111Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a conviction about things not seen. 2For by it the people of old gained approval… 6And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him (Heb11:1,2,6) [Full chapter HERE ].
The bible isn’t arranged systematically like a catechism, but if you want a definition of faith, Hebrews chapter 11 is the place to go. Faith is special, for it justifies a person before God and it is something that pleases Him (v6). The rest of the chapter provides examples of men and women of old whose faith caused them to do exploits, all of them good and pleasing to God. Yet as many commentaries point out, Heb11’s definition and outworking of faith is not exhaustive – faith, even restricted to the religious sphere, is multifaceted.
Broader context
So given that the primary purpose of my writing is to demonstrate that God’s benign providence extends beyond the Jews of the Old Testament and Christians of the New, I will rehearse from Paul’s writings a facet of faith that has universal implications, being an aspect of natural law – the role of conscience. That is a human faculty that some, most notably, the 19th century Evangelical-turned-Catholic St John Henry Newman described as “anterior to the Gospel and supreme over all other human faculties providing everyone with a clear and sufficient object of faith”[CIT#1]. The passages I have in mind from St Paul I believe show that to be the case.
Faith and conscience
That is regarding his teaching on whether the Christian should eat food offered to idols (1Cor8). In the opening verses, the apostle makes clear that it was ok to do so: “Now food will not bring us closer to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat” (v8). But this followed his proviso in v7: “However, not all people have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled”. More shockingly (for some), Paul goes on to say that as a result of that believer’s failure to respond to his conscience on the matter he is brought to utter ruin (v11). Yet what had this believer done wrong? He had eaten meat that he was permitted to eat, or more likely today, he had drunk alcohol that he was at liberty to drink. Yet he was brought to a state of ruin. Why? – because he had defied his conscience and thereby defiled it. And that pertains to what conscience is and to Whom it relates (cf. Jn 1:9 strictly KJVNOTE#1; cf. Mt18:6NOTE#2). In the same context in Rom14:23, Paul affirms “the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Religious faith and common “faith”
So, what is faith in that context? – it is not faith in God or Christ, this individual had that or he would not be worrying whether or not to consume the particular item. The issue was not God and what He forbids or allows but conscience, showing the latter to be indeed an object of faith. For, writes Paul, whatever is not from faith is sin, which taken with the illustration provided indicates that whatever conscience dictates is what one should do or not do. But given that the conscience is universal, that must apply to the non-Christian as much as the believer. Therefore, whoever seeks to act according to their conscience may be regarded as exercising a form of faith.
As 2nd century Clement of Alexandria described it – “it is that common faith which lies beneath as a foundation that is built upon and consummated in those who come to faith in Christ”CIT#2. For it effectively pertains to faith in Christ – not as a cognisant personal Saviour but as the One who has provided light to the human spirit, manifested through the working of conscience. Some (indeed most) take heed to it, others such as psychopaths are devoid of conscience, along with a sense of compassion or any compulsion to tell the truth. This is what separates those who are of God from those like Cain who are ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ (1Jn3:12). Likewise, the Mt25 sheep’s distinction from the goats – their innate sense of compassion arising from conscience, causing them (however feebly and imperfectly) to perform acts of kindness to those in need, whom Christ equated to Himself (v40) . [This in turn shows how the Mt25 sheep were justified by faith, not works – but note religious faith was not an issue]
The limitations of natural law
Yet for those like the Hebrews addressees who are to “gain an inheritance among those who are being sanctified” (Acts20:32), a good conscience alone is insufficient – a knowledge of Christ as personal Saviour, acting as their High Priest and Sanctifier is required. Such fulness of salvation is what the gospel, the New Testament and Hebrews in particular are primarily concerned with. The broader providential picture concerning God’s dealings with His whole creation has, in accordance with the divine Will, been obscured and barely understood, at least until these very last days (cf. Book of Enoch (ch93:8-10 and ch104:11-13 Charles edition numbering).
NOTE #1 In terms of the translation, it is hardly likely that John writing in the late first century would be informing his readers that the Light (Christ) “is coming into the world” (some translations)
NOTE #2 re Mt18:6 “The context (v2) makes it absolutely clear that Jesus is not on this occasion referring to His adult disciples that He also sometimes describes in such a way; nor was He anticipating those infants who would go on to “receive Jesus as their personal Saviour” or become baptized Catholics, for it was an inclusive observation concerning all young children who were placed into His loving embrace. Their belief in Jesus refers to what is innate to all very young lives – the internal witness of the light of Christ (the Word/Reason – Logos) through Whom their souls were created, guaranteed in their case not (yet) to have been obscured or distorted by the lusts of the flesh or impurities of the mind, which when combined with a growing awareness of transgressing God’s law defiles the conscience and extinguishes Life (Rom7:9)” [Quote from The Little Book of Providence chapter 3].
CITATION #1 John Henry Newman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammar_of_Assent
CITATION #2 Clement of Alexandria (A.D.153-217) The Stromata Book V chap. 1
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The Little Book of Providence 