Faith and belief are the same thing. Heb. 11:6. They are from the same Greek word. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."—The Standard Version. This definition never did mean very much to me, so I shall quote from another translation— "Wislon’s Emphatic Diaglott."—"Now faith is the basis of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen." Anderson’s translation of the New Testament reads: "Faith is a firm persuasion with respect to things hoped for, a sure confidence with respect to things not seen." Faith is the "ground" or "foundation" of things hoped for—marginal reading of the King James Version. Then, "faith is a firm, unshakeable, unmovable, belief in the truth of a proposition based upon the testimony concerning it."

That faith is essential unto one’s salvation is admitted by all those who believe in the existence of God. That faith is necessary, it is evident.—For "without faith it is impossible to please God." Heb. 11 :6. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom.14:23).

There is a difference between opinion and faith. An opinion is a deduction drawn in absence of testimony. My "think so’s" are as good as yours, and yet we both could be wrong in our own opinions. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried offered up Isaac"—"Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead." (Heb. 11:17; 19). Abraham, when commanded by our Father of Heaven, to offer his son as a "burnt sacrifice," was making provisions to do the exact thing that God had commanded. Abraham had not forgotten the promise made to him—"that in thee and thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed" (Gal. 3:8). "All families of the earth" could not be blessed through Abraham’s descendants unless his seed was preserved. Isaac was the promised seed, so Abraham "opinioned," not "believed," that God would raise his son from the dead. Was he correct in his opinion? No, for God "stayed" Abraham’s hand, saving Isaac’s life (Gen. 22:12). When Peter declared, in answer to the question asked by Christ, that "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), he spoke not by opinion, but by faith. 2 Pet. 1:17-18. Matt. 3:15-16. The disciples speaking their thoughts about who they thought Christ was, said: "Thou art John, the Baptist, Elias, Jeremias, or one of the prophets" (Matt. 16:14). They spoke their opinions. Were they not wrong in their "guesses?" If these great servants of God were wrong in their "suppose so’s," could we not today be mistaken in our imaginations or opinions?

"Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17; Jno. 17:20; Acts 15:9). "Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized" (Acts 18:8. Acts 4:4). Someone says: "God gives us faith." True enough. God gives us our food, but we use the means which enables us to get the food. So, it is with faith. It is given unto us by God, but we use the means through which we obtain faith—the word of God being the means (Rom. 10:8). We can only have faith in anything as far as the testimony concerning that thing goes. If we had no testimony telling of the resurrection of Christ, our faith in Christ would end at the grave.

We today do not have the supernatural faith as mentioned in the gospel of Matthew, Chapter 17 and verse 20, also in Luke 17:6, and classified in 1 Cor. 12:8-10—with spiritual gifts. We follow after the "common faith" (Tit. 1 :4), as did Titus, who also was just a mere human.

For our faith to profit us anything, it must be an active faith. Gal. 5:6. Faith "only" or "alone" will not save us. (Jas. 2:24-26). "A great number believed and turned unto the Lord." Acts 11:21. "…let him return unto the Lord—for he will abundantly pardon" (Isa. 55:7). These people believed before they "turned unto the Lord." But Isaiah says, that God pardons, when one "returns unto Him." Therefore, if one is saved the moment that he believes, he is saved before he is "pardoned" of his sins. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16). We must have a confiding faith in our Savior. We must have an active faith exhibited in acts of obedience to the Lord’s commandments.

Faith when expressed does not cease to be faith. If all people could grasp this true statement, there would be less confusion in Christendom over "faith" and "works." "By faith Noah—prepared an ark," (Heb. 11:7). Noah believed God. He so believed, that he obeyed Him. He proved his faith in God by the works that he did. If Noah had not done what God had commanded, could Paul have said that Noah believed God? When people today refuse to obey the gospel, and yet say they believe the word of the Lord, can it be true? Will their faith be of any benefit to them? We prove our faith by repenting of our sins—Lk.. 13:3; by acknowledging Christ as being God’s son— Matt. 10:32-33—and by being baptized into the name of "the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, (Matt. 28:19); "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). These are all acts of faith. No wonder Paul says—"For ye are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26). Remember we prove our faith by the things that we do in obedience to God’s commandments. "0 Lord, correct me, but with Thy judgment"—"Thy Word."(F. C.). May this be the cry of all honest people, as they read this article. May the Lord bless you all.