Agape Christian Center
The Difference Between Faith and Believing
Sunday AM service
Locations & Times
Agape Christian Center
321 N Penelope St, Belton, TX 76513, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
1. Most people will tell you that faith and believing are the same thing.
2. In this case, it was unbelief that held Jesus back from doing more miracles.
3. This is the only scripture that actually mentions a ‘lack of faith’.
a. 1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT) ...to fill the gaps in your faith.
b. 1 Thessalonians 3:10 (MSG) ...to help when your faith falters.
4. We know the bible talks about different measures of faith:
a. weak faithb. strong faithc. great faith
5. The trouble is they are interrelated. (one is used to connect to the other)
a. I did not ay that they are interchangeable
b. but this does make them very close in their definition
6. Modern Bible translations don’t always differentiate clearly between the two.
a. that leads to confusion
b. let’s look at an example of what can be lost in translation
a. 1 Thessalonians 3:10 (NLT) ...to fill the gaps in your faith.
b. 1 Thessalonians 3:10 (MSG) ...to help when your faith falters.
4. We know the bible talks about different measures of faith:
a. weak faithb. strong faithc. great faith
5. The trouble is they are interrelated. (one is used to connect to the other)
a. I did not ay that they are interchangeable
b. but this does make them very close in their definition
6. Modern Bible translations don’t always differentiate clearly between the two.
a. that leads to confusion
b. let’s look at an example of what can be lost in translation
7. Here it seems like Jesus is telling his disciples that their problem is they don’t have enough faith.
8. Jesus said if they had even the smallest measure of faith9mustard seed), mountains could be moved.
a. is he or is He not explaining that we barely need any faith at all to see great miracles happen (mountain moving faith)
b. but the original text shows a difference
8. Jesus said if they had even the smallest measure of faith9mustard seed), mountains could be moved.
a. is he or is He not explaining that we barely need any faith at all to see great miracles happen (mountain moving faith)
b. but the original text shows a difference
9. Here we see a difference.
a. He mentions unbelief, then faith
10. But again He is explaining that we barely need any faith at all to see great miracles happen (mountain moving faith)!
11. What’s the difference?
a. He mentions unbelief, then faith
10. But again He is explaining that we barely need any faith at all to see great miracles happen (mountain moving faith)!
11. What’s the difference?
believe - Gk - pisteuō - to entrust, put trust in
a. accept that (something) is true or (someone) is telling the truth
b. to accept in the truth, ability, or strength of someone or something
c. to place reliance on
d. to have confidence in
12. Nutshell...belief is an opinion or judgement in which a person is fully persuaded
13. So unbelief must mean the opposite”
a. you don’t trust
b. you don’t feel you can rely on
c. you don’t rely on and you feel it won’t go your way
d. and you have no confidence in
14. Let’s look again
a. accept that (something) is true or (someone) is telling the truth
b. to accept in the truth, ability, or strength of someone or something
c. to place reliance on
d. to have confidence in
12. Nutshell...belief is an opinion or judgement in which a person is fully persuaded
13. So unbelief must mean the opposite”
a. you don’t trust
b. you don’t feel you can rely on
c. you don’t rely on and you feel it won’t go your way
d. and you have no confidence in
14. Let’s look again
15. Jesus is telling his disciples that they have a belief problem which can be countered with faith, even in small amounts.
faith - Gk - pistis - steadfast, unwavering persuasion
a. assurance in ones ability or attributes
16. How much “small as a mustard seed” faith is enough?
17. But faith has another requirement.
faith - Gk - pistis - steadfast, unwavering persuasion
a. assurance in ones ability or attributes
16. How much “small as a mustard seed” faith is enough?
17. But faith has another requirement.
18. Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces deeds, it is dead and useless.
a. this is where you act on what you he promises
b. steadfastly, you stay consistent
c. unwavering...you don’t bounce back and forth
19. This produces something called confidence.
a. this is where you act on what you he promises
b. steadfastly, you stay consistent
c. unwavering...you don’t bounce back and forth
19. This produces something called confidence.
20. The last part of that whole faith equation is confidence.
Confidence – Trust that is based on knowledge or past experience
21. Basically confidence is a measure of how firmly we hold to a particular belief.
22. Faith produces confidence.
Confidence – Trust that is based on knowledge or past experience
21. Basically confidence is a measure of how firmly we hold to a particular belief.
22. Faith produces confidence.
23. Faith + action + confidence = manifestation (answered prayers).
24. Let’s break it down.
25. Our beliefs are things that we are thoroughly convinced of.
a. these are thoughts, ideas, speculation and decisions that we have acquired from information and personal experiences
26. That’s why what we believe in can change over time
a. this comes from gaining knowledge as time goes by
b. and our personal experiences become more of an influence in our lives
27. Faith includes our beliefs, but what we really believe will be seen by our actions.
24. Let’s break it down.
25. Our beliefs are things that we are thoroughly convinced of.
a. these are thoughts, ideas, speculation and decisions that we have acquired from information and personal experiences
26. That’s why what we believe in can change over time
a. this comes from gaining knowledge as time goes by
b. and our personal experiences become more of an influence in our lives
27. Faith includes our beliefs, but what we really believe will be seen by our actions.
28. If what we believe
a. doesn’t move us to do something or say something
b. to actually take some kind of action
c. it’s not really faith at all
a. doesn’t move us to do something or say something
b. to actually take some kind of action
c. it’s not really faith at all
29. Unless you take action your faith... is just a bunch of words.
a. it becomes faith when you stay steady and don’t bounce back and forth
a. it becomes faith when you stay steady and don’t bounce back and forth
30. Some people get confused and turned around on this point and try to do good things to generate faith.
31. James didn’t say the good things we do produce faith.
a. he said our faith, if it is real and alive
b. we will do things on a steady basis to validate what we are expecting by faith
32. Do you see how belief and faith are interrelated.
a. the difference between the two is very subtle
a. he said our faith, if it is real and alive
b. we will do things on a steady basis to validate what we are expecting by faith
32. Do you see how belief and faith are interrelated.
a. the difference between the two is very subtle
33. In this case then, unbelief is believing things that aren’t true.
a. believing lies
b. hinders the working of our faith
34. Unbelief prevents us from ever seeing the miraculous in our lives.
35. When YOU believe the truth with enough confidence to take action, that’s when YOUR exercising YOUR faith.
a. and it doesn’t take much of that faith to see miraculous things happen
36. People try to spend time and energy trying to increase our faith when Jesus said that’s not really our problem.
a. our problem is really with unbelief, not a lack of faith
37. How do you cure unbelief?
a. believing lies
b. hinders the working of our faith
34. Unbelief prevents us from ever seeing the miraculous in our lives.
35. When YOU believe the truth with enough confidence to take action, that’s when YOUR exercising YOUR faith.
a. and it doesn’t take much of that faith to see miraculous things happen
36. People try to spend time and energy trying to increase our faith when Jesus said that’s not really our problem.
a. our problem is really with unbelief, not a lack of faith
37. How do you cure unbelief?
38. Abraham is our example.
39. The good news is that we can change our unbelief into belief.
40. We just need to become more fully persuaded of the truth instead of the misconceptions and lies that we are currently holding on to.
41. The more convinced of the truth you become, the more confident you’ll grow.
42. Then it won’t be long before we find yourself doing things differently, acting in more faith.
43. Most of the time, it is our Unbelief holds us back, not our lack of faith!
42. Then it won’t be long before we find yourself doing things differently, acting in more faith.
43. Most of the time, it is our Unbelief holds us back, not our lack of faith!