People keep talking about faith as if faith = magic. Like if you have faith you don't live in reality any more. Faith = believing. One Greek word, pistis, is translated both ways. Believing is a natural ability; anybody can believe. And what you do is what you believe. I believe I'll have a beer. See how it works?
The Christian doctrine says pistis came by Jesus, so that establishes two contexts: before Jesus and after Jesus. So the English word 'faith' refers to a spiritually augmented ability to believe, but still in reality. Not magic. Christian faith was not available in the old testament, so it is misleading to speak of David having "faith". David took the challenge because he believed he could win, not because he "had faith". He believed that because of his training as a shepherd. Reality.
1 Samuel 17:23-24 King James Version (KJV)
23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
David ran. Reality again. This was not David's war. He was only there to deliver some food.
1 Samuel 17:25-27 King James Version (KJV)
25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
Ok, now there is a reason for David to get interested. That was when he made this his war. And he was not a stupid kid, he knew how to kill things and he stuck with what he knew. There is David's faith. There is his believing.
I agree.
If you watch TV religious services that stem from a certain Denomination of faith.....they weld faith just as did Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.
Just have enough faith and your cancer will melt away.
Just have enough faith and God will give you that large screen TV.
Just have enough faith and God will give you that new car.
Just have enough faith and your "seed" offering and God will double it to you.
All of that is Not faith but instead it is Lets Make A Deal" which is not found in the Bible.
As for the opinion of...............
" Christian faith was not available in the old testament, so it is misleading to speak of David having "faith". David took the challenge because he believed he could win, not because he "had faith". He believed that because of his training as a shepherd. Reality."
That is a Yes and NO comment.
Galatians 3:11 ,,,,,,,,,,,,
" Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law,
for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
I must disagree completly with your comment.
There was NO "Christian" faith for the simple reason that Christian did not exist in the Old Test. Jesus Christ was the cornerstone of the "Christian" faith and Christianity began with His death---burial--and resurrection.
However there was indeed "Faith" in God. That is exactly how all the Old Test. saints were saved.
1 Samuel 17:45-46 ............
"Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 46This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air,
and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."
Romans 4:3...10-11...................
“For what does the Scripture say, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ …
How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised; and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them."
I would add here that actually, it took MORE FAITH in God in the Old Test. than it does today in the era of the church.
We have the complete Bible.
We have commentaries and books.
We have TV and radio.
WHat did those Old Test. saints have????? Not much at all did they?
Genesis 15:6.........which reveals that Abram (Abraham)
“believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.”