Faith is a word like love, we all have our own definition of the word but typically without ever really thinking about the definition. However, it really is incredibly important for us to know our definition so we can recognize the behavior when we see it in ourselves or in others. And faith is not a throw away word, it is a concept that has far reaching implications.
Scripture has many discussions and examples about faith. The most obvious example is Abraham who was told that he would be the father of many nations yet was childless. It also shows us what happens when we take a promise of God into our own hands and try to make it come into existence. It’s always disastrous. However, God, being faithful, still fulfilled His word to Abraham.
In trying to understand and appreciate what faith is and how it operates, it has been written about countless times. In this instance I just want to consider 3 descriptions of faith. Looking at only 3 scriptures we see that: 1- faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1), 2- without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6), 3- the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:2).
The first description talks about the unseen aspect of faith. If our faith is based in what we see then this is not faith. Faith takes us beyond the senses into a realm requiring us to stand on what we believe, what we know from what we have been promised. Always remember that God looks over His word to see that it is performed. (Isaiah 55:11) Faith is an action word. It is foundational to everything.
