Belief and faith

A selection of verses showing that God wants us to believe that he will do what he has promised.

The letter to the Hebrews makes it clear that God regards faith in him as vital:

Hebrews 11 verse 6

6 Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

This faith comes from reading and thinking about God's message to us:

Romans 10 verse 17

17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Abraham is a good example of faith in action. He believes God can do what he says when he promises that Abraham's ageing wife will have a baby:

Romans 4 verses 19 - 22

19 Without being weakened in faith, he didn’t consider his own body, already having been worn out, (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief, but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. 22 Therefore it also was “credited to him for righteousness.”

We are justified (made right with God) by believing in Jesus Christ:

Galatians 2 verse 16

16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

The apostle Paul tells us belief in the Scriptures leads us to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus:

2 Timothy 3 verse 15

15 From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

Related theme: Recognising the evidence

 
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