What is faith? Amazing how we talk about it, yet when asked this question, we cannot respond. We work furiously hoping God will be pleased, but in the end, we fail. Why? Could it be that “Without faith it is impossible to please him” (Hebrews 11:6)? What then is faith? Read on and find out….
Definition
The Bible defines it as thus:
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb 11:1)
This tells us a number of things including:
- Faith produces hope
- Faith is unseen
- Faith is tangible in that:
- It has substance
- It provides evidence
Faith produces hope
Hebrews 11 is filled with stories of people that did crazy things because of faith. Can you imagine how Noah felt as God told him the earth and all its inhabitants would be destroyed? Do not fear Noah, for you will build an ark and your family will be saved (Vs. 7). Do not fear Abram (his name was later changed to Abraham), go into the land of Canaan, and I will bless you there (Vs. 8). By faith Moses refused to be called an Egyptian but chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God” (Vs. 25) because he believed by faith things would turn out better for him if he left the wealth of Egypt.
Faith is unseen
In society we find that something that is not seen probably does not exist. For many years, medical professionals did not believe in germs simply because they were “unseen”. This changed with the invention of the microscope. Now germs are real because someone has seen them. Many times our faith can be seen only through his word:
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)
Even then we question its validity. This is no problem, however, because he is a God of miracles. Nathanael believed Jesus because of one little miracle, but Jesus told him to hang on because this is only the beginning. More miracles are yet to come (John 1:50).
Faith has substance and produces evidence
Is faith real? We read that faith is a tangible substance. The Bible tells us it has substance and provides evidence. This tells us that true faith possesses these attributes and is as real as the house you live in or the job you go to everyday. Furthermore, this faith continues to grow because it produces evidence. When God told Abraham he would have a son, Sarah laughed (Genesis 18:12). Not long thereafter, she became pregnant and had to repent because now there is undeniable evidence. Is faith a tangible substance? Ask Sarah….
Summary
From all of this, we surmise that faith is unseen by the natural eye and cannot be perceived by any of our senses. This does not mean faith does not exist. On the contrary, faith is as real as anything this world can offer and then some. Faith is real and tangible: ask anyone that has it and watch their response.
Next Page: How Important is faith?
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