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Gold Tried in the Fire - Robert J. Wieland

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Chapter 6<br />

More About This Explosive<br />

Word, Faith<br />

S<strong>in</strong>ce faith is <strong>the</strong> key word <strong>in</strong> understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

power of <strong>the</strong> gospel to transform our lives, we must<br />

look at it a little more closely. If <strong>the</strong> New<br />

Testament idea is not clear, <strong>the</strong> entire subject of<br />

righteousness by faith will be confus<strong>in</strong>g to us, and<br />

bor<strong>in</strong>g as well.<br />

I am sure some are ask<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> questions, "What<br />

about <strong>the</strong> many Christian writers and speakers who<br />

have def<strong>in</strong>ed faith as mere trust? Could <strong>the</strong>y be<br />

wrong? And doesn't <strong>the</strong> author of Hebrews, <strong>in</strong> his<br />

classic def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>in</strong> chapter 2, def<strong>in</strong>e faith as<br />

trust?"<br />

The apostle Paul never uses <strong>the</strong> noun faith or<br />

<strong>the</strong> verb to believe with <strong>the</strong> mean<strong>in</strong>g of trust as we<br />

use that word today. The most common verb used<br />

for trust is elpizo, which means "to hope." Here are<br />

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