"Faith" is a very important but sadly one of the most misunderstood doctrinal truths of the Bible, therefore, I feel we need to take a close look to see if we can know what the Bible definition of faith really is.

What then is "faith" according to the Bible?

I did a word search of faith is in the Bible software program that I have and came up with the following verse:

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Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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What does this verse mean when it says that faith is the evidence of things not seen?

How can there be evidence on something that you can't see?

Daryl

You ask, "what is faith?" Permit me to propose an answer.

Romans 10:17 says "faith comes from hearing the message." Since Paul is talking about faith in God, the verse goes on to say that "the message is heard through the word of Christ." So it would seem that the foundation of faith is communication. Not so much things we see (Heb 11:1), but things people or God tell us.

Second, it would seem that before there can be faith in someone, that person must be believed. Throughout scripture, God asks us to believe in Him, believe in Christ, believe in His word. believe in His prophets.

But hearing and believing is not enough. As James says (James 2:19), even the demons believe. But one would be hard pressed to put the label of faith on their belief. But the rest of James 2 makes it abundantly clear that faith is manifest only by works or deeds based on communication.

It might be noted that this sequence is exactly the same as that which constitutes trust. You don't really trust someone unless you are doing something based on their word. Similarly, you don't really have faith in someone unless you are doing something based on their word. As James put it, "faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:26).

I might also point out that belief and deeds without communication is presumption. And communication and deeds without belief (or understanding and agreement) is functioning like an animal or a slave or an android rather than like a human as God would have us function (see John 15:15).

Bob Lee

Bible faith and hope are also similar. Depending on the context of faith and hope it can be either a noun or a verb.

Romans
8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, [then] do we with patience wait for [it].

Hebrews
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Seeing is believing. Faith and hope enable us to trust and believe in the promises of God. The fact God is trustworthy is the evidence unseen or unfulfilled promises will play out eventually.

Greetings.
I would like to say that faith is something that we hope for. All my life searching and seeking with a group of people that did not live as the word is spoken "thus saith the Lord." Though this group of people professed who they were loudly but their fruits spoke a lie to their testimony.

I still continued seeking and searching because I believed that God has a people on earth that are in unity with Christ. These that love Christ are shown by their fruits, I truly believed this. I had this faith that kept me going through out the years, it was hope for the unseen things.

And now that I found a church that lives and does as "thus saith the Lord" my faith increases for hope of still the unseen promises.

with love,
Sr. Cheri
fredsfamily@usintouch.com

Thank you for sharing, Cheri. And a big hearty amen. Also I'm happy you found a church home that lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God! How sweet it is!!! Thank you Jesus.

Greetings everyone

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Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

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I have seen this quoted over and over again, and when people walk away they are as faithless as when they started.

• How come there are so many hopes dashed, indeed are destined to be dashed?

• How come that the reality of so many 'pies in the sky' never happens, and never will happen?

• Is it that their faith did not have enough creative power in it?

It is interesting how generally man is drawn to sayings that let him walk away unchanged.The following scripture is definitive and instructive to the above verse. (Yet I seldom ever hear it quoted.) In fact without the true exercise of the following scripture, the above verse remains just and only that which the above questions ask.

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Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

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If one does not believe that God is, there is no substance to faith.
He that believes that God is, establishes reality.

If there is no coming to God, there is no hope
He that comes to God has hope.

If one does not believe that God is a rewarder, he will never experience the evidence.
He who believes that God is a rewarder, he will experience the evidence not seen.

If one does not diligently seek him, he does not see.
He, who seeks him diligently, shall see.

Faith: the noun without the verb is dead.
Wherever the verb is, there the noun is also.


Boblee, I find your contribution above very meaningful. I pray many read it and reread it, and reread it, and live it.

Christ is our example and reality of living Faith.

Shalom

[ May 15, 2003, 09:32 PM: Message edited by: John Boskovic ]

In my view, faith is our response to the long-suffering bidding of God's Grace in our lives. It includes not only the acknowledgement (belief) of God's existence but the surrender of our will to Christ and the continued dependence to the Holy Spirit's leading. Faith in itself means nothing, but the faith in Whom and What is important.

Ellen White has said: "Faith is not our Saviour."

In Desire of Ages (page 175), she said:

Through faith we receive the grace of God; but faith is not our Saviour. It earns nothing. It is the hand by which we lay hold upon Christ, and appropriate His merits, the remedy for sin. And we cannot even repent without the aid of the Spirit of God. The Scripture says of Christ, "Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." Acts 5:31. Repentance comes from Christ as truly as does pardon.

How, then, are we to be saved? "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness," so the Son of man has been lifted up, and everyone who has been deceived and bitten by the serpent may look and live. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." John 1:29. The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces a new life in the soul. The thoughts and desires are brought into obedience to the will of Christ. The heart, the mind, are created anew in the image of Him who works in us to subdue all things to Himself. Then the law of God is written in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, "I delight to do Thy will, O my God." Ps. 40:8.

Faith that does not save from ourselves (that is, having no saving good) is useless and meaningless.

Justin