Faith the Biblical Way is not Passive but Active
- Leisa Baysinger
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
In Hebrew, the word for faith—emunah (אֱמוּנָה)—goes far beyond intellectual belief. Where English “faith” often stops at mental agreement, emunah unfolds as mutual trust, manifested loyalty, and steadfastness. It shapes every breath and decision, turning thought into ACTION and daily obedience. It is walking out (actions) that which you already know is truth. It is NOT guess work! Most people do not understand that to walk in faith over any situation means that you have already accepted that the matter is "truth" in your eyes. For example: let's just say that you pray for rain, so that you can plant seeds in a garden. If you are in a state of emunah - then the next step is that you buy your seeds and start plowing the field. You get everything ready because you know that the rain is coming. You do not second guess the situation - you just jump right into action. This is emunah.
Let's delve into this word emunah.
Emunah springs from the root א-מ-נ (aman), which means “to support,” “to confirm,” or “to be faithful.” From this root comes amen (“so be it,” an affirmation of truth), oman (“craftsman,” one whose skill deepens through practice), ne’eman (“faithful, trustworthy”), and amanah (“covenantal bond of loyalty”). Together they show that emunah is active trust, like an artisan refining a masterpiece through patient work. The more we practice faith the more faith we will have.
In ancient Hebrew thinking, knowing and believing were intertwined. As Hebrew In Israel explains, ידע (yedi’a)—“to know”—was experiential, and אמונָה (emunah) was trust proven through deeds. Faith wasn’t a blind leap but a steady walk founded on firsthand encounters with God’s faithfulness.
The Tanakh brims with emunah in action. Genesis 15:6 tells how “Abraham believed (he’emin) in the LORD, and it was counted to him for righteousness,” a trust anchored in divine promise. Exodus 14:31 records Israel turning from fear to belief in Adonai and Moses, after witnessing deliverance. In Exodus 17:12, Moses’ raised hands remain steady through battle, a picture of endurance. Psalm 33:4 declares that God Himself works in emunah, showing faithfulness as part of His very nature.
When the writers of the Renewed Covenant chose to use the Greek word pistis, they imported this depth of trust. Yeshua called His followers to walk beside Him—“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19)—inviting ongoing trust rather than mere agreement. James insists that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17), echoing the Hebrew conviction that true emunah must be lived out. Hebrews 11 celebrates those whose faith persevered under trial; highlighting obedience, hope, and courage.
Faith is not being irrational but it is built on the evidence of God’s proven character. Emunah is not a leap into darkness but a confident step, because the person has already seen God's faithfulness.
Listen, I can't speak for anyone else - only me. I struggle with this type of faith. Imagine that you are walking down a long flight of steps in little to no light. My first response would be - "I'm not taking another step until I can see better." This is how we operate in the natural, but it shouldn't be how we operate in the spiritual. Emunah would say, "I don't have to see the steps, I just know that they are there and that when I take the first step, the next step will appear, until I safely reach the bottom. God doesn't promise to show us all the steps, we just need to take the first step. He will be there. Fear sets in for me and I often start second guessing myself, with questions like - "God, did you really say that? Was that you are just my imagination? Did I hear correctly? What if I am wrong? What then?" All of these doubts enter my mind. Am I alone in these feelings? Emunah is knowing and believing tied together as one. As stated already, walking in this kind of faith takes practice. The more you "fine-tune" walking in faith, the easier it will become. I earnestly pray continually to do better.
To walk in emunah is to weave trust into every part of life—to obey when it costs, to endure in hardship, to worship in uncertainty. It means cultivating prayer that leans on His presence, study that uncovers His heart, and worship that echoes His worth. In every detail of life, emunah becomes visible, a testimony of trust in the God who calls us to know Him, believe Him, and walk by His steadfast love. We walk beside Him. He has us!He is with us every step of the way, and should our foot stumble, He will be there to catch us and get us back on steady ground. My honest prayer is that one day, at my demise, that I would leave behind a legacy of emunah for my children and grandchildren. Lord, help me to walk in emunah!
Leisa
Works Cited
• Faith Is a Verb. Chabad.org.
• Hebrew Word Study: Emunah. Dr. Eitan Bar.
• Emunah and Blind Faith. Hebrew for Christians.
• What Is Emunah? Learn Torah. Hebrew In Israel.
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