Faith

To understand faith, compare it to the essential element of water, which exists in various forms and purities; similarly, faith manifests in different ways, contributing fundamentally to human life and progress. Faith is integral to daily actions and beliefs, driving endeavors like education and relationships, and while everyone relies on it to some degree, its quality and impact can vary significantly, akin to different types of water.

Good Faith, or Living Faith, is defined by taking God at His Word, embodying an intentional choice by individuals to believe in and embrace God's teachings, resulting in lasting and eternal impact, unlike Bad Faith which is temporary and lacks spiritual salvation. True Saving Faith distinguishes Christians from Mormons, emphasizing the acceptance and belief in God's Word, specifically about Jesus Christ as described in scriptures like John 1:1-14, as essential for pleasing God and achieving salvation.

The teaching emphasizes that salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ as the sole path, a faith that is offered unearned and freely to all who are willing to accept it based on God's Word. Contrarily, the LDS view is critiqued for suggesting that faith is earned through obedience and righteousness, differing from the biblical depiction of faith exemplified by imperfect individuals in Hebrews 11 who were justified by faith rather than their personal righteousness.

Faith is not derived from personal righteousness and obedience, but rather, righteousness and obedience emerge as a result of possessing faith; this teaching highlights key biblical figures such as Jacob, Moses, Rahab, and David, who exemplified strong faith despite their shortcomings, contrasting with the LDS view that ties faith to personal obedience. Saving faith opens the door to eternal life by relying solely on trusting God, while living faith—a continual growth process—transforms perception, reduces worries, and firmly places assurance in God's hands, diverging from the LDS approach that places faith in institutional constructs.

Shawn's teaching contrasts the roles of faith and works between Mormonism and biblical Christianity, emphasizing that biblical Christianity asserts salvation and righteous living through faith in Jesus alone, whereas the LDS faith views obedience as a precursor to and generator of faith. He further explains that "Good Faith," as living and saving faith, involves a holistic response to God's will, relying on trust, belief, and commitment to God rather than human effort or achievement.

To achieve a fulfilling Christian life, one must embrace living faith, which involves heartfelt belief and action based on religious teachings, leading to sincere obedience and works aligned with the teachings of Christ. This faith, cultivated by the Holy Spirit, is not only about accepting doctrines but also about applying them through love and obedience, which results in spiritual victory and a life reflective of Christian values.