November 14, Faith Alive
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
How can faith become more than something spoken? How can faith become a lifestyle?
The Bible teaches that the righteous shall live by faith (Romans 1:17), and that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). A genuine life of faith represents the desire of God’s heart for His children.
Faith is not the proverbial panic button we hit during life’s crisis. Faith is not simply a cerebral response to truth.
According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is the confidence in what we hope for, and assurance about what we do not see. Often, we may read this verse as if two separate descriptions of faith were being offered: faith is confidence and faith is assurance. But the structure of the verse encourages us to read these two descriptions together as one definition. Faith is confidence (Greek: hypostasis), meaning substance, or assurance. Figuratively, the term can indicate the same message as a “title” to a piece of property – entitling someone to what is guaranteed. This meaning defines the classic translation of the King James Version of the Bible, “faith is the substance of things hoped for.” This idea of substance was earlier used in Hebrews 1:3 to describe Jesus as the exact representation of God’s nature. So, faith defines the soul’s complete confidence in and focus upon the unseen God made fully known in Christ. The assurance (Greek: elegchos) represents the proof (or, the “proof positive”, meaning proof that has been tested). Our hope (as complete assurance) rests in the unseen reality of the abiding presence of Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The assurance (Greek: elegchos) represents the proof (or, the “proof positive”, meaning proof that has been tested).
The conclusion of these two terms of faith simply and profoundly represents the lifestyle of the child of God: daily walking in the confidence of God’s Word and God’s Way (His character) because of a personal encounter (relationship) with Jesus.
With every truth from God’s Word, and with every part of God’s perfect nature made known in Jesus, the Christian daily lives with confidence totally and completely wrapped up in the hope: the living hope of God in Christ, the Savior of our soul. When you truly know Jesus, your daily steps of faith are based upon the reality of the greatest truth ever: Christ in you. There is nothing more substantial, and nothing more evidenced to the eyes of our hearts.
So today, recommit to walking by faith. Your steps can be as firm as the truth of Jesus. This is the only true way to live!
Blessings.
