An investigation into whether we have a Specific or Generic Faith or Belief system

As per the usual, a Facebook conversation has prompted my inquisitive mind to look into the subject of Generic Faith vs Specific Faith. While I am inclined to believe that there is not a Generic Faith or Specific Faith. There is but ONE FAITH that grows as we grow up in our faith. I am open to delving deeper to sort it out for myself and others.

The conversation began with a quote: “Faith is to believe what you do not see, and the reward is to see what you believe" Augustine

To which I responded; “Receive as you have believed. Doubt and do without!” Which lead to me being told that I was only expressing Generic Faith and wasn’t expressing Specific Faith?

So let’s begin to study this subject out a bit. While I am not going to try to do a “complete” study, we will look at this subject from several different angles.

Ask any bible student or any avid reader of the bible, what is Faith, and they will quote Hebrews Chapter 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” While this 100% correct, I do believe that we have read this passage of scripture all wrong, when we take it into context with what is commonly referred to as the Hall of Faith Chapter of Hebrews.

Hebrews 11:1 – Now, faith is the SUBSTANCE of THINGS hoped for, the EVIDENCE of THINGS NOT seen.

If I may, allow me to paraphrase it in my words: Now listen, Faith is the Tangible substance of things we hope for, from the evidence that has yet to be disclosed or uncovered.

Once this scripture opens up what faith is, then one must wonder; what evidence has yet to be disclosed or revealed to me?

While this is a very broad question, it is in fact a simplistic way to investigate your faith. The Hall of Faith members in Hebrews chapter 11 demonstrates Faith in the unseen until it was seen, however the Perfection of their faith was never experienced according to scripture. Which as we know that Perfection is found in Jesus whom they had not seen.

Now I ask you, as you read through Hebrews chapter 11, do you have faith to believe what you are reading, or do you have your doubts? As the Hall of Faith member represent faith that God approved of and recorded a good report of those that held that faith without having received the perfection of their faith, how much more are we missing out on by NOT Believing the simple faith of those members that their faith was accounted as righteousness and pleased God.

My friend, this is the first step in investigating where your faith is, or more aptly known as your level of faith. Because we grow spiritually from faith to faith, and the just lives by that faith! Roman 1:17

So I ask you again, what do you have faith to believe?

Have you ever read a passage in the bible and wondered, why and for what purpose do I need to know this information? Maybe you are like I was in the beginning of my life’s journey with Jesus. The bible tells me that Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so, and then I read about the wrath of God that will be poured out on me if I screw up. I was so confused until I saw one day early on in my journey how the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus in every scripture through every belief system.

Now if the first step in investigating your faith didn’t give you something to ponder. How about the fact that God is already pleased and appeased! Through the second step of investigating what your faith, I assure you that you have NEVER looked at your bible or scripture with this perspective:

Jesus will be revealed through what you believe.

• If you concentrate on all the negative scriptures to beat people over the head with...The Jesus that is revealed is a Bloody, Bruised and Beaten Christ.
• If you concentrate on all the sin that people are doing...The Jesus that is revealed is still being nailed to and hanging on the Cross.
• If you concentrate on all the positive scriptures ...The Jesus that is revealed is a Risen Christ and Conquering King with eyes of LOVE.

As you begin to read and study your bible I challenge you to begin with:

• Asking the Holy Spirit to show you where Jesus is in whatever passage of scripture that you are currently studying, reading or standing on.

As you begin to seek out Jesus in some of the most obscure, overly positive or overly negative scriptures, you too will begin to see the Jesus that is concealed within the Old Testament, and the Risen Jesus and conquering King of the New Testament.

As well as showing us how we pound the nails into the Jesus on the cross with our condemnation of others. How we ourselves have beaten and battered the Beaten and Bruised Jesus when we strike others over the head with condemning scriptures. And the Risen Jesus with Eyes of Love that say; “Forgive them Father for they don’t know what they are doing!”

Conquering Death, Hell and the Grave for ALL!

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

• If you believe in a gotcha God, then you will continue to struggle to find your way like a blind man in a new house with your faith and your belief system.
• If you believe in a Risen Christ and Conquering King, then you will be seen as someone with a so called; Generic Faith and not a specific faith, because you are firmly persuaded that:

Mark 9:23

Jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

And with that you will begin to agree with what God says about you with an ever certain maturing faith that says; Yep, Receive as you have believed, or Doubt and do without. Ever believing and knowing, “Yep, that’s My Brother and My Daddy God at work again.” As well as having your continual silent prayer be; “Lord, help my unbelief!!!”

That my friend is a Specifically Generic Faith in its Purest Form!

I invite all my readers to post their insights or comments below and lets have an insightful discussion on the subject discussed in the article.

I also invite you to watch our latest video, you may never look through photographs of the past in the same way.