
9When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, “I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”
Luke 7:9
What is Biblical faith? Let’s examine five aspects of this spiritual concept of faith in this blog post.
**Believing Without Seeing
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The centurion embodies this principle perfectly. He doesn’t need Jesus physically present to believe in His power. This challenges us to examine our own faith. Do we trust God only when we can see His hand at work, or do we believe even in the unseen?
**Faith Requires an Object
It’s crucial to understand that biblical faith isn’t a vague spirituality or a belief in belief itself. Faith must have an object, and that object is God. The centurion placed his faith squarely in Jesus’ authority and power. This prompts us to ask: Where are we placing our faith? In money, pleasure, other people, or in the living God?
**Trusting in God’s Word
The centurion’s statement, “But say the word, and my servant will be healed,” reveals a profound trust in the power of Jesus’ words. This echoes throughout Scripture, from God speaking the world into existence to Jesus calming storms with a command. Do we trust in God’s Word with such conviction?
**Faith as the Currency of God’s Kingdom
Theologians often describe faith as the “medium of exchange” in God’s kingdom. It’s through faith that we access God’s promises and power. The word “trust” perhaps best captures this idea in modern language. Are we truly saying “forsaking all I trust Him” (F.A.I.T.H.)?
** Faith for Salvation
While this story focuses on physical healing, it serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual salvation. Just as the centurion trusted Jesus to heal from afar, we must trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross for our salvation, even though we weren’t physically present to witness it. The components of saving faith are listed below:
– Repentance: Turning away from sin and self-reliance.
– Belief: Accepting that Jesus lived, died, and rose again for our salvation.
– Receiving: Embracing salvation as a gift, not something earned.
Tony French








