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Believe, Greek word pistseuo, Strong's 4100, The verb form of pistis, faith. It means to trust in, have faith in, be fully convinced of, acknowledge, rely on. Pisteuo is more than credence in church doctrines or articles of faith. it expresses reliance upon and a personal trust that produces obedience. It includes submission and a positive confession of the lordship of Jesus.
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Thank you brother Sam...
Therefore would you say that faith is a substance. Notice the compound word...SUB and STANCE...substance, from
Heb 11:1. In other words, would you then call faith a foundation upon which one can take a position...that is to say, a foundation upon which one can rely upon to take a stand or a stance? Would you not further say that our faith is NOT built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ himself the chief corner stone upon which we are built a holy temple of God as lively stones? (spare me all the scriptural references here. You are no novice)
IF the preceding is true (I hope that you would agree so far), would not that faith be the faith of Jesus Christ and those men whom he appointed as Apostles to the same message he preached when he was here instructing them on matters concerning the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God?
I suppose then, the question must become "Can I place my weight upon that foundation with complete trust and confidence to rely upon its surety of safe passage to the other side much unlike what you and I would trust, rely upon or have confidence in an old rotten creaky rope bridge over a treacherous waterfall? Are we together so far?
If we are together so far, then would it not be reasonable to hear the Words of Jesus and his appointed Apostles regarding what must be relied upon? Therefore if Jesus said that you MUST be born again...if he said of the WATER and of THE SPIRIT, then would it not be reasonable to find out what it means to be born again of both water and Spirit?
Back in the 1940s when I was still quite young, we used to sing a song which the scriptures very adequately explains,
"Sin can never enter there.
Sin can never enter there.
So if at the judgment bar
sinful spots your soul shall mar
you can never enter there."
Since this is indisputable and scriptural truth, then I must determine how to receive absolution from sin, or what is the same, Justification. Wouldn't you say?
If you and I were to walk through a jungle in search of a way out of after having been lost for a great deal of time, we were then to come upon a very long bridge over a treacherous waterfall, with frayed ropes as the superstructure, rotten boards as the walkway, broken and dangling bindings here and there, would you trust it to rely upon it? I doubt it. We would probably seek to find another way around since that old creaky bridge promised death, to be sure. We would be lost for sure with never a hope.
On the other hand, let us assume that instead of finding an old creaky bridge that promised certain death, you and I were to find a bridge no less adequate than the Golden Gate Bridge. Now as you and I stand there looking at the wonder which appeared to us in this jungle, we are still lost. However, you and I have found a way provided. You and I both believe that this bridge is adequate enough to convey us across this great divide. There is one difference between you and I as I see it. You stand there saying, "I believe. I believe. I believe." You confess with your mouth, you believe in your heart, you testify of it on this forum, you convince all of your friends that this bridge is adequate...but you stand there.
I on the other hand I step out by believing. I trust the strength of its foundation so much that I take a stand on it, I walk on it, I place my weight upon it, I rely upon it, I have confidence in it...yes I "pistseuo." The confidence that the bridge is adequate cannot save me. It is only as I act upon that confidence does that confidence become LIVING confidence supplying LIFE, HOPE and PROMISE that I will emerge from my lost condition into a new world.
Sin must be absolved. Sin must be remitted. One must be justified. One must be declared NOT GUILTY, but there is only ONE BRIDGE. Jesus said....
I AM THE WAY.
That would be the bridge of course. So, if HE is THE way, I then need to determine WHICH WAY did he go? It is not hard to understand which way that was. He went to the cross. So must we by following his example. He was then buried. So must we by following his example. He then rose again, so must we rise to walk in the SAME newness of life to find our feet safely planted on the other side.
No wonder Peter preached what he did on Pentecost, the birthday of the church. No wonder Paul preached the same thing, as did all the Apostles whom Jesus appointed to go into all the world.
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