Exercising Faith

In the Scriptures there is practically no effort made to define faith. Outside of a brief fourteen-word definition in Hebrews 11:1, I know of no Biblical definition, and even there faith is defined functionally, not philosophically; that is, it is a statement of what faith is in operation, not what it is in essence. It assumes the presence of faith and shows what it results in, rather than what it is. We will be wise to go just that far and attempt to go no further. We are told from whence it comes and by what means: ‘Faith is a gift of God,’ (Eph 2:8) and ‘Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom 10:17) This much is clear, and, to paraphrase Thomas y’ Kempis, ‘I had rather exercise faith than know the definition thereof’ (A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God, p. 49).