What is Faith?

Introduction: We are all familiar with . What is the title that we often give to ? Yes, the Hall of Faith.

The question we must ask ourselves is “why would the writer of Hebrews dedicate an entire section of his letter to faith?”

As we read the gospels and books like Galatians and Hebrews it becomes obvious to us that by this time in Israel’s history Judaism was no longer the same system that God had instituted at Sinai. Instead of being what it was meant to be Judaism had been twisted into a works based system with all kinds of legalistic requirements. Judaism had become a system of self-help, self-effort, self-salvation, and self-glorification. Maybe there was even a book entitled “Your Best Life Now: Maximizing Your Jewish Potential.”

Judaism had departed from what God had meant for it to be which was not a system of works but a system of faith. The law was never intended to save.

Galatians 3:19–22 NKJV

What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

Judaism, as it was practiced in the first century, did not please God. God had never redeemed man because of works but by faith, and so chapter 11 clearly shows that from the time of Adam on, God has honored faith, not works. Works have always been a result of faith, but have never been a way of salvation.

These Jews are being told that the way of salvation has not changed but it has always been by faith, but that faith has now found its completion in Christ.

The Definition of Faith

The Substance of Things Hoped For

In the Old Testament people had to rest in the promise of God that one day He would send a Messiah who would Deliver them from sin. They believed the promise that one day Israel would be made clean and be ruled by a righteous Messiah-King. As incomplete as these promises were in the Old Testament, because God was reliable they placed their trust and hope in that promise of God.

That is the very definition of faith. Faith is living in a hope that is so real that it gives substance to what you believe. All of the Old Testament promises had not yet happened, but Old Testament believers took God at His word and lived as if they had already happened. Even in the Old Testament, God’s people were a people of faith.

The world has a faith as well. The world places their faith in man and the hope that man can save our planet from destruction. The faith of the world is a wishful dream that one day we will be able to reverse the negative effects that sin has had on our planet, but, as we look back in history, has man ever been able to save himself and change the course of his destiny? No! So that’s all that the faith of this world is. It is a fantasy. It is a wishful dream.

Our faith is not like that. True faith is an absolute certainty, and true faith endures even the most unfavorable of circumstances.

Now, does that mean that Christians enjoy persecution? No! The philosopher Epicurus said that the goal of life is ultimate pleasure. He was not talking about immediate pleasure but ultimate pleasure. He was talking about that which would, in the end, bring the most satisfaction. And we will see throughout this chapter that that is also the goal of the Christian. As the Westminster Catechism puts it: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” The difference between Christians and Epicurus is that we are absolutely certain that we will find ultimate satisfaction in Christ alone. Our faith is the substance. Our faith is the most solid possible conviction that the promises of God will be a future reality.

The Evidence of Things Not Seen

The evidence of things not seen is similar to the substance of things hope for, but it goes a little bit further. The evidence of things not seen requires a response from us.

Example: Noah

The natural man does not understand this kind of faith. We see the invisible God through faith.

Hebrews 11:27 NKJV

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Why is it that the natural man cannot perceive God the way a Christian can?

Because God is worshiped in spirit:

John 4:23 NKJV

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.

The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit:

1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

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The spirit must be born again in order to see God in faith:

John 3:1–8 NKJV

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

An unsaved man is like a blind man who refuses to believe that light exists because he has never seen it. The problem is not that light isn’t real, but the problem is that he doesn’t have eyes to see it.

Note: compare natural faith to spiritual faith

Ephesians 2:8 NKJV

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

The Testimony of Faith

The word used here for testimony is the word μαρτυρέω. μαρτυρέω carries with it the idea of being tested and approved.

So it is by faith that the elders (Old Testament saints) gained the approval of God.

Example: Noah

Faith then is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, and the only way to gain the approval of God. It does not matter what we may say or do in our own power because it is faith in God that really matters.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Example: The evolution of modern man’s thinking

God then is the only rational answer and we see Him and have access to Him by faith. And ever since the time of Adam God has always had for Himself a remnant that have put their faith in a future reality that God had made certain for them. Belief in God gives reason for living, and it is faith that justifies a life.

The Common Ground of Faith

To the Jews who had not yet accepted Christ, the writer of Hebrews is saying: “Listen, you know what it is to accept something by faith. By faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God.” They believed this without any doubt even though they were not there to witness it.

It takes faith to believe where the universe comes from. No matter where you believe the worlds came from it takes faith to believe. What we must all agree on is that it takes faith. In the end, all of the world lives by faith. By faith we are confident that the things which we see were made by a God that we have not yet seen. This is something that must be believed by faith. The difference between Christianity and all the other theories is that Christianity is based on faith in the Word of God where all the other theories are based on faith in the words of men.

The Christian recognizes that we can apply science to the created world, and we can discover within the laws of the created world, but there is a lot more to the world that we can only see by faith.

Conclusion: By faith we believe the reality that God created the worlds, and by the same faith we believe that we can have access to God, not by religion, but by faith in Christ alone.