When is Faith Not Faith?
What makes faith "faith?" For example, how would I know if I have "faith in Jesus?" If I know about him, is that faith? If I believe he is the Son of God, is that faith? The answer to both those questions is, perhaps surprisingly, no.
Compare two stories from the Gospel of Matthew:
Peter's Confession:
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John..."
~ Matthew 16:13-17
Why did Jesus call Peter blessed? At first glance, most of us would likely say because Peter recognized him as the Son of God and Messiah. But if that were the case, then the following story would be very confusing.
The Demons' Confession:
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.
They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God?"
~ Matthew 8:28-29 (see also Mark 1:24 where a demon says, "I know who you are -- the Holy One of God!")
In this story, the demons also recognized Jesus as the Son of God, yet they were not blessed or praised as Peter was. So what was the difference between their two confessions?
Augustine of Hippo also pondered this question 1,600 years ago. He noted that Peter and the demons said "almost the same thing," but only Peter was called blessed.
Augustine concludes Peter was not praised merely because of the words he spoke (because the demons spoke the same words), but because of the affections of his heart:
"So what is the difference? Peter spoke in love, but the demons in fear... So tell us how faith is to be defined, if even the devils can believe and tremble? Only the faith that works by love is faith."
~ Augustine of Hippo
Therefore, what makes faith "faith" is not simply the words we speak, or even what we believe. What makes faith a dynamic, life-changing force is the love and trust that motivate our words and belief. In other words, Christian faith is not a theological idea or an intellectual concept. It's a relationship.
PAUSE and REFLECT: What does faith look like in your life? Is Jesus a doctrine, an idea, or historical figure? Is faith, for you, believing the right things about Jesus and having the right doctrine? These are all fine, but they alone do not encompass biblical faith.
To have faith in Jesus is to have a relationship with Jesus that is founded on love and trust.
So put aside your beliefs about Jesus and your doctrine for a moment (just for a this moment, not forever). When you put aside your intellectual thoughts about Jesus, is there anything left in the relationship? Is there emotional intimacy with him? Conversation? Trust and gratitude? Is there any desire to commune with him?
To have a relationship based on doctrine is not a relationship, or at least not a holistically fulfilling one. To be fully alive requires a connection with God that supersedes intellect alone. Again, intellect is important, but it's not enough. Our faith is called "blessed" by God when it is grounded in love.
Pause for a moment and reflect on the spiritual practices you do to connect with God. How many of them are on an intellectual level? Even prayer and bible can remain a head activity only.
What would it look like for you to spend one entire week seeking God in a different way, or a deeper level? How might Jesus be inviting your faith in him to grow beyond your beliefs so you can experience the presence of God in a way that brings peace and happiness?