Theological glossary · FaithLogic

Faith

Trust in God and in Christ — receiving and resting on him and his promise, not merely assenting to facts.

Greek pistis (trust, faithfulness, belief); Latin fides. The verb pisteuō, 'to trust/believe', is far more common in the NT than the noun.

Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; 3:22–28; 4:1–25; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8–9; Hebrews 11; James 2:14–26.

The Reformation distinguished notitia (knowledge), assensus (assent), and fiducia (trust), with fiducia at the heart. Debate over pistis Christou — 'faith in Christ' (objective genitive) or 'the faithfulness of Christ' (subjective genitive).

Faith is the instrument, not the ground, of justification — it unites to Christ, who is the ground.

Faith alone vs. faith formed by love (fides caritate formata); the pistis Christou debate; the relation of faith and works in James vs. Paul.

Open in the glossary for related terms and the doctrines this concept appears in.