“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
The chapter in Hebrews 11 testifies how biblical figures in the Bible walked in faith. It also emphasized that without faith, no one would be pleasing before the Lord. That’s how important faith is.
Faith is fully believing and relying on the Lord, and it is marked by obedience to His Word. The Christian life does not depend on one’s logic or strength, but it is about depending fully on the Lord’s command, will and power (Acts 16:31). Faith does not come from us, but it is a gift from the Lord that we must respond to, Ephesians 2:8-9.
There are a few examples written in the Bible of believers who had faith with their own understanding, not the Lord’s:
- Although they did not deny the Lord, they did not live in His Word because they committed adultery, Revelation 2:14. This is known as the teaching of Bileam. The Israelites who committed adultery with the women of Moab felt that they were not committing sins because they believed they were the “chosen nation.” They were freed from slavery so they did everything carelessly. They broke the Lord’s commandment on adultery. They were mistaken in understanding the Lord who wants us to live holy, Exodus 20:14. The Word of God clearly says: “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” Galatians 5:13.
- Although they did not deny the Lord, they worshipped idols, Revelation 2:6-14. This is known as the teaching of Nicholas, also stated in 1 Corinthians 8. In short, this teaching reveals that Christians may worship idols or perform idolatrous rituals as long as they still worship Christ. This is clearly against the Lord’s will, 1 Corinthians 10:21-22.
True faith does not consist of believing in Christ the Lord, but it based on the belief of understanding who He is: His character, power and ability. Our faith is not blind faith, but it is based on the truth of His Word. True faith is not based on what we think of the Lord, but it is based on the truth the Lord reveals about Himself. True faith means believing in the Lord by following all of His teachings and commands so that His promises will be fulfilled miraculously for us. Amen.
Source: Article from GBI Gatot Subroto Jakarta,