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)

No Classless Society During Millennium

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 BSB)

Some people claim that this verse supports the Woke Left's genderless agenda. Actually this is not true. This verse affirms that race, class and gender exist.

Galatians 3:28 affirms that race exist, but it is not a hindrance to salvation.
Galatians 3:28 affirms that class exist, but it is not a hindrance to salvation.
Galatians 3:28 affirms that gender exist, but it is not a hindrance to salvation.

During the coming millennium, race, class and gender will still exist. I am very sure that male and female will still exist in the coming millennium. The nations (other than the Israelites) will still exist as distinct races during the millennium.

Then all the survivors from the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of Hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zechariah 14:16 BSB)

As for classes, I can see at least three distinct classes. Jesus as God and King, Priest and Prophet, will be in a class of His own. Then we have another class, which will be the saints who will be resurrected with spiritual bodies at the last trumpet and ruling with King Jesus during the millennium. The final class will be the normal people who survived the great tribulation with their natural bodies to populate the millennium kingdom.

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:44 BSB)

Nationalism Fascism Nazism

Don't long for "the good old days." This is not wise. (Ecclesiastes 7:10 NLT)

Let say there is a country called Z. Z used to have a glorious past but now is in humbler times. Z is very upset that now the world order is set by country A. All the countries from B to Z have to follow A. Z felt that all the countries ought to follow Z, like those good old days when Z was a glorious country. So Z stir up hatred for A among its citizens and also those who do not live in country Z but are from the same tribe, race or culture as Z.

Should a Christian who is from the tribe, race, culture or country Z follow what the government of Z and hate A?

Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? (Psalm 139:21 ESV)

If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 John 4:20 ESV)

True Food and Drink

I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."
At that, the Jews argued among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
So Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna your ancestors ate - and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:48-58 CSB)

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take and eat it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:26-29 CSB)

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, "This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26 CSB)

No Discrimination

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 BSB)

We should not discriminate people indiscriminately. It is a right thing to do. Christians do not discriminate people based only on race, class and gender (Galatians 3:28). All can be Christians. But the Bible also says that only those who believe in Christ have eternal life ((John 14:6).

The woke left progressives do not discriminate people based on race, class, gender and religion. They reduce discrimination even further than Christians by non-discrimination of religion. The woke left progressives do not just stop at non-discrimination. They wanted to obliterate race, class, gender and religion. They want to create a raceless, classless, genderless atheist society.

We should not go beyond God's word. We should include what God includes and exclude those He excludes.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)

God Justifies The Ungodly

Would you really annul My justice? Would you condemn Me to justify yourself? (Job 40:8 BSB)

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29 BSB)

Men always want to justify themselves. But it is better to let God justify us.

He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25 BSB)

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33 BSB)