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Faith has been elusive to me throughout my spiritual journey and I would like to nail it down by defining it. I know the dictionary definition, but what is it, exactly? And does something else recede (e.g., ration or doubt) when it increases?

Hello Daniel2001

God bless you this day.

The following is a link to a study, from this site, on Faith: http://www.christianityoasis.com/Keyword/Faith.htm

For me, faith is what I believe to be true. I've had faith in many things throughout my life, but the only one that proved to be unfailing is my faith in The Lord God: God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit.

Mind you, my ability to stay true to that faith, has wavered at times, because I am fallible and my thoughts can wobble, but that does not mean that He wobbles. He is forever faithful.

And to answer the second part of your question: yes, I have found that as I grow into my faith, the less I wobble; thus, the less I doubt.

God bless and keep you.
In Christ Jesus' love,
Mack

Hi Daniel!

I also would like to share with you this study about doubt
http://www.christianityoasis.com/Keyword/NoDoubt.htm

Whatever information we have in our mind is the way we think and is the way we believe....
If our mind is full of Word of God,... we will think this way... and we start to believe that way... because the Word of God is alive, is true, and efective.

I believe also that everybody has faith... but most of the people have faith in the wrong belief.... because the information they have in their minds are what the world gives, I mean: tv, novels, shows, magazines, bad talks, etc.
For example, you believe that your problem is so imposible to overcome... because that is what you see in the world.. . that could be strong belief, because you belive what you have in your mind.. so, if people think this way.. people have faith.. faith in the devil, faith that this perverse could interfere in your life... and keep your life in prison.. that is faith.... I could name it evil faith...

But Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil (1 Jhon 3:8) He told us to renew our mind (Romans 12:2) to focus in Him and not in the world and fill our mind with His word, fill our life with His Spirit.... the batle of faith in our mind.. and have faith is like watering a plant... faith does not happend because YES, is a consecuence of what you have sowed in your mind for years and years....

The Good News is that with Jesus we can start with Him, when we decided, He promise to clean our mind, He as a Good Gardener promise to pull up the bad seed... and start again... ... He gives us the GOOD SEED SO WE CAN START SOW IT AND WATERING AND FOR SURE IT MUST HAVE A GOOD FRUIT. GOOD FAITH.

Thank God for His Grace and mercy upon us, He gives us a new opportunity every day.... there is no other way human being could find the true, He is the TRUTH

God bless you!

Hi Daniel,

It's a basic but very important question you posed. You have gotten some good insights from the previous two posters, there's just something I'd like to add, which reveals the complex nature of what faith is.

Mark 9;24,'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief,' was the answer from the father of a boy possessed by an evil spirit, after Jesus had queried his belief when he appeared unsure whether Jesus could help. 'I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.'

Such a fascinating quoute. The father of the boy was apparently aware that Jesus was from God (why else did he take his poor son to be healed by Him, after all?), but his faith still lacked something. What was it that the father still lacked?

I don't know exactly; it's sort of intangible and hard to put into words.

On the question of whether something else recedes when faith increases, it's possible of course, and I'm no expert on the issue.

But just keep in mind that such an idea, whether it is true or not, is often used as an argument to discredit people who believe in God, especially by people who believe there is no Creator, and like to market their own atheist belief system as 'rational' and so on (as opposed to those who believe in God, so they say).

I wish you luck, and help from God, as you seek true enlightenment on the meaning of faith.