Faith = belief

The Greek “faith” (Pistus) has different meanings, according to the context.

It is used as a noun, at times, to refer to the Christian “faith” once for all delivered.

It is used as verb, denoting outward action. Specifically, it refers how one acts according to what they claim to believe. It is belief in action.

This is why James tells us “faith without works is (a) dead (faith).

English doesn’t have a corresponding verb denoting outward action, so (pistus) faith is translated as “belief” which denotes inward mental assent instead outward actions.

That has resulted in an unfortunate emphasis on inward mental assent, instead of outward actions.

peace to you

 

For example, to say a person has “faith” (pistus) in Jesus Christ means the person’s outward actions are dictated by that faith.

It doesn’t mean an inward mental assent to certain facts about Jesus.

peace to you

 

It's interesting you bring this up. We used to have a guy in our old church who was a "Clarkian", and he would get quite upset when our pastor would use the Puritan type ideas of faith being defined as more than "a belief in the propositions". There is an article by Gordon Clark on the Trinity Foundation website that explains this.

He even takes the Westminster Confession of Faith to task for trying to say that there is a separate "trust" as part of faith - his idea being that belief covers all that without being broken up. After seeing what "easy believism" has done to Christianity I can see what people are trying to do but sometimes I have to admit that it is also possible to keep enlarging the idea of "faith" to where it covers a lot more that it means.

 

A person's deeds and their faith are dictated from the heart. Our faith is not the source for our works, it's whether God has wrought within.

 

Well, I don’t necessarily disagree. I was only pointing out the Greek word “faith” involves more than simple mental assent to certain facts about Jesus, as the word “belief” implies.

peace to you

 

As far as salvation is concerned "faith/belief" is mental assent to facts about Christ Jesus. Our faith /belief in Christ subsequent to our salvation is shown by our actions.

Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith, is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God's testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God's character and declarations, and in the character and doctrines of Christ, with an unreserved surrender of the will to his guidance, and dependence on his merits for salvation.
In other words, that firm belief of God's testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation. Webster

 

We disagree.

As far as salvation is concerned “faith/belief” is NOT mental assent to facts about Jesus (that is a well documented falsehood from a man named “Sandeman”)

As far as salvation is concerned, Faith/belief is about a relationship with Christ, with the person receiving God Holy Spirit as pledge promise that what God has revealed is true.

Jesus Himself testified that “MANY” would call Him “Lord” in the day of judgement and He would tell them, “depart from Me…. I never knew you”

All those folks calling Him “Lord” knew certain facts about Jesus and gave mental assent to those facts… but in the end they had no relationship with our Lord.

peace to you

 

Well if faith/belief is not mental assent then what is it? The person has to hear and believe. They have to make a decision regarding the available information. As to Sandeman, never heard of him. You call it a falsehood but strangely the bible say we have to have faith. Romans 1:16

One can not have a relationship with someone they know nothing about, and one that they have chosen to have that relationship with. And again a decision based on information.

You just proved my point when you say Christ said "many" would call Him Lord because they knew certain facts about Him and gave mental assent to those facts. Even though we have people that make a false profession of faith does not alter the fact that those that make a true profession of faith still base that decision on the available information.

No matter how you want to approach this it still comes down to the person evaluating the available information and making a decision to place their faith in Him or not.

 

You're not using the term "easy believism" the same way I am. Notice in the verses you quoted you have Jesus talking about "coming to him", "resting" in him and taking his "yoke" upon yourself (which means submitting to him). That is I think a true definition of faith and of the beginning of discipleship.

"Easy believism" would be when someone is talked into a mental assent to the gospel facts as being true at an intellectual level, with no change desired or intended in the life or attitude. You may pray a prepared prayer and then you are saved, and then maybe, just maybe you may go on to follow Christ. It is rampant in the Western church and is wrong.

That is not to criticize your statement that faith = belief. That is true and it just reminded me of Gordon Clark's writing. Also, as @canadyjd pointed out, the writings of the Sandemanians if taken to an extreme. I just meant to say that in our zeal to make sure we have true faith and real faith we sometimes can go too far in defining faith and end up combining it with the results of faith as part of it's definition.