Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the fabric that allows the tug of your dreams to pull you into reality. It is a lens that filters and shapes your thoughts, insights, and worldview. Cynics make light of faith. They deride those who make faith the focal point of their lives. You might wonder if it’s safe to bring the dreamily thought of faith into hardened concrete reality like food and houses. Fortunately for Christians, Hebrews 11:1 does precisely that.
What Does “Is” Mean?
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that:
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (KJV)
Some people think that faith is a fantasy or dream. However, the use of the word “is” in Hebrews 11:1 means that “substance” is an intrinsic quality of faith. This takes faith firmly out of the realm of dreams and mere thoughts or philosophy, and brings it into reality. According to Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary (Strong’s), the Greek word translated as “is,” is “eimi,” (pronounced i-mee’). “Eimi” is the 3rd person form of the verb “to be,” meaning he, she, or it, is (Strong’s, G1510).
But, Hebrews 11:1 is not the only place where we see this word. You see, “eimi” is the same verb Jesus used in the 6th chapter of the Gospel of John, where the frightened disciples see Him walking on the sea in the midst of a storm. They thought they were seeing an apparition. Jesus comforted them and said, “It is I; be not afraid” (John 6:20). Just as there is certainty in Jesus saying “It is I,” the same level of certainty applies to “faith is the substance of things hoped for.” It is also the evidence of things not seen.
What Is Faith?
We have established that the Bible teaches that unlike a dream, faith is real. However, Hebrews 11:1 tells us far more than that. So what did Scripture writers think when they wrote the word “faith”? Again, Strong’s gives us the answer. Because New Testament writers wrote in Greek, knowing how Greeks of that time defined the word “faith” will help us understand.
According to Strong’s, the Greek word translated as “faith” is “pistis,” (G4102, pronounced pis-tis’). The root word for pistes is “peitho”, which means: “moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher, especially reliance upon Christ for salvation,” (Strong’s, G3982). In other words, to the Christian, faith is the moral conviction of the truthfulness of God about reliance upon Christ for salvation. Songs like “Blessed Assurance (Jesus Is Mine)” express this well.
What Does Substance Mean?
The word “substance” is translated from the Greek word hypostasis (pronounced hoop-os’-tas-is), meaning “confidence,” (Strong’s,5287). Nowadays, people are so accustomed to inflated egos and grandiose statements made to convince us of something, we are leery of having confidence in anything. But to Biblical Gospel writers, the word hypostasis (confidence) conveyed the weight of its root words “hupo” and “histemi” meaning “concrete essence,” (Strong’s, G5259 and G2476). These words also refer to support, as in undergirding. So faith is the confidence, or concrete essence of things hoped for. It is the support that undergirds the confidence believers have in the promise of God regarding salvation through Jesus. This tells you that real faith is not weak, but rather a hardened, strong, confidence made of a concrete essence that undergirds the hope of believers.
What Is Hope?
People listen to the moth-riddled word of politicians and say “I hope they’re telling the truth.” The hope they speak of is vague and doubting. Unlike in today’s world, the hope mentioned in Hebrews 11:1 is neither misplaced nor tenuous. To the contrary, the hope spoken of by New Testament authors means a “trusting expectation,” (Strong’s, G1679). Derived from the Greek word elpizō, (pronounced: el-pid’-zo), hope means “trust,” “hoped for”, and “things hoped for.” In other words, trust is intrinsic to hope. Hope without trust is no hope at all. So the hope of salvation through Christ is not some myth ancient promise that no longer has meaning. Salvation through Christ is our trusted expectation in which we have confidence, that’s undergirded by the promises of God, in Whom we have faith.
What Is Evidence?
Evidence is proof. But, the original Greek word “elenchos” (pronounced: el’-eng-khos), translated as “evidence” in Hebrews 11:1 means more than that. You see, the root word for “elenchos,” means: “evidence, reproof, and conviction”, (Strong’s G1651). According to Miriam Webster’s Dictionary, reproof means “criticism for a fault, rebuke.” So, what the Bible is telling us, is that faith, or the confident, trusting expectation of the promises of God about salvation through Jesus Christ, is also not only the proof of things hoped for and unseen. It is also the reproof, and open rebuke of disbelief, that convicts non-believers. Faith; therefore, is the mic drop, “sit down and shut up” proof, of salvation through Jesus Christ.
There are people who refuse to believe in anything they can’t see. Not surprisingly, there are even people who don’t believe obvious things they can see, like racism or climate change. Yet, Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. To be sure, the world does not see the sense of faith. It never did, and the Bible says it never will. Yet, the doubt of the world is not an excuse for believers to doubt the word of God.
Conclusion
Doubt and charges against faith in Jesus Christ bombards believers everyday. But like the disciples of old, we hear the voice of Jesus saying, “It is I; be not afraid.” Jesus assured His disciples that they were indeed seeing Him, the Messiah, and not a ghost. In this same way, faith is the concrete essence of your trusting expectation for salvation in Jesus Christ, as well as its manifestations and rewards. It is the proof that trust in the Word of God is indeed well-placed. Faith is the proof of your future with God, which you can’t see now. It is the open rebuke against those who deny salvation in Jesus. Given all these qualifications, you know that faith in Christ will help you stand, even in the “evil day.”
Until next time: Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might! (Ephesians 6:10)
Your friend in Christ,
Verneda
(Twitter handle, @vlights)
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Reference
WS Basic 10 for Mac. (n/a). Strong’s Talking Greek and Hebrew Dictionary. Available from http://www.wordsearchbible.com/
Copyright © 2016, Verneda Lights. All rights reserved.
