Believing goes beyond faith alone

The word faith in the New Testament comes from the Greek word πίστις (pistis), a noun. When we have faith, we possess intellectual trust that something is true. However, "believe" comes from a different Greek word, πιστεύω (pisteuō), which is a verb: to commit to your faith by acting on it. Abraham trusted God’s promise and he also acted on it: he obeyed and left for the promised land (Hebrews 11:8). Otherwise his faith would have been dead, useless. Later Abraham offered his son Isaac, as instructed by God. The apostle James wrote that Abraham was justified and deemed a believer by his works —his obedience, acting on his faith— “and not by faith only”: ■ "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." (James 2:20-24) So we see that true believing goes beyond faith alone. Believers are those who, like Abraham, act on their faith and obey God.