Doctrine

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Faith

Faith is the fundamental orientation of trust, belief, and commitment toward God that defines the Abrahamic traditions. It encompasses intellectual assent, personal trust, and active obedience—belief of the mind, confidence of the heart, and submission of the will.

Definition and Nature

What Is Faith?

Biblical Definition: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)

Components of Faith:

Belief (intellectual): Accepting certain truths about God
Trust (relational): Personal confidence in God’s character
Commitment (volitional): Obedient response to God’s will

Faith Distinguished From

Mere Belief: Intellectual assent without trust or commitment

Presumption: False confidence without genuine relationship

Works: Faith and works are related but distinct

Sight: Faith operates where empirical proof is absent

In Judaism

Biblical Foundations

Abraham’s Faith: “And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6)

Father of faith for all three traditions
Trusted God’s promise despite impossibility
Faith demonstrated through obedience (offering Isaac)
Model of faithfulness to covenant

Moses’ Faith:

Trusted God at the burning bush
Led Israel through the wilderness
“By faith Moses… considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt” (Hebrews 11:26)

The Prophets’ Faith: “The righteous shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4)

Trusting God despite circumstances
Speaking God’s word even when unpopular
Confidence in God’s ultimate justice

Jewish Understanding of Faith

Emunah: Hebrew word often translated “faith”:

Firmness, steadiness, reliability
Active trust more than passive belief
Demonstrated through covenant faithfulness
Living according to Torah

Faith and Torah:

Faith means trusting God enough to obey His commands
Torah observance is expression of faith
Not “faith vs. works” but faith expressed through works
“The reward of a mitzvah is the mitzvah itself”

Thirteen Principles of Faith (Maimonides): Core beliefs of Judaism:

God exists
God is one and unique
God is incorporeal
God is eternal
Prayer is to God alone
Prophets spoke truth
Moses was the greatest prophet
Torah came from God
Torah is unchangeable
God knows human actions
God rewards and punishes
Messiah will come
Resurrection of the dead

Faith in Jewish Practice

Trust in God’s Provision:

Sabbath observance requires faith (God will provide despite rest)
Kosher laws require trust in God’s wisdom
Tithing demonstrates faith in God’s abundance

Faith Through Suffering:

Job’s faithfulness despite loss
Martyrs throughout history
“Though he slay me, I will hope in him” (Job 13:15)

Communal Faith:

Faith of the community, not just individuals
Israel’s collective covenant with God
Shared memory and hope

In Christianity

Biblical Foundations

Jesus on Faith: “For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20)

Key Themes:

Faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord
“Whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)
Faith as the means of salvation
Saving faith includes repentance and trust

Paul’s Theology of Faith: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Justification by Faith:

Cannot earn salvation through works
Righteousness comes through faith in Christ
Abraham as model (Romans 4)
“The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17, quoting Habakkuk)

Faith and Works Debate

Protestant Emphasis:

Salvation by faith alone (sola fide)
Works are result of faith, not cause of salvation
Faith precedes and produces works
Grace received through faith

Catholic Understanding:

Faith and works cooperate in salvation
Faith formed by love (fides formata)
Grace enables both faith and works
“Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26)

Orthodox Perspective:

Synergy (cooperation) between divine grace and human response
Faith and works are inseparable
Theosis (becoming like God) through faithful participation

Biblical Tension:

Paul: “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28)
James: “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24)
Resolution: Genuine faith inevitably produces works; works evidence faith’s reality

Elements of Christian Faith

Faith in Christ:

Jesus as Son of God
His death for sin
His resurrection
His lordship
His return

Repentance:

Faith includes turning from sin
Not just belief but transformation
“Repent and believe” (Mark 1:15)

Trust:

Personal relationship, not just intellectual assent
“Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19)
Saving faith is confident trust

Perseverance:

True faith endures
“He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13)
Perseverance evidences genuine faith

Faith as Shield

Spiritual Warfare: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16)

Faith protects against doubt, temptation, accusation
Trust in God’s promises defeats Satan’s lies
Essential weapon in spiritual warfare

Faith and Victory: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4)

In Islam

Quranic Teaching

Iman (Faith): “The believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not” (Quran 49:15)

The Six Articles of Faith: Core beliefs required of Muslims:

Belief in Allah (God)
Belief in angels
Belief in revealed books (Torah, Gospel, Quran)
Belief in prophets
Belief in the Day of Judgment
Belief in divine decree (Qadar)

Faith Described: “Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but righteousness is in one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets…” (Quran 2:177, continues listing righteous actions)

Faith and Islam (Submission)

Relationship:

Iman (faith) - internal belief
Islam (submission) - external practice
Ihsan (excellence) - spiritual perfection
“The Bedouins say, ‘We have believed.’ Say, ‘You have not believed; but say [instead], “We have submitted”’” (Quran 49:14)

Faith and Deeds: “Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds…” (Quran repeated formula)

Faith and works are inseparable
True faith produces righteous action
Deeds complete and perfect faith
Neither sufficient alone

Shahada (Declaration of Faith): “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah”

First pillar of Islam
Verbal confession of core belief
Entry into Muslim community

Levels of Faith

Minimum Faith:

Confession with tongue
Belief in heart
May be weak but sufficient if sincere

Strong Faith:

Increases with knowledge, worship, good deeds
Decreases with sin, neglect, doubt
Faith can grow or diminish
Goal: yaqeen (certainty)

Perfect Faith (Ihsan): “To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, [know that] He sees you” (Hadith of Gabriel)

Faith Tested

Trials as Test: “Do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you?” (Quran 2:214)

Adversity tests and strengthens faith
Patience (sabr) in trials is essential
Faith must be proven through difficulty
Allah’s mercy encompasses sincere believers

Tawakkul (Trust in Allah)

Beyond belief, active trust:

“And upon Allah rely, if you should be believers” (Quran 5:23)
Complete dependence on Allah
Taking action while trusting divine decree
Peace in all circumstances

Comparisons and Contrasts

Faith and Works

Judaism: Inseparable; faith expressed through Torah observance
Christianity (Protestant): Faith alone saves; works follow as evidence
Christianity (Catholic/Orthodox): Faith and works cooperate
Islam: Faith incomplete without deeds; both necessary

Object of Faith

Judaism: God of Abraham, Moses, the patriarchs
Christianity: God the Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit
Islam: Allah alone, Muhammad as His messenger

Role in Salvation

Judaism: Covenant faithfulness, not “being saved” per se
Christianity: Essential for salvation, received as gift
Islam: Required along with righteous deeds for Paradise

Faith and Reason

Judaism: Reason and questioning are valued; faith is informed
Christianity: Faith and reason both valued; varies by tradition
Islam: Faith and reason should harmonize; Quran appeals to reason

Faith and Doubt

All traditions acknowledge struggle with doubt:

Managing Doubt

Honest wrestling with questions is acceptable
Doubt doesn’t negate faith if one persists
“I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)
Seeking understanding strengthens faith

Faith Seeking Understanding

Faith is not blind belief
Inquiry and study deepen faith
Questioning can lead to stronger conviction
Mystery remains even with understanding

Faith as Relationship

Beyond intellectual assent, faith is relational:

Trust in a Person:

Not just belief in propositions
Confidence in God’s character
Personal knowledge, not abstract truth
Covenant relationship

Obedience Flows from Trust:

Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac
Disciples leaving everything to follow Jesus
Muslims submitting five times daily in prayer
True faith produces loyal action

Faith and Hope

Faith and hope are closely linked:

Hope as Future Dimension:

Faith trusts in what is not yet seen
Hope anticipates promised fulfillment
Confidence in God’s future acts
Eschatological orientation

Sustaining Power:

Hope sustains faith through trials
Faith gives basis for hope
Together they provide endurance
“Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith in Practice

Daily Life

Trusting God with anxieties
Making decisions according to faith
Ethical behavior reflecting beliefs
Prayer and worship as expression of faith

Community

Shared confession of faith
Mutual encouragement
Accountability
Witness to the world

Trials

Perseverance despite suffering
Confidence in God’s goodness
Growth through difficulty
Testimony of God’s faithfulness

Faith as Weapon

In spiritual warfare, faith is defensive and offensive:

Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16):

Deflects doubt, accusation, temptation
Protects from enemy’s attacks
Trust in God’s promises
Confidence despite circumstances

Faith Overcomes: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4)

Defeats worldly powers
Resists evil
Triumphs through trust in God

Heroes of Faith

Hebrews 11 catalogs faith’s champions:

Abel, Enoch, Noah
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob
Moses, Rahab, David
Prophets, martyrs, faithful witnesses

Each demonstrated trust in God despite impossible circumstances.

Contemporary Challenges

Modern believers face unique faith challenges:

Secularism: Faith seems unnecessary or irrational

Pluralism: Multiple truth claims create confusion

Suffering: Theodicy questions persist

Science: Apparent conflicts with religious claims

Individualism: Faith as private choice vs. communal identity

Conclusion

Faith is the foundation of relationship with God across all three Abrahamic traditions. While Judaism, Christianity, and Islam differ in specifics—the content of faith, its relationship to works, its role in salvation—they unite in affirming that faith is essential.

Faith is not:

Blind belief without reason
Mere intellectual assent
Static or passive
Opposed to understanding

Faith is:

Trust in God’s character and promises
Active obedience to divine will
Growing and developing through life
Both gift and response
Expressed through love and works
Tested and refined by trials
Weapon against evil in spiritual warfare
Hope for the future
Relationship with the living God

Whether the emunah of Torah-faithful Jews, the pistis of Christ-trusting Christians, or the iman of Allah-submitting Muslims, faith remains the bridge between human and divine, the means by which finite creatures connect with infinite Creator, and the defining characteristic of those who walk with God.