Pistis - - Faith, Trust, Belief. When we have more evidence, does that mean we have less faith? On the contrary. We have more faith!!! Without evidence, we can have no faith, no trust, no belief.
God never asks us to believe, without giving sufficient evidence upon which to base our faith. His existence, His character, the truthfulness of His word, are all established by testimony that appeals to our reason; and this testimony is abundant. Yet God has never removed the possibility of doubt. Our faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. Those who wish to doubt will have opportunity; while those who really desire to know the truth will find plenty of evidence on which to rest their faith.
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- Original: πίστις
- Transliteration: Pistis
- Phonetic: pis'-tis
- Strong's: From
[url=tw://[self]?G3982]G3982[/url];
persuasion that is
credence; moral
conviction (of
religious truth or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher) especially
reliance upon christ for salvation; abstractly
constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel)
truth itself: - assurance belief believe faith fidelity.
Faith[
Heb. 'emu ̂n;
'emûnah;
Gr. pistis.]
1. A confidence of heart and mind in God and His ways that leads one to act in accordance with His sovereign will (
2 Corinthians 5:7;
Hebrews 11:8). This faith is not based upon a blind, unintelligent acquiescence, but upon a supreme trust in the ability and integrity of God (
Deuteronomy 7:9;
1 Kings 8:56;
1 Corinthians 1:9;
Hebrews 10:23;
2 Timothy 1:12; etc.). Such a faith is a prerequisite for any approach to Deity (
Hebrews 11:6). It is by means of faith in Christ that one is justified (
Romans 3:28;
Romans 5:1;
Galatians 2:16;
Galatians 3:8;
Galatians 3:25; etc.). Christ's righteousness becomes ours through faith in Him (
Philippians 3:9). The believer's faith in God enables the Lord to do miraculous things for him and through him (
Matthew 9:21-22;
James 5:14-15; etc.). True faith cannot be passive, but manifests itself in works of righteousness (
Galatians 5:6;
James 2:17-18;
James 2:20-21;
James 2:26; etc.). Paul emphatically denied that faith abolished the law (
Romans 3:31) or one's obligations to the law (
Romans 6:1); rather it placed one in a position where, through Christ, the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in him (
Romans 8:1-4).
2. That which is believed; the system of Christian doctrines. Because of the power and conviction that accompanied the preaching of the gospel by the apostles “a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith” (
Acts 6:7). The sorcerer Elymas endeavored to prejudice Sergius Paulus, the deputy of Cyprus, against “the faith” (
Acts 13:6-7). Paul exhorted his converts “to continue in the faith” (
Acts 14:22). See also
Philippians 1:27;
James 2:1;
Jude 1:3.
3. Faithfulness, fidelity. This is the meaning particularly of the
Heb. ́emûnah, rendered “faith” in
Habakkuk 2:4. Where Paul quotes this text in
Romans 1:17 he may be giving to faith the more extended meaning of
NT faith.
Pistis does, however, have the meaning “faithfulness” in
Romans 3:3;
Titus 2:10;
Galatians 5:22 and doubtless in other texts to a greater or lesser degree.
