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.

Faith Love Hope

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 ESV)

1. Work (ἔργου) of faith
2. Labor (κόπου) of love
3. Endurance (ὑπομονῆς) of hope

Muhammad Ali On Preparing For Eternity

He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. (1 John 5:13 NASB)

Muhammad Ali died aged 74 at a hospital outside Phoenix, Arizona after a 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease.

In 1977, while visiting Newcastle, England a young boy asks Ali what he would do after retirement. Ali used the opportunity to talk about man's existence and life after death. Here is a youtube video on the interview. and here is what he said in words from an Islamic website:

QUOTE
When I retire from boxing, I really don't know. I wanna say something right here, this might make you all think. Life is real short, so you add up all your traveling, all your sleeping, your school, your entertainment, you probably been half your life doing nothing. I am now 35 years old; 30 more years I'll be 65. We don't have no more influence, we can't do nothing much at 65, your wife will tell you that. When you're 65, ain't too much more to do. Did you know I will be 65 in 30 years? In those 30 years, I have to sleep 9 years, I don't have 30 years of daylight, I have to travel back to America which takes 6-7 hours. With all my traveling, that will be probably 4 years of traveling in the next 30 years. About 9 years of sleeping, television, movies, and about 3 years of entertainment. So, out of 30 years I might have about 16 years to be productive; so this is how we can all break down our individual lives. What I am going to do in the next 16 years, what is the best thing I can do?

Get ready to meet God. Going into real estate, going into business, teaching boxers, that won't get me to heaven. Now, let me ask this audience a question. How many believe there is a supreme being? How many believe there's a God? How many believe there's some power that made the sun, the moon, the stars? How many believe that this stuff didn't just come out here? Somebody wiser than us made it. How many believe there's a God? How many believe there's not a God?

Alright, if I told you, you who don't believe in God, if I told you that this glass sprung into existence, would you believe it? That this glass made itself, no man made this glass, would you believe it? Would you believe if I just told you this thing made itself? No, no. You wouldn't believe it, right? If I told you this television station popped into existence, no man made it, you would say that Muhammad Ali is crazy. Alright, well, this glass can't make itself. If I told you that the clothes you have on wove themselves, that nobody created them, those clothes made themselves, you wouldn't believe it. But if your clothes didn't make itself, if that glass couldn't make itself, if this building didn't make itself, then how did the moon get out there? How did the stars and Jupiter, Neptune and Mars, and the Sun get out there? How did all this come here if a wise planner didn't make it?

So what I'm saying is I believe we're going to be judged. Should a man like Hitler kill the Jews and get away with it? Somebody should punish him. Maybe he don't get it now, he get it when he die. In hell for eternity. So what I'm gonna do when I get out of boxing, is to get myself reading to meet God because ……………….it's a scary thing to think that I'm going to hell to burn eternally forever.

So what am I gonna do? The reason why I'm taking such a long time to answer your question is that I'm explaining what you asked in the question. You asked me a question; I can't just answer it like that. When I get out of boxing or when I'm through, I'm gonna do all I can to help people. Here's a poor man come all the way to America. There's a bunch of boys need some money and somebody is calling me to help them. God is watching me. God don't praise me because I beat Joe Frazier. God don't give nothing about Joe Frazier. God don't care nothing about England or America as far as we aware of. He wants to know how do we treat each other, how do we help each other. So I'm going to dedicate my life to using my name and popularity to helping charities, helping people, uniting people…..we need somebody in the world to help us all make peace. So when I die, if there's a heaven, I want to see it.

The odds are everybody in this room, some of you gonna be dead 20 years from now, some of you gonna be dead 50 years from now. Some of you gonna be dead 30, some of you gonna be 60, 70 years from now. We all gonna die soon and if you live to be say 125 years old, which we don't do, we don't have but about 80 years on earth. This is a test to see where we will spend our life, heaven or hell; this is not the life now. Your real self is inside you, because your body gets old. Some of you go to look at the mirror and you don't have teeth, your hair is leaving you, and your bodies are getting tired. But your soul and your spirit never die, that's gonna live forever. So your body is just housing your soul and spirit. So God is testing us on how we treat each other and how we live to see where our real home will be in heaven. So this physical stuff don't last for so long. So my car, this building is gonna be here when the man who built is dead. There have been many kings and queens of England, they all dead. After this one is gone another one comes. So we don't stay here; we're just trustees. We don't own nothing. Even your children are not yours. If you think I'm lying, your wife is not yours. You don't own your children and you don't own your family.

So what am I saying? The most important thing is what's gonna happen when you die. Are you going to heaven or hell? And that's eternity! How long is eternity?? Let's imagine. Take the Sahara Desert. There's a lot of sand on the Sahara Desert, right? Then imagine that one grain of sand represents 1000 years. And when you in hell burning, when you die and go to hell, you gonna burn forever and ever and ever. No end. How long is that? To give you an idea of how long eternity is, take the Sahara Desert and I told you to wait 1000 years and every 1000 years I want you to pick up a grain of sand until the desert is empty. Ok, wait 1000 years--pick up a grain, wait another 1000 years before you get the next grain, keep that up until there's no more sand in the desert. I mean, America is not but 200 years old. We got 800 more years before 1000 so just scares me to think that I'm gonna die one day and go to hell. …………..so what am I gonna do when I'm through fighting? I only have 16 years to be productive and get myself ready to meet God and go to the best place. Does that make sense?
UNQUOTE

This is a long quote, but the gist of what he said was he wanted to "get myself ready to meet God and go to the best place." But what he did not say was how to get ready to meet God and go to the best place.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36 KJV)

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

It is sad to know that this man who understood so well the necessity of preparing for eternity would reject the clear word of the Bible to trust in the finished work of Christ on the cross and followed the vague promises of salvation based on the merits of one's own fallible works.

Take heed of what he said, but do not do what he did. Rather, do what another guy, Peter Orasuk, did. This guy was not the greatest, neither was he beautiful, nor was he famous. No dignitaries came to his funeral. No president eulogize him at his death. But he knew Christ and has eternal life. Be like him.

The Christian Hope

The Christian Hope is not a wish, a desire or mere wishful thinking. It is an assurance and a guarantee, a confident expectation, a clear conviction, a reality. It is promised in Jesus Christ. God has given us His Son. Our source of hope is God.

Hope's Foundation
This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5 HCSB)
Holy Spirit produces hope.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4 ESV)
The scriptures give us hope.

Hope's Results
And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:3 ESV)
When you have hope, you will live holy life.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13 ESV)
Joy and Peace comes from Hope. Because of the Hope, a man can have joy and peace in the midst of tribulations.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12 ESV)
Rejoice not in the circumstances, but in the hope of Jesus Christ.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. (1 Peter 3:15-16 KJV)
Hope gives us an opportunity to witness for Christ in a hopeless world.

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: (2 Corinthians 3:12 KJV)
Since we have such a hope, we are dare to speak frankly and boldly.

Hope - look back at Calvary, look forward to Christ's return, look to the witness of the Holy Spirit within ourselves.

No matter in which direction a Christian looks, he finds reason to obey God. If he looks back, he sees Calvary, where Christ died for him. If he looks within, he sees the Holy Spirit, who lives within and teaches him the truth. If he looks around, he sees his Christian brethren, whom he loves; he also sees a world lost in sin, desperately needing his godly witness. And if he looks ahead, he sees the return of Christ!
Warren W. Wiersbe

Hope, Faith And Truth

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

Hope comes from faith. And when faith is based on truth, our hope will be real.

Benefits of Believing in Jesus

Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5 NASB)

For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works. (Titus 2:11-15 HCSB)

Rest
Because Christ is our hope, we can rest. We do not need to struggle.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 KJV)

Satisfaction
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:13-14 KJV)

Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. (John 6:35 ESV)

And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. (Isaiah 58:11 KJV)

Performance beyond your ability
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13 ESV)

And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8 NET)

Our Hope

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:18:25 ESV)

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

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:13 ESV)

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NASB)

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4 ESV)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know
what is the hope of His calling,
what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
Ephesians 1:18-19a NASB

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32 KJV)

The Crucifixion Of Jesus Christ

When they finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Simon, a man from Cyrene, Alexander and Rufus' father, was coming in from the countryside. They forced him to carry his cross.

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means Skull Place. They tried to give him wine mixed with myrrh, but he didn't take it. They crucified him. They divided up his clothes, drawing lots for them to determine who would take what. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The notice of the formal charge against him was written, "The king of the Jews." They crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left.

People walking by insulted him, shaking their heads and saying, "Ha! So you were going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, were you? Save yourself and come down from that cross!"

In the same way, the chief priests were making fun of him among themselves, together with the legal experts. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross. Then we'll see and believe." Even those who had been crucified with Jesus insulted him.

From noon until three in the afternoon the whole earth was dark. At three, Jesus cried out with a loud shout, "Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani," which means, "My God, my God, why have you left me?"

After hearing him, some standing there said, "Look! He's calling Elijah!" Someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, and put it on a pole. He offered it to Jesus to drink, saying, "Let's see if Elijah will come to take him down." But Jesus let out a loud cry and died.

The curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. When the centurion, who stood facing Jesus, saw how he died, he said, "This man was certainly God's Son." (Mark 15:20-39 CEB)

Let Us

Hebrews 10:22-24 ESV
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works

Oxygen Sustains Lives and Cause Decay

1 Peter 1:3-5 KJV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

We have the hope of an inheritance reserved by God. We have this hope because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our inheritance can never perish, is undefiled, and will not fade away. Things in the world fade away, because the oxygen that let us live also oxidize our things and cause them to decay.

God Delights to Give

Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:7-11 HCSB)

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32 KJV)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8 KJV)

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. (Psalm 103:8 NASB)

The purpose of preservation of saints

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (John 10:29 KJV)

The doctrine of the preservation of saints is given to us so that weak and sinful Christians like me can have something to cling to. If God had not promised that He would persevere in our salvation, we would have given up hope.

There are those who believe that because we are saved once and for all and we can sin, such people do not have any notion of the sinfulness of sin and they should examine their faith.

Hope, Fear and Obama

President Obama, in his inaugural speech, called for "hope over fear". But hope is always based on faith. Faith ought to be based on truth, though often it is based on lies. If faith is based on lies, when the time of reckoning comes, you will get fear, which is the opposite of hope. America's fear today came from a false hope based on a faith that is based on lies. Now President Obama is giving them hope. Is the faith of this hope based on truth? If it is not, then when the time of reckoning comes, America and the rest of the world will have a bigger fear.

Hope

A boy (about age 12) once went about comparing the size of his palm with others. Apparently his palm is always bigger than his friends'. Then he came to me. We compared, and my hand is naturally bigger than him. He was like slightly disappointed, and then he brightened up and said to me, "Never mind. I will grow." He has hope.