Un/belief – “What is faith?” 

‍What is faith? Some say it’s a natural gift. Some say it’s blind belief. Most people acknowledge that it’s powerful; but some believe it’s dangerous. Contrary to popular belief, faith is not blind or baseless: and it doesn’t require you to turn off your mind. In fact, deep faith may require you to think! This week, we start a new series on “the surprising nature of faith.” Over 11 weeks, we’ll delve into the richness of faith in Hebrews 11, the famous “Faith Hall of Fame.” We begin with a key question: “What is faith?” 

1. Unbelief is a beginning. (Mark 9:21-24) 

- We have a general sense that faith can be weak or strong. We might even rate our faith on a scale of 1-10. But the question is: can faith increase? Can a 3 become a 5? Or are we stuck with what we’ve got? 

- In Mark 9:21-24, we find the story of a father whose son is demon-possessed and in danger. The dad pleads with Jesus to heal his boy, adding “if you can.” But Jesus calls out his wavering faith. Desperate, the man responds: “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” 

- What happens next is surprising: instead of telling the man to believe a little harder, Jesus offers him evidence. He heals the boy. We’re left to assume that this does ‘help’ increase the man’s faith. 

- Many of us think of faith like a natural gift: some of us are born with a lot, and some a little. Or we think faith is about upbringing: some of us inherit faith from our families, and others don’t. And some of us think faith is about intelligence: we’re too analytical (or smart) to live by faith. 

- It turns out these assumptions are wrong. Faith is not something static we inherit; it’s something that can grow. And it grows, in part, through our intellect–not in spite of it. 

- If that’s true, it means unbelief is a starting point. There’s room to grow! As Pastor said: “Unbelief is a beginning; but it’s up to you whether it’s the end.” So how do we grow our faith? 

2. Faith is “living out what I believe is true.” (Hebrews 11:1-2) 

- Christian faith is the belief that Jesus is true, but this definition can apply to anything. We believe that a chair will hold us up, so we live out our faith by sitting down. We believe that our romantic partner loves us back, so we take a leap of faith and propose! 

- Martin Luther described three stages of faith: notitia (knowledge), assensus (agreement) and fiducia (trust). Tim Keller put it this way: 

3. Faith grows in us when… 

a. We grow in understanding. 

- People often think that faith is blind. But actually, we are invited to explore, study, and assess the evidence! Growing our understanding is often the first step toward growing our faith. E.g. I’ve assessed the chair, and think the construction looks sound.

b. We develop a conviction. 

- After we’ve assessed the evidence, we come to a conviction (a belief). Many people think this is the last step of faith. E.g. Based on my understanding, I believe the chair will hold me. c. We make a commitment. 

- True faith involves a commitment: this is where we ‘live out’ what we believe, and place our trust in it. Faith is not fully realized until this step! E.g. Since I believe in the chair, I sit in it. 

- Some of us would like certainty before we commit: but as Tim Keller said, “You can’t reason your way to certainty.” There’s no way to know the chair will hold until you sit in it! The same is true of a relationship with God: it requires a leap from conviction to commitment. We call that “the leap of faith.” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE 

These passages may provide additional insights related to the subject of this week’s message. All verses are NLT unless otherwise noted. Matthew 17:14-23; Galatians 3:6-9; Genesis 15:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 14:5-14; Galatians 5:5; Hebrews 10:19-35 Video of the Week: “The Reason You Can Trust God” by the Bible Project 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION 

1. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your faith right now? Share with the group if you’re comfortable. 

2. Pastor Ben listed a few myths about the nature of faith: 1) we’re born with it, 2) we inherit it, or 3) we’re too smart for it. Have you ever thought about faith in one of these ways? Why or why not? 

3. Read Mark 9:21-24. How do you usually expect God to respond to your doubts or unbelief? How do you feel about the idea that Jesus responds to the man by giving him ‘evidence’? 

4. Unbelief can be a starting point–if we let it. Can you think of a time when doubt, unbelief, or uncertainty ultimately led to deeper faith in your life? E.g. Uncertainty about your relationship status prompts you to have a clarifying conversation with your love interest, leading you to ‘make it official’! 

5. How do you feel about our definition of faith: “living out what I believe is true”? Is that how you’ve thought about faith previously? How does it nuance your understanding of your own faith? 

6. Take a look at the three stages of faith (understanding, conviction, commitment). Some of us like to focus on Step 1: we want certainty before we commit. Some of us jump right to Step 3: we’re happy to commit without digging into the truth. Where do you fall on the spectrum? How could you grow your faith?