"Faith" as Loyalty and Loyal-Acknowledgement

An Ongoing Consideration
The biblical words behind "faith" and "trust" represent concepts which are both important in the relationship of man to God. In our modern English usage "faith" and "trust" become almost synonymous. The biblical words, however would appear to have represented two more clearly separate things. There is a characteristically thorough 44 page article on the "pisteuo" word group in Kittel's Theological Dictionary of The New Testament. This entry with its many footnotes, has two authors and was edited by Gerhard Friedrich. The following is an observation from page 197 of Vol.6 about how the ancient translators of the Septuagint (Greek)version of the Old Testament had an abnormal precision in separating the Hebrew and Greek counterpart words that we would most commonly think of as "faith" and "trust".



Worth noting is the fact that [pisteuein] is never used for [BaTaH],.... It is re-markable that [pisteuein] and [pepoithenai] are never used for the same Heb. original. On the one side[AMeN] ni hi is with phililogical exactitude transl. [pisteuein]. Even the derivitives of this root, though sometimes they have or receive in the LXX a different meaning, are rendered by [pisteuein] , never [pepoithenai]. Only once at Prv. 26:25 do we find[peisthanai] in the sense of being decieved. On the other hand [pepoitha] is used for several Heb. words apart from [BaTaH], and these are transl. in many different ways in the LXX ([AMeN] with its uniform rendering in Gk. is in this respect an exception). For none of these originals, however, is [pisteuein] a possible transl. This is no accident. Trust and faith are not co-extensive in the LXX.


Hebrew: ......AMeN..................BaTaH



Greek: ....... pisteuein............ pepoithenai



English: .........faith..................... trust

Faith as Loyalty and Loyal-Acknowledgment

An Ongoing Consideration
I continue my consideration of biblical Faith as Loyalty and Loyal-Acknowledgment with 2 items: First I quote a few lines of a relatively well informed dictionary entry which could do more to work around “belief” and “trust,” but which also allows for “loyalty”. Second I talk about about "shrinking back" or "severing from the object of loyalty" which has been interpreted and translated in a couple of NT passages as “doubt” in contrast to "faith".

1) Faith- Belief, trust, and loyalty to a person or thing. Christians find their security and hope in God as revealed in Jesus Christ, and say "amen" to that unique relationship to God in the Holy Spirit through love and obedience as expressed in lives of discipleship and service.
You can read the whole article here Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
2) One apparent difficulty with our consistent use of “loyalty” is when it seems to be set against “doubt” in a couple of passages.
Mat 21:21 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith/loyalty and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen.
Mat 21:22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing/being loyal, you will receive."

However doubt, or Διακρίνω (diakrinō , dee-ak-ree'-no), would be more clearly understood if translated with the more literal “separate thoroughly” or “withdraw” or even by implication “oppose”.
Strong’s definition: From G1223 and G2919; to separate thoroughly, that is, (literally and reflexively) to withdraw from, or (by implication) oppose; figuratively to discriminate (by implication decide), or (reflexively) hesitate: - contend, make (to) differ (-ence), discern, doubt, judge, be partial, stagger, waver.

Replacing the figurative “doubt” with a more literal translation of diakrino such as “separate” or “withdraw” or even “oppose” is actually to be preferred when “loyalty” or “loyal-acknowledgment” is understood.

Mat 21:21 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have loyalty and do not withdraw, [or separate from the object of your loyalty] you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen.
Mat 21:22 "And all things you ask in prayer, being loyal, you will receive."

In my next entry on this subject I should include some interesting observations about the LXX version of the Old Testament.

"Reformed and Beyond" or "Which Way North?"

If you and I are both in pursuit of the North Pole then we have something pretty significant in common. I would like to think of such a pursuit as a helpful analogy of our much more important common pursuit of fidelity to God through fidelity to Jesus Christ.

So we are in pursuit of the North Pole, that is the place to which we must direct ourselves. You're starting out in Los Angles and I am starting out in Las Vegas; so we may both be helped by going through Seattle...but the North Pole isn't in Seattle! Now you may want to say that you still have our original goal in the back of your mind as you go on and on about Seattle and how its a lot better than Tijuana...and I may even agree with you that heading toward Seattle was an improvement over heading toward Tijuana...but still...we have got to keep THE NORTH POLE front and center in our hearts and minds or we will never get there. If we settle for Seattle, IT will be the end of our common pursuit. And we really don't want Danny who is all the way to Anchorage to be distracted by looking back either. In the Gospel of Matthew we have been learning some things about what a King's behavior and a Kingdom's character look like when moved by the "other" Spirit. Jesus has shown up the rulers of this age for what they are: bankrupt, vain, empty. They are still being used for the restraint of evil but they are incapable of ruling like Jesus because by nature they fear and reject the cross. The rule of God by the Holy Spirit through fidelity to Jesus Christ was not achieved in the worldly authorities of The Holy Roman Empire, it was not achieved in European Christendom, not even Reformed European Christendom. If you and I want to be loyal to God we must be loyal to Jesus Christ not the mutated and mutating dogma of men, even Reformed men! The North Pole isn't in Seattle and fidelity to Jesus isn't in fidelity to the traditions of men. The analogy may be stretched...to pass through Seattle or Anchorage is fine but to truly be on mission our goal must, undividedly, and all along, be the North Pole. And in fact the nature of loyalty to Jesus requires that it not be split with another loyalty.

He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me (Mat 10:37).

But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ (Mat 23:8-10).

Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul (1Co 1:13)?

Now friends, Seattle is a nice city and if we were settling maybe it would be fine, but we are not. Just because I am uneasy in Seattle and you see me looking at the compass, that does not mean I am interested in heading back to Las Vegas, or even worse, Tijuana. Let's maintain our common goal; The North Pole. As we arrive, only that will prove to have been a worthy pursuit.