What is faith? How does a person exercise faith? How can we have stronger faith?

We shall see that as a mental activity Christian faith is no different from everyday faith. The unbeliever can use ordinary faith, the willingness to believe something, to accept the Gospel message and obtain salvation. The believer can use faith to acquire knowledge of Bible doctrine and to make application of those principles in his daily walk with the Lord.

The Biblical concept of faith is that it amounts to complete confidence in something for which there is no observed confirmation available.

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible…. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." (Hebrews 11:1-3, 6)

Christians accept by faith that the Bible is completely true, believing the Bible is what it claims to be, the Word of God. Through faith, the believer has a basis to receive truth from Scripture with its teachings vital to all aspects of human life.

Faith is the only way for anyone to know and approach God. No one can claim special prestige for having believed the Bible, because the basic truths of Scripture are available to all who will receive them.

Therefore, faith as the means of acquiring God’s truth is perfectly evenhanded and compatible with grace.

The value of faith does not lie in the strength or intensity with which a belief is held. The merit of faith lies, rather, in the idea or object which is believed. Faith is valid only when it has a valid object.

Saving Faith has as its object the Lord Jesus Christ and His substitutionary work on the cross for man's salvation. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36) A belief in any way of salvation other than Jesus, however strongly and emotionally held, will prove to have been faith in something worthless and ineffective. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

Saving faith looks to the information, assurances, and instructions of the Bible. Faith in God’s revealed word is the only process which will disclose spiritual truth. The believer who is growing spiritually receives constant confirmation that the divine principles upon which he bases his life are wholly legitimate.

The strongest, best established faith grows from Christian edification, that process by which a believer is rooted and built up in his spiritual life. “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Col. 2:6-7)

One of the most important results of Christian growth is the progressive increase in the believer's ability to use faith. This requires the continuous intake of truth from the Word of God. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17) Faith must be exercised daily in all situations, “for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:3) More than anything, a day by day consideration of the Lord Jesus Christ makes faith comprehensive. "Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2)

Faith leads us to Jesus, and the more we come to know the Savior, the deeper our faith will grow.

God tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "rightly handle the word of truth." There are some basic guidelines which equip the student of the Bible so as to fulfill the God’s desire that we deal correctly with his Word. God’s word tells us of its divine origin:

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

All true Bible study must begin with this fact. We must begin our study by accepting this truth in faith. Jesus and his apostles teach us to receive Scripture as God’s word – accurate and dependable in every detail.

Faithful Christians should follow their Lord and his authoritative spokesmen in reverence for the Bible.

Faithful Christians also must pray for wisdom in understanding the Scriptures. God's Word tells us if we need wisdom to ask for it, because God will give it to us without restraint. (James 1:5) Fervent prayer for correct knowledge and judgment will be answered because it is clearly within God's will. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14)

Penitent faith, the desire to turn to God is also vital in forming a correct understanding of God’s truth. Jesus said “if anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God …” (John 7:17) If Bible study is simply an intellectual pursuit and not a relationship with the living God, then the learning gained will be deficient and distorted.

There is a great knowledge to be obtained from the Bible as we "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet 3:14-18) We grow in faith as we "hear" God's Word through the Scriptures (Rom 10:17). God's Word provides essential guidance because it is His Word which is truth (John 17:17). With knowledge of God’s Word, we can practice the truth in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:16-17) and make it known to a forlorn and failing world.

The Bible is not simply another book. Without it man cannot know the absolute standard of righteousness and the need for grace in his life.

The Bible is established by faith and confirmed by history. The Bible is God’s word and is therefore true, for God neither lies nor does he make mistakes. There are no inconsistencies in Scripture, for God is accurate and truthful. He is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33). The Bible is the product of one ultimate source, the Living God. Rather than looking at one or two passages, we must consider all that the Bible says on any subject. “The sum of your word is truth,” Psalm 119:160 tells us, “and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

Conflicts pertaining to interpretations of Scripture are a human problem. Sometimes careful study will remove the apparent difficulty. But, some things we will never understand clearly or completely until we see the Lord face to face (1 Cor 13:12).

There are, however, no real contradictions found in God's Word. Our task is always to walk by faith (Heb 11:6; Col 2:6), trusting God to make things clear in his time.

“Reversing the moral collapse of the American family,” proclaims the subtitle of William Bennett’s work, The Broken Hearth. This short book attempts to do just that.

Contrasting the current disorder of American family life with a more wholesome past, Bennett highlights the crisis in compelling terms. Chapters dealing with homosexuality and divorce show how strongly these moral issues have undermined the stability of society.

Changing Course

Bennett, however, does not call for despair, but for change. Recovering moral foundations and building on the strength of conviction will recover the blessings of marriage and family that sin and selfishness have eroded.

“If we do our part,” the book concludes, “there is reason to hope that those blessings may yet again be ours –- ours to have, ours to hold, ours to bequeath to our children.”

God’s Plan

While writing for a general audience, Bennett is clear in asserting the need for specific application of biblical teaching to cure the social ills plaguing modern culture. He calls on churches, in particular, to join in the dialogue and contend for moral solutions to human problems.

The Lord’s church must rise to this challenge. Speaking out against immorality, we serve as light in a world of darkness.

God’s plan for marriage and family life is clearly detailed in Scripture. Husbands and wives are to be lovingly faithful to each other. Parents are to cherish their children while developing them in Christian faith, and children are to obey their parents.

God’s moral law, clearly taught and faithfully obeyed, provides hope for our future and remedy for the disorder of today's families.

The Bible has much to say about God’s concern for the downtrodden. In particular, the fatherless are one of the groups singled out for special consideration. “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child,” God commands His people (Exodus 22:22). In contrast, as servants of God we are to “give justice to the weak and the fatherless...” (Psalm 82:3).

A Growing Crisis

Sometimes a child is left fatherless through the tragedy of death. Increasingly, however, children are fatherless because of a breakdown in parental responsibility. Since 1970 in the United States, for example, the rate of divorce has doubled and out-of-wedlock births have tripled. These figures reflect sinful and selfish choices on the part of one or both parents. As a result, fatherless children are the victims.

Much of the teaching of Scripture concerning the fatherless deals with social justice. Indeed, even in an affluent nation this is still the case. According to a 1996 study by the National Center for Children in Poverty, young children in the United States living with unmarried mothers are five times as likely to be poor and ten times as likely to be extremely poor than children with both fathers and mothers. The benevolence outreach of the church of Christ must be sensitive to these needs.

Giving Yourself

A greater need, however, is the spiritual need of children for a father’s influence in their lives. This need is especially acute for boys seeking a pattern to follow as they grow to become men. While no other man can truly be a father to a fatherless child, the men of the church must do what they can to fill this spiritual void.

The mature men of the church need to be more involved in the teaching of children and of teenagers. Far too often the involvement with children, especially with the very young, has been totally left to women. The church’s work with teenagers is frequently conducted exclusively by men and women scarcely out of high school themselves. While I applaud the great work done by these women and young men, something more is needed. The mature men of the church need to make a contribution as well.

Beyond the Bible classroom, the men of the church should seek ways to help single mothers provide for the spiritual development of their children. Volunteering at summer youth camp, hosting a youth activity in your home, or inviting a fatherless child to help you with a service project are just a few of the ways men of the church can reach out and help.

God has revealed Himself as a defender of the fatherless. If we want to be godly, we must follow His example and reach out with His love to these children in need.

The Bible has much to say about God’s concern for the downtrodden. In particular, the fatherless are one of the groups singled out for special consideration. “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child,” God commands His people (Exodus 22:22). In contrast, as servants of God we are to “give justice to the weak and the fatherless” (Psalm 82:3).

A Growing Crisis

Sometimes a child is left fatherless through the tragedy of death. Increasingly, however, children are fatherless because of a breakdown in parental responsibility. Since 1970 in the United States, for example, the rate of divorce has doubled and out-of-wedlock births have tripled. These figures reflect sinful and selfish choices on the part of one or both parents. As a result, fatherless children are the victims.

Much of the teaching of Scripture concerning the fatherless deals with social justice. Indeed, even in an affluent nation this is still the case. According to a 1996 study by the National Center for Children in Poverty, young children in the United States living with unmarried mothers are five times as likely to be poor and ten times as likely to be extremely poor than children with both fathers and mothers. The benevolence outreach of the church of Christ must be sensitive to these needs.

Giving Yourself

A greater need, however, is the spiritual need of children for a father’s influence in their lives. This need is especially acute for boys seeking a pattern to follow as they grow to become men. While no other man can truly be a father to a fatherless child, the men of the church must do what they can to fill this spiritual void.

The mature men of the church need to be more involved in the teaching of children and of teenagers. Far too often the involvement with children, especially with the very young, has been totally left to women. The church’s work with teenagers is frequently conducted exclusively by men and women scarcely out of high school themselves. While I applaud the great work done by these women and young men, something more is needed. The mature men of the church need to make a contribution as well.

Beyond the Bible classroom, the men of the church should seek ways to help single mothers provide for the spiritual development of their children. Volunteering at summer youth camp, hosting a youth activity in your home, or inviting a fatherless child to help you with a service project are just a few of the ways men of the church can reach out and help.

God has revealed Himself as a defender of the fatherless. If we want to be godly, we must follow His example and reach out with His love to these children in need.