Yep, Greek thinking faith and believing is a thought process only. Hebrews think faith and believing are found in action. So when scripture says "believe" it isn't just a nod in that direction, it is an embodiment with the context of living it. Take Abraham:
Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
In this verse, it has often been contrued that that is all Abraham did. But in reading carefully around this situation, it took action on Abraham's part to reveal his "believe" and that is what counted as righteousness. There are many more examples that look like greek theology, read like greek theology, but when read with the Hebrew mindset, it becomes clear that actions speak louder than words.
Yep good post brother visionary. The Greek language applied to context actually provides the same general meaning as the Hebrew which is application to believing in the present tense that leads to following. I think it is our English understanding where the confusion lies. I had a prayerful look at this some time ago asking for God's guidence and claiming His promises *JOHN 14:26 etc and this is what I found in my time in Gods' Word which matches what JAMES says in JAMES 2:18-20-26 looking at the application of what it means to have faith, believe and not to believe...
G4102 Πίστις; pistis word use; OF; TO; THE; ASSURANCE; BELIEF; FEDELITY; From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence ; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.
G4100 πιστεύω; pisteuō word use is to BELIEVE; TRUST; DO NOT BELIEVE; DID NOT; COMMITTED
; Greek word meaning pisteuō From G4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit ; by implication to entrust (especially one's spiritual well being to Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.
Example JOHN 3:15-16 GREEK applications
ΚΑΤΑ ΙΩΑΝΝΗΝ 3:15-16 (SBLGNT)
15 ἵνα πᾶς ὁ
πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
16 Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ
πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλὰ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
To believe translated here is in the
present tense verb of doing belief and can be translated; as BELIEVE (present tense), CONTINUING TO BELIEVE AND ACTIVELY BELIEVING. The original Greek translation is given in the Youngs Literal Translation of the Greek words
John 3:15-16 (YLT)
15 that every one who is
BELIEVING in him may not perish, but may have life age-during,
16 for God did so love the world, that His Son -- the only begotten -- He gave, that every one who is
BELIEVING in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.
The continuing nature of SAVING FAITH is underscored by the use of the present tense of the Greek verb
pisteuō (“believe”) throughout the gospel of John (cf. 3:15-18, 36; 5:24; 6:35, 40; 7:38; 11:25-26; 12:44, 46; 20:31; also Acts 10:43; 13:39; Romans 1:16; 3:22; 4:5; 9:33; 10:4, 10-11). If believing were a one-time act, the Greek tense in those verses would be aorist.
Saving faith therefore is always present tense in doing what God's Word says.
In fact, the most famous verse in the entire Bible uses a present tense verb that may be translated, “WHOEVER CONTINUES
BELIEVING IN HIM” MAY HAVE ETERNAL LIFE
………….
Other Greek words translated as "BELIEVE" "BELIEVING; NOT BELIEVING; DISBELIEF; DISOBEDIENCE; UNBELIEF and their application are provided here..
G4103 πιστός; pistos word use FAITHFUL; BELIEVING; (active faith present tense) From G3982; objectively trustworthy ; subjectively trustful: - believe (-ing, -r), faithful (-ly), sure, true.
G544 ἀπειθέω; apeitheō word use is to BELIEVE NOT; DO NOT BELIEVE; DO NOT OBEY; DISOBEDIENT; UNBELIEVING; OBEY NOT; Greek word meaning is apeitheō From G545; to
disbelieve (
wilfully and perversely): -
not believe, disobedient, obey not, unbelieving.
G543 ἀπείθεια; apeitheia word use is UNBELIEF; DISOBEDIENCE Greek word meaning ἀπείθεια; apeitheia From G545;
disbelief (obstinate and rebellious): -
disobedience, unbelief.
G570 ἀπιστία; word use use is UNBELIEF; DISOBEDIENCE Greek word meaning ἀπιστία; G570 apistia; From G571; faithlessness, that is, (negatively) disbelief (want of Christian faith), or (positively)
unfaithfulness (
disobedience): - unbelief.
G545 ἀπειθής; apeithēs word use is to be DISOBEDIENT Greek word meaning G545 ἀπειθής; apeithēs From G1 (as a negative particle) and G3982;
unpersuadable, that is, contumacious: -
disobedient.
G571 ἄπιστος; Apistos word use means to be FAITHLESS; UNBELIEVERS; BELIEVES NOT; UNBELIEVING; THEM THAT DO NOT BELIEVE; Greek word meaning ἄπιστος; Apistos; From G1 (as a negative particle) and G4103; (actively)
disbelieving, that is, without Christian faith (specifically a heathen); (passively) untrustworthy (person), or incredible (thing): - that
believeth not, faithless, incredible thing,
infidel, unbeliever (-ing).
A1. To BELIEVE God means to rely upon God's Word to do what it says it will do and and follow what God says!
……………
G544 SCRIPTURE APPLICATION 17x
HEBREWS 3:18 [18], And to whom swore he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that BELIEVE NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω)? [19], So we see that they could not enter in because of UNBELIEF (G570 ἀπιστία)
To believe not and unbelief means to disobey by not believing to be disobedient the result is shown in the following scripture
JOHN 3:36 [36], He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that
BELIEVES NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω)
the Son shall not see life;
but the wrath of God stays on him.
ACTS 14:2 [2], But the
UNBELIEVING (G544 ἀπειθέω) Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brothers.
ACTS 17:5 [5], But the Jews which that
BELIEVED NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω) moved with envy, took to them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
ACTS 19:8-9 [8], And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. [9], But when some were hardened, and
BELIEVED NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω)
but spoke evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
ROMANS 2:6-8 [6], Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
[7], To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life:[8], But to them that are contentious, and
DO NOT OBEY (G544 ἀπειθέω),
the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath
ROMANS 10:20-21 [20], But Esaias is very bold, and said, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest to them that asked not after me. [21], But to Israel he said, All day long I have stretched forth my hands to a disobedient
DISOBEDIENT (G544 ἀπειθέω) and gainsaying people.
ROMANS 11:30-32 [30], For as you in times past have
NOT BELIEVED (G544 ἀπειθέω) God yet have now obtained mercy through their
UNBELIEF (G543 ἀπείθεια): [31], Even so have these also now
NOT BELIEVED (G544 ἀπειθέω), that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. [32], For God has concluded them all in
UNBELIEF (G543 ἀπείθεια), that he might have mercy on all.
ROMANS 15:31 [31], That I may be delivered from them that
DO NOT BELIEVE (G544 ἀπειθέω) in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints
HEBREWS 11:31 [31], By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that
BELIEVED NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω), when she had received the spies with peace.
2 PETER 2:7 [7], To you therefore which believe he is precious: but to them which be
DISOBEDIENT (G544 ἀπειθέω),
the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner
1 PETER 3:1 [1], Likewise, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any
OBEY NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω)
the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives
1 PETER 3:20 [20], Which sometime were
DISOBEDIENT (G544 ἀπειθέω), when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1 PETER 4:17 [17], For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begins at us, what shall the end be of them that
OBEY NOT (G544 ἀπειθέω) the gospel of God?
............
So as you can see the application of
BELIEVE in our English within the scripture context is not just a mental assent but BELIEVE in the Greek is a present tense application to
BELIEVING resulting in the action of
DOING what God Word says.
God bless.