What is True Faith? (part 2)

What is Faith in the Bible?

To define faith the way the Bible does, we start with Hebrews 11:1 — the closest thing Scripture gives us to a formal definition:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

— Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

The English Standard Version renders it:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

— Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Four words carry the biblical definition of faith: assurance (or substance), conviction (or evidence), things hoped for, and things not seen.

Assurance of things hoped for means faith is not a vague wish — it is a present-tense title deed to what God has promised. Just as a property deed proves legal ownership of land you have not yet built on, faith proves possession of God’s promises before they materialize in the physical world.

Conviction of things not seen means faith functions like legal evidence — a court-level certainty about spiritual realities the natural eye cannot confirm. This is not blind belief. It is evidence-based trust in the character of a God who cannot lie

Monday's subject: What Faith is not

Revelation 16:5-7

 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,

    you who are and who were;

6 

for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,

    and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”

7 And I heard the altar respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,

    true and just are your judgment

Revelation 16:5-7 emphasizes God’s righteous judgment on those who have persecuted His people, affirming His holiness, justice, and the moral order of divine retribution.

Context and Overview

In Revelation 16, the seven angels are preparing to pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath upon the earth, representing the final judgments in the eschatological timeline. Verses 5-7 focus on the angel in charge of the waters, who praises God’s justice as the rivers and springs have been turned to blood, symbolizing the punishment of those who shed the blood of the saints and prophets (Revelation 16:5-6) godsbless.ing+1. This scene underscores that God’s judgments are deliberate, righteous, and aligned with His eternal character Bible Hub.

Verse 5: The Angel’s Declaration

The angel declares, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments” (Revelation 16:5). This statement highlights several key points:

• God’s Holiness and Eternity: He is the eternal Holy One, whose actions are always morally perfect BibleRef.com.
• Righteous Judgment: The angel affirms that the judgments are fair and deserved, reflecting God’s abhorrence of evil and His protection of the innocent Bible Hub.
• Divine Order: Even in the midst of terrifying plagues, heaven remains orderly, and every act of judgment flows from God’s sovereign will Bible Hub.

Verse 6: Retribution for the Persecutors

Verse 6 explains the reason for the judgment: “for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” This conveys:

• Moral Reciprocity: Those who persecuted the righteous receive punishment proportionate to their actions Bible Study Tools.
• Vindication of the Saints: God’s justice ensures that the suffering of His people is acknowledged and avenged BibleRef.com.
• Symbolic Imagery: Drinking blood symbolizes the full measure of retribution for the shedding of innocent blood Bíblia Plus.

Verse 7: Confirmation from the Altar

Verse 7 records the altar responding: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” This reinforces:

• Heavenly Affirmation: The angelic and heavenly witnesses confirm the righteousness of God’s actions Bible Study Tools.
• Divine Justice as Universal Principle: God’s judgments are not arbitrary but reflect the moral order and the consequences of rejecting goodness and life-giving truth Bíblia Plus.

Theological Significance

Revelation 16:5-7 teaches that:

• God’s judgments are just, holy, and eternal, reflecting His character.
• Persecution of the righteous has consequences, and divine retribution is inevitable.
• Angels serve as witnesses and agents of God’s justice, ensuring that His moral order is executed faithfully.
• The imagery of blood and the altar emphasizes both the seriousness of sin and the vindication of the faithful godsbless.ing+2.
  In summary, these verses affirm that God’s wrath is not arbitrary but a measured, righteous response to human wickedness, particularly the persecution of His people, and that His justice is universally recognized in heaven.

What is True Faith? (part one introduction)

 

Hello, My Friends. Well as it seems, my computer will not cooperate with the study on gotquestions.com and I cannot figure out why. And so, I am changing to a different study and hope that it goes well 

The website we will be using is faithbiblestudy.org, if you would like to go there for yourself to read more about faith and biblical teaching. I will be using just a portion of the study, each day. Please read on for today's lesson:

To define faith the way the Bible does, we start with Hebrews 11:1 — the closest thing Scripture gives us to a formal definition: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”— Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)The English Standard Version renders it: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”— Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)Four words carry the biblical definition of faith: assurance (or substance), conviction (or evidence), things hoped for, and things not seen. Assurance of things hoped for means faith is not a vague wish — it is a present-tense title deed to what God has promised. Just as a property deed proves legal ownership of land you have not yet built on, faith proves possession of God’s promises before they materialize in the physical world. Conviction of things not seen means faith functions like legal evidence — a court-level certainty about spiritual realities the natural eye cannot confirm. This is not blind belief. It is evidence-based trust in the character of a God who cannot lie.

Today will be the introduction into the study from their website.

Biblical Faith: The Biblical Definition of faith, Why it matters, and How to acquire it

Every believer has heard the word faith — but ask someone to define faith in precise, biblical terms and most will hesitate.

Is faith just believing in God? Is it a feeling? Is it the same as hope?

Faith in the Bible is far more specific, far more powerful, and far more practical than most people realize. It is the foundation of your relationship with God, the mechanism of salvation, and the daily force that carries you through the hardest seasons of life.

This guide answers three questions the Bible addresses directly: what is the biblical definition of faith? Why does faith matter so much to God? And how do you put your faith into practice and grow it? Let us go straight to what God’s Word says

Tomorrows study: What is Faith in the Bible? The Definition of Faith

Thanks for being patient with me, Friends. I just want to report the Biblical truth in God's Word and sometimes, (like we all do at times) computer problems pop up and though I have learned a lot about dealing with them, sometimes for some reason I can't. 

Also, thanks for coming. I love and appreciate all that come here each day. 

A message/Revelation 16:2-4

 

I hope this finds you well and blessed today. 

In todays post, I am not able to do a part 2 on the Bible Study on the Word of Faith.

For some reason I am having problems with that series,

and so for today we will just look at our scripture in Revelation.

Hopefully by tomorrow I can have it figure out so that we can return to it

In the meantime have a wonderful day in Jesus and thanks for coming by!

Revelation 16:2-4

2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

Revelation 16:2–4 Explained

Revelation 16:2–4 describes the first of the seven bowl judgments, a series of divine plagues marking the final phase of God’s wrath before Christ’s return.

Verse 2:

“So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and a harmful and painful sore afflicted the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.”

Here, the “first angel” is one of seven messengers commanded by God to pour out His wrath. The “bowl” is a vessel containing God’s judgment. The “harmful and painful sore” is a severe affliction—often interpreted as a festering, loathsome skin disease—symbolizing both physical suffering and spiritual corruption StudyLight.org+1. Those affected are those who have received the mark of the beast (symbolizing allegiance to a system opposed to God) and worship its image (rejecting God’s authority) biblerepository.com. This judgment is a direct consequence of their rejection of God’s truth.

Verse 3:

“The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.”

The second bowl judgment turns the sea into blood, killing all sea life. This echoes the sixth plague of Egypt (boils/blains) and the fifth plague (blood in the Nile) StudyLight.org. It shows God’s power over nature and His judgment on those who have oppressed His people.

Verse 4:

“The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.”

The third bowl judgment turns rivers and springs into blood, killing all living creatures in them. This is similar to the fifth plague of Egypt (blood in the rivers) StudyLight.org. It intensifies the judgment on the earth, affecting both land and sea life.

Theological meaning:

• Justice and holiness of God: These judgments are God’s righteous response to the persecution of His saints and the worship of the beast StudyLight.org+1.

• Symbolism: The sores represent spiritual defilement and the consequences of rejecting God; the blood in water and sea symbolize death and destruction.

• Pattern with the Exodus plagues: The sequence mirrors God’s judgments on Egypt, showing that His pattern of judgment is consistent and final Enduring Word+1.

• Call to repentance: Despite the severity, the text notes that those affected “did not repent” (Revelation 16:5), underscoring the need for personal response to God’s grace.

In summary, Revelation 16:2–4 shows God’s decisive, final judgments on those who have rejected Him, using vivid, symbolic imagery to convey both the physical and spiritual consequences of turning away from God.

More on yesterdays topic/What the Bible Says (part one)

 

Hello, Friends. I wanted to touch more yesterday's topic because it is so important. Churches that teach those kinds of things are called Word of Faith Ministries.  This study is from gotquestions.com under the question of: what is the word of faith movement? Is it biblical. There is a lot of info there about it with links to follow if you care to read more on your own. However, I will be reposting a lot of this information for at least the next several days.  Please read on.

What Does the Bible Say About Word of Faith Ministries?

The Word of Faith movement is a controversial Christian teaching that emphasizes the power of positive confession—speaking faith-filled words to bring about physical health, financial prosperity, and other blessings—often claiming that believers can claim these outcomes through their faith. The Bible decisively refutes the claims of the Word of Faith movement, offering clear evidence that faith is not a tool to control outcomes or guarantee material blessings. Scripture teaches that God’s blessings align with His sovereign will, not with human desires or declarations. Whether circumstances are favorable or difficult, God is the same, and our faith remains in Him, not in our ability to manipulate circumstances through our words. True faith involves trusting in God's character and His perfect plan for our lives. In the midst of both abundance and hardship, believers are called to rely on God’s faithfulness, rather than the pursuit of material outcomes, keeping their trust firmly in Him.

from the old testament

• Job exemplifies that suffering is not always tied to sin or a lack of faith. God allowed Job’s trials to demonstrate his steadfastness, not as punishment (Job 1:8).
• In Proverbs 30:8–9, the writer prays for neither poverty nor riches but asks for provision to avoid the temptations of wealth and despair.

from the new testament

• Jesus Himself rejects the notion that faith guarantees prosperity. In His temptation in the wilderness, Satan offers material wealth and worldly power in exchange for worship (Matthew 4:8–10). Jesus rebukes Satan, demonstrating that wealth and success are not signs of God’s favor, but potential distractions from true worship.
• Matthew 6:19–21: Jesus teaches His followers to store up treasures in heaven, not on earth, emphasizing spiritual riches over material wealth.
• Jesus corrects His disciples when they assume a man’s blindness is due to sin, declaring instead that it was so “the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3).
• John 14:13–14: Jesus promises to answer prayers made in His name, but this is always according to His will and for His glory, not human whims.
• Second Corinthians 11:16–33: Paul recounts his hardships as an apostle, demonstrating that faithful service to God often involves suffering, not prosperity. Paul’s life, overall, offers a strong biblical counterpoint to prosperity theology. Despite his unwavering faith, Paul experienced poverty, persecution, and suffering. He writes in 2 Corinthians 12:7–9 of his “thorn in the flesh,” an affliction he prayed to be removed, only for God to respond, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9). This passage reveals that God’s purpose is not to grant every request, but to sustain His people through challenges.
• In 1 Timothy 6:5–10, Paul describes those who view faith as a means to wealth as corrupt and misguided, stating that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (v. 10). Instead, believers are called to contentment and warned of the spiritual dangers of greed.

implications for today

The Word of Faith movement distorts the gospel, focusing on self-centered desires, rather than God’s will. Its teachings lead to disillusionment, not understanding why difficulties or trials come. Adherents to the Word of Faith movement are often blamed for their own suffering or poverty due to “insufficient faith.” This doctrine not only misrepresents God, but it also exploits vulnerable individuals, encouraging them to give financially in hopes of divine favor.

Christians must approach the false beliefs of the Word of Faith movement with both truth and compassion. Second Corinthians 11:3 warns of being led astray by deceptive teachings, but believers are also called to guide others gently back to biblical truth (Galatians 6:1). Exposing the errors of prosperity theology protects people from spiritual harm and points them to the true hope found in Christ.

True faith rests in trusting God’s sovereignty, whether in abundance or need (Philippians 4:12–13). Scripture assures believers that God provides for their needs according to His perfect wisdom, offering something far greater than worldly wealth: eternal life and peace through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 16:1

16 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Revelation 16:1 marks the divine command from God to seven angels to pour out His full and righteous wrath upon the earth, initiating the final sequence of judgments.

Context and Overview

In Revelation 16:1, John hears a "great voice out of the temple" instructing seven angels to "pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth" Bible Hub+1. This verse serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, bridging the vision of the heavenly temple in chapter 15 with the dramatic outpouring of God’s final judgments in chapter 16 Bible Hub. The "great voice" is understood to be God Himself, emphasizing the authority, urgency, and divine origin of the command myholybible.org+1. The temple imagery underscores God’s holiness and the sacredness of His judgment, showing that these actions are not arbitrary but rooted in His righteous character biblerepository.com.

The Seven Angels and the Bowls

The seven angels are entrusted with executing God’s wrath, symbolized by the seven bowls (or vials). The number seven signifies completeness, indicating that God’s judgment will be thorough and nothing will be left unfinished Bible Hub+1. The command to "pour out" (Greek: ἐκχέω, ekcheō) conveys a swift, total, and irrevocable action, contrasting with earlier, partial judgments such as the seals and trumpets myholybible.org. Each bowl represents a specific plague or calamity, including sores, blood, darkness, and scorching heat, which collectively demonstrate God’s sovereignty and justice godsbless.ing.

Theological Significance

Revelation 16:1 illustrates that God’s patience with human rebellion has reached its limit, and His wrath is a necessary response to pervasive sin and injustice myholybible.org+1. This wrath is not an emotional outburst but a holy and just act aimed at removing evil and restoring creation to its intended order myholybible.org. The verse also serves as a warning and a call to repentance, highlighting the seriousness of sin and the certainty of divine accountability godsbless.ing. Within the broader biblical narrative, it affirms that God’s justice will prevail and that ultimate victory belongs to Christ biblemaximum.com+1.

Summary

Revelation 16:1 is a key verse in Christian eschatology, signaling the start of the final, complete, and righteous judgments of God upon a rebellious world. It emphasizes God’s holiness, justice, and sovereignty, while also serving as a solemn reminder of the consequences of sin and the hope of ultimate restoration through Christ Bible Hub+3.

Thank you friends, for coming by to spend a few minutes here. Have a wonderful day in Jesus!