What Is Faith

Faith is an integral part of my life, so asking this question lets me focus on a core part of who I am.

Merriam-Webster defines faith as:

A:
1. allegiance to duty or a person
2. fidelity to one’s promises
3. sincerity of intentions

B:
1. belief and trust in and loyalty to God
2. belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion
3. firm belief in something for which there is no proof
4. complete trust

— Merriam-Webster

But faith is more than just belief in something that can’t be proven. I believe that if one seeks truth, they will find it.

Where Does Faith Come From?

For me, faith comes from my life experiences. My childhood was spent — and I’m going to use air quotes here — “in the church.” Both of my parents made it a priority to go to church whenever the doors were open. They did this because of me. They wanted a better life for me than what they’d experienced. I find this to be true for most parents: most want a better life for their kids.

It’s not like they had a horrible upbringing. My dad’s parents led a very hard life. I’d say both Granny and Papaw sought an escape from a difficult life — Papaw in alcohol, Granny in her kids, to an extent. At least that was my take as one of the grandkids. My Papa and Nana, my mom’s parents, were very different — the typical Southern family rooted in the Southern Baptist way of life. Life was still hard and difficult, but they had a strong tie to God, and their faith was ever-present.

My parents wanted me to have a stable, happy life, and they believed a strong faith in God was key to that. But faith alone isn’t the key — faith in something is what matters. Which brings me to the next question.

What Part Does Scripture Play in One’s Faith?

Faith needs to be in something. We have faith that the chair at the kitchen table will hold us when we sit down. We have faith that the brakes in our car will stop it when it’s traveling at speed. That kind of faith is rooted in knowledge of how things work.

What about faith in God? I know that God is real, that He created everything, that He exists outside of time, and that He sent His Son to save me because He loves me. That faith is different. Many would say it falls into the “firm belief in something for which there is no proof” category, but I’d disagree. For me, there is proof — and that’s the role scripture plays in this faith.

I’ll save the case for scripture’s truth and accuracy for another post, but I believe there’s overwhelming evidence that the Bible is true. If that’s the case, then my belief in God, and the faith I place in Him, isn’t blind — it’s more than that.

So why is faith important? I think that if you have no faith, you’re empty and void. To be completely honest, a lack of faith is a faith in itself — you have faith to be without faith. I know that sounds strange, but it’s where I land. We’ll all make a choice in life: where will you put your faith?