What's the Calvinist definition of "faith"?

[splat]

The presence of a real faith in Jesus and His work on my behalf is my justification to claim Christ. It is the evidence of the Holy Spirit, Whose presence indicates that the promise of God in Christ has fallen on me. If I love God it is because He first loved me, so if I love Jesus I can rest in the promise that God will finish what He started in me.

The more I am ministered to by the Word of God, the more I can come to recognize if my faith is real, but there must be a point that I stop navel-gazing and start keeping my eyes on Christ. If my faith is genuine, as it grows I will trust in what Christ has done for me rather than my feeble attempts to do for myself. That's true in terms of my eternal salvation, but it's also true for success on the job, success as a father, etc. Jesus is my Redeemer in all things, so my emotional need to be a "winner" can diminish greatly as I understand that Jesus really is all I need. As my faith grows in that area, I will get off the treadmill of legalism and start doing the right things for the right reasons. That's how grace works.

You have some very odd ideas about Calvinism. I'm not sure where you've gotten your information, but I can tell you its not a very reliable source.

Well, most of my information comes from listening to Calvinists on the Paltalk chat network. I guess its possible that this is not a good representative sample. Maybe that's why I was predestined to come to this forum and ask questions.

You appear to define "faith" as a subjective phenomena so I am left wondering if it is has any visible attributes to another person? For instance would I, if present, be able to observe your faith in action and what might that look like?

 

[Eddie L]

Well, most of my information comes from listening to Calvinists on the Paltalk chat network. I guess its possible that this is not a good representative sample. Maybe that's why I was predestined to come to this forum and ask questions.

You appear to define "faith" as a subjective phenomena so I am left wondering if it is has any visible attributes to another person? For instance would I, if present, be able to observe your faith in action and what might that look like?

1. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
2. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light
3. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

That's sort of what it looks like, though patience is required. Believers are, after all, a work in progress.

 

[Eddie L]

There's a modern version of the Westminster Confession of Faith at Westminster Confession of Faith - Modern. You'd be interested in chapters 13, 14, and 16, I think.

The Confession is the best source. It might help shake out these weird notions you have about Calvinism.

 

[splat]

[*]But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
[*]Whoever loves his brother abides in the light
[*]Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.


That's sort of what it looks like, though patience is required. Believers are, after all, a work in progress.

Now, none of us operate perfectly in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control and its interesting to note that even unbelievers have a measure of those things yet do not know God.

Are you saying if someone has these attributes faith is present? Or if faith is present some of those attributes are present but are not proof of faith?

I will have a look at that link you posted shortly.

 

[Eddie L]

Now, none of us operate perfectly in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control and its interesting to note that even unbelievers have a measure of those things yet do not know God.

Are you saying if someone has these attributes faith is present? Or if faith is present some of those attributes are present but are not proof of faith?

I will have a look at that link you posted shortly.

None of us can be heart inspectors, but faith in Christ means that a person has been set free from their bondage to sin, so that there will be evidence of grace. We're not free from the reality of sinning, but we are free to struggle against it. People who do not trust in Christ for their righteousness do the right thing to avoid bad consequences. It is only when we're not trying to prove ourselves through our works that we start doing the right thing for the right reasons.