We have been teaching on faith for a while now, however before one can truly understand New Testament Faith, they must see what the Old Testament has to say about it. The word faith is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament. Let's take this one step at a time by starting with God's testimony of Israel in Deuteronomy 32.
19 And when the Lord saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters. 20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith. 21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. - Deuteronomy 32:19-21
God is speaking here about the Jews, and how they had been disobedient towards Him. However, His analysis of their whole disposition is that they were people in whom was no faith. I want you to pause here and notice that God did not say here that they were people without faith, or people that had no faith; rather, He said that Faith was not within them.
He then continues to say that because of their disposition, He will move from them to the gentiles. We know the time we live in today to be the time of the gentiles (Luke 21:24). The time of the gentiles is the time where the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the Gentiles, that they may be engrafted into the family of God.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. - Galatians 3:12
The law that the Jews were under is not of faith. This is probably what God meant when He said that they were people in whom was no faith.
22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. - Galatians 3:22-23
A new term is introduced to us in verse 22, i.e Faith of Jesus Christ. The Faith of Christ is given to those that believe. This faith then must be something other than belief. According to verse 23, before the Faith of Jesus Christ came, we were under the law.
Here we are again, back to the Jews. The Jews were under the law but the law is not of faith. Listen to what God is saying. Faith has become its own dispensation (a period of time that reveals how God is dealing with mankind). Faith is the dispensation that is immediately after the dispensation of the law. The dispensation of faith, is the dispensation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the time of the Gentiles, or the dispensation of grace and truth. They are all the same. The dispensation of faith, is the dispensation of the Holy Ghost.
Thus now, God has turned (for a while) from the Jews that the Gentiles may receive the Holy Ghost. He will put the Faith of Jesus Christ in them, that they may obey His laws and commandments! However, stay tuned so we can learn in more detail just what the Faith of Jesus Christ is!