1trust \ˈtrəst\ noun

[Middle English, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse traust trust; akin to Old English trēowe faithful—more at TRUE] 13th century

1 a: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

b: one in which confidence is placed

2 a: dependence on something future or contingent: HOPE

b: reliance on future payment for property (as merchandise) delivered: CREDIT 〈bought furniture on trust〉

3 a: a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another

b: a combination of firms or corporations formed by a legal agreement especially: one that reduces or threatens to reduce competition

4 archaic: TRUSTWORTHINESS

5 a (1): a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship

(2): something committed or entrusted to one to be used or cared for in the interest of another

b: responsible charge or office

c: CARE, CUSTODY 〈the child committed to her trust〉—in trust: in the care or possession of a trustee

2trust verb intransitive

13th century

1 a: to place confidence: DEPEND 〈trust in God〉 〈trust to luck〉

b: to be confident: HOPE

2: to sell or deliver on credit verb transitive

1 a: to commit or place in one’s care or keeping: ENTRUST

b: to permit to stay or go or to do something without fear or misgiving

2 a: to rely on the truthfulness or accuracy of: BELIEVE 〈trust a rumor〉

b: to place confidence in: rely on 〈a friend you can trust〉

c: to hope or expect confidently 〈trusts that the problem will be resolved soon〉

3: to extend credit to—trust•abil•i•ty \ˌtrəs-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun—trust•able \ˈtrəs-tə-bəl\ adjective—trust•er noun—trust•ing•ly \ˈtrəs-tiŋ-lē\ adverb—trust•ing•ness noun

Faith. State wholly and steadfastly in God. Faith lies at the very heart of Christianity, and its importance for today’s Christian is clear from the fact that Protestantism was born through the rediscovery of the great words “The just shall live by faith” (Rom 1:17 KJV).

Definition. Faith in the OT and NT carries several meanings. It may mean simple trust in God or in the Word of God, and at other times faith almost becomes equivalent to active obedience. It may also find expression in the affirmation of a creedal statement. Thus it also comes to mean the entire body of received Christian teaching or truth. So in Colossians 2:7, the term suggests something to be accepted as a whole and embodied in personal life. In 2 Timothy 4:7 Paul witnesses to having “kept the faith.”

The OT. In the OT, faith first involved God as the Creator, Sustainer of life, and the Controller of history. Psalms such as 19 and 24 are evidence of the trust in God as the Creator, whose sovereign power continues to operate in the creation.

The OT also strongly emphasizes faith as confidence in God’s covenant or in the covenant God has made with Abraham and his descendants. The call of Abraham and the promise that his descendants would be used in the history of redemption became the basis of the narratives of the OT, being seen as the working out of that covenant. Once the nation Israel is brought into being, God sustains and protects it. The land which was promised to Abraham and his descendants remains theirs. The exodus from Egypt is a prominent indication that God is at work restoring his people to the Promised Land. The obedience of the people of God as the proper expression of faith is seen clearly in the OT. Without seeing God, his people believe and obey him. Abraham leaves his native land to go into unknown territory. The people of Israel leave Egypt following the leadership of God to a land they cannot see. The promise of God gives them courage to possess the land that has been promised to them. After the exodus the covenant of Abraham was confirmed with the people of Israel by the sprinkling of blood (Ex 24:6, 7). There was to be strict obedience to God’s commands as an expression of faith. This response of human faith to Jehovah’s faithfulness was national and collective. There also were, however, commands to and instances of personal faith.

Not only the narrative and legal portions of the OT, but also the poetic and prophetic writings emphasize faith. The Psalms abound in expressions of personal confidence in Jehovah even in dark times. Habbakuk points out that “the righteous shall live by his faith” (2:4). From such instances it is clear that as Jehovah’s education of Israel proceeded, the matter of faith in God’s faithfulness became more and more a matter of individual and personal response, and it is in the prophets that several ingredients such as trust, obedience, fear, and certainty blend into the understanding of such personal faith.

The NT. As over against the OT, where the accent is on the faithfulness of God, in the NT the emphasis is placed on the active, responding faith of the hearer to the promised, final revelation in the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Both verb and noun regularly describe the adequate response of man to Jesus’ word and deed and to the gospel of the primitive church.

The Synoptic Gospels. The most striking feature of the synoptic Gospels is the use of faith without identifying its object. “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed” (Mt 17:20). “Your faith has saved you” (Lk 7:50). “When Jesus saw their faith” (Mk 2:5). Jesus is portrayed as one who by his work and word opens the door to faith and makes faith possible. The question is not whether the faith is in Jesus or in the Father; the implication is undoubtedly both, but as with every true bearer of the Word of God the eye of faith is turned to the One who sends.

The restored portion of the synagogue at Capernaum, the city where Jesus saw the faith of the men who lowered the paralytic through the roof of a house (Mk 2:5).

On more than one occasion Jesus denies the request for a miracle to substantiate his words (Mt 12:38, 39; 16:1–4). Faith is response to the Word alone without any supporting props. No sign is to be given but the sign of Jonah. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19–31) Jesus denies the request for the spectacular and insists that the hearer must respond to the word given to him (cf. Jn 20:29). The Word demands self-surrender and commitment. Hence, the very nature of the Word and of faith becomes an obstacle to the proud and the powerful.

Faith is the medium by which the power of God is made visible. It moves mountains, heals the sick, and is the means of entrance into the kingdom. It may be mingled with doubt, as with the father who sought healing for his son (“I believe; help my unbelief!” [Mk 9:24]), or as with John the Baptist in prison, who, even with his doubts, was confirmed by Jesus as the greatest of the offspring of woman (Mt 11:2–15). Peter’s (and the other disciples’) perception was very faulty, but Jesus affirms Peter’s confession as the foundation stone of the church. The synoptic Gospels portray the early faith of the disciples in all its limitations and weaknesses, yet it is still faith in that it is their positive response to Jesus’ word and work.

The Fourth Gospel. Faith is an especially significant concept in the Gospel of John, though the word (in the Greek) occurs only as a verb. Quite often the reference has to do with the acceptance that something is true, that is, simple credence, or belief: “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me” (Jn 14:11); “If you had believed Moses, you would believe me” (Jn 5:46). This is consistent with the importance of “truth” in the fourth Gospel. (Cf. also Jn 8:24; 11:27, 42; 16:27, 30; 17:8.)

Even more significant is the special expression “to believe into” in the sense of putting one’s trust into another. The particular form of the expression is without parallel before the fourth Gospel and may well express the strong sense of personal trust in the eternal Word made flesh. In John 3:16 whoever puts trust in him has eternal life. Those who put their trust in him are given power to become sons of God—to be born of God (Jn 1:12). They will never thirst (6:35); they will live, even though they die (11:25).

In other places John speaks of trust or faith in an absolute sense, that is, without referring to the one in whom trust is placed. In John 11:15 Jesus arrives after the death of Lazarus and is glad “in order that you might believe.” The outcome is going to be faith. Similarly in the prologue (Jn 1:7), John the Baptist bears witness in order that through him all might believe. As Jesus satisfies the doubt of Thomas concerning the resurrection, he says, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (20:29). In these and other passages the fundamental outcome of Jesus’ witness to himself is trust.

Faith and knowledge are closely related. In John 6:69 Peter says, “We have believed, and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” In his priestly prayer Jesus says that eternal life is to “know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” (Jn 17:3). Also, God is seen through the eyes of faith. No one has ever seen God, but the Only Begotten has revealed him (1:18). He who has seen Jesus has seen the Father (14:9).

To believe is also expressed in the verb “receive.” Those who receive Christ are given power to become the sons of God (Jn 1:12). Trust is that form of knowing or seeing by which the glory of God (1:14; 17:4) is made present.

Paul. In his letters Paul writes about faith from a number of angles. He sets faith over against “works of the Law” as the only and true basis for righteousness (Rom 1–4; Gal 1–4) and appeals to Abraham to prove his point: “Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness” (Gn 15:6; Rom 4:5; Gal 3:6). This is entirely apart from the Law (Rom 3:21); righteousness is the gift of God through faith in Christ, specifically in his atoning work. Behind Paul’s conviction lies his awareness of the radical and pervasive sinfulness of humans which renders each one helpless. Humanity is dead in sin, but is made alive by faith in the word and work of Jesus mediated through the gospel.

Faith, then, is faith in Jesus Christ. The number of metaphors Paul employs to describe the consequences of faith is staggering. It is by faith that believers are justified (Rom 5:1), reconciled (2 Cor 5:18), redeemed (Eph 1:7), made alive (Eph 2:5), adopted into the family of God (Rom 8:15, 16), re-created (2 Cor 5:17), transported into a new kingdom (Col 1:13), and set free (Gal 5:1). Faith is, for Paul, the sine qua non of every aspect of salvation, from the grace that convicts to the receiving of the full inheritance at the coming of the Lord.

In Paul’s letters faith is bound up with love so that the great exponent of justification by faith becomes also the articulate exponent of distinctive Christian love. To say that faith is indispensable to salvation is only part of the truth, for faith expresses itself through love: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love” (Gal 5:6); “If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” (1 Cor 13:2). Love is both the genesis and the ultimate expression of faith. Hence, even for Paul there can be no total separation between faith and works. This love of which Paul speaks is the essential fruit of the Spirit through whom the life of faith is lived. Only by virtue of the indwelling Spirit does faith find expression in love.

Rest of the NT. James speaks of faith as being completed by works (Jas 2:22). He is opposing that concept of faith which thinks primarily of creedal assent, of believing that something is true without acting upon it. James assumes, like Paul, the primacy of faith but is warning against those who would draw wrong conclusions. Faith apart from works is not faith; it is barren (v 20). The practical dimension of faith is the burden of much of this epistle.

The writer of Hebrews recognizes that faith has always been characteristic of the people of God and their specially called leaders. Faith makes substantial what is otherwise nebulous and uncertain; it makes evidential what is not visible. By faith the people of God have a more certain ground for their lives and their action than the world is able to discern (Heb 11:1). The great cloud of witnesses (12:1) bear testimony by their faith to the faithfulness of God.

Faith is opened up by the Word of God, finds expression through the Holy Spirit who is given, and bears witness to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Faith and Reason. Any serious discussion of faith must give some attention to the relation of faith to reason. Historically, three major views have emerged regarding this relationship.

The Thomistic View. Reason precedes faith in the sense that the truth of at least some of the objects of belief can be rationally demonstrated. Thus, the existence of God can be proved to any rational human being willing to honestly examine the evidence. Some forms of this position undertake to prove the whole of the teachings of Christianity, so that faith is virtually a function of reason. In other forms, faith takes over where reason leaves off, accepting on the basis of authority what cannot be established by reason.

The Augustinian View. Faith precedes reason, but makes reason possible. From the perspective of faith, understanding can emerge. Thus, while faith does not result from reason, it is in harmony with it. Neither faith nor reason can dispense with each other.

The Tertullian View. Faith and reason do not support one another. Hence one believes virtually in spite of reason. This position, often referred to as fideism (faithism), may either take the form that faith and reason are quite independent of one another, or that they are opposed. In the latter case, there is a disjunction between the two, leading to conflict or tension.

There arise here three questions: (1) the internal relation of God as Creator to the God who reveals himself to his creatures; (2) the structure of humankind as the crownpiece of God’s creation; and (3) the meaning of religious statements in general and of Christian thought in particular.

As Creator, God built a pattern of structures into the world. In placing man within that world, he addressed himself to man’s mind. This involved a capability upon the part of man to receive, not only impressions, but information. The fall of man made the issue especially crucial, for any plan for recovery would need to appeal to his thinking processes. This would suggest the necessity for points of clear contact between the human mind and what man would need in order to believe in, and respond to, the call of grace.

As the culmination of God’s creation, man was placed in a world which flashed all sorts of signals, and these would include data concerning the nature of the world. With the fall, the need became urgent for some harmony between knowledge gained by his usual reasoning powers, and that addressed to him by God in saving love and grace. In such a situation man could scarcely act purposively, to say nothing of acting morally and spiritually, if there were no possibility of relating the intimations of grace to the signals from his world. After all, one can scarcely act on the basis of two vital abilities (i.e., reason and faith) if these have no connection with one another.

The question of the meaning of religious statements has, of course, historical dimension. While truth does not change, human understanding of truth does. Certainly no one would maintain seriously that we are asked to accept in faith what is absurd. What is true must have value to the thinking mind, and where religious faith touches the mind, it must appeal to the best modes and ways of thought.

It is well known that much thinking of our time is undergirded by the idea that everything is in process, that there is nothing which can be regarded as final and fixed. The relation of faith to reason is particularly crucial here, for Scripture clearly indicates that there are realities in the Judeo-Christian tradition which are enduring. This suggests that in relating faith to reason, one must at times go outside the usual ways of viewing the world, man, God, and man’s relation to him.

Scripture gives valuable assistance here. Paul states that “the man without the Spirit” (NIV) (the “natural man”) cannot accept God’s thoughts which the Holy Spirit teaches (1 Cor 2:14). It is also asserted that faith is closely related to understanding. Note, for instance, the words of Hebrews 11:3: “By faith we understand that the world was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear.”

From the foregoing, it seems clear that Scripture takes for granted that reason and faith are not two separate and unrelated abilities; rather, they are both inescapably bound up in the structure of the total person. In the final analysis, neither can safely stand alone. Reason without faith may deteriorate into a mere gathering of facts—facts that are never really put together. Faith without reason, on the other hand, can trail off into vagueness and lack of meaning.

TRUTH. Saints should worship God in, John 4:24, with Psa. 145:18; serve God in, Josh. 24:14; 1 Sam. 12:24; walk before God in, 1 Kin. 2:4; 2 Kin. 20:3; keep religious feasts with, 1 Cor. 5:8; esteem, as inestimable, Prov. 23:23; love, Zech. 8:19; rejoice in, 1 Cor. 13:6; speak, to one another, Zech. 8:16; Eph. 4:25; execute judgment with, Zech. 8:16; meditate upon, Phil. 4:8; bind, about the neck, Prov. 3:3; write, upon the tables of the heart, Prov. 3:3. The fruit of the Spirit is in, Eph. 5:9. Ministers should speak, 2 Cor. 12:6; Gal. 4:16; teach in, 1 Tim. 2:7; approve themselves by, 2 Cor. 6:7, 8. Magistrates should be men of, Ex. 18:21. Kings are preserved by, Prov. 20:28. They who speak, show forth righteousness, Prov. 12:17; are the delight of God, Prov. 12:22. The wicked destitute of, Hos. 4:1; speak not, Jer. 9:5; uphold not, Isa. 59:14, 15; plead not for, Isa. 59:4; are not valiant for, Jer. 9:3; punished for want of, Jer. 9:5, 9; Hos. 4:1, 3. The gospel as, came by Christ, John 1:17. Is in Christ, 1 Tim. 2:7. John bare witness to, John 5:33. Is according to godliness, Tit. 1:1. Is sanctifying, John 17:17, 19. Is purifying, 1 Pet. 1:22. Is part of the Christian armor, Eph. 6:14. Revealed abundantly to saints, Jer. 33:6. Abides continually with saints, 2 John 2. Should be acknowledged, 2 Tim. 2:25. Should be believed, 2 Thess. 2:12, 13; 1 Tim. 4:3. Should be obeyed, Rom. 2:8; Gal. 3:1. Should be loved, 2 Thess. 2:10. Should be manifested, 2 Cor. 4:2. Should be rightly divided, 2 Tim. 2:15. The wicked turn away from, 2 Tim. 4:4. The wicked resist, 2 Tim. 3:8. The wicked destitute of, 1 Tim. 6:5. The Church is the pillar and ground of, 1 Tim. 3:15. The devil is devoid of, John 8:44.—Bible Text-Book.

Of God: Is one of his attributes, Deut. 32:4; Isa. 65:16; he keeps, forever, Psa. 146:6; abundant, Ex. 34:6; inviolable, Num. 23:19; Tit. 1:2; enduring to all generations, Psa. 100:5. Exhibited in his ways, Rev. 15:3; works, Psa. 33:4; 111:7; Dan. 4:37; judicial statutes, Psa. 19:9; word, Psa. 119:160; John 17:17; fulfillment of promises in Christ, 2 Cor. 1:20; fulfillment of his covenant, Mic. 7:20; dealings with saints, Psa. 25:10; deliverance of saints, Psa. 57:3; punishment of the wicked, Rev. 16:7. Is a shield and buckler to saints, Psa. 91:4. We should confide in, Psa. 31:5; Tit. 1:2. Plead in prayer, Psa. 89:49. Pray for its manifestation to ourselves, 2 Chr. 6:17. Pray for its exhibition to others, 2 Sam. 2:6. Make known, to others, Isa. 38:19. Magnify, Psa. 71:22; 138:2. Is denied by the devil, Gen. 3:4, 5; the self-righteous, 1 John 1:10; unbelievers, 1 John 5:10.—Bible Text-Book.

Unclassified Scriptures Relating to: Ex. 34:6; Deut. 32:4; Psa. 31:5; Psa. 33:4; Psa. 40:10; Psa. 51:6; Psa. 57:3, 10; Psa. 85:10, 11; Psa. 86:15; Psa. 89:14; Psa. 96:13; Psa. 98:3; Psa. 100:5; Psa. 108:4; Prov. 12:19; Prov. 16:13; Isa. 25:1; Isa. 59:14, 15; Isa. 65:16; Jer. 5:3; Dan. 4:37; Dan. 10:21; Mic. 7:20; John 1:14; John 8:31, 32; John 14:6, 17; John 16:13; John 17:17, 19; John 18:37, 38; Rom. 2:2

FAITH. 2 Sam. 22:31; Psa. 5:11; Psa. 7:1; Psa. 9:9, 10; Psa. 18:30; Psa. 32:10; Psa. 33:18, 19; Psa. 34:8, 22 vs. 1–8; Psa. 2:12. Psa. 36:7; Psa. 40:4; Psa. 64:10; Psa. 78:7 vs. 5–7.; Psa. 84:5, 12; Psa. 112:5, 7, 8; Psa. 118:8, 9; Psa. 125:1; Psa. 147:11; Prov. 3:5; Prov. 14:26; Prov. 22:19; Prov. 28:25; Prov. 29:25; Prov. 30:5; Isa. 10:20; Isa. 14:32; Isa. 26:3; Isa. 30:15; Isa. 57:13; Jer. 17:7, 8; Jer. 39:18; Nah. 1:7; Matt. 9:22; Matt. 21:21, 22; Mark 9:23, 24; Mark 11:23, 24; Luke 7:50; Luke 8:48–50; Luke 17:5; Luke 18:8; John 11:25–27; Acts 3:16; Acts 13:48; Acts 26:18; Rom. 1:16, 17; Rom. 4:1–25; Rom. 5:1; Rom. 9:31–33; Rom. 10:6–10; Rom. 11:20, 23; Rom. 15:13; 1 Cor. 1:21; 1 Cor. 2:5; 1 Cor. 12:8, 9; 2 Cor. 1:24; Gal. 3:1–29; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:8; Eph. 6:16; Col. 1:23; Col. 2:12; 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 Thess. 5:8; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Tim. 1:5, 19; 1 Tim. 2:15; 1 Tim. 4:10; 1 Tim. 6:11, 12, 17; 2 Tim. 4:7, 8; Heb. 4:1–11; Heb. 6:1, 7, 12, 18; Heb. 10:35, 38, 39; Heb. 11:1–3, 6; Heb. 13:5, 6; Jas. 1:6; Jas. 2:1–26; 1 Pet. 1:5, 7, 9, 21; 1 Pet. 3:5; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:4; Rev. 22:7 See FAITH, IN CHRIST.

Enjoined: Ex. 14:13; Deut. 20:1 Num. 21:34; Deut. 1:21–31; 3:2, 22; 7:17–21; 31:23; Josh. 10:25; Judg. 6:14–16; 2 Kin. 19:6, 7; 2 Chr. 20:15, 17. Deut. 31:8 vs. 6–8.; Josh. 1:9 vs. 5–9.; 2 Chr. 15:7; 2 Chr. 16:9; 2 Chr. 20:20; 2 Chr. 32:7, 8; Neh. 4:14; Job 35:14; Psa. 4:5; Psa. 27:14; Psa. 31:19, 24; Psa. 37:3, 5, 7, 39, 40; Psa. 55:22; Psa. 62:8; Psa. 115:9, 11; Psa. 130:7; Prov. 3:5, 6, 24–26; Prov. 16:3; Isa. 26:4, 20; Isa. 35:3, 4; Isa. 37:6; Isa. 41:10, 13, 14; Isa. 43:1, 2, 5, 10; Isa. 44:2, 8; Isa. 50:10; Jer. 42:11; Jer. 49:11; Joel 2:21; Joel 3:16; Hab. 2:3, 4; Zeph. 3:16, 17; Zech. 8:9; Zech. 9:12; Matt. 6:25–34 Luke 12:22–32. Matt. 17:18–20 Mark 11:23, 24. Mark 1:15; Mark 11:22; Luke 12:32; Luke 17:6 INSTANCES OF: see after the following subtopic.

Exemplified: Gen. 6:22; Gen. 16:13; Gen. 24:7, 40; Gen. 48:21; Gen. 50:20, 24; Ex. 15:2, 16, 17 vs. 1–19.; Ex. 18:11; Num. 10:29; Num. 14:8, 9; Josh. 14:12; 1 Sam. 14:6; 1 Sam. 17:36, 37, 45–47; 2 Sam. 7:28; 2 Sam. 23:5; 2 Kin. 18:5; 1 Chr. 28:20; 2 Chr. 13:10, 11; 2 Chr. 14:11; 2 Chr. 20:12; 2 Chr. 32:7, 8; Ezra 8:22; Neh. 1:10 vs. 8–10.; Neh. 2:20; Job 4:7–21; Job 5:8, 9; Job 10:12; Job 13:15, 16; Job 14:15; Job 16:19; Job 19:25–27; Job 23:6; Job 42:2; Psa. 3:3, 5, 6; Psa. 4:3, 8; Psa. 6:8, 9; Psa. 7:1, 10; Psa. 9:3, 4; Psa. 11:1; Psa. 13:5; Psa. 16:1, 2, 5, 8, 11; Psa. 17:6; Psa. 18:1–3, 18, 28, 29 2 Sam. 22:2–5. Psa. 20:5–7; Psa. 21:7; Psa. 22:4, 5; Psa. 23:1 vs. 1–6.; Psa. 25:1, 2, 5, 15, 20; Psa. 26:1, 12; Psa. 27:1, 5, 6; Psa. 28:7; Psa. 31:1, 3–6, 15; Psa. 32:7; Psa. 33:20–22; Psa. 35:10; Psa. 38:9, 15; Psa. 39:7; Psa. 40:3, 4, 17; Psa. 41:12; Psa. 42:6, 8; Psa. 43:5 Psa. 42:5. Psa. 44:5, 8; Psa. 46:1–3, 5, 7; Psa. 47:3, 4; Psa. 48:8, 14; Psa. 52:8; Psa. 54:4; Psa. 55:16, 17; Psa. 56:3, 4, 8, 9 v. 11; Psa. 55:23. Psa. 57:1–3; Psa. 59:9, 10, 17; Psa. 60:9, 12 Psa. 108:10–13. Psa. 61:2, 4, 6, 7; Psa. 62:1, 5, 6, 7; Psa. 63:6, 7; Psa. 66:9; Psa. 67:6; Psa. 69:19, 35, 36; Psa. 70:5; Psa. 71:1, 3, 5–7, 14, 16, 20, 21; Psa. 73:23, 24, 26, 28; Psa. 74:12; Psa. 77:10–12; Psa. 86:2, 7; Psa. 89:18, 26; Psa. 90:1; Psa. 91:1, 2, 9, 10; Psa. 92:10, 15; Psa. 94:14, 15, 17, 18, 22; Psa. 102:13; Psa. 115:12–14; Psa. 116:7; Psa. 118:6, 7, 10, 14, 17; Psa. 119:42, 43, 57, 74, 81, 114, 151, 166Psa. 121:2 Psa. 124:8. Psa. 130:5, 6; Psa. 138:7, 8; Psa. 140:6, 7, 12; Psa. 141:8; Psa. 142:3, 5; Psa. 143:8, 9; Psa. 144:2, 10; Eccl. 11:1; Isa. 8:10, 17; Isa. 12:2; Isa. 25:9; Isa. 26:1, 8; Isa. 33:2, 22; Isa. 38:16; Isa. 50:7–9; Isa. 63:16; Isa. 64:8; Jer. 10:23; Jer. 14:9, 22; Jer. 16:19; Jer. 17:12, 17; Jer. 20:11; Lam. 3:24 vs. 25–32.; Dan. 3:16, 17; Dan. 6:16; Jonah 2:2 vs. 3–9.; Mic. 7:7–9, 20; Hab. 1:12; Hab. 3:17–19; Zeph. 3:12; Luke 1:38; Luke 7:50; John 3:33; Acts 16:34; Acts 24:14, 15; Acts 27:25; Rom. 8:18, 28, 38, 39; Rom. 15:29; 1 Cor. 9:26; 2 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 4:8, 9, 13, 16–18; 2 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 1:19–21; 1 Tim. 4:10; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 2:11–13; Heb. 10:34; Heb. 11:4, 5, 7–11, 13, 14, 16–39; Heb. 13:14; 2 Pet. 3:13; 1 John 4:16

Instances of: Noah, in building the ark, Gen. 6:14–22; Heb. 11:7. Abraham, in forsaking the land of his nativity at the command of God, Gen. 12:1–4; believing the promise of many descendants, Gen. 12:7; 15:4–8; in the offering up of Isaac, Gen. 22:1–10; Rom. 4:18–21; Heb. 11:8–19. Jacob, in blessing Joseph’s sons, Heb. 11:21. Joseph, concerning God’s providence in his being sold into Egypt, and the final deliverance of Israel, Gen. 50:20; Heb. 11:22. Jochebed, in caring for Moses, Ex. 2:2; Heb. 11:23. Pharaoh’s servants, who obeyed the Lord, Ex. 9:20. Moses, in espousing the cause of his people, Heb. 11:24–28; at the death of Korah, Num. 16:28, 29. Israelites, when Aaron declared the mission of himself and Moses, Ex. 4:31; in the battle with the Canaanites, 1 Chr. 5:20, and other conquests, 2 Chr. 13:8–18. See MIRACLES OF MOSES. Caleb, in advising to take the land of promise, Num. 13:30; 14:6–9. Rahab, in hospitality to the spies, Josh. 2:9, 11; Heb. 11:31. The spies, sent to reconnoiter Jericho, Josh. 2:24. Conquest of Jericho, Josh. 6. Manoah’s wife, Judg. 13:23. Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. Jonathan, in smiting the Philistines, 1 Sam. 14:6. David, in smiting Goliath, 1 Sam. 17:37, 46, 47; in choosing to fall into the hands of the Almighty in his punishment for numbering Israel, 2 Sam. 24:14; in believing God’s promise, that his kingdom would be a perpetual kingdom, Acts 2:30. Elijah, in his controversy with the priests of Baal, 1 Kin. 18:32–38. Widow of Zarephath in feeding Elijah, 1 Kin. 17:13–15. Amaziah, in dismissing the Ephraimites in obedience to the command of God, and going alone to battle against the Edomites, 2 Chr. 25:7–10. Hezekiah, 2 Kin. 18:5; 19; 20:1–11. Daniel, in the lions’ den, Dan. 6. The three Hebrews, who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, Dan. 3:13–27. Ninevites, in obeying Jonah, Jonah 3:5. Ezra, in making the journey from Babylon to Jerusalem without a military escort, Ezra 8:22. Joseph, in obeying the vision about Mary and to flee into Egypt, Matt. 1:18–24; 2:13, 14. Abel, Heb. 11:4. Eliphaz, in the overruling providence of God, that afflictions are for the good of the righteous, Job 5:6–27. Mordecai, in the deliverance of the Jews, Esth. 4:14. Simeon, when he saw Jesus in the temple, Luke 2:25–35. Conquests by, Heb. 11:32–34. See FAITH, TRIAL OF, below; FAITH IN CHRIST, Instances of, below.

In Christ: Matt. 7:24, 25 Luke 6:46–49. Matt. 8:2, 13; Matt. 9:22, 29; Matt. 11:6, 28–30; Matt. 14:27 John 6:20. Matt. 15:28; Matt. 17:7; Mark 9:23; Mark 16:16; Luke 7:9, 50; Luke 8:50 Mark 5:36. Luke 17:6; Luke 18:42; John 1:12; John 3:14–16, 18, 36 John 6:47. John 5:24; John 6:29, 35, 45; John 7:38; John 9:35; John 11:25, 26, 40; John 12:36, 44, 46; John 13:7, 20; John 14:1, 11, 12; John 16:27, 33; John 18:37; John 20:27, 29, 31; Acts 3:16; Acts 10:43; Acts 15:9, 11; Acts 16:31; Acts 20:21; Acts 26:18; Rom. 3:22–28; Rom. 9:33; Rom. 10:4, 9; Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:1–29; Gal. 5:6; Eph. 1:12–14; Eph. 3:12, 17; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:9; Col. 2:7; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2 Tim. 2:1; 2 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 4:16; Heb. 6:19; Heb. 10:22; Heb. 12:2; Heb. 13:7; 1 Pet. 1:8; 1 Pet. 2:6, 7 Isa. 28:16. 2 Pet. 1:1; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 5:4, 5, 10, 13, 14; Jude 21; Rev. 1:17; Rev. 3:18, 20

In Christ, Exemplified: Matt. 8:2; Matt. 9:18, 21 [Mark 5:28; Luke 8:48.] Matt. 9:28; Matt. 14:33; Matt. 15:27 vs. 26, 28; Mark 7:27–30. Matt. 16:16; Mark 9:24 John 9:38. Luke 5:5; Luke 7:3–9 Matt. 8:5–10. Luke 23:42; John 4:29, 42; John 6:14, 68, 69; John 7:31; John 10:41, 42; John 11:21, 22, 27 v. 32.; John 16:30; John 20:28; Acts 8:37; Acts 11:17; Rom. 7:24, 25; Rom. 8:35, 37; 2 Cor. 12:9, 10; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 4:13; 1 Tim. 1:14; 2 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:18 INSTANCES OF FAITH IN CHRIST: The wise men of the east, Matt. 2:1, 2, 11. Peter, Matt. 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:4, 5; John 6:68, 69. Andrew, Matt. 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; John 1:41. James and John, Matt. 4:21, 22; Mark 1:19, 20. The woman with the issue of blood, Matt. 9:21, 22. Jairus, for the healing of his daughter, Matt. 9:18, 23–25. Two blind men, Matt. 9:29, 30. Blind Bartimaeus and a fellow blind man, Matt. 20:30–34; Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–42. The Samaritan leper, Luke 17:11–19. The sick of Gennesaret, Matt. 14:36; Mark 3:10; 6:54–56. Those who brought the paralytic to Jesus, Luke 5:18–20. The Syrophenician woman, Matt. 15:22–28; Mark 7:25–30. The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, Luke 7:36–50. Those who brought sick of Palsy, Matt. 9:2. Philip, John 1:45, 46. Nathanael, John 1:49. The Samaritans, who believed through the preaching of Jesus, John 4:39–42; through the preaching of Philip, Acts 8:9–12. The nobleman whose child was sick, John 4:46–53. Abraham, John 8:56. The blind man whom Jesus healed on the Sabbath, John 9:13–38. Mary, the sister of Martha, Luke 10:38–42; John 11:32. John the disciple, John 20:8. The disciples, through the miracle at Cana of Galilee, John 2:11. Jews at Jerusalem, John 2:23; 8:30; 11:45; 12:11. Three thousand at Pentecost, Acts 2:41. Five thousand, Acts 4:4. Multitudes, Acts 5:14. The cripple at Lystra, Acts 14:9. Stephen, Acts 6:8. Ethiopian eunuch, Acts 8:37. People of Lydda and Saron, Acts 9:35; of Joppa, Acts 9:42; of Antioch, Acts 11:21–24. Barnabas, Acts 11:24. Eunice, Lois, and Timothy, 2 Tim. 1:5; Acts 16:1. Lydia, Acts 16:14. Philippian jailer, Acts 16:31–34. Crispus, Acts 18:8. The Corinthians, Acts 18:8; 1 Cor. 15:11. Jews at Rome, Acts 28:24. Ephesians, Eph. 1:13, 15. Colossians, Col. 1:2, 4. Thessalonians, 1 Thess. 1:6; 3:6–8; 2 Thess. 1:3, 4. Philemon, Philem. 5. Church at Thyatira, Rev. 2:19.

Trial of: 1 Chr. 29:17; Psa. 26:2; Psa. 81:7; Matt. 13:19–22 Luke 8:13, 14. Matt. 24:21–25; 2 Thess. 1:3–5; Heb. 6:13–15; Jas. 1:3, 12; 1 Pet. 1:7 See TEMPTATION. INSTANCES OF TRIAL OF: Noah, Gen. 6:14–22; Heb. 11:7. Abraham, when commanded to leave his native land and go he did not know to what place, Gen. 12:1–4; Heb. 11:8; when commanded to offer Isaac, Gen. 22:1–19; Heb. 11:17–19. Moses, when sent to Pharaoh, Ex. 3:11, 12; 4:10–17; Heb. 11:25–29; at the Red Sea, by the complaints of the people, Ex. 14; 15. Joshua and the children of Israel, in the method of taking Jericho, Josh. 6; Heb. 11:30. Gideon, when commanded to deliver Israel, Judg. 6:36–40; 7; Heb. 11:32. Job, by affliction and adversity, Job 1; 2. Ezra, in leaving Babylon without a military escort, Ezra 8:22. Daniel, when forbidden to pray to Jehovah, Dan. 6:4–23; Heb. 11:32, 33. The three Hebrews, when commanded to worship the image, Dan. 3:8–30; Heb. 11:32–34. The Syrophenician woman, Matt. 15:21–28; Mark 7:24–30. The two blind men who appealed to Jesus for sight, Matt. 9:28. The disciples, when Jesus came walking on the Sea of Galilee, Matt. 14:25–33. The disciples: by the question of Jesus, as to who he was, Matt. 16:15–20; Luke 9:20, 21; by their inability to cast out the evil spirit from the one seizuring, Matt. 17:14–21; Mark 9:14–29; Luke 9:37–42; in the storm at sea, Matt. 8:23–27; Mark 4:36–41; Luke 8:22–26. Of Philip, when questioned by Jesus as to how the multitude would be fed, John 6:5, 6. Of Peter, when asked whether he loved Jesus, John 21:16, 17

faith, nature of

Confidence in and commitment to God and Jesus Christ. These attitudes remain sure even though the objects of faith are unseen. True faith is seen in obedient action, love and continuing good works.

trust

Reliance on and confidence in a person. Scripture affirms the total trustworthiness of God, especially in relation to his promises to his people. Christian faith is, essentially, trust in the person and character of God. While Scripture insists that believers should be able to trust one another, it also provides examples of false or misplaced trust.