Faith vs. Believing

To believe in something and to have faith in something is not the same.

Through faith we are saved (Eph 2:8), however the devils believe there is a God and they are not saved (James 2:19).

Faith is what you believe in action. The Greek definition for faith talks about a strong belief in something but it also talks about completely trusting in the same thing. Faith is more than believing its trusting in what you believe in.

Take for example an old four legged chair not real sturdy kind of wobbles when you move it. Again believing in that chair and having faith in that chair are two different things. To believe I just need to think that it is true that the chair will hold me. To have faith in the chair I have to think that it is true that it will hold me, and trust it will hold me by sitting in the chair. Faith takes action sitting; believing is only in the head.

That’s why James (2:14) says faith without works is dead, because faith requires action. I will never argue that faith alone saves, but faith that saves is never alone.