In today’s text I would like to talk about FAITH. My heart’s desire is that my confidence in God’s increases more and more so that I reach a truly mature faith, according to the truth of the Word of God.
I say according to the Word of God because there are many misconceptions about what Faith is. For some it consists of any form of spirituality. Recurrently we hear someone say “he is a person of faith” simply because that person has some religion. For others, having faith is directly linked to hoping that something good will always happen, as a kind of constant optimism in relation to health, wealth and happiness. Others regard faith as something completely dissociated from reason and intellect.
But how does the Bible define faith?
Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews is one of the most cited when the subject is FAITH, as it lists people from the Bible who stood out for being great examples of conviction in the promises of God. This chapter is also known as the “gallery of the heroes of faith”. But before listing them, the first verses bring just a definition:
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
Hebrews 11:1-3
We understand from these verses that biblical faith concerns a full conviction regarding what is expected, but has not yet become visible. Therefore, verse 3 states that everything that was created, that is, everything that we are able to see with our own eyes today, was formed from what was not visible. Therefore, to walk by faith is to give a confident response to the promises of God that have already been revealed, but have not yet been visibly fulfilled.
An Example of Faith
Abraham, one of the heroes of faith, even mentioned in Hebrews 11, began his journey in response to a promise revealed by God:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
Genesis 12:1-2
He knew that there would be a land, that a great people would come out of it, and that he would be blessed. However, none of that had happened yet. He didn’t even know where exactly he was going. He began his journey without knowing the exact destination and what the paths of God would be, the challenges and trials, but he continued under the future inheritance that had been promised to him.
To Think:
We also don’t know exactly what our next days or the next years of our lives will be like, but we have already received from God the promise of a certain future: eternity. We have also received from Him, like Abraham, the promise of an inheritance, for we have the right to be called His children through the work of Jesus. We have been forgiven, set free, purchased, and blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph. 1:3-11). God has already revealed to us His goodness, His love and other aspects of His character which are sufficient for us to take confident steps towards all that is His will. It is up to us only to walk with conviction in response to all revealed promises.
Take a moment to think about your heart. How have you positioned yourself in relation to faith? Has your faith perspective been influenced by what the world understands as faith or have you been seeking and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in you to generate true faith? Reflect and talk to the Lord in prayer about this.
Grace and Peace,
Gabi
