{{2017_06_19_t1.jpg}}
{{2017_06_19_t2.jpg}}
{{2017_06_19_t3.jpg}}
[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2017_06_19|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
[[topics_collection_ix|| Topics Collection ix ]]
====== Faith ...======
Monday, June 19, 2017. We had a discussion about faith recently, Christian faith. It took
place in a Christian bible study group - and we talked about the description of the
gifts of the holy spirit in 1 Kor 12. There, you find "faith" as one of the gifts of
the spirit. It is given to some believers, not to others. But what does it mean? They
all have faith, don't they?
{{2017_06_19.jpg }}
**What is Faith? ...**
What is faith? There are different layers and different measures we need to talk
about. First of all: faith in Jesus is the beginning of all of this. Without this
faith and trust in Christ, we will not come to any relationship with God. It is
the generic faith which is mentioned in the gospels by Jesus himself.
But also the apostle Paul writes about this basic trust in the salvation in and
through Jesus as the faith which saves us. It is the beginning of new life. For
each and every Christian and each and every human this faith is the basis of
life, of perspective and eternity! But then, we hear about the role of the spirit,
described by Paul in 1 Kor 12:
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
(from 1 Kor 12)
{{ 2017_06_19_2.jpg}}
**Gifts of the Spirit ...**
The New Testament describes the work of the holy spirit. He is the helper, the
counsellor. He is God himself, who comes to us and lives in us, who believe in Jesus.
You need faith to receive the holy spirit. Faith means that you believe Jesus and
that you believe in Jesus and start to follow him with your decisions, with your life
as human.
The New Testament describes that the holy spirit gives spiritual gifts to all
who believe in Jesus. God himself loves to give - and he gives talents and abilities
which are coming from the power of the most high. We become part of his community,
and with this we experience the powers of the new world, the powers of the creator,
the powers of the spirit in our own life.
Faith is one of these powers. It is the faith who can create. It is the faith who
can see things which are not yet there. It is the faith who has deep trust in
the fidelity and trustworthiness of God, the most high. Some of us have such far
reaching faith, which can do things and believe in things where others see nothing
and cannot trust. It is a gift given to help us all, to guide us and put fantastic
new things into our life and the life of the church.
It is fantastic and exciting to explore a life with God, and to get to know him
in father, son and holy spirit!
(Roland Potthast)
[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_ix|... more texts]]