What is Faith?

Listen to the Audio

Here is today's communion meditation.

What is faith?

Hebrews 11:1 gives us a definition of faith. Here is Hebrews 11:1 in multiple versions. 

• NIV - Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
• KJV - Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
• NASB - Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.

I think of faith as the emotion of believing. When we firm up the conclusions about what we really believe in our heart it generates the emotion of faith. In the NIV version above, we see that faith has confidence, and confidence is the state where all doubt is removed. 

The KJV version uses the word substance. If we break down the word substance we get "sub," and "stance." Sub means below. So, faith is the underlying reality that we are standing upon. This verse starts with... NOW. Faith is in the present moment. When we believe we receive from God the moment we pray we move into faith and from that point on our perspective has been reframed by the underlying reality that God is working it out, even though we can't see it. This is what we stand on. 

This verse also talks about evidence of things that can't be seen. There are all kinds of things that we know are real that can't be seen. For example, you can't see the wind, wireless internet, or radio waves but we know they are real because we have evidence. In the same way all of creation speaks of a creator. We have evidence that he exists and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him, even though we can't see him. 

In today's communion we are thanking God that when we stand in faith upon his word he always causes us to triumph. And we are asking for our help to grow the faith he has given us and make it strong. 

I am praying for you. 

Daniel