Christian Living

Faith is Not Passive

by paul hoffmaster
04/21/26
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Faith is the key that unlocks the Scriptures.  It is not a flippant belief that the Scriptures are the Word of God, but a “Pistis” (Greek Word for Faith), which is a strong, active connotation of reliability and trust that the sixty-six books and letters are God’s infallible, inerrant Word.  If our Faith is dwarfed by unbelief, we would be limited to supplementary books by Christian authors.  I guess more and more Bible studies have substituted these books for the actual Bible.  It doesn’t take Faith to gain a person’s perspective on Biblical truths. All Believers are given a measure of faith.  What we do with that faith will determine the rate of our spiritual growth.  If we continually challenge the validity of the Scriptures, our faith will become stagnant.  If we water the Scriptures with Faith, we will reap the benefits of God’s Word.

We must approach the Scriptures with anticipation that the Word will become active through our Faith.  As we exercise our Faith, the more active the Word becomes.  As we increase our reading, we are also increasing our Faith.  The Scriptures teach that “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17).  If you are unable to hear the Word through orators (pastors, teachers), read the Word out loud. The more you experience the Word, audibly and orally, the more your faith will increase.

Faith can be exercised in the here and now, as well as the there and then.  In other words, we can exercise our faith around what we can observe as well as around the unseen.  Take, for example, several healings that Jesus performed.  Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with fever, and Jesus touched her hand, and she was healed (Matthew 8:14, 15).  Another time, a Gentile woman asked Jesus to heal her daughter, who was not with her, and Jesus, seeing her faith, healed the daughter (Matthew 15:28).  We must remember that Jesus was not only Divine but He was also human.  On His human side, He was “tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15).  I believe that the Faith He exhibited was both from His human side as well as from His Divinity.  He was showing us His Faith in action.  Would it not be feasible for us to exhibit the same kind of Faith?  We can pray for people in person as well as those who are not present.  Our Faith knows no limits.

I think many people don’t have enough Faith to step out in Faith.  It takes Faith to have Faith. Peter had basic, elementary Faith, but not the kind of Faith that he could walk on water.  When Jesus was walking out to the Disciples’ boat on the Sea of Galilee, they thought Jesus was a ghost, and they were afraid.  Jesus identified Himself and told them not to be afraid.  Peter challenged the reality of Jesus presence by having him walk to Jesus on the water.  Jesus told him to come, and he took one step with his basic Faith and began to sink. If he had real Faith, he could have walked to Jesus.  Faith is not reckless abandonment to facts, but an educated step in Biblical assurance.  It is time to evidence our Faith by walking with the assurance that the Scriptures are the living and breathing Word of God that brings fulfillment to the lives of Believers.