An Atheist's Confession of Faith

Only fools say in their hearts, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!  (Psalm 14:1, Psalm 53:1 NLT)

All men live by faith, both the just and unjust. It is impossible for men not to have a belief system. It is by faith that they have eternal life or eternal damnation because their belief system is either true or false.

Atheism and secular humanism are belief systems, just like any other religions. Here is an atheist's confession of faith by Richard Charles Lewontin (1929–2021) quoted from this article "Remembering a Biologist’s Remarkable Confession of Faith | Mind Matters".

QUOTE
In 1997, Lewontin published a review of celebrity science commentator Carl Sagan's book The Demon-Haunted World in which he blurted:

"Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door. The eminent Kant scholar Lewis Beck used to say that anyone who could believe in God could believe in anything. To appeal to an omnipotent deity is to allow that at any moment the regularities of nature may be ruptured, that miracles may happen."

Richard Lewontin "Billions and Billions of Demons" at New York Review of Books (January 9, 1997)
UNQUOTE

This is a link to a shorter version of quotation taken from A-Z Quotes | Quotes for All Occasions.

So, any scientific evidence for God would be rejected by atheists because they have "a commitment to materialism ... forced by our a priori adherence to material causes" and the belief that "materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door ... that anyone who could believe in God could believe in anything".

For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. (Romans 1:19-21 BSB)

Professing to be wise, they became fools, and they changed the glory of the immortal God into a likeness of an image of mortal man and birds and quadrupeds and creeping things. (Romans 1:22-23 BLB)

The Unjust Shall Die By Faith

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4 KJV)

It is written, "The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:7, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38)". This is repeated four times in the Bible, once by Habakkuk in Old Testament, and quoted three times by Paul in the New Testament.

In reality, everyone lives by faith. We all have faith in the usual. We just take for granted that everything will just happen as per normal. Nothing extraordinary will happen and nature will take its course. When we take our next step, we never fear that the ground will give way and swallow us up. When we sleep, we assume we will wake up. When we sit on a chair, we do not expect the chair to give way.

We cannot live without faith because we are not all powerful (omnipotent), all knowing (omniscience) and all-present (omnipresent). We have no time and no means to prove everything. We just have to trust that the information we have is true.

The Bible never teaches that doing good will save you. The Bible teaches that you are saved by believing in the truth, the saving truth, the historical event that Christ had died for our sin.

What you do will not save you. What you put your faith in will determine whether you have eternal life or eternal death.

The just shall live by faith. The wicked shall die by faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

Two Types of Religions

More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3:8-9 BSB)

But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him - a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him [believing and relying on Him], not having any righteousness of my own derived from [my obedience to] the Law and its rituals, but [possessing] that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3:8-9 Amplified Bible)

There are only two types of religions in the world.  One type believed we are saved by our own righteousness derived from our obedience of the law. The other type believed that we saved by the righteousness from God through faith in the faithfulness of Christ. If you want to believe in the first type of religion, you have many choices. If you want the second type, it is only found in the Bible.

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB)

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21 KJV)

God is Faithful

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23 ESV)

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)

But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NLT)

We are not saved by our faith. We are saved by God. We believed that He is faithful and true to His promise that He will save us to the uttermost.

It is because of the LORD'S lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, Because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.(Lamentations 3:22-23 Amplified Bible)

For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6 KJV)

But you are the same, and your years will never end. (Psalm 102:27 CSB)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8 NLT)

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NASB)

For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day. (2 Timothy 1:12 BSB)

Saved By Grace Through Faith

For by grace are ye saved through faith; (Ephesians 2:8a KJV)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. (Ephesians 2:8a NLT)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:8a NIV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. (Ephesians 2:8a ESV)
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, (Ephesians 2:8a BSB)
For by grace you have been saved through faith; (Ephesians 2:8a NASB95)
For you are saved by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8a CSB)

We are saved by grace through faith. What does that mean?

We are saved by God's grace. We are saved by God because of His grace. The grace of God puts you in a position to hear God's message of salvation. Either we are born in the right time at the right place, or we travel to the right place at the right time with our hearts are ready to receive the message. We are saved because of God's sovereign will, predestined before the foundation of the world. We are saved because God provided the means of salvation. And we are saved when Christ died for our sins.

We are not saved by our faith. We are saved through our faith. Our faith is the response to God's grace. We accept the fact of our salvation by faith. There is no other way. We are already saved by God and now we have to believe that we are saved and act accordingly. We have to trust that God is faithful, and that He is able to save us to the uttermost. It is our part to believe and to have faith in God's faithfulness.

For those who have never heard of the good news of God's salvation or have rejected it, they are not saved. God has not extended His grace to them.

So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." (Genesis 22:14 NIV)

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)

If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NASB95)

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NLT)

For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. (Ephesians 1:4 CSB)

They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:19 BSB)

Putting God On Probation

When Jacob's parents bade him to go to Haran to get a wife, he had a dream of a ladder leading to heaven. He was thoroughly awed by this dream but did Jacob accept God straightaway? No. Instead, he set God a KPI.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you." (Genesis 28:20-22 ESV)

Did God respect Jacob's KPI? 

The God of Jacob

Esau replied, "Is he not rightly named Jacob (the supplanter)? For he has supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright, and now he has taken away my blessing. Have you not reserved a blessing for me?" (Genesis 27:36 Amplified Bible)

I was glad that I am not a righteous man with a strong sense of justice. When I read how God allowed Jacob to steal Esau's blessings, I did not say, "What kind of God is this, accepting the cheater and rejecting the cheated!" Instead, I said, "If God can accept Jacob, He can surely accept me!"

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2 KJV)

Abraham Our Father In Faith

Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:6 BSB)

What did Abram believe? He believed that God would make a great nation out of him. He believed and he became the father of all who believe.

Then the LORD said to Abram, "Leave your country, your kindred, and your father's household, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:1-3 BSB)

Do we have something to believe like Abraham? Yes. God wants us to believe that we will reign with Him for a thousand years. Do we believe in this? Or do we believe in climate change and artificial intelligence and the end of the world? Things will get worse, but the world will not end. Ultimately, Jesus will come and rule.

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 BSB)

Be like Abraham. Believe in Him who is faithful.

He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV) 

As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the presence of God, in whom he believed, the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not yet exist. (Romans 4:17 BSB)

God Always Has Our Good In His Mind - 3

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NLT)

We must always believe that God is good to us. This is fundamental in our relationship with God.

Whether it is Adam and Eve in a newly created, perfect and sinless world, or we in the current imperfect sinful world, or our descendants in a future restored sinless world in the coming millennium rule of Christ, we have to believe that God always has our good in His mind.

Past
But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5 ESV)
Adam and Eve could not believe that God had their good in His mind. They chose to believe in the serpent who told them that God wanted to prevent them from becoming like God. Thus their unbelief caused sin to enter the world.

Present
We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 CSB)
Today we live in an imperfect world, where there is good in bad and bad in good. We have to believe by faith that all the things that happened to us, whether good or bad, is for our good.

Future
When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. (Revelation 20:7-8 NASB)
In the near future, the Anointed One will return to earth to rule for a thousand years in a restored perfect and sinless world with Satan locked in the bottomless pit and a whole generation will grow up without knowing what sin is. Then Satan will be released after a thousand years. It will then be the turn of the generation who know not sin to decide if God has their good in His mind.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 BSB)

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" (Luke 11:13 CSB)

Moving Mountains - Bible versus Chinese Idiom Story

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. (Mark 11:23 ESV)

The Bible says that faith can move mountains (Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:21, Mark 11:23).

Now there is also a Chinese idiom story called "A Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains (愚公移山)" taken from 《列子·湯問》.

Here is an English translation quoted from Chinese Idiom Story - 愚公移山:

QUOTE
Once upon a time, there were two large mountains - Taihang Mountain and Wangwu Mountain, which sat in front of an old man Yu's house. Because the mountains blocked the way, the Yu's families had to walk many extra miles in order to go out. One day, Yu called together the whole family to discuss removing the mountains. His wife shook her head and said, "Where are we going to put the earth and sand we dug out?" The others said, "We can dump it in the sea."

The next day in the early morning, Yu began digging the mountain with his families. An old man called Zhi Sou (智叟) saw them working and laughed: "Mr. Fool, you're so old and weak. Why do you want to remove the mountains? You won't be able to remove it even before you die!" Yu smiled and said, "Your mind is so stubborn and old. If I die, there will be my sons. Sons will have grandsons and grandsons will have sons. There will be no end, but the mountain will not grow. As time goes on, the mountains will be removed one day!" Zhi Sou said nothing and left.
UNQUOTE

Which way is more credible to you? The Bible's faith in God or the Chinese idiom story's faith in men?

Have you seen mountains jumping into the sea? I have never. The Bible's method seems incredible. At least the Chinese idiom story provide a practical method of digging the mountain bit by bit. Both are unlikely to succeed but there may be a fluke chance that the foolish old man's descendants may finish the job.

Then we look at history. We look at the Bible-based European civilization and the humanistic Chinese civilization. Science and all the benefits of modern civilisation came from Europe, not China. How do you explain that?

There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12 ESV, BSB, HCSB)

Faith Required For Tomorrow's Reality

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality - faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. (Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Bible)

The Bible defines faith as confidence and conviction of things hoped for but not seen.

In today's world, in every good there is evil and in every evil there is good. Men are aware of this fact. Many human religions and philosophies arose to explain this fact. Taoism has this yin (negative) yang (positive) symbol, where in the extreme yin, there is a bit of yang, and in the extreme yang, there is a bit of yin.

But the Bible tell us that in future, good and evil will be separated. Since this is not the reality today, you need to have faith in the Word of God, to see beyond today's reality. God will sort this out at His second coming and good and evil will be separated.

"The farmer's workers went to him and said, 'Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?' "'An enemy has done this!' the farmer exclaimed. "'Should we pull out the weeds?' they asked. "'No,' he replied, 'you'll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.'" (Matthew 13:27-30 NLT)

Fearing God Wrongly

Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. (Proverbs 9:10 NLT)

The fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10 NIV)

Fear (יִרְאַ֣ת) can be reverential fear (a form of worship) or the terror or frightening feeling that something bad or even death may come.

Many fear God with the fear of a tyrant. They do not understand the action of God, but they dared not question Him. Their excuse is they fear the Lord.

This is wrong. Present your doubts. Question Him. You can ask nicely. Or you can scold Him about your perceived injustice. This one thing I know. My God will tolerate all your insults (He died on the cross) and will answer your questions and doubts if you are truly sincere in wanting to know the answers.

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:6-8 KJV)

Job questioned God. He said he did no wrong and God punished him for nothing. God approved of Job's questions and answered him. But God was angry with Job's friends, who insisted that Job must had sinned because God was punishing him.

After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has. (Job 42:7 BSB)

When you refuse to question God by giving the excuse that you fear Him, essentially you are saying this:

1. I am right.
2. God is wrong.
3. But I have no choice but to accept it because He is the boss.

Of course you will say, "No, I accept His action because He knows best and I fear God." Whatever it is, examine your own heart. Please, do not fear God as you fear a tyrant. You are saying God is an unreasonable tyrant. This is blasphemy.

There are things that are clearly God's secret. And it should be clear that these are God's secret, not an excuse to fear God as a tyrant. But there are those that He reveal to us. We know the glory of God from those He revealed.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 BSB)

Miracles and Amount of Faith

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18 NLT)

It is the object of faith, not the amount of faith, that matter.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego seemed to have great faith that God would rescue them from the burning furnace. But they still included a clause that even if God did not rescue them, they would still refuse to worship king Nebuchadnezzar's gods or gold statue.

But God does not always perform miracles to save saints from the fire. Polycarp was burnt at the stake without being miraculously rescued.

Faith in the Unusual

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? (Isaiah 8:19 NIV)

It is very strange that people would consult the dead (who obviously cannot speak) instead of the true and living God. Why would anyone have faith in the dead, seeing that none has ever come to life again?

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"
"I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."
Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors - to David. Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines." (1 Samuel 28:15-19 NIV)

Faith in the Usual

And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. (Numbers 16:32 ESV)

The Bible is true but not all truth is in the Bible.

If someone tell you that 2 + 2 = 4 and you say, "I will not believe this until I find it in the Bible", then you will never progress in arithmetic.

The Bible tells us that the just shall live by faith. But the wicked live by faith as well. Everybody lives by faith.

When we take our next step, we never fear that the ground will give way and swallow us up. When we sleep, we assume we will wake up. When we sit on a chair, we do not expect the chair to give way.

We have faith in the usual. Typically, everything will just happen as per normal. Nothing extraordinary will happen and nature will just take its course. But Bible-believing Christians should transfer this faith in the usual to faith in God.

For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. (Matthew 24:38 BSB) 

Salvation Without Keeping the Law

But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (Romans 3:21-22 NLT)

For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) (Romans 4:15 NLT)

God told us that if we believe in Him, we will be saved. We are saved by what we believe, not what we do.

Why Is Salvation Through Faith?

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)

Why are we saved through faith? Why do we not earn our salvation through good deeds like the other religions of the world?

Because faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). Faith sees God even though He cannot be seen.

Because faith glorifies God (Romans 4:20). When we have the faith that God was able to do what He had promised (Romans 4:21), God is glorified. God deserves all glory and honour because He have created all things, and by His will they exist and were created (Revelation 4:11).

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. (Romans 4:20-21 NLT)

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11 KJV)

Everyone Exercises Faith Daily

Since no one knows the future, who can tell someone else what is to come? (Ecclesiastes 8:7 NIV)

Faith is not for Christians or people with religion. Everyone exercised faith daily. We may not know it, but we live by faith every moment, though not necessarily faith in the almighty creator God.

When you step your foot forward, have you ever worried that the ground you are going to step would suddenly open up and you got swallowed into the ground? You won't have such a thought. You just step forward in faith, not faith in God, but faith in common sense. It has not happened before; it will not happen, and it is not going to happen to you.

But supposing you heard news that sinkholes appeared in your neighbourhood. Then you will no longer be so sure. Suddenly you lose faith. You are no longer certain of your next step. Suddenly you need faith in something divine because you can no longer rely on common sense. The next step, tomorrow and the future can no longer be taken for granted.

Why does everyone live by faith? Because no one knows the future. If you are like God, who knows the end from the beginning, you do not need faith. God is the only One who does not need faith. Those who does not know what the next moment will bring, need faith. So you should put your faith in the One who know the end from beginning instead of your daily common sense.

Put your faith in the One who does not need faith.

I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. (Ecclesiastes 8:17 NLT)

I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.' (Isaiah 46:10 BSB)

"To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?" asks the Holy One. (Isaiah 40:25 NLT)

What is Faith?

What is faith? The Bible in Hebrews 11:1 gave us the definition of faith.

And faith (πίστις) is of things hoped for (ἐλπιζομένων) a confidence (ὑπόστασις), of matters (πραγμάτων) not seen (οὐ βλεπομένων) a conviction (ἔλεγχος), (Hebrews 11:1 YLT)

Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don't see. (Hebrews 11:1 CEB)

Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1 CEV)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NET)

Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality - faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. (Hebrews 11:1 Amplified Bible)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1 NLT)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1 BSB)

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 CSB)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV, MEV)

ὑπόστασις
(a) confidence, assurance, (b) a giving substance (or reality) to, or a guaranteeing, (c) substance, reality.

ἔλεγχος
a proof, possibly: a persuasion; reproof.

All the Bible versions basically translate faith as confidence and conviction of things hoped for but not seen. The is Amplified Bible's explanation - faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses.

Jesus Saves

Since, then, we are God's offspring, we shouldn't think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image fashioned by human art and imagination. (Acts 17:29 CSB)

The Bible contains truth, but not all truth is in the Bible. We are told by the Bible that "The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4,Romans 1:17,Galatians 3:11,Hebrews 10:38)". But the evil also live by faith. Just about everyone live by faith.

When we see a young man declaring, "I am a free thinker. I don't believe in any gods. I believe in myself", this is a statement of faith by a young person with a healthy body and mind. When this healthy young man grows old and fat, starts having heart problem, kidney trouble, glaucoma and dementia, he will start losing faith in himself. He will even forget that he ever said, "I believe in myself."

A person worshipping some clay idol is also living by faith.

Faith does not save. It is the object of faith that saves. Jesus saves. All others don't. Believe in Jesus. Live by faith in Jesus.

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31 KJV)