusing Faith with Belief.
As we learned on Wednesday Word Study – Faith, there is a difference between the two.
Faith is a divine gift from God. It is a DIVINE certainty that something will or will not happen. It is a knowing that cannot be described or touched, but resides deep in our soul, our inner most being. A divine gift from God that cannot be shattered, damaged or destroyed.
Belief is a confidence that something is a certain way, will or will not happen. It resides in the mind of an individual. It is usually based on previous experiences or training.
I used to ponder this scripture a lot:
Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.
Having lived a life of faith and faith teaching for almost 40 years this used to stump me. How can hope be deferred if our hope is in Christ and our faith is in Him?
Well while studying faith this week I have come to realize something very important that I believe will help all of us, me included. There isn't a one of us out there who have hoped, prayed and believed for something that didn't happen.
I would say that most of the time we were quick to just say that it must not have been God's will for us. But we know even when we are saying it that it just doesn't ring true in our hearts. But it is the only explanation we have.
We many times are referring to this very scripture below when we come to that conclusion.
1 John 5:14-15 AMP14And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.
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