¿Qué es la fe?

Crucial Questions #8

by R.C. Sproul

La palabra fe es muy escuchada en estos días, pero se le ha dado muchos significados. Algunas veces se define como confianza. Otras veces, tiene que ver más con esperanza. Tal vez, con más frecuencia, se usa para referirse a la creencia en algo más allá de la razón o la experiencia. Ya que la fe es central para la vida cristiana, los creyentes deben comprender claramente cómo la Biblia define la palabra y el concepto. En este libro de Preguntas Cruciales, el Dr. R.C Sproul examina Hebreos 11, el gran capítulo sobre la fe de la Biblia, con el fin de dar una definición de fe y proveer numerosos ejemplos de fe en las vidas de los santos. Él muestra que la fe, en términos bíblicos, no es creer en Dios, sino creerle a Dios y vivir de acuerdo a su Palabra. Teniendo esta enseñanza útil, los lectores tendrán claridad en cuanto a si la fe que profesan es el artículo genuino.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Christianity, Nonfiction, Faith, Christian Living, Religion

53 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2010

About the author

Dr. R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Ligonier Ministries began in 1971 as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pa. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and the ministry’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando in 1984, and the ministry was renamed.

Dr. Sproul’s radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Dr. Sproul produced hundreds of lecture series and recorded numerous video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living.

He contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and academic institutions around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and wrote a commentary on that document. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible, previously known as the New Geneva Study Bible.

Dr. Sproul had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Jackson, Miss. He was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Reviews

[BJ Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, only 68 pages. Very good and theologically rich. Will read more of Sproul's Crucial Questions series.

[Gabrielė Bužinskaitė · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little preachy, but nonetheless an interesting book about the Christian faith. It answers what faith really is, how people come to it and make sense of it.

Also, it introduces and analyses some of the key biblical figures: Abel and Cain, Abraham, Joseph, and Moses. I knew only little about these characters, so reading pastor’s analysis of them was not only insightful, but also entertaining.

[Ethan Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You have a choice: You can either listen to the critics of the Bible or you can come to the Scriptures themselves. The Holy Spirit never promises to minister through the words of the critics. But He does minister to your soul through the reading and the studying of His sacred Word. When you struggle with your faith, when you face the dark night of the soul, when you are not sure of where you stand with the things of God, flee to the Scriptures. It is from those pages that God the Holy Spirit will speak to you, minister to your soul, and strengthen the faith that He gave to you in the first place.” - Excerpt From What Is Faith? R.C. Sproul

Really great book, highly recommend to literally everyone. “At its root, faith is believing God”. Faith is not about just believing there is a god, but rather, that God is who He says He is and will keep His word. Really enjoyed this book and found it really insightful and convicting.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy R.C. Sproul's short "Crucial Questions" books. They are short, but hold a lot of theological information and get you thinking. I can see myself rereading this one again as it was very good.

[Sophie Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Even though many Christians cannot remember three sermons that they have heard in their lives, nevertheless, every time they hear the Word of God—even if their minds wander— the Word of God makes an impact on them. It is a means of grace.”

[Timo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kernaussage des Buches in meinen Augen ist, dass Glaube im christlichen Sinne darüber hinausgeht an die Existenz eines Gottes zu glauben. Glaube bedeutet nicht „an“ Gott zu glauben sondern Gott zu glauben, ihm zu vertrauen und der Identität, die er uns zuspricht. Es ist keine Kopfaussage, sondern eine Herz-, Hand- und Fuß-Aussage; eine Vertrauensaussage, die mit Werken im Leben untermauert wird und durch Taten erst lebendig wird. Sproul geht auf einige biblische Charaktere ein und analysiert sie bezüglich der Titel-Frage.

Das war (soweit ich mich erinnern kann) mein allererstes E-Book. Die Leseerfahrung ist dadurch eine etwas andere. Definitiv kann man so mit digitalen Markierungen schneller Abschnitte und Seiten überfliegen um das Wichtigste zu wiederholen als in einer Druckausgabe.

Ich bin dankbar, dass ich durch dieses Buch von R.C. Sproul gehört habe und werde wahrscheinlich weitere Bücher von ihm lesen.

[Keidy Sheilyn Reinoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puntual

Breve tratado de consiste la Fe, como es defnida y ejemplificada en la Biblia, como esta llega a nuestras vidas y la importancia de que sea fortalecida, cada dia con los diversos medios de gracia

[Felipe Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sproul aborda um assunto, por mais incrível que pareça, polêmico. Que é a fé? No Brasil, onde todos são espiritualistas, mas poucos de fato seguem uma religião, essa pergunta é bastante polêmica.

Em sua mania utilitarista e de aceitar o "diferente", o brasileiro acha justo que a fé no Deus católico e a fé em um alienígena sejam iguais. Ora, desde que ambas levem a "algo melhor" está tudo certo. Será?

Sproul nos mostra que não. A fé vai muito além de acreditar cegamente em algo. O católico crê na ressurreição de Cristo e em Deus porque esses deram provas, ou de que haviam voltado a vida, no caso de Jesus, ou que de fato existem, no caso de Deus.

Spoul mostra que ter fé é ter certeza de que as promessas serão cumpridas, Deus há de cumprí-las porque sempre o faz.

E mais: se alguém possui fé, não é porque resolveu acreditar, é porque Deus invadiu seu coração e reanimou sua alma. A fé é dada e exigida por Deus, felizes daqueles que recebem a graça.

Sproul tem muito a dizer, espero ler mais livros do autor.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great. Concise and helpful.

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith. What is it? How does it work? What is its place in the life of the Christian? Who grants us faith? These are all questions that typically are asked about this all important subject. Dr. R. C. Sproul, in book 8 of the Crucial Questions series titled What is Faith>, tackles this very topic exploring how faith and hope, two related but different topics, should be defined, biblical examples from Hebrews 11 in regards to what faith looks like in the life of the believer, the reality that faith is a gift from God, as well as noting the importance of faith being rooted in one’s devotion to the word of God.

Sproul begins his book with an in-depth discussion of what faith and hope are noting the stark difference between the common understandings of the way hope is defined compared to the biblical perspective. He states biblical hope is a “desire for a future outcome that is absolutely certain.” So unlike hoping you will one day win the lottery or grow up to be a movie star, biblical hope is firmly placed in a sovereign God who keeps His covenant promises. In the same vein, Sproul addresses the reality that biblical faith is not “some irrational leap into darkness”, rather it is founded as well in the tangible security one can have in knowing God will bring about that which He has stated will take place in His word. Using Abraham as an example, Sproul adroitly notes that just as Abraham believed God and then set forth from his homeland looking forward to a future heavenly country, we too just understand the difference between believing in God and believing God. One is evidence of childish faith while the other is childlike faith, knowing our Father in heaven will be faithful to complete all He has said He will do.

I thoroughly enjoyed Sproul’s walk through the annals of the heroes of faith found in Hebrews 11. The author of Hebrews provides a number of valuable examples of what faith actually looks like in the life of the believer. From Abel providing a better sacrifice to arguably the clearest demonstration of faith this side of the cross demonstrated by Abraham being willing to offer his son Isaac as God commanded, we are able to see that no matter what situation life brings our way, we can place our full faith and confidence in God and His word. Sproul rightly mentions that faith is “the means by which we live in response to the commands of God.” Since we can have confidence and hope that God’s commands will bring about that which He said they will do, there is no reason but for us to place our full faith in God thus being the obedient and faithful bride He expects.

Sproul also tackles the often misunderstood aspect of faith, namely the fact it is a gift from God. Man of his own accord and in keeping with his proclivity to follow his sinful nature, would not naturally place his faith in God. This is why church creeds such as the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) place such emphasis on how faith works in salvation, something Sproul goes in to great detail discussing. Sproul provides the Reformed theological ordo salutis or order of salvation as necessitating faith coming before justification. Since faith is a gift from God following regeneration, both being from God, faith must be understood as a gift from God and not something inherent in our natural state. Sproul also addresses in detail the related doctrine of election stating the Apostle Paul in the oft debated passage of Ephesians 2:4-8, in keeping with the grammatical structure of the Greek language, is clearly noting “we are saved by grace through faith, and that this faith through which we are saved is not of ourselves but is the gift of God.” Thus, it is only through God’s divine mercy to the elect that He offers to the elect the gift of grace, faith, regeneration, and salvation. This was a rather heavy theological section but well worth the time and effort wading through what Sproul has to say.

Finally, Sproul addresses the importance of faith’s connection to the Word of God. A believer will only experience their faith growing by being rooted and grounded constantly in the promises of God’s word. Sproul saliently states “faith is a gift from God, engendered by the Holy Spirit, and the ordinary way in which it is given is through the Word.” So this means for the believer they must be committed to regular Bible study, fellowship with fellow believers, and to be involved in a bible believing and bible teaching church. This is also an important reminder to pastors to be ever committed to faithfully teaching the truth of Scripture at all times. Sproul ends his book with a very appropriate and timely statement, “When you struggle with your faith, when you face the dark night of the soul, when you are not sure of where you stand with the things of God, flee to the Scriptures. It is from those pages that God the Holy Spirit will speak to you, minister to your soul, and strengthen the faith that He gave to you in the first place.”

Anyone desiring to have a more in-depth understanding of what is, how it works, and what it looks like in your life as a believer will find this book to be a valuable resource. Sproul presents timeless truths that focus faith on God, the One who so graciously gives us this wonderful gift of faith. Only by continuing to focus on the things of God and His Word, will we be able to see our faith grow in turn glorifying God with our lives.

I received this book for free for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[John Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

YOU BETTER BELIEVE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT READ ABOUT FAITH!
“What Is Faith?” is the 8th in Sproul’s 17-book series about the fundamentals of Christianity. I was correct in my last review - within a couple pages Sproul hits Hebrews 11:1 & “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen . . .”. He really explains its complete meaning starting with “hope” in the New Testament is much more than our popular understanding of the word - that is, it’s not the same as “wish”-ing. Later he expounds on the fact that “. . . faith is not believing in God. It’s believing God.”! (I love that!) He also points out that there is NO PLACE in The Bible where God calls us to a “blind” faith. We are instead called to “faith” with our eyes wide open & our brains fully engaged.
I love how Sproul includes more personal stories - not that experience is evidence of the truth, but personal stories always make for easier reading & they simply help us relate to his point. This meshes well with the personal stories in Hebrews 11 where The Bible describes The Hall of Fame of the Heroes of Faith. He really brings each story to life by amplifying the New Testament summaries with the Old Testament details.
Next comes a discussion of the gift of “saving faith” - the first step toward regeneration. This includes references to The Westminster Confession of Faith - written by Christians in the 1600’s. (It sounds like a fascinating historical read & I plan to look for it on the Internet.) In his discussion of “saving faith”, he examines the order of the steps a person goes through to be saved/regenerated - a theological concept described by the Latin term “ordo salutis” (meaning “order of salvation”).
I don’t usually have much time or use for theological types because they usually act too busy showing off their big brains to humbly seek & serve our Savior. However, this conversation leads to the age old question many Christians have about how we’re saved - specifically, is it Predestination or Free Choice. Sproul clearly believes it’s Predestination, but does not offer an explanation of the other opinion - the Free Choice camp. (In fact, this is the first time I thought he didn’t cover the opposing view very well - which is why I only gave 4 out of 5 stars.)
Simply stated, the Predestination opinion is that God chooses those who will be saved up front & grants these “elect” the ability to understand the things of the spirit. The Free Choice opinion (as I understand it without Sproul’s help) is that man has free will (like in Eden) & first chooses to pursue God & then is granted the ability to understand the things of the spirit. Those in the first camp argue it is completely a work of God - that man is utterly incapable of making a step toward God. Those in the second camp argue it would be unfair if God chose some & not others.
Regardless, in the end I KNOW that God is incapable of being unfair - it is simply NOT part of His nature. (Maybe the debate ultimately has to do with the different ways God & mankind view time.) I’m okay with not being able to wrap my finite mind around this debate in order to trust one conclusion over another. I must say, however, that Sproul provides solid scriptural backing for his belief (as always). This is precisely why I most fervently wish Sproul would have covered the other side’s belief with as much vigor - even if he doesn’t support it. (He’s certainly done that with more far-fetched ideology in previous books where he thoroughly explained a position when it was clear that he didn’t support said position).
So, with that one flaw that cost him one of my stars (I trust R.C. won’t lose any sleep over it!) I really enjoyed this book, learned a lot, and, most importantly, was thoroughly edified by it. I am looking forward to the next book in the series - “What Can I Do With My Guilt?”, but I’m not as excited as I have been with the others. After all, what guilt do I have? (Well, that's probably just me being stupid & it’ll turn out to be the best book in the series!) =^D

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good not great. The best part is the case against BLIND faith and for REASONED faith. Other than that it tends to be very dry and scholastic with the application of the principles explained more theoretical rather than clearly laid out. The author might bristle at the suggestion but more, and better anecdotes of HOW to apply reasoned faith would have made this a better book.

A better book, in my opinion, is Derek Prince's "Faith To Live By". I read it several decades ago and found it both informative, enlightening, and interesting. It has always stuck with me. Derek places a far greater emphasis on application than this book does. I think that most readers will appreciate that.
Here's the link to the Kindle edition on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Faith-Live-D...

[C.H.E. Sadaphal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The bottom line: Strong, concise and clear Biblical instruction on an often-misunderstood topic.

“Faith” is a term loosely thrown around by everyone, yet there is much confusion as to what the concept really means. This bewilderment is a major problem because faith is one of the core principles upon which Christianity is built, and it plays a central role in the lives of Christians.
In What is Faith? R. C. Sproul answers this confusion by giving readers a sound Biblical education on faith, based primarily on Hebrews 11:1.

Using this verse as a foundation, he expands ... http://www.chesadaphal.com/what-is-fa...

[F · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first section of this book is very esoteric, ethereal and erudite [written with tongue planted firmly in cheek]. I am an educated man but I grew weary with the philosophical arguments and terms being bandied about. I suppose it was necessary but for a very select crowd. The book does finally get into a more basic vocabulary and there are some good insights so if you are reading either plow through or skip the jargon-laded section and get to the meat of the subject. Not quite sure he ever answered the question except to say "I don't know" but he did have some thought provoking sections here and there.

[David Kong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faith

Faith is the reliable "stuff" that we base our hopes on and is (often) the ascertaining evidence of what cannot be seen. I think that is what Hebrews 11:1 信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据 means in Chinese Bible. I think the author was a bit wordy and thus confusing but he was writing mainly for the English language only audience. I find like in any language things can be explained that much faster if you have many words, each accurately defined, that way, you don't have to keep " iterating" with the same words but intended for slightly different meanings. Hope this helps.

[Corby H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sproul uses this brief volume to contrast biblical faith against worldly faith. Takes us through the Old Testament saints and their faith, and then so pastorally explains how a sinner attains faith in God, that being a very brief presentation of election. Then he concludes with how God doesn't neglect us after conversion, but rather God strengthens our faith by Word, Lord's Supper and Prayer.

5 out of 5 because the Gospel and God's incredible mercy is so well presented.

Would recommend to new and older Christians.

[Philip Mcduffie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sproul's ability to explain a deep theological doctrine in less than a hundred pages is soul stirring! I love when he teaches through writing like this. He walks through Hebrews 11 and gives examples of faith. He talks about how the evangelical community has forgotten that faith is a gift from God. He then goes on to explain how faith is strengthened by the Word of God. This book is a delight and a short read!

[Crystal Amsberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

“At its root, this is what faith is. It is not believing in God. It’s believing God. The Christian life is about believing God. It is about living by every word that proceeds from His mouth (Deut. 8:3; Matt. 4:4). It is about following Him into places where we’ve never been, into situations that we’ve never experienced, into countries that we’ve never seen—because we know who He is.”

Excerpt From: R. C. Sproul. “What Is Faith?.” Ligonier Ministries, 2010.

[kathie rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What is faith

Great coverage of what faith in God is and how it develops in one's life. People are somewhat confused about faith and believe that it is a personal gift card from God to allow them to believe hard enough and all things are yours.
This is a good read but first pray for wisdom that it's true meaning will come through.

[K.M. Weiland · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Sproul raises good questions and offers strong encouragement. The book addresses the facts (as well as the feelings) of faith in a way that simplifies sometimes knotty problems. I definitely came away with some food for thought to chew on.

[Isaiah Jesch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book by Dr. Sproul. His explanation of faith straight from Hebrews is very concise and helpful. A very short read, it is a good primer on the topic before diving into more robust works.

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fantastic work from R.C. Sproul on just what exactly faith is. Despite the cover depiction, he uses the Bible to show that God wants our faith based on the evidence of Him and His works and not a blind faith. It's really well done.

[Marguerite Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting short e-book about Faith to read.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“At its root, this is what faith is. It is not believing in God. It’s believing God.”-R.C. Sproul

[Mayowa Adebiyi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, short (Lunchtime) read. Free on Amazon as an eBook.

[Raul Caban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful!

This comes at a very needed time! It's short but straight to the point, just what i was looking for! Highly recommend it! Your life will be blessed.

[Charles Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't long enough... Excellent work!

[Rene · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great study on Hebrews 11, it has been really helpful to me. I'll keep the words "faith is not believe in God, is believe God". I really recommend it

[John Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good

Very thought provoking. A discovery of what our faith really entails. Sproul, in his inimitable way, helps you to understand what faith is all about.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fine read

Sproul is solid. You can always expect solid theological exposition. But these are not for readers who don't read fairly well.