According to the Bible: Having a belief in the gospel message and His Word (the Bible) is the same thing as having the faith in such things. Lets look at Scripture to see what I am referring to.
Romans 5:2 KJV
"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.
Mark 1:15 KJV
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
Romans 10:16–17 (KJV)
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Notice carefully that we have access to God's grace by faith according to Romans 5:2.
Calvinists seem to think we have access to God's grace in Election or Predestination. Meaning they see the order like this:
Grace → Regeneration → Faith → Justification → Sanctification. But Romans 5:2 says we have ACCESS to God's grace by faith.
Anyway, getting back to my main point:
1 Corinthians 15:1-2, and Mark 1:15 tie in "
the gospel" with the word "
believed" or "
believe" (i.e., a belief).
Yet, in Romans 10:16, it ties in those who have not obeyed
the gospel with the word "
faith" in verse 17.
So Scripture ties a belief in the gospel, and faith in the gospel.
Nowhere does the Bible say that faith and belief in the gospel are two different concepts.
The word "faith" and "believe" are simply synonyms. They are saying the same thing.
Side Note:
Some Calvinists do not really believe in Sanctification because they are hardcore sin and still be saved salvationists. Granted, this does not reflect the view of all Calvinists (of course).
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