Ask the top 100 Christian leaders on earth today the questions found in the title of this series and one will hear a number of answers, not one of which will be God’s answer. Warning to church people (which is the sole purpose for which God called this ministry into being): FAITH IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT; ITS SOURCE IS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT; IT IS NOT PROVEN THE WAY YOU HAVE BEEN TAUGHT. I know this from 1) having believed what I had been taught about faith, then 2) having studied the Holy Scriptures for myself under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Like me, if you have spent time in the traditional church you are not only wrong about faith–the same faith by which we must live–but deadly wrong–for without faith it is impossible to please God. If one does not please God one cannot be saved. Let us begin at the beginning by studying God’s definition of faith.

“Now faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). To the true saint, faith is as real as any tangible (touchable) substance and is as reliable as proven evidence produced in a court case. One of the most talked about subjects found in God’s Word is faith. Yet it is one of the most misunderstood, misquoted and maligned subjects found within professing Christendom. The typical church person cannot identify the foundation of Biblical faith. Few, including ministers, understand in what or in whom faith must be based or upon what or whom faith is founded.

Faith is normally defined as belief that God and Christ are real, and that They did certain things designed to make salvation available to all of mankind. These beliefs are Biblically true. But these truths fail to identify the foundation (source) of the faith commanded by God. From the Garden of Eden to this day well-intentioned but ill-informed people by the billions have failed to become converted because they have been led to believe “a lie” (2 Thes. 2:10-12). Readers will be shocked to learn 1) who leads the Institutional Church to believe that lie, and 2) the identity of that lie.

In John 8:32 Jesus declared to those who would believe Him: “… you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free” (of error). In that He said that His people would live by Truth in this life, it is essential that man know the exact definition of Truth, its source, etc. Otherwise, one will believe and operate according to “false truth”–a convincing counterfeit that, because of ignorance, is accepted as “true Truth.” The entire world has been convinced by Satan that “true Truth” is a lie and “false truth” is the truth. Of the worlds 7 1/2 billion people, only a tiny percentage believe and obey God’s “true Truth.” Let is eliminate “false-truth” from among us. L.J.