The Theology of Faith and How Faith Actually Grows

Faith is the starting point of the Christian life.  Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."  Your life in Christ begins with faith, not works, not religious activity, but faith in Jesus Christ himself.  “Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.”  Romans 10:17

Saving faith is more than just intellectual agreement.  It also requires an internal heart belief and an external confession of belief.   As Romans 10:8-10 explains: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Faith for conversion is not a one-time event.  Faith continues in a daily reliance on God by opening the door to God that our sin had closed.  Ephesians 3:12 assures us: “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.”  Romans 5:1 adds: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  

Faith becomes our steadfast ally in times of trouble.  “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”  Hebrews 4:16   Scripture relays the same message three times, in Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11 – “The righteous will live by faith.”  This faith that saves you also sustains you.

True faith naturally produces obedience.  Romans 1:5 tells of “the obedience that comes from faith.”   This same thought is echoed in Romans 16:26: “so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith.”  Faith from this obedience also produces works for which you have been created.  James 2:22 describes the relationship through the faith and actions of Abraham: “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”  In fact, James 2:17 declares that faith can become empty without works: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  

Remember though, that you are saved by faith, not by works, but for good works.  Ephesians 2:8-10 describes this relationship: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  Your works demonstrate your faith.

Faith can be weak or strong and it can grow weaker or stronger.  As in any attribute you wish to cultivate, you must grow your faith.  Faith grows through the Word of God and through prayer.  Jude 1:20 commands: “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love.”    Faith also grows through trials as shown in James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Faith is not only essential for prayer, it also perseveres in prayer.  Jesus assures you in Mark 11:22-24: “’Have faith in God, ‘Jesus answered. ‘Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.’” (Emphasis added)   Hebrews 11:6 declares: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”   Be sure you persevere in prayer even when answers seem delayed.  “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”  Romans 8:25

Faith also drives out fear.  Isaiah 41:10 encourages you: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”   You also are told faith protects you from Satan’s attacks.  In the description of the spiritual armor of God in Ephesians 6:11-17 you are instructed to:“ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes … take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

Know that your testing refines and strengthens your faith.  1 Peter 1:6-7 speaks to this testing: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith … may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 

As you grow and mature in faith, your strength and assurance shifts from self-reliance to God-dependency.  You begin with an invitation: “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:22    You are given confidence in 1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”   Your faith is rewarded with certainty in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Ephesians 3:17 prays: “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” so you will know that “in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” (Galatians 3:26) Pray patience and endurance will grow your faith. Ask that your faith become enduring according to His will. Pray the faith of Christ be bestowed upon you.