Yesterday (Psalm 119:81-88) the psalmist said that the hardships he was experiencing and the adversaries that opposed him ALMOST wiped out his faith. But, by the end of the stanza, he has reasserted his confidence and dependence on the Word of God. It was a sobering reminder that our faith is always under attack. Satan didn’t tempt Adam and Eve to commit a sin; he only tempted them to doubt His Word. So what is faith anyway?
Faith is the Substance of Hope
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
The concept of faith is pivotal to the Christian faith because it is essential to salvation and functioning in the spiritual realm. Even so, many Christians struggle to understand it and how it impacts their life and relationship with God. The most foundational definition for “faith” in the Bible is found in the letter to the Hebrews, and particularly chapter 11, which is known as the “Faith Hall of Fame.”
The author of Hebrews right from the beginning draws a distinction between hope and faith. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,” (Hebrews 11:1a) It’s clear that hope and faith are connected but they are not the same. When we use the word hope, in our culture, we usually are referring to an emotional desire in our hearts regarding what we would like to happen in the future but are not confident it will come to pass. We may hope that our favorite team will win a game, but that hope may never materialize. For instance, I am a perennial fan of the Green Bay Packers, and I regularly hope that the Packers will win their football games. At times that is a vain and futile hope because it’s anything but a certainty. However, the Bible says there is a kind of hope that does not let us down (Romans 5:5), but I’m constantly afraid that my hopes for the Packers may make me ashamed, for while they occasionally win championships, they also regularly lose games.
However, when the Bible speaks of hope, it is not referring to a desire for a future outcome that is uncertain, but rather a desire for a future outcome that is absolutely sure. Based on our trust in the promises of God, we can be fully confident about the outcome. That is the conclusion that the psalmist came to yesterday.
When God gives His people a promise for the future, and the believer grasps it, this hope is said to be the “anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:19). An anchor gives a ship protection against aimless drifting on the sea or stability in a storm. The promises of God for tomorrow are the anchor for the believer’s today. Our confidence is in the One who has promised and because of His faithfulness in the past.
The phrase “assurance of things” in the ESV is translated “substance of things.” The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for. Substance is something that has weight, significance, or great value. The word “assurance” means that faith is confidently built on hope (not hopeful thinking).
hope is faith looking forward
In a real sense, hope is faith looking forward. The Christian faith includes a strong element of trust. If my hope is based on something God has said will happen in the future, the hope I have for that future promise finds its substance from my trust and confidence in the One making the promise. I can have hope because I have faith in God. Because I can trust the promise of God for tomorrow, there is substance to my hope; my hope is not just a wish for a dream. Rather, it is based on something substantive, the Word of God.
Faith is the conviction of things not seen
The second part of Hebrews 1:1, speaking of faith, says that it is “the conviction of things not seen.” That conviction is the evidence of things not seen. Evidence is tangible. Evidence is something we can know through our five senses. Evidence is what police officers inspect and try to collect at a crime scene. The physical evidence points beyond itself to some important truth. That’s why scientists analyze evidence.
The idea is this: I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, but I know that God does. So if God promises that tomorrow will bring something, and if I trust God for tomorrow, I have faith in something I have not yet seen. That faith serves as evidence because its object is God. I know Him; He has a track record—He is infallible and never lies. God knows everything and is perfect in whatever He communicates. So if God tells me that something is going to happen tomorrow, I believe it even though I haven’t seen it yet. And that’s not irrationality. On the contrary, it is irrational not to believe something that God says regarding some future event based on history.
So what does God say regarding the future? He not only reveals to us events of tomorrow (that we haven’t yet seen), but He also reveals to us much about the supernatural realm that our eyes cannot see (like angels or heaven). But God reveals to us the reality of these things, and by faith, we know that His promises have substance because He is credible and reliable.
2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.
Hebrews 1:2 (ESV)
The rest of Hebrews chapter 11 is the recounting not of the accomplishments of the ancients (people of old) but rather their faith regardless of the outcome. At its root, this is what faith is – It is not believing in God. It’s believing God. The Christian life is about believing God. It is about living by every word that proceeds from His mouth (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4). It is about following Him into places where we’ve never been, into situations that we’ve never experienced, and into countries that we’ve never seen. Simply, because we know Him. – This is The Way
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
- When has your faith in God ebbed? What was the cause? What encouraged your faith again?
- What in God’s Word or His promises do you struggle to believe? What’s the obstacle (what’s holding you back)?
- Read the rest of Hebrews chapter 11. Which of the faith stories connects to or parallels your story right now? How could you assert your faith and hope for the promise God has given you?
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