Christians, do you agree with this definition of the word "Faith"?

Question

After an exhaustive study of the Bible, I would define the word "Faith" to mean, "The power, vision and ability to create, accomplish or build something". Starting at Genesis chapter 1, I see where God 'Created' and throughout the Bible people built, made and accomplished many things by Faith. Do any Christians here in YA agree with this definition?

Also, why should we accept or even allow atheists to under define and even misdefine this very important word such as the definition given by Richard Dawkins, a prominent atheist currently criticizing Christianity. His definition is not even close to what Faith is yet so many people accept it, "Belief without proof". How would someone in the process of creating something be able to show scientific proof of something not yet made? This is where Hebrews chapter 11 explains further. What does science have to do with Faith?

'picare' and 'andymcj66' - why did you answer a question directed toward Christians? Your profiles show that you are atheists. By answering this question do you now present yourselves as Christian?

Answer 1

After an exhaustive study of the Bible, you should know that what we believe to be faith doesn't mean that what God's wants.

Hebrews 11:1 tells you exactly what faith is.

11 Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.

That may sound similar to Dawkins, but faith is something that we can't prove. That's why we 'walk by faith, not by sight'.

Example: I can not prove to you that the sun will be here tomorrow. I believe, have faith and act as though it will ~ but, it may not.

Answer 2

actually faith and the scientific method go hand in hand. First we become aware of something (faith comes by hearing) then we make an assumption. (That what we heard is true) then we test our assumption. (we follow the directions to see if we get what was promosed all the while assuming we will) and wah lah we become new creatures and re establish a link with the creator and there is our proof. So Dawkins is only wrong because he did not form the assumption and make the test which is done in any scientific process. There is nothing wrong with science it is just that people try to use it to disprove something which is true. They also try to use it to prove things that are not true are true. So what is fact today is many people who should have become lawyers have turned to science. Give science a little more time and it will figure out what God told us is true---is true.

Answer 3

Nope.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

(substance), hupostasis in Greek, assurance, confidence
(evidence), elegchos in Greek, proof, conviction

Faith is greater than belief, for example;
You are standing on the edge of a cliff.
Do you believe or have faith?
That if you jump off you are going down?
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Addendum: It boils down to this. You say belief without proof. This may be true to you because you don't see, feel, hear, and know the truth, that is God. God is the truth, the Spirit of truth. This is our evidence of our faith. We are born from above, not born again, born of God's Spirit, the Spirit of truth. We study His Word and see His truth. We study His Word and feel His truth. We study His Word and hear His truth. We study His Word and know His truth.
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An evidence you will never learn of unless you try.

Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
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Of coarse we don't accept misdefining "faith" but we can teach truth. Truth defeats lies. Light defeats darkness. This effort of edification is a spiritual battle and can only be won with God's help. Some do not have ears that hear or eyes that see. It's impossible to force feed truth. We can prepare the soil (mind) and sow seed (Word), but God germinates and waters. If the plant grows, we can cultivate and keep the weeds out. Then if there is no latter rain it blasts and no fruit is produced. So God is huge in the equation.
God Bless you and take care.

Answer 4

I think your definition is way off. You definition is closer to the definition of the word grace than faith. Faith is being able to determine what God is going to do. It really has nothing at all to do with what we do or create. Heb 11:1 is the Bible definition of faith and it emphasizes two things Assurance of what we hope for, and evidence of what we can't see. Neither have anything to do with what we do.

Answer 5

Its story time. Play me silly game. It is fun.
You are on the roof of a burning building and you need to get down or you will be in a world of hurt. There is a long rope there with you tied off to a secure fixture. You can know it is a rope. You can debate the rope until you are blue in the face. You could of read many books about ropes and gone to classes on repelling with ropes and even taught some classes but you are still on the burning roof and there is still a rope tied off to a secure fixture. You are not going anywhere until you have enough faith in that rope to use it to get down. Now by faith you grab the rope and climb down. If you did not have faith you would of not used it. That's the most clear and simple way I have to define it.

Answer 6

No, not at all. Faith simply means "what you believe". Some People have faith in God. Others have faith in people-like Benny Hinn, or witchcraft. Everyone has faith, just in different things.
The Bible says that Abraham "believe God" and for this he was deemed rightous. Read Hebrews 11, its all about faith.

Answer 7

The Biblical definition of faith is a positive response to God's call and promise. Dawkins' makes no attempt to understand Christian faith, nor does he cite a single theologian to lend credibility to that silly definition he uses.

Answer 8

I disagree with your definition. Faith has no "power, vision and ability to create, accomplish or build something" unless the object on which the faith is based is sufficiently strong to accomplish it. If you attached your definition to "Faith in God's Word (the Bible)" I might agree with you though.

Answer 9

Well scientists also have to rely on faith. When he buys a cup of coffee, he must have faith that it is coffee that it is safe to drink before he drinks it. If he take a bus or a train indicating a certain destination, he must have faith that it will take him to where he wants to go.
In fact evolutionists must have greater faith to believe Charles Darwin and other evolutionists who wrote books that continued to revised over and over again, in comparison to the Bible which has never been revised for almost two thousand years now. (The Old Testament is over two thousand two hundred years old now!, and has never been revised in its contents, only the wordings or translation.)

Answer 10

This (faith) is why Jesus said: "many are called, yet few are chosen". Only the "faith"ful are chosen to inherit the kingdom of God. There will always be athiests and sceptics. But those that endure till the end, the same will be saved.