Faith is defined as: "firm persuasion; A conviction based upon hearing" (Vine's, p. 411). Mr. Vine's definition of faith is based on what the apostle Paul had said in Romans 10:17. There, Paul said, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Now that we know how to obtain faith, let us take some time to study the Bible and learn what we can do with faith once we have it.
Walk By Faith
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." How great it would be if we put this into practice! Friends, we are only going to walk by faith when we decide we are going to please God, and not ourselves. "We ought to obey God rather than men" is what the apostles said in Acts 5:29. This was a statement of faith as they affirmed they would obey the Lord even when commanded by men to disobey. In addition to this, the men and women cataloged in Hebrews 11 are examples of people who walked by faith and not by sight! Let us do the same and walk as those people did.
Add To Your Faith
2 Peter 1:5-7 teaches us that there are some things that need to be added to our faith. In this letter, Peter wrote, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity." These characteristics need to be found in every Christian. Of course, these things are not "poured" into a person, but every Christian must be working on these things, and continually adding to their faith. If a person is not doing this, he/she will be as the Hebrew Christians in Hebrews 5:12. There we read, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." A person may have been a Christian for years, but if he has not been adding to his faith, he needs the "milk" and is not ready for the "meat" of God's word (Heb. 5:13). Let us not be guilty of this. Rather, let us add to our faith and grow in the Lord while we are alive.
Overthrow Your Faith
Rather than grow and add to their faith, there are some who will overthrow their faith! Sadly, this is something that is not new. The faith of some was overthrown in the First Century, just as it is overthrown today. In 2 Timothy 2:16-18, the Bible says, "But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." We must be careful, and be ever on our guard to make sure our faith is not overthrown by false doctrine. People like Hymenaeus and Philetus are alive and well today. The only way we can combat them is by using the sword of the spirit (Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12). Let us make sure our faith is not overthrown!
Shipwreck Your Faith
I suppose there is nothing more disgusting to a sailor than seeing a ship that has been wrecked or destroyed for whatever reason. In spiritual matters, it is possible for a person to make shipwreck of his faith. This happened to people Paul knew. Notice what is said in 1 Timothy 1:19-20, "Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." Let us not shipwreck our faith, but walk in faith, and add to our faith as an obedient servant of Christ. In this way, we will equip ourselves for an eternity in Heaven with God!
- The Old Paths, 4/15/18