Faith: The Foundation of the Christian Life

“There is one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:5–6)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. By it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” (Hebrews 11:1–3)

Faith is believing in Jesus Christ. Faith is believing the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation. Faith is a revelation from God. It plays a vital role in our sanctification (cf. Acts 26:18) and is our daily dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ. While understanding the Bible verses on faith may be easy, applying them in our daily lives is often challenging—but with God, all things are possible.

“If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30)

“When Jesus heard this, He was amazed and said to those following Him, ‘Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.'” (Matthew 8:10)

“Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

“The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!'” (Luke 17:5)

“I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.'” (Romans 1:17)

How Can We Build Our Faith?

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Testimonies of God’s faithfulness strengthen our faith, but the inspired Word of God is the foundation of our belief. Scripture is infallible:

“For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21)

Even observing creation should convince anyone that there is a Creator.

Heroes of Faith

Hebrews 11 encourages us to study the lives of faith-filled men and women:

• Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain and was commended by God, even speaking through history though he had died.

• Enoch walked by faith and was taken to heaven without seeing death.

• Noah believed God’s warning and built an ark, saving eight souls from the flood.

• Abraham obeyed God’s call to dwell in a foreign land, trusting God’s promises (Hebrews 11:8–31).

These heroes died in faith, not having received the promises fully, but seeing them from afar, they were assured and embraced them, acknowledging that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13–16).

Faith is not about perfection but trust in God’s revelation. The patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses—and countless others were ordinary men, yet God revealed Himself to them. When God gives a revelation, we know where we stand in Him. Trials may come, even life-threatening illness, but faith anchors us. Do you know where you are standing in Christ?

“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17)

Reflections on Faith

Faith is singular. There is only one faith recognized by God. In today’s world, there are countless religions and beliefs, but the Bible teaches that the one faith we need is faith in God’s Word and in Jesus Christ.

Even believing is often difficult. Consider the father of the demon-possessed child who cried out:

“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

Faith is foundational. The elders obtained a good testimony by faith. The Bible is full of incredible examples, from Abel and Enoch to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the Apostles. Their faith was not self-glorifying but rooted in Christ, the author and finisher of our faith.

There is faith in Jesus Christ and faith of Jesus Christ. Though it may sound like two kinds of faith, it is ultimately one—the faith that unites us to the living God. From faith to faith, righteousness is revealed, and Christ remains the foundation of all faith.