Covenant Connection
Title: What is Faith?
by Cynthia Kelleher
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Partner Profile |
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• Name:
Cynthia Kelleher
• State: Maryland
• Favorite Food:
chocolate
• Favorite Color:
Red
• Hobbies:
Web building,
internet, my cats
• Favorite Verse:
Phillipians 4:13
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Strong’s Concordance #4102
Faith (pistis) - Conviction, confidence, trust, belief, reliance, trustworthiness, and persuasion. In the NT setting, pistis is the divinely implanted principle of inward confidence, assurance, trust, and reliance in God, and all that He says. The word sometimes denotes the object or content of belief.
Webster’s Definition
Faith - (1) Inward acceptance of a personality as real and trustworthy, of an idea as true and obligatory, or of a thing as beneficial; as faith in God; faith in one’s friend; faith in the moral law; faith in medicine. The word had originally a religious sense, and in its various uses generally retains a suggestion of emotional or practical quality. (2) The recognition of spiritual realities and moral principles as of paramount authority and supreme value. (3) Theological a. Historical faith or belief in the truthfulness and authority of the Scriptural narrative and teachings. b. Saving or practical faith or the acceptance by the intellect, affection and the will of God’s favor extended to man through Christ.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (NKJV)
Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see, and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact that which is not revealed to the senses]. (AMP)
Now having “defined” faith, what are the previous passages saying to us about what faith really is?? Even though Hebrews 11:1 is a short verse, let’s break it down and find out what it is really saying to us.
We have already shown what the definition of faith is according to Strong’s and Webster’s, but what about “substance”, “hope”, and “evidence”. Let’s attempt to draw a deeper meaning of the scripture by studying out the verse and pulling the fullness out of it. Let’s start with the first phrase; “faith is the substance”. What does “substance” mean here? Webster defines substance as “the most important element in any existence; the characteristic and essential components of anything.” Let’s replace the word substance with the definition and read it as such.
“Now faith is the most important element in any existence, the characteristic and essential components of anything.”
I know that’s quite a mouthful, but doesn’t it bring so much more meaning to the first phrase of the verse? We can now see that faith is (1) the most important element (2) an essential component or building block if you will.
Now what is faith the most important element or essential component of?? Things hoped for! The verse also tells us faith is the evidence of things not seen. What is evidence?? Webster defines evidence as “that which makes evident or manifest; that which furnishes or tends to furnish proof; any mode of proof; the ground of belief or judgment; as the evidence of our senses; evidence of the truth or falsehood of a statement.” Based on this definition, let’s say manifestation or proof. So now let’s finish the verse.
“Now faith is the most important element in any existence; the characteristic and essential components of anything hoped for, the proof or manifestation of things not seen.”
We use faith all the time for certain things, like in verse 3 (Hebrews 11) “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Most people have no trouble believing that God created everything out of nothing, thin air if you will. But why do we have so much trouble with things like “by His stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24) or “say unto this mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea”(Mark 11:23)? Romans 12:3 says “God had dealt to each one a measure of faith” but Romans 10:17 says “so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” So you have to hear the word of God on a particular subject before you can have faith in it. We take people at their “word” all the time, now let’s really begin to take God at His word and get it down into our hearts and minds, so that we will develop mountain moving faith. Let’s start building our faith by hearing the word of God. Make a mental or actual list for yourself and think about the things that you put your faith in. The doctor? The lawyer? The banker? Your parents, spouse, or children? Until next time, meditate on this verse of scripture until it gets down inside you.
Romans 13:8
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. (NKJV)
Keep out of debt and owe no man anything except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor [who practices loving others] has fulfilled the Law [relating to one’s fellowmen, meeting all its requirements]. (AMP)
VIEW PAST ARTICLES
I'm thankful to God for that and for praying parents & grandparents, I know
if it were not for them I would be dead. My father passed away in March
1999 unexpectedly, and that has had a great impact on our family. I was
married this year in June and my husband is literally a Godsend and I thank
God for him too. I feel very strongly about stopping domestic violence
and also guiding young people. I also have a heart for the homeless and
starving. I have been brought up under the teaching ministries of Kenneth
Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, and Joyce Meyer just to name a few and have also
been under the influence of the prophetic ministry of Kim Clement. I would
very much like to have an internet outreach and see people set free from
fear, rejection and come to know Jesus as their personal savior.
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