What is a biblical definition of faith?

TL;DR:

Biblical faith is defined as an intimate trust in an almighty yet personal God who loves us. Faith means trusting God so completely that we surrender everything in our lives to Him and let Him lead our lives.

what does the bible say?

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." This would be the most concise biblical definition of "faith." But perhaps an even better word to use is “trust.” The Greek word used most often in the New Testament for "faith" is pistis. It indicates a belief or conviction with the complementary idea of trust. Faith is not a mere intellectual stance, but a belief that leads to action. As James 2:26 says, "For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." James talks about demonstrating his faith by his works. Often what we do says more about what we believe than what we say. Faith is a firm confidence or trust – not in circumstances or in things – but in God that comes out in our actions. We trust that He exists (Hebrews 11:6), but this isn’t enough (James 2:19). We must also trust that He is who He says He is, that His Word is true, and that He only does what is good, right, and perfect. Faith allows us to put our trust in Christ accepting His life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life with Him. We continue to trust as we surrender and exchange our worldly desires for His and let Him lead our lives.

from the old testament

Hezekiah trusted that God would give him victory over Assyria (2 Kings 18:19).
David trusted more in God’s provision than in earthly means (Psalm 20:7).
Trusting in God also means committing and surrendering (Psalm 37:5).
Trusting in God is better than trusting our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).
God is trustworthy forever (Isaiah 26:4).

from the new testament

Trust that Christ paid the penalty on the cross (John 3:14-18).
Trusting Jesus means staying connected to Him (John 15:1-27).
Faith involves trusting the Holy Spirit as Christ’s representative (John 16:4-15).
Trust that your sin separates you from a holy God (Romans 3:23).
Trust that Christ has reconciled us with the Father (Romans 5:6-11).
Trust that God has our best interests and no condemnation (Romans 8).
Trust involves being intentionally focused on the Christian walk (Romans 13:8-14).
Trust in the life, death and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-5).
We trust that God is transforming us into Christlikeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
We trust that we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We trust that salvation is completely a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Trust in Christ calls us to leave our former lives (Colossians 3).
Faith is trusting God even when we can’t see or understand (Hebrews 11:1).
Active trust and surrender are pleasing to God (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

implications for today

Faith is an active trust in God, a belief that what He says is true and results in action. A common example to illustrate faith is that of a chair. I may say I "believe" the chair can hold my weight, but I do not actually put faith in the chair until I sit in it. This is the type of faith required for salvation. Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." If we don't actually trust that God is real and that what He says is true, we won't come to Him for salvation. When we have faith in God, we believe that we are sinners deserving of eternal punishment). We believe that Jesus came into the world to live a perfect life, die on our behalf, and rise again victorious over sin and death). We trust in Jesus to save us from our sins. We have faith that He gives us His Holy Spirit, as He promised. We then trust in the Holy Spirit to do His work of sanctification in us. We live to honor God, relying on His forgiveness and trusting that His ways are truly best.

understand

Faith is trust that leads to action.
Faith is more than intellectual understanding and assent.
Faith in Christ’s death and resurrection leads to salvation, and faith continues to transform how we live in Christ.

reflect

What does faith in God look like in your everyday decisions?
How does your understanding of faith change when you consider it as trust that results in action, not just belief?
In what areas of your life do you struggle to fully surrender and trust God, and how can you deepen your faith there?

engage

How can we encourage others to move from intellectual belief in God to active trust that shows up in their choices and actions?
What are some examples from our lives where trusting God led to unexpected growth or blessings?
Why does God desire a faith that goes beyond belief and into action, and how does this impact salvation and sanctification