Among believers, more than a handful use Faith to describe their belief in God. Some others treat Faith as a system of religious doctrines and standards, accompanied by an obligation and demonstration of loyalty and respect. Then there's the folks for whom Faith means the belief in something that cannot be proven.
Next are the believers who see Faith as the observance of their religious obligation, and the last group are those believers for whom Faith encompasses their trust in God and His promises revealed through Christ.
The last meaning's the one that matters most.
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After Christ's appearance on the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul didn't rise from his knees, scratch his chin and start nodding, "Wow! I didn't a minute ago, but now I believe in God and everything's gonna be great for the rest of my life!"
Paul didn't jump up, stick out his chin and announce, "Starting next Sunday, I'm walking backwards to church with a pro-Christian bumper sticker on my forehead to prove my loyalty and respect, and God will reward me for always being right."
Paul didn't choose to start writing a telephone book-thick scroll citing the intellectual arguments in favor of God's existence or take out pro-Christian ads in the Damascus Daily Tribune. Nor did Paul storm into Damascus and start looking for a church devoted to "meaningful applied Bible study and getting deeper into the word."
After Christ's one-on-one appearance left him blinded and helpless beside the road, what did Paul do?
Paul's sudden new Faith came from complete surrender and total obedience, and that meant putting himself aside to trust and follow everything Christ said.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
- 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
