Faith is defined by Hebrews 11:1 as ‘confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see’. In particular, saving faith is faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Faith is a gracious gift from God, not something that we have generated in ourselves so that we can be proud and boastful (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is not the same as mere belief. Belief can just be a mental understanding: James 2:19 tells us that even demons believe in God. Faith then is an active trust and obedience. James also tells us that faith without action is dead; we cannot claim to have faith if what we believe has no influence over the way we live our lives.
