What is faith?
It's hard to fully explain what faith is. The Epistle to the Hebrews defines it like this: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) So in faith there is something concrete and something bigger than world.
Faith is trusting in Jesus. It is being convinced that Son of God has died on the cross for me, a sinner, and therefore I am going to Heaven. Faith is taking the Word seriously in one's own life.
Being a believer does not mean that there would not be times of doubt. A believer is also a sinner and the Enemy will use all of your lifetime to figure out ways to contradict the faith. You can be certain of your faith and you can be uncertain of your faith. The most important thing, however, is to stay connected to God, no matter how you feel.
Whose decision it is that a person becomes a believer?
Faith is ultimately a gift of God. God is the one who makes a person to believe: not the person himself or any other man. As the Epistle to the Ephesians crystallizes: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8)
Faith is taking the Word seriously in one's own life.
This is very comforting: you don't have to squeeze faith out of yourself alone and with reasoning, instead you can always turn to God. You can pray that he would give and nourish the faith to you and to others and God has promised to answer our prayers.
How do you become a believer?
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” says Paul in the Bible (Romans 10:17). Where the Holy Spirit works – in the Word of God, in baptism and Communion, there faith is born. In baptism we have been taken as children of God and that is enough – we can only shout to father: help me to believe! Becoming a believer can be a stormy time and during that time one can be very emotional or then again it can be a calm long process. God can work in many ways.
Because faith is an act of God, we don't need to stress about whether is is enough. Even the fact that we are believers is a work of God's Holy Spirit. When a person want to meet God, he needs to go there where God talks. Reading the Bible and praying are good ways. And God promises: “And I say unto you: ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Luke 11:9)
Does life change when you become a believer?
There's a very concrete example in the Bible how the persecuting Saul is drawn by Jesus and turns into apostle Paul who spreads the gospel. In other words, his life changes completely and thoroughly, once and for all.
Even though this kind of radical change is possible, it does not have to be so but instead God can raise his children in faith throughout their whole lives. The Bible gives us advice and commandments according to which children of God ought to live – meant for our best and help us the understand in what ways Christians differ from other people.
In addition, a believer can rely on the fact that all his or her sins are forgiven and has “hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). We can count on God guiding us in our lives every day and Him giving us eternal life in Heaven. That is a safe foundation for life.
How do you stay as a believer?
In confirmation teaching the four table legs of faith are often brought up. They are reading the Bible, prayer, Communion and fellowship. The idea is that these four legs keep the faith in balance, if only one of them is too short, the table starts to wobble.
God talks to us in the Bible and we can count on that. It is pretty incredible to have the Truth written for us in black and white. In prayer we can bring our joys and worries to the Almighty and ask what his will is. With other Christians we can share our lives and faith on a common ground. In Communion we can meet no-one less than Jesus himself.
These all need careful cherishing. But it is also good to remember that in the end God has done everything for me and gives me the faith. His grace is sufficient for me.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippeans 4:6-7)
Text by Lotta Rämö
Translation by Eeva-Maija Aaltonen