What is faith?
Hebrews 11:1
ESV - 1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
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Asked March 30 2017
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Lawrence Siamuyoba
Supporter
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Singapore Moses
Supporter
Greek: pistis (G4102) is used to define faith, confidence, faithfulness, trust, pledge of good faith. Used 244 times. Translated belief (2Th. 2:13); fidelity (Tit. 2:10); assurance (Acts 17:31); and faith 239 times (Heb. 11:1-39; 12:2; etc.). This use of the present tense indicates that faith must be continued in to receive its benefits in the future (Acts 14:22; Eph. 6:16; Col. 1:23; 2:5-7 1Th. 5:8; 1Tim. 2:15; 3:9; 6:12; 2Tim. 3:8; 4:7; Tit. 1:13; Heb. 10:23-38 2Pet. 1:5-10). It can be lost (Lk. 8:13 1Tim. 1:19; 4:1; 5:8, 12; 6:10,21; 2Tim. 2:18; 3:8; Jude 1:3; Rev. 2:13). ☞ Eighteen Definitions of Faith 1. Substance of things hoped for (Heb. 11:1) 2. Evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1,7) 3. Invisible backing of elders (Heb. 11:2) 4. Creative power of divine works (Heb. 11:3) 5. Divine testimony of right doing (Heb. 11:4) 6. Cancellation of natural laws (Heb. 11:5) 7. Basis of pleasing God (Heb. 11:6) 8. Dependence upon God's word (Heb. 11:7) 9. Trust in an unknown future (Heb. 11:8-10) 10. Counting things that be not as though they were (Heb. 11:11-12 Rom. 4:17) 11. Seeing invisible things (Heb. 11:13-16) 12. Assurance of God's faithfulness (Heb. 11:17-19; 10:23) 13. Confidence in things to come (Heb. 11:20-31; 3:6,14; 10:35; Eph. 3:12; 1Jn. 3:21) 14. Stimulus of the Christian faith (Heb. 11:32--Heb. 12:2) 15. The life-blood of the just (Heb. 10:38) 16. Shield of Christian armor (Eph. 6:16) 17. Down payment of things desired (Heb. 3:6,12-14; 6:11-12; 10:22-23,35-39) 18. Guarantee of answered prayer (Mt. 21:22; Mk. 11:22-24 Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1) ☞ Bible admonishes us to have twelve kinds of things that NOT yet seen: 1. Restoration of all things (Acts 3:21) 2. Invisible things (Rom. 1:20) 3. Things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5) 4. Things to come (Rom. 8:38) 5. Things prepared for us (1Cor. 2:9) 6. Eternal things (2Cor. 4:18) 7. Things in heaven (Php. 2:10) 8. Things under the earth (Php. 2:10) 9. Future things (Php. 3:13) 10. Things above (Col. 3:1-2) 11. The Lord (1Pet. 1:8; 1Tim. 6:16) 12. Final salvation (Rom. 8:24-25 1Pet. 1:5,9,13)
STANLEY S. DRANE
Supporter
I'm glad you asked. We read in Hebrews 11:1(Life Application Bible Notes), two words describe our faith: confidence and certainty. These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point. The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character, he is who he says. The end point is believing in God's promises; he will do what he says. When we believe that God will fulfill his promises, even though we don't see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith (see John 20:24-31).
Jose Evangelista
Supporter
Hebrews 11:1: “… faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen”. Apparently, the biblical “faith” is not the same as it is commonly known, like “I have a strong feeling so I believe it’s such and such, etc.” It’s a belief based on evidence; not a “delusion” or merely “strong belief”. The human mind (spirit) is carnal (hostile) to God. Alone it cannot know God. It needs the Holy Spirit, the Mind, of God. (1 Cor. 2:14; Romans 8:7-9, 16.) Jesus and the Heavenly Father are One in the Holy Spirit, and “we have the mind of Christ” (I Cor. 2:16; Ephesians 2:18.) Before the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit of God becomes generally available to everyone who accepts Jesus as the awaited Messiah (John 7:39), the Apostle Thomas (the “doubter”) said that he would only believe in the risen Christ if he can see it for himself and touch his wounds. Jesus gave him the opportunity he wished for, and then Thomas declares now he believes. But Jesus responded quite interestingly, for he said “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Why? Because the fact that someone believes in God without seeing he has faith; it’s the “substance” and the “evidence” that the Holy Spirit of God is in him, and it’s the "evidence" that God the Father is choosing him. (John 6:44; I Cor. 12:3; Romans 8:16; Ephesians 2:18.) So the fact that someone can truly believe in God is by faith and in itself an evidence of God’s existence. Therefore, “… the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17), and he is “… justified by faith” (Romans 5:1), and "not by work".
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Great question, Lawrence! Faith is, in general, the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true (Phil. 1:27; 2 Thess. 2:13). Its primary idea is trust. A thing is true, and therefore worthy of trust. It admits of many degrees up to full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on which it rests. Faith is the result of teaching (Rom. 10:14-17). Knowledge is an essential element in all faith and is sometimes spoken of as an equivalent to faith (John 10:38; 1 John 2:3). Yet the two are distinguished in this respect, that faith includes in it assent, which is an act of the will in addition to the act of the understanding. Assent to the truth is of the essence of faith, and the ultimate ground on which our assent to any revealed truth rests is the veracity of God. • Faith is to believe what we do not see, and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. - Augustine • Faith is a voluntary anticipation. - Clement of Alexandria • A man lives by believing something, not by debating and arguing about many things. - Thomas Carlyle • God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing. - Martin Luther • Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand. - Thomas Aquinas • Faith is not merely your holding on to God. It is God holding on to you. He will not let you go! - E. Stanley Jones • Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that thou mayest believe, but believe that thou mayest understand. – Augustine "Faith in Christ [is that which] secures for the believer freedom from condemnation, or justification before God; a participation in the life that is in Christ, the divine life (John 14:19; Rom. 6:4-10; Eph. 4:15-16, etc.); "peace with God" (Rom. 5:1); and sanctification (Acts 26:18; Gal. 5:6; Acts 15:9). All who thus believe in Christ will certainly be saved (John 6:37, 40; 10:27-28; Rom. 8:1)." --Easton's Bible Dictionary
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