What Does Faith Mean in the Bible?

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Learn about spiritual faith and how to build it in your life

Co-authored by Aly Rusciano

Last Updated: December 4, 2023 Fact Checked

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What is faith?

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How Can You Be Faithful

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Faith vs. Hope vs. Belief

You’ve probably heard the word “faith” at church or in everyday conversation. But what does it mean exactly? In Christianity, faith describes an unwavering trust in the Lord. This means you believe in God’s power without actually seeing it in action. Keep reading to learn more about spiritual faith, where you might see it in the Bible, and how to cultivate it.

Things You Should Know

Faith is the act of trusting the Lord no matter what.
In the Bible, faith is described as “the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
To be a more faithful Christian, follow the 10 commandments, be kind, and pray to the Lord.

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What is faith?

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In the Bible, faith is trusting God’s power unconditionally. Faith is the act of having great trust or confidence in someone or something. ^{[1]
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Research source} Religiously, this refers to a belief and unwavering trust in the Lord. For instance, when someone has faith, they believe and trust God’s word and love for them. ^{[2]
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They don’t need proof of God’s power—they believe it’s there no matter what. As Hebrews 11:1 states, “Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” ^{[3]
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Research source} Think of spiritual or biblical faith as swinging on a rope and jumping into a body of water. Faith is letting go of the rope and trusting that you’ll land in the water, whether that’s by God or another divine power’s hand.The term “faith” appears in the Bible around 460 times and is often used to describe instances when God Himself can’t be seen:
- “For we live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). ^{[4]
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- “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17). ^{[5]
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- “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21). ^{[6]
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