‘Religious faith’ has it basis in an established religious order, doctrine, teaching, cultural, or traditional beliefs and practices.
1. The Judaic Religious Faith
First in this category is Judaism. The faith usually signifies faith in God through observance of the rules in the Old Testament Laws (the ‘Torah’), the writings of the prophets and historical documents of the people and faith of Israel.
The Judaic faith is generally directed to or in reference to the faith (Judaism), to the people of God known as twelve tribes of Israel, and commonly called the ‘Children of Israel’ or the Jewish people. This group includes Moses who receives the Laws from God, and King David, the lineage of the messiah (Exodus 31:18; 2 Samuel 7:18-29); and the prophets including Elijah and Isaiah (1 Kings 18:1- 46; Isaiah Ch. 1-66).
Abraham is also coveted to the Jewish faith because of the covenant of circumcision although Abraham was not subject to Judaism or performance of the duties and rites of the Mosaic Laws or traditions, but had the faith of belief in God (Genesis 12:1-4 and 15:6)
2. Jewish Believers in Jesus Christ
Another category in the religious faith is the Jewish believers in Jesus Christ as the Messiah that was promised to Israel – messianic Jews. As the name implies, these still had the faith of God in Judaic traditions, but also adopt the teachings of Jesus Christ and belief in the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Notable examples of the faith were the twelve disciples of Jesus, including Peter and John (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2: 14-43). But another prominent example of Jewish believers in Jesus was Paul the Apostle who was converted and especially commissioned leave Jerusalem and take the gospel to the gentiles (Act 9:15; Acts 22:18; Acts 26:13-17). The New Testament, which is credited to the faith of belief in Jesus Christ, documents the expressions of the faith of Jewish believers in Christ as they experienced it. But this religious faith also draws much on the Old Testament doctrines and teachings.
Consider therefore that in the time of the Apostles it was not always clear (and still is), how the Jewish believers manage the faith in Jesus Christ while also to some extent observe the Jewish traditional beliefs and cultural practices. The faith in Jesus often pitted against the need to preserve the Jewish heritage principally of the circumcision and to identify as a ‘people’, while having to preach the gospel of Christ to non-Jews who converted into the faith of ‘belief’ in Christ, the resurrection and the Holy Ghost (Acts 11:1-3; Galatians 2:11-16).
Under this category will also include the ‘ messianic- Jews’ of modern day.
3. Church Christians
Next in the category of religious faith are “Church” Christians, who believe in God through Jesus Christ and the institution of the Church. The concept of church in the growth of the faith in God and Christ evolved in reference to the body, assembly, or congregation of believers (Acts 7:38; Hebrew 2:12; Psalm 22:22).
The church body met mainly in their houses to praise God (Acts 8:3). These had all things in common, undertook social causes and none among the believers lacked as they made distribution unto every man as he had need (Acts 4: 32-35). The Apostles administered these ‘church’ or fellowships in houses ‘breaking bread’ with them, but they regularly also visited and held prayers in the Jewish temple at Jerusalem (Acts 3:1; 2:46).
Note that the first Gentile Churches including at Antioch was mixed Jewish believers and gentile converts (Acts 1:19-30). The body of believers included Jews who had other nationalities (e.g. Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus); most having fled abroad to avoid persecution for preaching Christ (Acts 2:46-47; Acts 8:3). The church or body of Christ also included non-Jews or Gentile converts who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:1-18). The latter would not be qualified to enter the temple thus the practice of holding prayer meetings in their houses. “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” and elders were ordained in every church (Acts 2:47; Acts 14:23).
The term “church” was used in the time of Christ and is popular in the New Testament (e.g. Matthew 16:18 & 18:17; Acts 11:22). However, the term “Christians” was not so popular. It was at Antioch, where, a “great number believed, and turned unto the Lord” that the believers there were called “Christians” for the first time (Acts 11:21 & 26).
“Christians” became the identification to distinguish the people who believed in Christ – Jewish-believers and gentile believers, from their Judaic counterparts (Jews) and other unbelievers, like King Agrippa, the Roman (Acts.26: 28; 1 Peter 4:16). It is worth noting that reference to “Christians” was not necessarily connected with a place of worship as to the term Christian have evolved to identify with “Church” as a place of worship .
So “Church Christians” have evolved to represent a complex mix. They tend to focus the faith largely on the doctrines and teachings of the New Testament, but also on denominational Church doctrines and traditions some of which may have strained biblical basis (see Revelation ch 2-3). The tendency in the religious faith of church Christians is to identify first with the denomination (e.g. Catholic, Protestants, and Evangelicals, Pentecostal etc.) as prefix to “Christian”.
4. THE GIFT OF FAITH FOR SALVATION
In this category would fall the growing body of modern day “born again” believers in Jesus Christ by the ‘gift of faith’ for salvation. We may include here church Christians who are “born again”; and non-Church affiliated saved believers of other faiths and traditions, including Muslims who confess Christ, by the faith of the gospel.
Note that church Christians, and Muslims who become “born again” to confess Christ may retain some cultural or traditional characters or practices as the Jewish believers would retain Judaic values (e.g. of washing of hands) even though they believe in Christ and may be baptised with the Holy Ghost.
The important aspect of the basic “born- again” faith represents a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit as opposed to institutionalised Church doctrine.
The “born again” faith applies by ‘gift of faith’ made available by God for all who would believe, to enable them obtain salvation by confessing that JESUS IS LORD (Ephesians 2:8-9). So that where one hears the gospel preached and their belief is not mixed with the ‘gift of faith’ for salvation, the gospel will not profit them (Romans 10:17; Hebrew 4:2). Jesus is the author and finisher of the “born again” faith (Hebrew 12:2).
5. THE SPIRIT OF FAITH
The final faith category is the Spirit of faith which is a “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22). This faith is a spiritual gift given only to some people and not all believers could obtain this gift (1 Corinthians 12:9). The recipients of spiritual faith are “born of God” and their faith is “the victory that overcomes the world” because it empowers them with supernatural confidence in God’s words and power and to stand by them unfeigned (1 John 5:4; 1 Corinthians 1:19-20 & 24; Hebrew 11). This Spirit of faith helps people who are yet to receive Christ to “wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” that is in Jesus (Galatians 5:5).
Also, it is a “faith which worketh by love” of God and enables the holders to demonstrate resilient faithfulness that “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, [and] endures all things” (Galatians 5:6; 1 Corinthians 13:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:3). The faith rests on God as foundation of building and it may be dispensed by measure increasingly (Luke 14:28 Luke 17:5). Believers possessing spiritual faith could also live and “walk in the spirit” and not fulfil the lust of the flesh that may run contrary to the Spirit of faith. Galatians 5:16-17 & 25)
6. BELIEVERS FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By now, you should have an idea of the instance of your faith or faiths. One needs to appreciate these distinctions in faith because the Old and New Testaments are replete with examples of how people experience God and express faith for various purposes, and the expressions tend to fall under one or more of the categories.
Also, note that the faith may be expressed personally or on behalf of others. It is also possible for expression of the faith encompassing more than one category as where a non-religious person receives Christ by salvation faith and operates in the spiritual gift of Faith.
Believers must therefore not assume hierarchies in the categorisation but rather to be aware of the ways we might relate to God as His children, because “without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a ewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews: 11. 6).
Next week we will examine selected expressions of faith in relationship with God.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, thank you for your word and your gift of faith to thy children.
Dear Lord, thou who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” please make thy light shine in the hearts of thy children, to give them ” the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”. Holy Father, grant them out of the riches of thy Glory, strength with power through thy Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith (2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 3:16-17)
I make this prayer in JESUS NAME. Have a blessed Sabbath!
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 25 August 2017.
