The Death of Biblical Faith in Modern Christianity

(C) 2026 Michael R. Grigsby. All Rights Reserved. 

Much of modern Christianity has quietly replaced biblical faith with something far weaker: surrender without expectation.

Scripture commands believers to pray in faith, not wavering. James 1:6 says that the one who wavers is like a wave tossed by the sea, and that person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Yet many churches teach believers to pray with no confidence in a specific outcome, saying, “Ask God, but remember, He may or may not do it.”

But this is not biblical faith.

Faith in Scripture is never vague trust detached from expectation. Faith always stands on something God has said. Abraham did not simply trust God in a general sense; he was fully persuaded concerning a specific promise. Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them.” Not “hope for the best.” Not “accept whatever happens.” Believe that you receive.

Yet many Christians are taught to pray like this:

“Lord, I ask for healing… but maybe it is not Your will. Maybe You want something else. Maybe the answer is no.”

This is presented as humility, but in reality it requires no faith at all.

There is no expectation. No confidence. No persuasion. No standing on a promise.

It is simply surrender without faith.

If biblical faith means asking without wavering, then praying while holding opposite possibilities in the heart is exactly what James calls double-mindedness. It is standing in two positions at once: asking God for one thing while internally preparing for the opposite.

If this is the model of prayer Scripture intended, then the commands to believe, to ask in faith, to doubt not, and to expect to receive lose all meaning.

Why would Scripture repeatedly command faith if believers are never meant to stand confidently on what God has spoken?

Biblical faith is not saying, “God, do whatever You want.”

Biblical faith is hearing what God has said, standing on it without contradiction, and refusing to waver.

Anything less is not faith in the biblical sense.

It is surrender without expectation.

And tragically, this is what many churches teach.