"Now - Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it (faith) the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God so that things which are seen were made of things which do appear."
Drawing from Webster's 1828 dictionary from which the meaning of faith is derived from previous languages, it is stated this way:
"FAITH, noun [Latin fides, fido, to trust; Gr. to persuade, to draw towards any thing, to conciliate; to believe, to obey. In the Greek Lexicon... to bind and draw or lead, as signifies a rope or cable....The sense of the verb, from which that of rope and binding is derived, is to strain, to draw, and thus to bind or make fast. A rope or cable is that which makes fast. Heb.]. The modern day Webster's defines faith as simply, "belief or trust." This writer prefers the deeper meaning of the 1818 edition.
While studying on the meaning in the 1818 edition, let's look at the breakdown in Heb 11.1-3 regarding this mighty word, "faith."
- "Now." The opening word "Now" to this chapter regarding "faith," seems to speak to the writer's passion for everyone to be as excited about this subject as he is. If, as history, dictates, and scripture records, Paul is the writer of this great book, we know his testimony about what the Lord did in his life. This was a man who once wanted to create havoc in the lives of believers as well as kill them. It was his singular purpose and goal. Yet, as he opens this passage, it appears he is still so amazed by what the Lord has done in his heart that with an impassioned "Now," he bids others to listen to what "faith" is. Then, he begins to explain...
- "Faith is the substance of things hoped for... If you have faith, you have "substance." If you have the substance of faith, you will have "hope." What does one hope for in this life? Peace, happiness, health, family's unbroken by sadness, material blessings...Certainly a believer knows better than to "want" material possessions but in the Lord Jesus, what else is needed in the temporal world? A wise preacher once said that our material possessions are "added benefits," of the mercies of the Lord. How shallow are earthly thoughts and possessions. The only value in life is what is placed on the eternal things of God. "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."(Rom 15.13)
- "the evidence of things not seen." How is it one can believe in what one cannot see? The world only believes in what it can see. The believer is the opposite. We believe in what we cannot see. So how is this affected? May I continue this observation by way of my testimony? One may see clearer when reading the story of Lazarus. (Jn 11.1-44) Quite simply, "a dead man can do nothing, hear nothing, see nothing. Although, I had been in church all my life, I was spiritually "dead." I remember thinking I need to go to the altar at age 6 and later got baptized. Nothing else, rather He didn't move in my heart again until age 15. At the midweek service the man was preaching about the rich man who went to hell and I remember understanding that I was also lost. I went to the altar but nothing happened. I was still in church and living right and moral as much as I understood to do so, in spite of the turmoil in a broken home. Then, age 18, whilst riding home from a church choir practice, I was praying. I was praying for a close relative who was indeed lost by the choices in their life. As clear as the sounds I'm hearing at the moment, the Lord spoke to my heart and said, "Yes, he's lost but so are you!" There it was. I couldn't deny it. I submitted and humbled to the truth of the words whispered by the sweet Holy Ghost and I was from that point on "alive" to Him and His leading. He saved me! He woke me from my dead, spiritual condition. I've been believing in "the evidence of things not seen," ever since. I've trusted and prayed for things through the years that I've "seen" come to pass. I know He hears, thus I continue to believe in "things hoped for (but) not seen."
- This faith gives us peace, hope and understanding of what "the elders reported." This faith also allows us to "understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were made of things which do appear."
Maybe Faith is clear to the reader, maybe it is not but the balance of the study will show much evidence of great, wondrous, miraculous things done because one believed in the Name and Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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