Myer:
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11.1

Following God, Christ, Christianity is based on faith.
However, what does the verse above mean?

This is important for any believer because Luke 18:8 asks if on the last day, Christ will find faith on earth.

What then is this faith?
I hope we can explain the 3 different Faiths elaborated below;

1. Is Faith waiting on God for his divine direction before making any decision?

2. Is Faith praying for your heart desire and trusting on God to make his word good?

3. Is Faith believing in Jesus Christ and nothing else matters?

Kobojunkie:
I am afraid faith is none of the above! All those are ideas are of the doctrines and traditions of men where faith is concerned and not of scripture.

Consider that the author of Hebrews 11 wasn't meant as a definition for the word "faith" but instead to provide a description for faith instead.

Kobojunkie:
I am afraid faith is none of the above! All those are ideas are of the doctrines and traditions of men where faith is concerned and not of scripture.

Consider that the author of Hebrews 11 wasn't meant as a definition for the word "faith" but instead to provide a description for faith instead.

Myer:
What then is faith?

Myer:
What then is faith?

Kobojunkie:
Faith is as explained in scripture, a direct product of our honoring God... a currency earned through our direct obedience of His commandments to us.

Myer:
Luke 7:6-9 Matthew 8:10

And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 
Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.


In this passage, Jesus marveled at this man's faith.
Bear in mind that this is a centurion,most likely a Roman and not an Israelite.
Also he did not obey any commandment,he simply believed and trusted that Jesus could heal his servant with just a command and not having to come to his house since he was unworthy of hosting or being in the presence of Jesus

So this negates your definition of faith as obedience to God. Honour is truly reflected here.

But what I believe captured the heart of Jesus was that he trusted his ability to save his servant even with just a command. He had a conviction that Jesus could accomplish anything.

Kobojunkie:
You misunderstand! I didn't say that all of God's commandments to us, especially as individuals are those only housed in His Covenant.

You say the centurion was a Roman but that Roman understood quite well how God's power and authority works over even sickness, how and where did He get that understanding from?

And did the centurion know to approach Jesus Christ with that knowledge he had of authority and him having similar power over afflictions and sickness?

Myer:
I don't quite follow.

How is that obedience to God's commandment?

Kobojunkie:
God gave the centurion a command to act on. And in obedience, the centurion stepped up to Jesus Christ to ask Jesus Christ for help in the manner that he did.

NNTR:


Hebrews 11:1, 6
'1Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed),
and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality
—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
6But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him,
for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists
and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him'

2 Corinthians 5:7
'for we walk by faith, not by sight
[living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]'

Faith, is akin to the first step, at the bottom of a stairs, you take, even when you don't see the whole set of stairs

None of us knows, what might happen, even in the next one minute, yet still, we move, we go forward. Why? It is because we trust. It is because we have faith, loll.

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

Kobojunkie:
God gave the centurion a command to act on. And in obedience, the centurion stepped up to Jesus Christ to ask Jesus Christ for help in the manner that he did.

AntiChristian:
So what is Faith according to Jesus?

Myer:
The bolded is exhibited by every human and animal.

Not only believers.

Myer:
So my question to that is, do animals have faith?

Myer:
I believe you understand the scriptural connotations of faith but perhaps you can't aptly put it in words.

AntiChristian:
So what is Faith according to Jesus?

Myer:
Good question.
Jesus did not define faith. But identified and acknowledged it in different people, mostly before he healed them.

By observing these people, they all shared a common denominator- they trusted in Jesus' ability to save them and they followed through by their actions.

NNTR:


According to Jesus, there are varied degrees and manners of faith.

For example according to Jesus, there are:
1. Great faith - Matthew 8:10, Luke 17:9
2. Little faith - Matthew 6:30, Matthew 8:26, Matthew 14:3, Matthew 14:31, Matthew 16:8, Luke 12:28
3. Small faith - Matthew 17:20, Luke 17:6
4. No faith? or Lack of faith - Mark 4:40, Mark 9:24
5. Absence of faith - Matthew 13:58, Mark 6:5
6. Lost faith? - Luke 8:25
7. Faith increase? - Luke 17:5

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

Myer:


Good question.
Jesus did not define faith. But identified and acknowledged it in different people, mostly before he healed them.

By observing these people, they all shared a common denominator- they trusted in Jesus' ability to save them and they followed through by their actions.

AntiChristian:
How did Jesus define (not describe) faith?

AntiChristian:
So what is Faith according to Jesus?

Myer:
Good question.
Jesus did not define faith. But identified and acknowledged it in different people, mostly before he healed them.

By observing these people, they all shared a common denominator- they trusted in Jesus' ability to save them and they followed through by their actions.

AntiChristian:
So the definition of faith according to Jesus is "the believe that someone can heal another"?

Jesus healed all those people but he didn't teach them any commandment, righteousness or tell them to accept him as Lord and Saviour!

NNTR:
Luke 17:6
Jesus replied:
If you had faith no bigger than a tiny mustard seed,
you could tell this mulberry tree to pull itself up, roots and all, and to plant itself in the ocean.
And it would!

Matthew 17:20
"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them.
"I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,
you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move.
Nothing would be impossible."

Mark 10:52
Jesus said to him,
“Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well.”
Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.

Next you'll soon be asking, is, how did Jesus define (not describe) wiping one's arse?

Maybe you didnt know that describe, is a function of define, loll

Jesus, using a hyperbole, used a mustard seeds extreme exaggeration to make a point and show emphasis, defining faith, by describing it, as substance, that, if as little as a mustard seed is, the impossible is achievable.

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

AntiChristian:
Is Faith being able to give command and do the impossible (miracle) by yourself? Jesus described people as having great faith but he still had to heal their people for them.

Is Faith being able to give command and do the impossible (miracle) by yourself? Jesus described people as having great faith but he still had to heal their people for them. Remember the woman Jesus called her tribe "dogs".

I just need a definition of faith according to Jesus.

It seems your definition of faith is:

1. the belief that Jesus can heal.
2. the ability to command a miracle yourself.

NNTR:
Jesus in Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6 defined faith, but you have a problem understanding what faith is.

For example, with this simple illustration, faith, is similar to you taking the first step, at the bottom of a stairs, regardless of you not, even seeing the whole set of stairs, but believing that you will get to the top of the stairs.

Another example of faith, is you dont know, what might happen, even in the next few minutes you woke up this morning, yet still, you got out of bed, and moved, and went forward going out and about. Why? It is because of trust. It is because you are exercising the faith, loll.

If you want a miracle, you can start by being the miracle or agent of miracle, like getting out of bed without not knowing what the day has in store for you

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

AntiChristian:
Is this how Jesus defined Faith?

NNTR:
The bolded is exhibited by every human but not animals. I never suggested that faith is exclusive to believers

The straightforward answer is no, animals dont necessarily have faith, but instinct, is what they have and exercise, which is a 'hardwired' tendency for them, to behave in a particular behavior under the circumstance in play .

NNTR:
The bolded is exhibited by every human but not animals. I never suggested that faith is exclusive to believers

The straightforward answer is no, animals dont necessarily have faith, but instinct, is what they have and exercise, which is a 'hardwired' tendency for them, to behave in a particular behavior under the circumstance in play

Perhaps you didnt suss that I calculatingly held back and so stayed clear of further sharing with you the scriptural connotation of faith so not to risk alienating you

So that you won't again, conflate faith with something else, like animal instinct look at Hebrews 11:6 above. Note that, where it says, 'But without faith it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him', it is not making reference to animals, but the remark is centred around human beings.

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

LordReed:
Are you suggesting that humans don't have instincts?

LordReed:
If you aren't then what is the difference between what you defined as faith and instinct?

NNTR:

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As you can see from above, I never suggested that humans don't have instincts

The difference between faith and instinct, simply is that, the former engages a decision making process (i.e. faith, after all, without work is dead and useless) whereas the latter, engages, a 'hardwired' decision making process that kicks in, to respond to environmental cues or internal signals from either a human being or animal, if that's the case (e.g. flight or fight response survival instinct by both human and animals, the instinct to hibernate by animals etc)

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

LordReed:
Do you realise that some instincts are learned by constant practice?

LordReed:
So what do you mean by hardwired?

LordReed:
If both of them are decision processes how do you differentiate between them?

NNTR:
All instincts are innate and they arent, in the first instant, learned. You recognise after awhile that, they are instinct

Having put the above out, now, please give me examples of a number of instincts that are learned by constant practice then

Innate and ready made in the mind or better still, thesubconscious

Faith engages a decision making process, while instinct is behavioural tendencies triggered in response to certain stimuli

Faith, for instance, after all, without work is dead and useless. Imagine you live in a maisonette, thats three-storey high, it is the faith in believing you'll get to the third floor from the bottom of the stairs, that makes you optimistically take the first step on the stairs

Now, as for instinct. Imagine being a chihuahua, got lost in thick forested matured jungle, now your intuitive impulsive and unlearned thinking first and foremost in this precarious situation, will be survival for as long as you can manage or stretch it, from being a predator's dinner of choice, on the menu card

I hope the distinction between faith and instinct, is now cleared up well enough

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

NNTR:
Luke 17:6
Jesus replied:
If you had faith no bigger than a tiny mustard seed,
you could tell this mulberry tree to pull itself up, roots and all, and to plant itself in the ocean.
And it would!

Matthew 17:20
"You don't have enough faith," Jesus told them.
"I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,
you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move.
Nothing would be impossible."

Mark 10:52
Jesus said to him,
“Go; your faith [and confident trust in My power] has made you well.”
Immediately he regained his sight and began following Jesus on the road.

Luke 17:6 and Matthew 17:20 above that you ignored and pretended not to see, has how Jesus defined faith

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

NNTR:
Hebrews 11:1, 6
'1Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed),
and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality
—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].
6But without faith, it is impossible to [walk with God and] please Him,
for whoever comes [near] to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists
and that He rewards those who [earnestly and diligently] seek Him'

2 Corinthians 5:7
'for we walk by faith, not by sight
[living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]'

Faith, is akin to the first step, at the bottom of a stairs, you take, even when you don't see the whole set of stairs

None of us knows, what might happen, even in the next one minute, yet still, we move, we go forward. Why? It is because we trust. It is because we have faith, loll.

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}

AntiChristian:
I think I now understand why Christianity is mainly being preached with miracles. All your descriptions of faith is attached to miracle! And it doesn't even include the believe in the Almighty God.

NNTR:

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You unfortunately dont understand jack ṣhit

Why not give Hebrews 11:6 above, a very thorough good look again, my dear muslim friend brother, loll.

Now, how come, you dont know that, faith is the currency of heaven and God has given every human being, including yourself, a very good measure of it to use.

Everything is almost a miracle. Take you for instance, you. You're a miracle. Now watch this, isnt it a miracle that you dont dissolve in your bath, like a lump of sugar. Hmm?

_{Personal text: Jesus is not a theologian. He is God who told stories.}