Most people think that faith and belief are the same thing, and I must admit that I thought the same, until I actually took a closer look at them.

Definitions:

Faith:-

1.Complete trust in someone or something.
2. Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

Belief:-

1. An acceptance that something exists, especially one without proof.
2. Trust, faith or confidence in (someone or something).

As you can see it is easy to think that they are the same since they are very closely interrelated. This is proven further by the fact that they stem from the same Greek root word PISTIS, meaning ‘Faith’, (as the noun). With the word ‘Believe’, as the verb, PISTUEO.

Due to their extremely close meanings, many of the modern bible translations did not differentiate between the two, leaving confusion and even contradiction to ensue.

For example let’s take Matthew 17:20. The New Living Translation presents this verse as – “you don’t have enough Faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had Faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

The term, “you don’t have enough Faith”, obviously says that they do have some faith. So, according to this translation, when Jesus says, “..if you had Faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move,” it contradicts the first part of the statement. After all, why acknowledge that they have ‘some’ faith, if his lesson was that they only needed a tiny amount of faith?

The same verse from our Inspired Version of the Holy Scriptures alleviates this contradiction. It says – And Jesus said unto them, “Because of your unbelief; for, verily, I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Remove to yonder place’, and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”

This is saying that they have a belief problem which can be rectified with the tiniest bit of faith.

Apart from their obvious contextual difference, there are also a couple of other differences.

Firstly, belief is a state of mind, whereas faith is a state of doing. For example; you can ‘believe’ that the weather outside will stay warm and dry but it takes ‘faith’ in that belief for you to leave the house without taking your coat. This is also stated numerous times in Hebrews 11, (the Faith chapter), where is stated, ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…'(vs 4). Also, ‘By faith, Noah prepared an ark..’ (vs 7).

Secondly, belief is a human state of mind. It can be acquired through knowledge and experience. It can also change according to information received.

Faith is a gift given from God himself as clearly stated in Ephesians 2:8, which says, ‘ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; but it is the gift of God.’ This is further reinforced by 1 Peter 1:8-9. ‘8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory; 9. Receiving the object of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.’

As a final thought on this topic just remember anyone can believe, but belief is only the beginning. Belief without action is just belief. Belief with the confidence to act upon it is faith.

To put this in a clearer way I give you Hebrews 11:6, ‘ But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.’