Since the Bible is the book given to Christianity, it must be a biblical definition of faith that is applied to Christianity. In fact, rather than being referred to as the Christian religion, it is often called the Christian Faith. So let's dig in.
Faith can be used as a verb or a noun. It has become a very confusing word, an elusive word, though I doubt in either the OT or NT times it was confusing or elusive at all.
In the Bible "faith" in conjunction with the things of God, is always used as a noun. Yet there are whole swaths of the Christian community that never use it as a noun, always as a verb. As a result, much heretical doctrine has invaded the church, and by teachers that ought to know better. Faith as a noun contains specific content. It is this content that defines the faith. As a verb, it can apply to anything and is generated entirely from within us. It becomes an action, in that it works upon our will. It is never outside of us. If the Bible use of "faith" is considered a verb, then it is us who use our faith to manipulate God. Faith becomes a way to gain what we desire. There is a particular sect of the Christian Faith that declares this openly. And what is termed grace in Scripture, becomes not grace. This would apply to every arena of God's relationship with humanity, not just sorteriology. It removes from theology that everything we have from God, even our life itself, is by grace. It takes away his sovereignty.
Faith as a noun, as I said, has specific content. The Christian Faith has specific doctrines carefully derived from the Bible itself, that are common across denominational lines. The Trinity; the deity of Christ; the virgin birth; the substitionary work of Christ on the cross for the forgiveness of sin; the resurrection; ascension; his certain return; the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the glorification of those who remain alive at his coming; the judgement; the future restoration of all things. There are things outside of that that Christians disagree on denominationally. The Christian Faith is encapsulated in the Apostles Creed. (Not written by the apostles but what they taught in Scripture. Our doctrinal foundation.)
So when we read "the faith of Abraham was counted to him as righteousness" faith is a noun---apart from all works.
When we read Jesus saying, "Your faith has made you well." faith is a noun---not verb as it is so often taken. If it a verb it is conjuring. (To affect or effect by or as if by magic.)
When we read "By grace you have been saved, through faith, and that is a gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast." faith is a noun. If this faith comes from inside of us, "faith" becomes a verb. As a verb, it removes grace from the sentence.
Thoughts?
