Reverend Richard Christopher is chaplain to Thames Valley Police, based at Reading Police Station
James 2:14. What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no works? Can such faith save him? What is a saving faith? How many different kinds of faith are there?
I believe, from the Bible, there are only three kinds of faith – dead faith, demonic faith and active faith.
What’s faith? Faith is simply believing in God. What do we mean by believing in God? Is that an active or passive belief?
Dead Faith
The Bible says faith without works is dead; it’s like a body without a spirit; dead faith exchanges words for action.
The words and works do not measure up.
James says, suppose a person is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and eat well,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? Dead faith is superficial. It’s just intellectual faith.
Demonic Faith
Demons also have faith and they tremble. It’s not dead faith but intellectual and emotional.
Active Faith
It’s real and alive. Faith that’s alive is based on God’s word and involves the whole person; mind, heart and will.
How much faith is needed to be saved? Lots or just a small amount?
It’s not quantity but quality that matters.
Jesus said, if you have faith as small as mustard seed it can do wonders.
Faith is vital to Christian life; we’re pleased when our children trust us; God is pleased when we trust Him.
That’s why the Bible says without faith it’s impossible to please God.
A person is saved by faith; saving faith is active.
Believing means more than acknowledging God’s existence, it’s trusting and entrusting of ourselves to Him, that is saving faith.
