Faith...What Is It?

[freedomforall]

Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the substance (basis, foundation) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

JST Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence (proof) of things not seen.


Substance of Faith

Pure and Simple Faith

Finding Faith in Christ

Unity of the Faith

Faith
children in whom is no faith: Deut. 32:20 .
the just shall live by his faith: Hab. 2:4 . ( Rom. 1:17 ; Gal. 3:11 ; Heb. 10:38 . )
clothe you, O ye of little faith: Matt. 6:30 . ( Luke 12:28 . )
not found so great faith … in Israel: Matt. 8:10 . ( Luke 7:9 . )
thy faith hath made thee whole: Matt. 9:22 . ( Mark 5:34 ; Mark 10:52 ; Luke 7:50 ; Luke 8:48 ; Luke 17:19 ; Luke 18:42 . )
According to your faith be it unto you: Matt. 9:29 .
thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt: Matt. 14:31 .
great is thy faith: be it unto thee: Matt. 15:28 .
faith as a grain of mustard seed: Matt. 17:20 . ( Luke 17:6 . )
If ye have faith, and doubt not: Matt. 21:21 .
mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done: Matt. 23:23 .
how is it that ye have no faith: Mark 4:40 .
Have faith in God: Mark 11:22 .
Where is your faith: Luke 8:25 .
apostles said … Increase our faith: Luke 17:5 .
shall he find faith on the earth: Luke 18:8 .
prayed … that thy faith fail not: Luke 22:32 .
through faith in his name hath made this man strong: Acts 3:16 .
opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles: Acts 14:27 .
unbelief make the faith of God without effect: Rom. 3:3 .
propitiation through faith in his blood: Rom. 3:25 .
works? Nay: but by the law of faith: Rom. 3:27 .
justified by faith: Rom. 3:28 . ( Rom. 5:1 ; Gal. 2:16 . )
it is of faith, that it might be by grace: Rom. 4:16 .
faith cometh by hearing: Rom. 10:17 .
dealt to every man the measure of faith: Rom. 12:3 .
prophesy according to the proportion of faith: Rom. 12:6 .
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye: Rom. 14:1 .
whatsoever is not of faith is sin: Rom. 14:23 .
your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men: 1 Cor. 2:5 .
To another faith by the same Spirit: 1 Cor. 12:9 .
now abideth faith, hope, charity: 1 Cor. 13:13 .
if Christ be not risen … faith is also vain: 1 Cor. 15:14 . ( 1 Cor. 15:17 . )
stand fast in the faith: 1 Cor. 16:13 .
we walk by faith, not by sight: 2 Cor. 5:7 .
having hope, when your faith is increased: 2 Cor. 10:15 .
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son: Gal. 2:20 .
Received ye the Spirit … by the hearing of faith: Gal. 3:2 .
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith: Gal. 3:14 .
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ: Gal. 3:26 .
wait for the hope of righteousness by faith: Gal. 5:5 .
faith which worketh by love: Gal. 5:6 .
fruit of the Spirit is love … faith: Gal. 5:22 .
by grace are ye saved through faith: Eph. 2:8 .
access with confidence by the faith of him: Eph. 3:12 .
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: Eph. 3:17 .
One Lord, one faith, one baptism: Eph. 4:5 .
Till we all come in the unity of the faith: Eph. 4:13 .
taking the shield of faith: Eph. 6:16 .
perfect that which is lacking in your faith: 1 Thes. 3:10 .
breastplate of faith and love: 1 Thes. 5:8 .
your faith groweth exceedingly: 2 Thes. 1:3 .
all men have not faith: 2 Thes. 3:2 .
end of the commandment is charity out of … faith unfeigned: 1 Tim. 1:5 .
continue in faith and charity: 1 Tim. 2:15 .
latter times some shall depart from the faith: 1 Tim. 4:1 .
provide not for his own … hath denied the faith: 1 Tim. 5:8 .
they have erred from the faith: 1 Tim. 6:10 .
Fight the good fight of faith: 1 Tim. 6:12 .
some professing have erred concerning the faith: 1 Tim. 6:21 .
reprobate concerning the faith: 2 Tim. 3:8 .
finished my course, I have kept the faith: 2 Tim. 4:7 .
rebuke … that they may be sound in the faith: Titus 1:13 . ( Titus 2:2 . )
not being mixed with faith in them that heard: Heb. 4:2 .
foundation of repentance … of faith toward God: Heb. 6:1 .
through faith and patience inherit the promises: Heb. 6:12 .
with a true heart in full assurance of faith: Heb. 10:22 .
hold fast the profession of our faith: Heb. 10:23 .
faith is the substance of things hoped for: Heb. 11:1 .
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice: Heb. 11:4 .
without faith it is impossible to please him: Heb. 11:6 .
By faith Abraham … offered up Isaac: Heb. 11:17 .
Who through faith subdued kingdoms: Heb. 11:33 .
having obtained a good report through faith: Heb. 11:39 .
Jesus the author and finisher of our faith: Heb. 12:2 .
trying of your faith worketh patience: James 1:3 .
let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: James 1:6 .
God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith: James 2:5 .
hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him: James 2:14 .
faith, if it hath not works, is dead: James 2:17 . ( James 2:20 . )
shew thee my faith by my works: James 2:18 .
by works was faith made perfect: James 2:22 .
prayer of faith shall save the sick: James 5:15 .
trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold: 1 Pet. 1:7 .
add to your faith virtue: 2 Pet. 1:5 .
earnestly contend for the faith: Jude 1:3 .
patience and the faith of the saints: Rev. 13:10 .
I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded: 1 Ne. 3:7 .
Lord is able to do all things … if … they exercise faith: 1 Ne. 7:12 .
pointers … work according to the faith: 1 Ne. 16:28 .
having perfect faith in the Holy One: 2 Ne. 9:23 .
alive in Christ because of our faith: 2 Ne. 25:25 .
working mighty miracles … according to their faith: 2 Ne. 26:13 .
with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him: 2 Ne. 31:19 .
our faith becometh unshaken: Jacob 4:6 .
Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never … seen: Enos 1:8 .
many as are not stiffnecked and have faith: Jarom 1:4 .
salvation might come … through faith on his name: Mosiah 3:9 .
prayers … answered according to their faith: Mosiah 27:14 .
Alma … being exercised with much faith: Alma 2:30 .
give us strength according to our faith: Alma 14:26 .
heal him according to his faith which is in Christ: Alma 15:10 .
call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive: Alma 22:16 .
faith is not to have a perfect knowledge: Alma 32:21 .
exercise your faith unto repentance: Alma 34:17 .
this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper them: Alma 48:15 .
spared … because of their exceeding faith: Alma 57:26 .
peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well Beloved: Hel. 5:47 .
look upon the Son of God with faith … might live: Hel. 8:15 .
your faith is sufficient that I should heal you: 3 Ne. 17:8 .
So great faith have I never seen among all the Jews: 3 Ne. 19:35 .
first, to try their faith … then shall the greater things be made manifest: 3 Ne. 26:9 .
washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith: 3 Ne. 27:19 .
he had faith no longer, for he knew: Ether 3:19 .
that day that they shall exercise faith in me: Ether 4:7 .
which hope cometh of faith: Ether 12:4 .
no witness until after the trial of your faith: Ether 12:6 .
if there be no faith … God can do no miracle: Ether 12:12 .
have faith in me ye shall have power to do: Moro. 7:33 .
if a man have faith he must needs have hope: Moro. 7:42 .
ask … with real intent, having faith in Christ: Moro. 10:4 .
faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single: D&C 4:5 .
without faith you can do nothing: D&C 8:10 . ( D&C 18:19 . )
granted unto them according to their faith: D&C 10:47 .
declare repentance and faith on the Savior: D&C 19:31 .
endure in faith on his name to the end: D&C 20:29 .
Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith: D&C 29:6 .
whoso shall ask it in my name in faith: D&C 35:9 .

Do you have faith?
Do you exercise faith?
What does it mean to receive no witness until after the trial of your faith? Ether 12:6

[eddie]

Awesome post FFA!

Gordon B. Hinckley

" As it was then, so it is today. This precious and marvelous gift of faith, this gift from God our Eternal Father, is still the strength of this work and the quiet vibrancy of its message. Faith underlies it all. Faith is the substance of it all. Whether it be going into the mission field, living the Word of Wisdom, paying one’s tithing, it is all the same. It is the faith within us that is evidenced in all we do.

Our critics cannot understand it. Because they do not understand, they attack. A quiet inquiry, an anxious desire to grasp the principle behind the result, could bring greater understanding and appreciation.

What a marvelous and wonderful thing it is, this powerful conviction that says the Church is true. It is God’s holy work. He overrules in the things of His kingdom and in the lives of His sons and daughters. This is the reason for the growth of the Church. The strength of this cause and kingdom is not found in its temporal assets, impressive as they may be. It is found in the hearts of its people. That is why it is successful. That is why it is strong and growing. That is why it is able to accomplish the wonderful things that it does. It all comes of the gift of faith, bestowed by the Almighty upon His children who doubt not and fear not, but go forward."

[freedomforall]

Awesome post FFA!

Gordon B. Hinckley

" As it was then, so it is today. This precious and marvelous gift of faith, this gift from God our Eternal Father, is still the strength of this work and the quiet vibrancy of its message. Faith underlies it all. Faith is the substance of it all. Whether it be going into the mission field, living the Word of Wisdom, paying one’s tithing, it is all the same. It is the faith within us that is evidenced in all we do.

Our critics cannot understand it. Because they do not understand, they attack. A quiet inquiry, an anxious desire to grasp the principle behind the result, could bring greater understanding and appreciation.

What a marvelous and wonderful thing it is, this powerful conviction that says the Church is true. It is God’s holy work. He overrules in the things of His kingdom and in the lives of His sons and daughters. This is the reason for the growth of the Church. The strength of this cause and kingdom is not found in its temporal assets, impressive as they may be. It is found in the hearts of its people. That is why it is successful. That is why it is strong and growing. That is why it is able to accomplish the wonderful things that it does. It all comes of the gift of faith, bestowed by the Almighty upon His children who doubt not and fear not, but go forward."

Excellent.

[Darren]

(Darren's note: "Faith," a.k.a. "Belief" is a verb that means, to look, to seek. This "Looking" is action from our WILL/Intelligence attribute. Pure faith is "looking for that which works always." by our, “always remember him,” said as, “rest in your mind forever.”{Moroni 4:3 and 5:2})


The Riddle Is Solved

Jesus made this most all-inclusive statement about the religion of Israel in response to an observation made to him by a sympathetic leader of the “Establishment”:

John 3:1. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him. Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Nicodemus told the Lord of the feelings of his fellow rulers. He said, “we know.” The full statement communicated to the Savior in an observation of the knowledge which the rulers thought they had on, “miracles.”

A preparation for the wording of the answer to this observation can be had by examining the etymology of the word “miracles.” Its stem “mira-” connotes “observing,” as in the words “mirage,” “admire” or “mirror.” “Miracle” means something which someone “beholds” or “sees.”

The Lord told Nicodemus that they “saw” NOTHING of God.

3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, HE CANNOT SEE ... the kingdom of God.
4. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

Jesus’ next statement makes “entering into” the kingdom of God the same as “seeing” the kingdom of God: equating “born of water and of the Spirit” with “born again.”

5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
Jesus in turn asks him how he could be a ruler in Israel and not know about baptism in water or laying on of hands to receive birth by the Spirit.
10. Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these
things?
11. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak (of) that (which) we do know, and testify (of) that (which) we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12. If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, (that is if Jesus tells him of baptism in the water of Earth and he believes not... ) how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? (That is, how will he then be able to believe how to be “born of the Spirit”; but the Lord tells him anyway.)
13. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
(Or, “I am part of the Father’s body come down from heaven; and I am in heaven right now. I can tell you of heavenly things.”)

Then the lord refers to the most spiritual healing that the entire house of Israel had ever experienced all together, when they were almost all physically dying in great agony in the Sinai wilderness.

This event is recorded in the Book of Numbers in the Old Testament.

Numbers 21:5. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
6. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

Before returning to the New Testament, a bit of information on the scene depicted by this account in Numbers may be helpful.
The Book of Numbers enumerates 600,000 warriors in the House of Israel with Moses in the wilderness. Military historians calculate that one warrior means five persons, among a migrating people. That could be one man, one woman, two youngsters and one oldster.

This would mean that there were 3,000,000 people out in the wilderness with Moses. The pole that Moses lifted up would had to have been a big one, like a telephone pole, in order to be visible to 3,000,000 people.

Jesus refers to this event as he explains how a person is “born of the Spirit.”

John 3:14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus stated that “as” Moses had lifted up the serpent in the wilderness “even so” must he be lifted up. The idea is that the same operation is going on in both circumstances.

Out in the desert if the Israelites would but “look” to the brass serpent lifted up on the pole, that would make the serpent poison that was in them cease to make them die physically.

In the world if any person would “believe” in Jesus “lifted up” on the cross “as” Moses had lifted up the serpent, they would not perish spiritually but would have everlasting life ― be “born of the Spirit.”

The riddle that is encountered here in the word used in the New Testament is that to the extent that the two events are analogous, one that is spiritual relating to one that was physical ― the point out in the desert was not that the people turn their gaze and begin to BELIEVE in a snake made of brass that had been raised on a pole.

They were to turn their gaze to LOOK at a snake of brass that had been raised on a pole. The riddle is: “What does turning one’s gaze to LOOK at that serpent have to do with beginning to BELIEVE in Christ?”

There is no riddle whatsoever regarding the interrelation of these two events, “looking” at Moses’ brass serpent raised on the pole and “believing” in Christ raised on the cross, in the treatment given them in the Book of Mormon.

They are treated there in the following four passages:
1 Nephi 17:41. … He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.
2 Nephi 25:20 ... the Lord God ... gave unto Moses power that he should heal the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up before them ...

In Alma the relationship between these two events in the Bible, of which we have just spoken, is “this word” which, in Alma 33:23, Alma tells the poor class among the Zoramites that they should plant in their hearts.

In Alma chapter 32 he presents his famous exhortation where the poor among the Zoramites are told to plant his word in their hearts, as they would a seed, and then nourish it to become the tree that would give them the fruit of “everlasting life.”

As chapter 33 begins they ask Alma exactly how “they should BEGIN to exercise their faith.” They want to know “how they should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken.” They desired “to know whether they should believe in one God (perhaps intending to ask whether they should believe in just God the Father or also in his Son) that they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken.”

Alma quotes a prophecy of which they know and asks, “... how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?”

In 33:17 he says,”... ye see that a second prophet of old has testified of the Son of God ...” Then he continues, Alma 33:18. But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who have spoken concerning the Son of God.
19. Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live.
20. But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.
21. O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish?
22. If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of god, that he will come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day, according to their works.
23. And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant “this word” in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. (quote marks and underline added)

Here is the answer to the riddle:

“What does ‘looking’ upon the serpent made of brass raised on the pole have to do with ‘believing’ in Christ raised on the cross?”
Christ was talking to Nicodemus about the “beginning” of one’s existence as one of his disciples — the re-BIRTH that is that BEGINNING.

Alma solves that riddle for those who want it solved for themselves.

He tells poor, doubting mankind what the precise interrelationship between these two events is as he tells them to, “cast about your eyes and BEGIN to believe ...”

The fourth quote from the Book of Mormon leaves no doubt at all as to precisely what the Lord intended by the reference to the serpent of Moses as relates to the act by which one is born again.

Helaman 8:13 ... and also the words that were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken concerning the coming of the Messiah.
14. Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.
15. And as many as should look upon that serpent should live, even so as many as should LOOK upon the Son of God with faith, having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which is eternal.

Here in the fifteenth verse of this chapter the son of Helaman, Nephi, leaves no doubt for the many sects of Christendom as to what precise act the Lord intended by his reference to Moses’ serpent. They were to look to Him, lifted up on the cross, to be saved by him from all death, in the same way that the Israelites, dying of serpent poison, looked to the brass serpent lifted up on the pole and discovered that by so looking they were miraculously spared from death caused by the serpent poison.

However, this Nephi continues this thought to show how central the “Look Doctrine” (“these things” underlined here below) was in the faith of the Nephites. (Then, related information is underlined thereafter.)
Helaman 8:16. And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things, but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of Abraham.
17. Yea, and behold, Abraham saw his coming, and was filled with gladness and did rejoice.
18. Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of these things but there were many before the days of Abraham who were called by the order of God; yea, even the order of his Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption should come unto them.
19. And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified these things ...
23. ... Nephi also testified of these things, and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea, they have testified of the coming of Christ and have looked forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.
23. And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him ...

"The Look Doctrine" by Bruce Wydner, pp.4-8
http://s98822910.onlinehome.us/thousand ... ctrine.pdf

[brianj]

Hopefully we are all trying to be missionaries, in which case we need a shorter answer than a series of videos or a bunch of scriptures. Here's what I use, but I might not be able to use for much longer as an increasing number of people haven't seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

In that move there's a scene where Indy is standing on the side of a giant chasm with no apparent way across. He knows that he needs to exercise faith so he closes his eyes and takes a step, finding a bridge painted so well that it appears invisible. Having the idea that he could step out and wouldn't fall is belief. Actually taking the step is faith.

[BruceRGilbert]

Another great thread with wonderful insight and help! It is joyful to witness co-operation and building rather than their opposites. I am appreciative for the "sharing" and particularly for the "caring" that is behind it.

Hebrews 11
1 Now faith is the substance (basis, foundation) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

JST Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence (proof) of things not seen.

The "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" points out the need for "opposites" in order to gain sufficient "contrast" to enable an innocent, "sentient" being "increased awareness and consciousness." It is one thing to be "self-aware," another to be "other-aware," and quite another to be aware of what is "good" and not. The reason that this is brought up, is to present an "understanding" promoted by "opposites."

The opposite of "faith" is "fear" and it can be illustrated by considering the "components" in the definition given in scripture and referenced by FreedomForAll. If the principle is true, then the definition in opposites should, also, yield a true one.

Now "fear" is the substance (basis, foundation) of things despaired of, the evidence of things not seen.

Is that true? Certainly it sounds like superstition.

Now "fear" is the "insecurity" of things despaired of, the evidence (not proof) of things not seen.

A workable definition for fear?

It has been said that FEAR is an acronym for F.alse E.vidence A.ppearing R.eal. and its components are indeed all of those things that have been identified.

(Darren's note: "Faith," a.k.a. "Belief" is a verb that means, to look, to seek. This "Looking" is action from our WILL/Intelligence attribute. Pure faith is "looking for that which works always." by our, “always remember him,” said as, “rest in your mind forever.”{Moroni 4:3 and 5:2})

Dare we attempt the same, here?

"FEAR" a.k.a. "Doubt" is a verb that means to NOT look, to NOT seek. This "NOT looking" is ("inaction" or "action) from our WILL/Intelligence attribute. Pure "fear" is NOT looking for that which works . . . .

In that move there's a scene where Indy is standing on the side of a giant chasm with no apparent way across. He knows that he needs to exercise faith so he closes his eyes and takes a step, finding a bridge painted so well that it appears invisible. Having the idea that he could step out and wouldn't fall is belief. Actually taking the step is faith.

Faith is that which can take us into the future of the unknown. It is what you could call a "Motivator" in causing a "sentient" being to action in overcoming paralysis. Joseph Smith, The Prophet of the Restoration, knew this and detailed it in the Lectures on Faith that were de-canonized in the Reformation of the 1920's.

A Synopsis:
Steps of Intellectual Development (Mind)/////////// Counter-Steps to Intellectual Development.
Belief.........................................................Doubt
Faith..........................................................Fear
Experience...................................................Paralysis
Knowledge...................................................Ignorance
Intelligence..................................................Stupidity
Wisdom.......................................................Foolishness

Steps of Emotional Development (Heart)////////////Counter-Steps to Emotional Development.
Care..........................................................Apathy
Hope..........................................................Despair
Service.......................................................Avoidance
Sympathy....................................................Jealousy
Compassion..................................................Envy
Empathy......................................................Cruelty
Love...........................................................Hate

Alma 32 Details about the utilization of desire to believe, to faith, and finally to knowledge. More information can be gained through other references:



By "symmetry" knowledge is gained through diligence and intelligence is gained through obedience. That is to say, that "intelligence" is the proper application of the knowledge gained. Wisdom is the proper application of intelligence in contextual "reference frames."

[Jeremy]

Faith = Correct Belief + Correct Action

Having faith results in knowledge.

[Red]

I really like the first lecture in the Lectures on Faith. They're actually all very good. They've helped me tremendoulsy in defining (and using!) faith. http://lecturesonfaith.com

[eddie]

Hopefully we are all trying to be missionaries, in which case we need a shorter answer than a series of videos or a bunch of scriptures. Here's what I use, but I might not be able to use for much longer as an increasing number of people haven't seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

In that move there's a scene where Indy is standing on the side of a giant chasm with no apparent way across. He knows that he needs to exercise faith so he closes his eyes and takes a step, finding a bridge painted so well that it appears invisible. Having the idea that he could step out and wouldn't fall is belief. Actually taking the step is faith.

I really enjoyed the videos and scriptures, a shorter answer does not work for everyone, to each his own I suppose.

[JeffB]

I view faith as knowing (or at least trying to believe) that God has our back.

[SmallFarm]

Hopefully we are all trying to be missionaries, in which case we need a shorter answer than a series of videos or a bunch of scriptures. Here's what I use, but I might not be able to use for much longer as an increasing number of people haven't seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

In that move there's a scene where Indy is standing on the side of a giant chasm with no apparent way across. He knows that he needs to exercise faith so he closes his eyes and takes a step, finding a bridge painted so well that it appears invisible. Having the idea that he could step out and wouldn't fall is belief. Actually taking the step is faith.

Fidelity

[Jeremy]

I really like the first lecture in the Lectures on Faith. They're actually all very good. They've helped me tremendoulsy in defining (and using!) faith. http://lecturesonfaith.com

:ymapplause: Agreed!

[Separatist]

"Faith may be defined briefly as an illogical belief in the occurrence of the improbable." - H. L. Mencken

-or-

"Faith is believing what you know ain't so." - Mark Twain

[Darren]

I'm using this Nordic representation of the World Tree/Tree of Life to help visualize the fabric of what is available to people of Pure Faith. Pure Faith which is also Pure Virtue means you exist at the 11th dimension while discovering how our other 10 dimensions of existence matter in relation to our existence in the 11th dimension.



The 11th dimension, of Pure Faith is the green circle.

Having a knowledge of the Scriptures of the lost tribes of Israel has taught me these and many other things.

God Bless,
Darren

[larsenb]

(Darren's note: "Faith," a.k.a. "Belief" is a verb that means, to look, to seek. This "Looking" is action from our WILL/Intelligence attribute. Pure faith is "looking for that which works always." by our, “always remember him,” said as, “rest in your mind forever.”{Moroni 4:3 and 5:2}) . . . . . .

I like to think that generic faith is a part and parcel of intelligence. It is the motive power of intelligence, moving intelligence to connect things and to do and discover things, whether through pure thought, or a combination of thought and action. It is kind of the EMF of intelligence. I think Hugh NIbley would kind of agree with me on this ;) This faith is set in motion by decision. You decide to exercise faith.

Belief, for me, is the first step in faith (ref. Alma 32). You give place to a desire to believe, which can lead to action. If it doesn't lead to some kind of action (mental or physical), you really aren't exercising faith at that point. However, just maintaining the belief for a duration could be regarded as an action. I.e., it takes faith and application to maintain a constant belief. In this case, it becomes a meditative process, which may be sufficient to bring you more in touch with the Spirit.

The belief and any following faith don't have to be connected to the 'spiritual', per se. The belief can be in some generic and even mundane goal in terms of thought or action. Believing and thinking that you can solve a problem mentally and proceeding to do the mental work to solve the problem is exercising faith. Believing and thinking that you can move a small hill or even a mountain with a wheel barrel and stepping out to do so is acting in faith.

Of course, we believe that if you really know how to optimally act in faith, this ability may generate direct forces that accomplish the same task of moving the mountain almost immediately. The lesser activity of faith would have to rely on a wheel barrow or a really large front-end loader or something like ampho explosives to get the job done.

Now the type of faith we generally think of in the Church is faith in things normally thought to be spiritual that are true but not immediately apprehended by our 5 senses. I would say faith and experience in these things, which have ultimate priority, come as a gift from God. However, we normally have to exercise a modicum of belief and faith to make the connection to these 'extra-sensory' experiences. And even these experiences can be reified and enhanced by our emotive and thinking capabilities.

The idea that we always have to exercise this faith to make the connection isn't always true, however. Saul of Tarsus's experience comes to mind. He was kind of bludgeoned by the Lord to get his attention. However, he was exercising belief and faith of a very zealous type in his persecution of Christians and his defense of Pharisaic (I assume) Judaism. Just, not the most productive belief and faith in terms of the best outcome. The Lord must have liked his zeolotry and wanted to harness it for better purposes.

[Darren]

(Darren's note: "Faith," a.k.a. "Belief" is a verb that means, to look, to seek. This "Looking" is action from our WILL/Intelligence attribute. Pure faith is "looking for that which works always." by our, “always remember him,” said as, “rest in your mind forever.”{Moroni 4:3 and 5:2}) . . . . . .

I like to think that generic faith is a part and parcel of intelligence. It is the motive power of intelligence, moving intelligence to connect things and to do and discover things, whether through pure thought, or a combination of thought and action. It is kind of the EMF of intelligence. I think Hugh NIbley would kind of agree with me on this ;) This faith is set in motion by decision. You decide to exercise faith.

Belief, for me, is the first step in faith (ref. Alma 32). You give place to a desire to believe, which can lead to action. If it doesn't lead to some kind of action (mental or physical), you really aren't exercising faith at that point. However, just maintaining the belief for a duration could be regarded as an action. I.e., it takes faith and application to maintain a constant belief. In this case, it becomes a meditative process, which may be sufficient to bring you more in touch with the Spirit.

The belief and any following faith don't have to be connected to the 'spiritual', per se. The belief can be in some generic and even mundane goal in terms of thought or action. Believing and thinking that you can solve a problem mentally and proceeding to do the mental work to solve the problem is exercising faith. Believing and thinking that you can move a small hill or even a mountain with a wheel barrel and stepping out to do so is acting in faith.

Of course, we believe that if you really know how to optimally act in faith, this ability may generate direct forces that accomplish the same task of moving the mountain almost immediately. The lesser activity of faith would have to rely on a wheel barrow or a really large front-end loader or something like ampho explosives to get the job done.

Now the type of faith we generally think of in the Church is faith in things normally thought to be spiritual that are true but not immediately apprehended by our 5 senses. I would say faith and experience in these things, which have ultimate priority, come as a gift from God. However, we normally have to exercise a modicum of belief and faith to make the connection to these 'extra-sensory' experiences. And even these experiences can be reified and enhanced by our emotive and thinking capabilities.

The idea that we always have to exercise this faith to make the connection isn't always true, however. Saul of Tarsus's experience comes to mind. He was kind of bludgeoned by the Lord to get his attention. However, he was exercising belief and faith of a very zealous type in his persecution of Christians and his defense of Pharisaic (I assume) Judaism. Just, not the most productive belief and faith in terms of the best outcome. The Lord must have liked his zeolotry and wanted to harness it for better purposes.

To understand Pure Faith is to understand the object of Faith. The object of faith is that which leads to "What works always," and that purity of operation only comes from a God, i.e. Jesus or the Holy Ghost, or from somebody who is working directly with a God, i.e. a Prophet of God. Satan operates upon faith, faith in money, faith in the words of men (scholarship/orthodoxy). So we need to define the object of faith before we can use faith to convince anybody of their relativity to that object of faith/virtue.

Pure faith is the existence of the formula EQM, from its perfect operation upon God.

The words Faith and Belief in the bible fail to extend an understanding of that action as well as does the word Look from the Book of Mormon.

There is an attribute of our 3 part being, that of Intelligence, or also called Will that holds faith and has the ability to see all that God is, to know God is to see God with your will set upon him.

The energy of Will that it takes to have the faith necessary to know God, is you must give all of your will to God. He becomes the Journeyman and you his apprentice.

The Scriptures of the lost tribes of Israel is the story of The Lord giving to his people the society of knowing him, and the word for that has always been the word Law.

God Bless,
Darren

[larsenb]

(Darren's note: "Faith," a.k.a. "Belief" is a verb that means, to look, to seek. This "Looking" is action from our WILL/Intelligence attribute. Pure faith is "looking for that which works always." by our, “always remember him,” said as, “rest in your mind forever.”{Moroni 4:3 and 5:2}) . . . . . .

I like to think that generic faith is a part and parcel of intelligence. It is the motive power of intelligence, moving intelligence to connect things and to do and discover things, whether through pure thought, or a combination of thought and action. It is kind of the EMF of intelligence. I think Hugh NIbley would kind of agree with me on this ;) This faith is set in motion by decision. You decide to exercise faith.

Belief, for me, is the first step in faith (ref. Alma 32). You give place to a desire to believe, which can lead to action. If it doesn't lead to some kind of action (mental or physical), you really aren't exercising faith at that point. However, just maintaining the belief for a duration could be regarded as an action. I.e., it takes faith and application to maintain a constant belief. In this case, it becomes a meditative process, which may be sufficient to bring you more in touch with the Spirit.

The belief and any following faith don't have to be connected to the 'spiritual', per se. The belief can be in some generic and even mundane goal in terms of thought or action. Believing and thinking that you can solve a problem mentally and proceeding to do the mental work to solve the problem is exercising faith. Believing and thinking that you can move a small hill or even a mountain with a wheel barrel and stepping out to do so is acting in faith.

Of course, we believe that if you really know how to optimally act in faith, this ability may generate direct forces that accomplish the same task of moving the mountain almost immediately. The lesser activity of faith would have to rely on a wheel barrow or a really large front-end loader or something like ampho explosives to get the job done.

Now the type of faith we generally think of in the Church is faith in things normally thought to be spiritual that are true but not immediately apprehended by our 5 senses. I would say faith and experience in these things, which have ultimate priority, come as a gift from God. However, we normally have to exercise a modicum of belief and faith to make the connection to these 'extra-sensory' experiences. And even these experiences can be reified and enhanced by our emotive and thinking capabilities.

The idea that we always have to exercise this faith to make the connection isn't always true, however. Saul of Tarsus's experience comes to mind. He was kind of bludgeoned by the Lord to get his attention. However, he was exercising belief and faith of a very zealous type in his persecution of Christians and his defense of Pharisaic (I assume) Judaism. Just, not the most productive belief and faith in terms of the best outcome. The Lord must have liked his zeolotry and wanted to harness it for better purposes.

To understand Pure Faith is to understand the object of Faith. The object of faith is that which leads to "What works always," and that purity of operation only comes from a God, i.e. Jesus or the Holy Ghost, or from somebody who is working directly with a God, i.e. a Prophet of God. Satan operates upon faith, faith in money, faith in the words of men (scholarship/orthodoxy). So we need to define the object of faith before we can use faith to convince anybody of their relativity to that object of faith/virtue.

Pure faith is the existence of the formula EQM, from its perfect operation upon God.

The words Faith and Belief in the bible fail to extend an understanding of that action as well as does the word Look from the Book of Mormon.

There is an attribute of our 3 part being, that of Intelligence, or also called Will that holds faith and has the ability to see all that God is, to know God is to see God with your will set upon him.

The energy of Will that it takes to have the faith necessary to know God, is you must give all of your will to God. He becomes the Journeyman and you his apprentice.

The Scriptures of the lost tribes of Israel is the story of The Lord giving to his people the society of knowing him, and the word for that has always been the word Law.

God Bless,
Darren

What's EQM, Darren? You lost me.

You seem to agree with my contention that faith is a component of intelligence. If that is the case, and it is also true that intelligence is eternal, it would seem that intelligences always operate with faith.

My contention is that faith is exercised by humans in much of what they do, which includes very mundane objectives that may not include consciously searching for God. But using faith in that search would certainly be the highest objective for human faith and intelligence.

Without the consideration I'm trying to suggest, people seem to get and to be very confused about the subject. I think the first pages of the Lectures on Faith, see the subject in a similar fashion.

[freedomforall]

Which comes first faith or hope? Can there be any hope without faith?
If faith is sure evidence of things not seen, and if a man may move a mountain by faith, then why can't a man defy gravity and lift off the ground by faith? After all, Jesus walked on water. And I fully believe that had the water suddenly vanished, Jesus would still have been standing in mid air.

[Darren]

Which comes first faith or hope? Can there be any hope without faith?
If faith is sure evidence of things not seen, and if a man may move a mountain by faith, then why can't a man defy gravity and lift off the ground by faith? After all, Jesus walked on water. And I fully believe that had the water suddenly vanished, Jesus would still have been standing in mid air.

You can have faith amid no hope. Hope is what springs forth from pure faith, and becomes a support to the furthering of faith.

Hope is a Germanic word which literally means "the fruits that come from taking our oaths in the temple." There used to be an airport in Berlin, Germany called the Templehof airport. Temple is the Latin word for the Germanic word Hof. Both words mean a place wherein is oaths taken. When we all live by our work calling, that we promise to do for goodness sake, at the temple, then we have a society for the bettering of mankind - we have HOPE.

An example of that is imagine that your car veered off of the road, then you would have hope that a policeman, fireman, paramedic, would show up to do their part for you, the hospital staff would do their part, etc, etc. In this example, those other people, doing as they have committed to do, give HOPE. How did this hope get supplied, from the faith of those people unto their commitment towards goodness.

Faith comes before Hope, and then Hope helps strengthen Faith.

The society of the lost tribes of Israel before the eighth century was built upon pure faith, and full hope, like we will experience again in the Millennium.

[davedan]

Faith is submitting and accepting Gods will for your life and circumstances and acting accordingly.

Faith is not the strength of your own belief/thinking focused on what you want.

Faith is about changing you and your mind, and not about you changing God's mind.

Faith not always results in a miraculous physical healing but often results in an acceptance of illness, and adversity and an increased ability to bare it well maintaining a positive attitude.

Mosiah 24:15 ​And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did ​​​strengthen​ them that they could bear up their ​​​burdens​ with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with ​​​patience​ to all the will of the Lord.

[Darren]

What's EQM, Darren? You lost me.

You seem to agree with my contention that faith is a component of intelligence. If that is the case, and it is also true that intelligence is eternal, it would seem that intelligences always operate with faith.

My contention is that faith is exercised by humans in much of what they do, which includes very mundane objectives that may not include consciously searching for God. But using faith in that search would certainly be the highest objective for human faith and intelligence.

Without the consideration I'm trying to suggest, people seem to get and to be very confused about the subject. I think the first pages of the Lectures on Faith, see the subject in a similar fashion.

Sorry, Bruce/Darren perspective as usual.

EQM as Bruce explains it as part of his language book is, "The relationship of all Energy to all Matter is all Quality." and then he goes on further to explain that that formula is relative to God.

So that pure formula could be written by me as G(EQM).

Man is 3 parts, Intelligence, put inside Spirit, put inside a Body, he is Energy, put inside Quality, put inside Matter, existing relative to God.

The Intelligence is inherently pure, until defiled by the Spirit's Mind, and that is where Satan does his work from our pre-earth life until now, upon the Spirit's Mind, to get us to second guess our inherently pure Intelligence part. Faith is when we affix unto God our Intelligence, as the control mechanism for the other 2 parts of our being, and then we become joint hers with God as he sits in the 11th dimension of pure faith over the other 10 dimensions of the attributes of existence.

We cannot save the constitution until we begin to operate upon this control by our Intelligence seeking pure faith. Because that is the definition of living by Law.

God Bless,
Darren

[BruceRGilbert]

Which comes first faith or hope? Can there be any hope without faith?
If faith is sure evidence of things not seen, and if a man may move a mountain by faith, then why can't a man defy gravity and lift off the ground by faith? After all, Jesus walked on water. And I fully believe that had the water suddenly vanished, Jesus would still have been standing in mid air.

Temporal, "Linear" Thinking can lead to confusion, consider the two following verses:

Moroni 7:
40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

According to this verse, by the utilization of linear thinking, the last phrase indicates that hope comes before faith.

Moroni 7:
42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

The first phrase of this verse confirms that faith does indeed proceed hope; however, the last phrase turns that notion on its ear . . . for without faith, there cannot be any hope. This last phrase, now indicates that faith precedes hope. Lets go through that, again. We shall assign "ordinal" values as given by the initial verse (40.) Doing so indicates that first there is hope, that would mean that hope has an ordinal value of 1. Faith, then proceeds hope in that same verse; therefore, faith has an ordinal value of 2.

Rewording verse 40: "I would speak unto you concerning #1. How is it that ye can attain unto #2, save ye shall have #1?

Now verse 42: "Wherefore, if a man have #2 he must needs have #1; for without #2 there cannot be any #1."

Rather than concluding that Moroni is speaking in riddles and contradicting himself, there is another solution. That solution resides in the "spatial" and not "temporal" domain. Faith and Hope are different "dimensional" attributes. Faith is of thought and Hope is of feeling. The "root" of "faith" is "belief." The root of "hope" is "care."

Faith, Hope and Charity are the "Fountain of all Righteousness." Faith is of the mind, Hope is of the heart, and Charity is of the "whole soul" involving heart, might, mind and strength. We encounter people who live in their heads and are very logical. We encounter people who live in their hearts and are very "touchy, feely." To those who are "logical," faith is the first instance. To those who are "emotional," hope is the first instance.

Preceding all of this in the direction of "sentient behavior" is that of "desire." We know that God grants us according to our desires. A desire can be either an intellectual or emotional thing.

[freedomforall]

Which comes first faith or hope? Can there be any hope without faith?
If faith is sure evidence of things not seen, and if a man may move a mountain by faith, then why can't a man defy gravity and lift off the ground by faith? After all, Jesus walked on water. And I fully believe that had the water suddenly vanished, Jesus would still have been standing in mid air.

Temporal, "Linear" Thinking can lead to confusion, consider the two following verses:

Moroni 7:
40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?

According to this verse, by the utilization of linear thinking, the last phrase indicates that hope comes before faith.

Moroni 7:
42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

The first phrase of this verse confirms that faith does indeed proceed hope; however, the last phrase turns that notion on its ear . . . for without faith, there cannot be any hope. This last phrase, now indicates that faith precedes hope. Lets go through that, again. We shall assign "ordinal" values as given by the initial verse (40.) Doing so indicates that first there is hope, that would mean that hope has an ordinal value of 1. Faith, then proceeds hope in that same verse; therefore, faith has an ordinal value of 2.

Rewording verse 40: "I would speak unto you concerning #1. How is it that ye can attain unto #2, save ye shall have #1?

Now verse 42: "Wherefore, if a man have #2 he must needs have #1; for without #2 there cannot be any #1."

Rather than concluding that Moroni is speaking in riddles and contradicting himself, there is another solution. That solution resides in the "spatial" and not "temporal" domain. Faith and Hope are different "dimensional" attributes. Faith is of thought and Hope is of feeling. The "root" of "faith" is "belief." The root of "hope" is "care."

Faith, Hope and Charity are the "Fountain of all Righteousness." Faith is of the mind, Hope is of the heart, and Charity is of the "whole soul" involving heart, might, mind and strength. We encounter people who live in their heads and are very logical. We encounter people who live in their hearts and are very "touchy, feely." To those who are "logical," faith is the first instance. To those who are "emotional," hope is the first instance.

Preceding all of this in the direction of "sentient behavior" is that of "desire." We know that God grants us according to our desires. A desire can be either an intellectual or emotional thing.

So now fit these in some place.

Ether 12:4
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Heb. 6:19
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Moro. 7:3
3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

Alma 22:16
16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.

[BruceRGilbert]

Comparisons: (My Apology . . . short on time . . . work.)

So now fit these in some place.

Ether 12:4
4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Heb. 6:19
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

Moro. 7:3
3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord, from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

Alma 22:16
16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.

The conundrum between Ether 12:4 and Moroni 7:40 now exists in the paradigm of which comes first.

Alma 22:16 needs to be taken contextually and the previous verse does nicely to illustrate the principle of what was transpiring in the conversation:

Alma 22:
15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have this eternal life of which thou hast spoken? Yea, what shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day? Behold, said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.

More later, Thank you, Freedom.

[larsenb]

Which comes first faith or hope? Can there be any hope without faith?
If faith is sure evidence of things not seen, and if a man may move a mountain by faith, then why can't a man defy gravity and lift off the ground by faith? After all, Jesus walked on water. And I fully believe that had the water suddenly vanished, Jesus would still have been standing in mid air.

. . . . . . An example of that is imagine that your car veered off of the road, then you would have hope that a policeman, fireman, paramedic, would show up to do their part for you, the hospital staff would do their part, etc, etc. In this example, those other people, doing as they have committed to do, give HOPE. How did this hope get supplied, from the faith of those people unto their commitment towards goodness.

Faith comes before Hope, and then Hope helps strengthen Faith. . . . . .

If my car veered off the road, and I crashed as a consequence and needed help, I would immediately start hoping that I could either extricate myself, or that someone would find me and help me. I don't see faith coming into action before hope, in this case.

Now my hope that I could extricate myself, would naturally lead to a belief that I might be able to discover a way to do so. And going through the actual process of exploring all my options would be undertaken as a process of faith.

But if I actually failed to discover a workable process to extricate myself; I could then fall into despair. At this point, I might resort to faith in God to somehow influence someone to find me, or I could have a simple faith that someone would find me without bringing God into it.

But I'm not sure many people could actually exercise the faith that would lead to being found. Most people would alternate between hope and despair, with despair becoming the more dominant attitude as time went on .