Heart faith or head faith?

In an attempt to explain how someone can once believe something and then depart from that belief, the concept of “head” faith is put forth as the explanation. Head faith is to be seen in contrast to “heart” faith. Head faith is defective, not real faith, or a mere assenting to facts. Heart faith is real and will persevere, and it is not a mere assenting to facts. This is an approach some take to explain the theological problem of how someone can be a believer in Christ for eternal life, and have accomplished many things as a believer, and yet fall away from the faith later. The explanation is that they only had head faith and not heart faith. This view is required because of the belief that salvation can not be lost, and the faith by which salvation is received can not be departed from.

Would we apply head faith verses heart faith to all situations where someone departed from what they once believed?

People are often persuaded of something that at a later time they no longer believe. This is true in theology all the time: what one was convinced of for a period of time, possibly many years, can later be persuaded differently.

For some reason, the faith by which we are saved is treated differently than all other faiths (in things). Because of this, those Scriptures that talk about a falling away from the faith or apostasy are said to be about those who didn’t really believe. They must of only had head faith or merely assented to some facts.

It could be that some who fall away from a form of Christianity were never saved. Not everyone who identifies with and practices some form of Christianity are really saved. This is because salvation is not a result of joining a church, moral reformation, saying a repeat-after-me-prayer, or “asking Jesus into your heart.”

It’s also possible that the content of information one believed that some who associate with head belief or intellectual assent is not that content of information that results in salvation when you believe it.

It seems that those who speak of head and heart faith are often speaking of two different contents of information.

The content sometimes ascribed to head belief or intellectual assent doesn’t even speak of salvation. Reference may be made to James 2:19 concerning the demons believing in one God—and they’re obviously not saved. But does Scripture say that believing in one God saves you? Islam believes in one God. Is it only head belief or intellectual assent for the demons and Muslims—and that’s why they aren’t saved?

I would maintain that the issue is content and not the mode of believing, being head belief or intellectual assent verses heart belief. The faith by which we are saved is the same as any other belief, but the difference is in the content. It is by certain words—certain divine content--that one is saved, see Acts 11.13-15.