INTRODUCTION
Generally, most people tend to have faith in God. This faith is usually perceived mainly in terms of religious beliefs and cultural traditions. The series presents various examples of biblical expressions of faith that could help you understand the operation of faith and how to develop one’s faith in practice. It will cover varying faith expressions involving faith relationship with God, faith in challenge, ‘belief’ in faith, faith by works, negotiated faith, relational faith, and humble faith.
This first message of the series however only introduces the context of Faith in God, especially the Spirit of faith and the gift of faith for salvation. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews: 11:1). It is to believe in what one has yet not seen, such belief resting on the hope that God’s word accomplishes its purpose.
In order to help you understand how faith is expressed in scripture and how it may operate in our lives we distinguish four main types of the biblical “faith in God” namely: a general Godly faith; a religious faith with basis in specified religion or practices; the gift of faith for salvation and the spiritual faith.
The hope is that you would be able to locate your faith from these and be in a position to relate with the examples of the faith expressions that the series will address in the coming weeks.
A. GENERAL GODLY FAITH
