What is faith upon God?

Faith upon God is a foundational teaching concerning Christ

It is written in Hebrews that "the message (of) the BEGINNING (concerning) Christ" (Hebrews 6:1) contains "(a) FOUNDATION (of)" (Hebrews 6:1) "FAITH upon God" (Hebrews 6:1). 

Faith is linked to being convinced:

It is written in Hebrews about "FAITH is [...] (the) CONVICTION (of) things not being-seen" (Hebrews 11:1). 

Several verses later in Hebrews 11, it is written about "Abraham" (Hebrews 11:8) and what Abraham did by "FAITH" (Hebrews 11:8). Paul wrote about Abraham's FAITH, saying that Abraham "became-strong (in) FAITH — having-given glory (to) GOD, and HAVING-BEEN-FULLY-CONVINCED that what He-had-promised He-was able also to-do" (Romans 4:20-22). 

Paul also wrote about the connection between FAITH and being CONVINCED when he wrote later in Romans that "one judges (a) day beyond (a) day, but another judges every day (alike). Let each one BE-FULLY-CONVINCED in (his) own mind" (Romans 14:5), "(The) FAITH which you have, be-having for yourself in-the-sight-of GOD. Blessed (is) the (one) not judging himself in what he-is-approving" (Romans 14:22). 

If we doubt about something, we may not yet be fully CONVINCED about it (and so we do not yet have FAITH about something), which is why Paul wrote in the next verse: "But the (one) DOUBTING has-been-condemned if he-eats, because (it was) not out-of FAITH" (Romans 14:23). It is thus important to see if we have doubts about something, because that could reveal that we are not yet fully CONVINCED of it. 

Someone is not CONVINCED automatically of something (without having any REASONS for or against something). Thus to become convinced of something new, it can require to find out the current REASONS held for the current belief and find out HOW THEY MAY NOT BE VALID (so as not to be CONVINCED of that belief anymore), and then find NEW REASONS for the new belief (to become CONVINCED of this new belief instead). 

For more information: 

Does someone automatically believe?:
Click here

Faith is linked to being assured:

It is written in Hebrews about "FAITH is (the) ASSURANCE (of things) BEING-HOPED-FOR" (Hebrews 11:1). 

Earlier in Hebrews 6, FAITH is linked to the ASSURANCE (of things BEING-HOPED-FOR), as it is written: "we-desire (that) each (of) you be-demonstrating the same diligence toward the FULL-ASSURANCE (of) HOPE until (the) end, in-order-that you-may not be sluggish, but imitators (of) the (ones) inheriting the promises through FAITH and patience" (Hebrews 6:11-12). 

Faith upon God (specifically) is linked to believing that God is:

It is written in Hebrews about "without FAITH (it is) impossible to-please (GOD). For the (one) coming-to GOD must BELIEVE that HE-IS" (Hebrews 11:6). 

James indicated that believing in one GOD was part of the expected basics of a FAITH upon GOD, as he wrote: "You BELIEVE that GOD IS ONE? YOU-DO WELL" (James 2:19). 

Faith upon God (specifically) is linked to believing that God is rewarding people according to what they do:

It is written in Hebrews about "without FAITH (it is) impossible to-please (GOD). For the (one) coming-to GOD must BELIEVE that He-is, and HE-BECOMES (THE) REWARDER-GIVING-BACK (TO) THE (ONES) SEEKING HIM OUT" (Hebrews 11:6). 

God is rewarding positively people seeking Him. God is also rewarding negatively people who are not seeking Him. This is important to believe because it is part of a proper FAITH upon GOD in our daily lives.

It is written in Jeremiah: "I THE LORD (am) examining hearts and proving minds, TO GIVE TO EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, AND ACCORDING TO THE FRUITS OF HIS PURSUITS" (Jeremiah 17:10). 

Faith upon God (specifically) is linked to what is pleasing to God:

It is written in Hebrews about "without FAITH (it is) impossible TO-PLEASE (GOD)" (Hebrews 11:6). 

GOD can be PLEASED or DISPLEASED by things that humans do or not do. 

For example it is written later in Hebrews: "do not be-forgetting GOOD-DOING and SHARING. For (with) such sacrifices GOD IS-PLEASED" (Hebrews 13:16). 

To have a proper FAITH upon GOD, if we want to do something WITHOUT HAVING FAITH THAT IT WILL BE PLEASING TO GOD, we should abstain from it.

It is possible to NOT be PLEASING to GOD, as for example it is written about the Israelites in the wilderness that: "God was NOT WELL-PLEASED with the majority (of) them, for they-were-strewn in the wilderness. NOW THESE (THINGS) TOOK-PLACE (AS) OUR EXAMPLES, so that we (might) not be DESIRERS (OF) EVIL (THINGS), as those-also desired" (1 Corinthians 10:5-6). The author of Hebrews indicates that what the Israelites did was because of their UNBELIEF, as it is written: "(with) whom was-He-angry (for) forty years? (Was it) not (with) the (ones) having-sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?" (Hebrews 3:17), "And we-see that they-were not able to-enter because-of UNBELIEF" (Hebrews 3:19). 

Faith upon God (specifically) is linked to what is approved (by God):

It is written: "(The) FAITH which you have, be-having for yourself in-the-sight-of GOD. Blessed (is) the (one) not judging himself in what HE-IS-APPROVING" (Romans 14:22). 

Paul wrote that some people are "DISAPPROVED with-respect-to the FAITH" (2 Timothy 3:8). God can DISAPPROVE some things. We are to make sure that our FAITH UPON GOD is not based on things that are DISAPPROVED BY GOD, but that it is only based on things that GOD APPROVES. 

God will even test out FAITH to see if it will end up being APPROVED, as it is written: "Regard (it) all joy, my brothers, whenever you-fall-into various trials, knowing that the APPROVEDNESS(-BY-TESTING) (of) your FAITH is-producing endurance" (James 1:2-3) and "Blessed (is the) man who endures (the) trial, because HAVING-BECOME APPROVED, he-will-receive the crown (of) life" (James 1:12). 

Paul himself was doing things that he might not become disapproved, as he wrote: "I RUN in-this-manner, as not unevidently [...] But I-bruise my body and make-(it my)-slave, (that) having-proclaimed (to) others, I myself should not somehow BECOME DISAPPROVED" (1 Corinthians 9:26-27). At the end of his life Paul wrote: "I-have-finished THE COURSE. I-have-kept the FAITH" (2 Timothy 4:7). 

There are things that God APPROVES, and other things that God DISAPPROVES of. We are to know them in order that our FAITH may be upon GOD in all the things that we are doing. This also assumes that we have to ask ourselves if what we want to do is APPROVED by God or DISAPPROVED by God at that moment.

Faith is not hope:

FAITH is distinct from HOPE. 

For example Paul wrote that "now these THREE are-remaining — FAITH, HOPE, love" (1 Corinthians 13:13). 

Someone can simply HOPE in things, but FAITH is specifically an ASSURANCE of the things HOPED for, as it is written that "FAITH is (the) ASSURANCE (of things) BEING-HOPED-FOR" (Hebrews 11:1). 

Someone can HOPE without being ASSURED that what they HOPE will happen. 

FAITH is to be ASSURED that what is HOPED will happen. 

Faith is not knowledge:

FAITH is distinct from KNOWLEDGE. 

For example Peter wrote: "in your FAITH supply virtue; and in (your) virtue, KNOWLEDGE" (2 Peter 1:3). 

KNOWLEDGE can be to have an information. 

FAITH can be to have an ASSURANCE or CONVICTION about an information. 

For example, someone can have KNOWLEDGE about some things (or have heard the information about some things) that are not seen. But that does not mean that they have a CONVICTION about them, which would be FAITH, as it is written that "FAITH is [...] (the) CONVICTION (of) things not being-seen" (Hebrews 11:1). 

Why is faith upon God necessary?

Faith is necessary for salvation: 

The "FAITH upon God" (Hebrews 6:1) is necessary because FAITH is a necessary condition for salvation. 

For more information:

Is faith the only condition of salvation?:
Click here

We have to be saved from our sins, and not having faith can be considered a sin:

People can be saved from their sins. 

For example is written in Matthew: "you-shall-call His name Jesus, for HE-WILL-SAVE His people FROM THEIR SINS" (Matthew 1:21). 

For more information:

Salvation from what?:

Click here 

NOT having FAITH upon God in something can be considered as a sin. And so to be saved from such a sin, one would need to have FAITH upon God. 

We have to grow in Christ beyond being a (spiritual) infant: 

Applying and going beyond "FAITH upon God" (Hebrews 6:1) is necessary to be able to grow beyond being a (spiritual) infant, to come to become (spiritually) mature (perfect).

For more information:

Can someone be described as perfect according to the Bible?:
Click here

↺ Click here to return to the Table of Contents.