Kinds of Faith

From Faith—How to Co-operate With the Living Loving God

The Context

“The object and purpose of our instruction and charge is that all believers would be filled with charity (love) that comes from a pure heart, and a clear conscience, and genuine faith.” —1 Timothy 1:5

All progress in the Christian life is by trusting (faith). “This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by trusting (faith). As the Scriptures say, The just shall live by trust (faith).” – Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Habakkuk 2:4

Kinds of Faith

There are several kinds of faith mentioned in Scripture, of which the following list will be helpful in arriving at the kind of faith one should have:

1. COMMON FAITH (Titus 1:4). It is called "the mutual faith" (Rom. 1:12). This is the faith that is common to all men who claim to be Christians. It is common because of the few commonly accepted truths held more or less alike by all Christians, such as belief in Christ as a Saviour and in eternal life. The uncommon kind is that rare faith in apostolic power and in the fullness of God in the lives of all Christians. It is faith in these truths that brings controversy because the average church member has not been taught that he can have all the benefits of the gospel which were experienced by early Christians. That all men can have this uncommon faith and power has been made clear in other pages.

2. WEAK FAITH (Rom. 4:19; 14:1-23; 15:1-4; 1 Cor. 8:1-13). This is the kind of faith that constantly limits personal benefits and privileges in the gospel, due to wrong teachings and personal scruples concerning non-essentials of life. There are literally thousands of people who spend much of their time arguing and condemning each other over small details of life that are not essential enough to mention in particular in Scripture. These consist of what one may or may not eat, drink, wear, or do in life and still be a Christian. In the above-cited Scriptures it is clear that the Kingdom of God does not consist in meat, drink, and personal details of life that are not specifically forbidden in Scripture, but that it is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17).

If the devil cannot get men to commit great sins that are forbidden in Scripture, he will urge honest-hearted people to go to the extreme and condemn this or that in personal liberties that are not strictly condemned by God. Multitudes today go to the utter extreme and condemn in some degree almost every phase of human living. The law of Scripture concerning anything that is not definitely forbidden by God in Scripture is: "He that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not in faith: for WHATSOEVER IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN" (Rom. 14:23).

The Christian law of love to others is: "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things are pure; but IT IS EVIL FOR THAT MAN WHO EATETH WITH OFFENCE. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is the man that condemneth not himself in the things which he alloweth.... We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please his neighbor for his good to edification" (Rom. 14:19-22; 15:1-2).

3. STRONG FAITH (Rom. 4:20). This faith is the kind that refuses to be defeated. It refuses to take no for an answer. It laughs at circumstances, symptoms, all outward appearances, and what is seen, heard, or felt, and it doggedly holds to the fact that what has been asked of God is granted. Abraham had this kind of faith: "Who against hope believed in hope, that he should be the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not WEAK IN FAITH, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb [who was about ninety years old]: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was STRONG IN FAITH, giving glory to God; and BEING FULLY PERSUADED that, what he had promised, he was able to perform. And it was counted to him for righteousness" (Rom. 4:18-22).

This is the kind of faith all men should have and could have if they would only persuade themselves that God is true to His Word. Most men claim that they have faith in God to this extent, and not one wants to say boldly that He is a liar and that He will not do as He said, but when it comes to exercising faith that will not doubt or waver in prayer, very few will maintain such a strong faith and thank God for the answer even before it is realized. Very few will simply refuse to question or waver in the least when it seems that things are going contrary to what has been asked of God. This is exactly why they do not get definite answers from God. There is no person who will exercise faith as strong as that of Abraham who will go very long without an answer from God. Such a thing, that God would refuse one who came to Him in such unwavering faith is literally impossible and unheard of (James 1:5-8; Heb. 11:16). All men are definitely assured of getting from God those things which He has promised if they will "walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham" (Rom. 4:12. 23-25).

4. LITTLE FAITH (Matt. 6:30; 8:26; 14:31; Lk. 12:28). This is the same as no faith because it is the wavering kind (Heb. 10:23; James 1:5-8).

5. GREAT FAITH (Matt. 8:10; 15:28). This is the true, unwavering faith that will always move God to answer according to His abundant promises (Heb. 11:6).

6. UNFEIGNED FAITH (1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 1:5). This faith is the kind that knows no hypocrisy, sham, or counterfeit. It is the kind that does not brag or put on outward show, that it is real. It is simply genuine and real and sincere in its every aspect. It proceeds out of a pure heart and from a good conscience, as stated in these Scriptures. It is not hereditary, although in 2 Tim. 1:5 Paul speaks of it as being in three successive generations. It is the kind that all honest, pure, and sincere men have. It is the unselfish, holy, and godly kind that naturally increases in the life of every true child of God, as he grows in grace and knowledge (2 Pet. 1:4-9; 3:18).

7. TEMPORARY FAITH (Luke 8:13). This is the kind of faith that believes for a while and springs up like a mushroom, but because of shallowness, lack of root it fails in time of temptation and test. People through the ages have been of this type. They receive the Word of God with great joy, and it seems that they are going to outstrip everybody else in faith, but after a few days or weeks they are not heard of again, or if they are heard of again it is in another revival meeting where their emotions become again stirred temporarily and they make another start in faith, soon to fall again. They never fully come clean with God or make the full surrender of their lives except for the moment. They do not prepare the soil so that the seed can take root and produce fruit.

Some teach that this cannot happen, but it does in spite of the so-called impossibility of falling away from the faith and being renewed in repentance again. Some teach that one cannot fall from the faith, but Jesus certainly said that some would "receive the word with joy; and these have no root, WHICH FOR A WHILE BELIEVE, and in time of temptation FALL AWAY" (Matt. 13:20-21; Luke 8:13). Paul speaks of these as those who "concerning faith have made shipwreck" (1 Tim. 1:19), as "having cast off their first faith" by going "aside after Satan" (1 Tim. 5: 12-15), and as having "erred concerning the faith" (1 Tim. 6:21). Many Scriptures say that men can depart from and fall from the faith (Acts 14:22; 1 Tim. 2:15; 4:1; 5:8-15; 6:10,21; 2 Tim. 2:18; Heb. 3:6; 12-14; 6:11-12; 10:22-28). Men are repeatedly told to continue in the faith (Acts 14:22; Col. 1:23; 2:6-7). Anybody with common intelligence knows that he can disbelieve anything that he chooses to lose faith in, especially in things that are not seen.

8. HISTORICAL FAITH (1 John 5:10-13). This is faith in the history or the record of God concerning the past and concerning His own work for men. One can believe the record of God to the letter and still not be saved. It is simply believing in the record of anything of the past. No consecration to God is necessary to believe history.

9. MENTAL FAITH (James 2:14-26). Mental faith is similar to historical faith in that it believes history but goes further and believes every part of the Bible, past, present, and future, as well as all the truths of the blessings of God, but it does not act upon the Word of God. Faith without works is dead, being alone. It is passive faith or mere mental assent to truth. Thousands of sinners have mental faith in God and the Bible, but they keep neglecting the definite action of obeying truth

True faith is not mental assent to truth as a fact. Most people have such assent. Men will believe that God is able, that He has promised to do certain things, and that He would if true faith were exercised, but there is little effort put forth to co-operate with God or to get what He has promised. It is merely a mental assent to truth without active faith in it. It is the kind of faith that will turn to every source of help but God, and at the same time maintain that it does believe in God and His Word. It is just like believing that food is good without ever eating to get the benefits from it. Mental assent, or passive faith, is one of the most dangerous enemies of true faith in God. It claims all the faith in the world and is satisfied easily with either anything or with nothing from God. If it does not get what it wants, it does not care. It would accept something from God if He would come personally and lay the answer in the lap and beg one to keep the gift, but apart from this there is little or no effort put forth to act in faith concerning anything God has promised. Mental faith may go as far as to maintain belief in every truth and in every part of God's program, and it may even claim to be contending for certain benefits; yet it dares not act upon the promises of God.

10. ACTIVE FAITH (James 2:14-26; Heb. 10:19-38). This is the kind that acts upon the Word of God as it is made clear. James put it this way: "shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." All men must have this faith to get anything from God. As long as faith is purely mental and passive no action will be taken to obey the truth. Men must get beyond the stage of hearing and into the act of doing what God says before they get results. Active living faith moves to obey every truth of God to the letter and to appropriate what God has promised. It acts as if the things that are not seen are a reality. It is quick to provide works to prove that it is sincere and obedient.

Think of having a real, active, living faith of your own! Imagine the thrill of having your own prayers answered! As I write I have on my desk a large stack of letters marked "Testimony." These letters, which have been received in recent months, tell how God has answered prayer. People hear the radio programs and are inspired to take God at His Word. As they act they are answered. One lady says that she had been sick for ten long years and had not done any of her housework. She heard me say on the air that if you will believe God and refuse to be sick and defeated, you can have whatever you want. She said, "I acted upon the Word and got out of bed and God met my faith. I have been doing my work ever since." Another one is so thrilled that her prayers have been answered three times from laying her hands on the radio and praying with us. Many more are deeply stirred to new life and deeper consecrations because they are learning to act upon the Word.

Multitudes of people have never had an answer to prayer, and they are missing the greatest blessings of life by such neglect. Most people depend upon others to get answers for them. They pray, as they think, but they want someone else to do the believing. In reality, they are not praying. They are merely saying words and going through a form of prayer. True New Testament praying is always heard of God, and the answer is always sure. God has planned that all men should have this kind of faith and results. "These signs shall follow them that believe," and "all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark 9:23; 11:22-24; 16:15-20; John 14:12-15).

Faith can be developed into a mighty living force that will know no defeat. You can know that you are master of all demon powers and circumstances through Jesus Christ. You no longer need be a slave to fear, timidity, weakness, failure, sickness, poverty, helplessness, and despair. You can be a conqueror in the very things wherein you have suffered defeat. "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7, 16). Again, "He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

You must awake to the consciousness of the new life you have in Christ. As a branch, you have His life, His health, His power, His love, and His nature flowing through you. You are the fruit-bearing part of Christ in the Earth. You are in Him and He is in you. You have His words abiding in you, giving you faith for whatsoever you ask. You have as much right in Him to be asking and receiving from God as He had. You have a right to expect the same answers from God that He got. You represent God here as He did, so do not be satisfied to go without the benefits that He died to give to you.

You are commanded to be a doer of the Word, and this means ask and receive. You are not to be merely a hearer. You are not deceiving yourself when you act upon the Word. It will be confirmed, for it is truth. It must be a living, active faith, not a mere mental passive something that all sinners can have. You are in Christ, and as God's child and heir you have the authority to act on the Word. You are a fruit-bearer, a producer for God, so get busy and produce for Him according to His Word.

11. WAVERING FAITH (James 1:5-8). This is faith doubting God and refusing to believe. Truly to believe and to have faith is to act on the Word. It means taking what is already yours. To believe on Jesus means to take Him for all that the Bible declares Him to be. It means that you take salvation from sin, healing for the body, answers to your prayers, and all that He died to bring to you. Believing is an act of the will. When you really believe you have acted. You have taken the necessary step to get what you want from God. Faith is action in counting those things that be not as though they were (Rom. 4:17; Mark 11:22-24). Doubting is refusing to act on the Word. Unbelief is either refusing to act according to the knowledge that you have, or it is a manifestation of ignorance of the Word of God. If you do not know, you cannot act because you do not understand. If you do not understand you are afraid to act because you do not know how to act. The cure for all unbelief is a thorough knowledge of the Word and consecration to obey it to the letter, regardless of how impossible it may seem at the moment.

A wavering faith is called double-mindedness, a constant change of the mind as to what is wanted or whether the thing asked for is wanted or not. It is the attitude of yes-no, yes-no, and yes-no, until God Himself cannot tell whether it is yes or no. One minute it is decided that a thing is wanted, and it may be wanted with some real desperation, but the next minute it is not so important. People who have wavering faith do not really make up their minds that they are going to see the fight of faith through to an answer. They would accept the answer if it would come without any hesitation or effort on their part, but to take the necessary steps to get an answer or to fight in the least for the thing that is asked, is another question.

12. UNWAVERING FAITH (Heb. 10:23; 11:6). This is faith taking God at His word without any question. God commands us to "ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A doubleminded man is unstable in all his ways" (James 1:5-8). We are told to "Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)" (Heb. 10:23). Again, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:6).

This is faith refusing to doubt, wonder, question, or reason about one detail of what one has asked for from God. It has absolute confidence that what was asked is according to the Word of God, and therefore it knows that prayer is answered. It rests upon the promises as the basis of the answer, instead of upon feelings and things seen. It refuses to act contrary to what it has asked or to question in the least any delay in an answer. It counts the thing done regardless of all outward evidences to the contrary. It laughs at impossibilities and goes on in utmost confidence that what God has promised He is able to perform. It gives thanks for the answer from the moment it asks and looks forward in child-like expectation of getting it.

13. HUMAN FAITH (Mark 11:22-24). This is simply the exercise of human faculties in having confidence and conviction that he can believe God, and that God is true to all that He has promised. All men are capable of faith in themselves and faith in anyone else that makes any statement of promise to them. Faith is an attribute of man's created being. It was natural for man to believe God before the fall. There was no such thing as a doubt, a question, or any unbelieving reasoning on the part of man before this time. It was the devil that injected doubt and unbelief into man's moral and spiritual makeup. And since man's fall and because of the almost total depravity of his being, it becomes one of the greatest struggles of his redemptive career to have that same simple and unwavering faith that was natural before the fall. It was doubt and unbelief that caused the fall, and it is of the greatest importance to get rid of all such in redemption.

14. DIVINE FAITH (Heb. 11:3; Gal. 2:20; 1 Cor.__1 Corinthians__ 13:14). Faith is not only a natural attribute of man. It is an attribute of God. It is God's absolute confidence and conviction in His own Being and Word. The first passage listed above teaches that the ages were planned by faith through the Word of God and that things were brought into existence that never existed before. God had faith in Himself when He planned the worlds. He believed that He could do what He commanded, and He counted those that were not as though they were (Rom. 4:17). The second passage listed above speaks of "the faith of the Son of God," thus proving that He also has faith as does the Father. In fact, He is the author and finisher of faith (Heb. 12:1-2). The last passage mentioned above speaks of "faith" abiding along with hope and love, which means that these three qualities are eternal as attributes of God.

Men will have to exercise faith in the infinite throughout eternity, for there will always be the necessity of having confidence in God and His eternal plan concerning those matters that the finite has not yet comprehended of the infinite (Isa. 32:17). If faith will be necessary in eternity, how much more is it needed now when we do not know as we are also known. This life is the probationary period of the eternal existence of human beings, and it is necessary to learn faith and obedience to carry out the plan of God for man both now and forever. Faith is acting on the Word of God, and this will be necessary throughout eternity because God will eternally give the saved His Word and make known His will concerning all things to come.

Thus it is clear that God has faith, Christ has faith, the Holy Spirit has faith angels have faith, demons have faith (James 2:11) and men must have faith in order to please God (Heb. 11:6). Faith is absolutely necessary in the carrying on of moral government. If moral agents cannot have faith in the Moral Governor of the universe, they will not trust Him. Lack of faith on the part of subjects in human government tends to create anarchy and rebellion. When doubts, questionings, unbelief dissatisfaction, and lack of confidence are manifest in subjects of a government of any kind it cannot long endure. Faith is an absolute necessity. Childlike faith and confidence in God with utter abandonment of self-interests, trust in Him to leave everything in His hands for the common good of all, is not only demanded by God but it is the only reasonable attitude to take on the part of man

The history of mankind and of angels and demons proves that God has been good merciful, loving, kind, and consecrated to the best good of all creation. Not one person in moral creation can point a finger of accusation that God has dealt with him unjustly. No one can today testify that God has been unfaithful to him if he has done the will of God and conformed to the Word of God in faith. Not one free moral agent can accuse God of the least degree of unfaithfulness in any dealing. Not one will be able in all eternity to accuse Him of being a respecter of persons. God has been and always will be good to all. He longs to bless all men today. He will heal of every disease, save from every sin and bad habit, deliver from failure and poverty, and answer every prayer that is prayed in faith in the name of Jesus Christ. He longs to do what He has promised to do. He desires to supply all needs of men, but He will not break His own law by blessing those who do not have faith. He has laid down plain laws of faith whereby any and every man can get what he wants in life, and He as going to hold man to obedience to these laws before He grants the desires of man. If man wants the benefits, then let him intelligently obey the laws of God to the letter, and by so doing he will get what God has promised. If the benefits are not worth the price, then let him not complain that he is not supplied. If then art worth the simple effort to get them as God has made clear, then don't doubt or waver one moment as to the outcome. It is already settled that the benefits are guaranteed and sure if true, simple, childlike faith is exercised. There is no longer any question about this if we believe the Bible; so let this be settled forever.

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