What Is Faith?
I promised yesterday that I would be defining faith for you. How fortunate for me that the Bible does that for me.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
Substance here is a compound word in the Greek, hupostasis from the words hupo or “under” and histemi which means “to stand.” It is also translated “confidence” in other scriptures. In Hebrews 11:1 it has the meaning of “confidence, assurance, giving substance to.” So, faith gives substance to the things that we hope for. Faith goes in to the spiritual world and makes tangible those things that Christ obtained for us with His death on the cross.
The second phrase in this definition is perhaps a little easier to wrap our brains around. Faith is the evidence of things not seen.
Unless you do not watch television…ever, you have no doubt seen a CSI on a police show. It never ceases to amaze me what they discover utilizing the science of forensics…and a little creative license. 
There is, they tell us, no such thing as “the perfect crime.” There is always some evidence left behind. The smallest piece of evidence skillfully obtained can be presented in a court of law to a jury of people who did not actually witness the crime. Those jurors can then be convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that a crime was committed by that person. This is how our criminal justice system works.
In the same way, faith is evidence of “things not seen.” What are those things not seen? They are all things that pertain unto life and godliness…those things that Christ obtained for us with His death on the cross. (2 Peter 1:3)
Now, faith cannot be understood in our mind. Faith is a reality in our spirit…part of the fruit of the spirit that we receive at the moment of salvation. Receiving an understanding of faith is not something that we do once. It is something we must study and meditate on; then faith will flow from our spirit into our soul…our mind, will, emotions, and conscience.
In the next post, I want to discuss “the fiery darts” talked of in Ephesians 6.
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Tamera,
I like How Substance is described here. where you quoted;
“So, faith gives substance to the things that we hope for. Faith goes in to the spiritual world and makes tangible those things that Christ obtained for us with His death on the cross.”
I had a DREAM where I was standing at the foot of the cross and looked up and saw visibly Jesus on the cross. Suddenly in the Dream I was Soaring high above the Cross and looking down I Could see the Drops of Jesus Blood falling to the earth. The blood drops turned to white snow and began to and did in fact cover the whole earth as far as I could see with a white blanket of snow.
It was like the Holy Spirit was showing me tangibly what the Blood of Jesus was shed for. My faith and hope was so incredibly encouraged. The Blanket of White Snow clean and Pure is How God Sees the People of the earth, as Jesus blood was shed for us all!
Substance of Faith was felt in My Spirit through this dream. I think it was a Glimpse of something “hoped for”, made real by what I could not see outside the Dream world.
Faith increased is a Beautiful Gift from Our Father!
Tamar
May 19th, 2007 | #