In this I wish to show that faith is practical, and it makes a big difference in a very real way.
How to get faith?
To believe in anything you must have reason to believe. The opposite would be blind faith, and I say that blind faith is the same as weak faith. My faith - my ultimate faith - is in Jesus Christ as revealed by the Bible. My reasons for this faith are many. I did not simply choose to put my faith in Jesus, nor did I inherit that faith from my parents. I searched the evidence and arguments for and against faith in the Bible (I'll use faith in the Bible as synonymous for faith in Christ). The prophecies, manuscripts, miracles, testimonies, science, and archaeological discoveries as evidence that the Bible is true. Those are my primary reasons for believing the Bible. A person does not have to have the same reasons that I do, but faith must be based on reason. Maybe your experience is enough reason to believe, or maybe the merits of someone's argument has given you reason to believe. Whichever your reason, true faith cannot come from ignorance.
What is the effect of faith?
To have faith in anything will dramatically change the way you live your everyday life. If you have true faith in the Bible, then you would obviously read it because you want to know what it says. After reading it, you would then learn from it, follow the instructions in it, and believe any promise that it may give. Of course believing the Bible is not simply believing the Bible, but also the One it comes from. Having true faith in God, who is omnipotent, would mean that there is nothing for us to worry about except being pleasing to the Lord. If God can take care of us, and has promised to do so, then there's absolutely no reason to worry about life's troubles. That's just common sense, isn't it? And of course Jesus tells us not to worry about those things. True faith also means that we won't hesitate to act. The biggest obstacle to someone accomplishing something is the belief that they can't do it. If someone believes they can't do it, then they won't try. But if they fully believe they can do it, then they'll try and try until it is done. This is what the Bible teaches us. Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit so that we will have the power to accomplish the good things that he has laid before us. If we believe then we can do it.
Can we have faith alone?
If there is anything that I hope to have shown you, it is that faith cannot stand alone. Faith is the beginning, the cause, but true faith always ends in things that can be seen. Just as Jesus said that the Holy Spirit cannot be seen but the effects of it can, so faith is the same. Of course faith and the Holy Spirit go together like PB and J. The idea that faith alone is enough for salvation is a bit misleading. True faith causes salvation. Salvation is more than just going to heaven; it is us becoming more like Christ every day. Righteousness is salvation; salvation is righteousness. All of this is very real, very practical, and makes perfect sense, even common sense. It is not something that is mysterious or mystical. There is a difference between being spiritual and being mystical. Being Spiritual is very real and practical, just like faith is very real and practical. Being mystical is just a bunch of nonsense that's meant to oooh and aaah people.
How to get faith?
To believe in anything you must have reason to believe. The opposite would be blind faith, and I say that blind faith is the same as weak faith. My faith - my ultimate faith - is in Jesus Christ as revealed by the Bible. My reasons for this faith are many. I did not simply choose to put my faith in Jesus, nor did I inherit that faith from my parents. I searched the evidence and arguments for and against faith in the Bible (I'll use faith in the Bible as synonymous for faith in Christ). The prophecies, manuscripts, miracles, testimonies, science, and archaeological discoveries as evidence that the Bible is true. Those are my primary reasons for believing the Bible. A person does not have to have the same reasons that I do, but faith must be based on reason. Maybe your experience is enough reason to believe, or maybe the merits of someone's argument has given you reason to believe. Whichever your reason, true faith cannot come from ignorance.
What is the effect of faith?
To have faith in anything will dramatically change the way you live your everyday life. If you have true faith in the Bible, then you would obviously read it because you want to know what it says. After reading it, you would then learn from it, follow the instructions in it, and believe any promise that it may give. Of course believing the Bible is not simply believing the Bible, but also the One it comes from. Having true faith in God, who is omnipotent, would mean that there is nothing for us to worry about except being pleasing to the Lord. If God can take care of us, and has promised to do so, then there's absolutely no reason to worry about life's troubles. That's just common sense, isn't it? And of course Jesus tells us not to worry about those things. True faith also means that we won't hesitate to act. The biggest obstacle to someone accomplishing something is the belief that they can't do it. If someone believes they can't do it, then they won't try. But if they fully believe they can do it, then they'll try and try until it is done. This is what the Bible teaches us. Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit so that we will have the power to accomplish the good things that he has laid before us. If we believe then we can do it.
Can we have faith alone?
If there is anything that I hope to have shown you, it is that faith cannot stand alone. Faith is the beginning, the cause, but true faith always ends in things that can be seen. Just as Jesus said that the Holy Spirit cannot be seen but the effects of it can, so faith is the same. Of course faith and the Holy Spirit go together like PB and J. The idea that faith alone is enough for salvation is a bit misleading. True faith causes salvation. Salvation is more than just going to heaven; it is us becoming more like Christ every day. Righteousness is salvation; salvation is righteousness. All of this is very real, very practical, and makes perfect sense, even common sense. It is not something that is mysterious or mystical. There is a difference between being spiritual and being mystical. Being Spiritual is very real and practical, just like faith is very real and practical. Being mystical is just a bunch of nonsense that's meant to oooh and aaah people.
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