Faith is a word which means…….what????? Hmmmmmm. For me… FAITH is equivalent to ‘KNOWING.’ One ‘proves’ the other. To have FAITH is to have KNOWING.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
(Job 19:29 For I KNOW my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:)
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.Ps 119:99
John Q. Public would say ‘faith’ means to believe in something that proves itself neither physically nor visibly. And Christians would say basically the same thing. Both are wrong. Faith is ‘KNOWING.’ As in….’Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD Gen 4:1.’ And ‘knowing’ always brings forth fruit. Scripture says FAITH has substance (mass) and evidence (proof) … (Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.Heb 11:1) So….real Faith…is ‘KNOWING’ or confirming within ones mind the existence of the invisible before it’s substance and evidence are revealed. We humans practice KNOWING constantly. We plant a seed knowing it will produce its own genetic code and not the code of another. We climb into a boat and leave the shore KNOWING/having FAITH in the unseen law of buoyancy. We see a butterfly and marvel at its unseen metamorphisis. We cuddle our offspring and (KNOW) have FAITH in the unseen procreative forces. Well…you get it. FAITH is KNOWING and KNOWING is FAITH. It’s only in one single area where we treat KNOWING differently…..the area of God.
FAITH always has SUBSTANCE and EVIDENCE…especially in the area of SPIRIT things. Man KNOWS, no matter how vigorously he may deny……that GOD is REVEALED in both a substantive and evident manner. Man KNOWS he is individually part of something WHOLE. He KNOWS the air he breathes is part of a perfect gaseous UNIVERSE. He KNOWS his own heartbeat is part of something
mechanically MIRACULOUS.. He KNOWS that, while unseen to his natural eye…. body cells, atoms, electricity, gravity, inertia, vacuum, chaos, love, hate, fear, heat, fumes, bacteria, and so forth, while unseen by him……are REAL. And with all that KNOWING…..man’s intellect KNOWS good and evil are real unseen forces. Though invisible…Good and Evil are fully evidenced by their fruits. A man who denies the evidence of fruit (visible outcomes of a thing unseen) IS A FOOL!
Psalms 14:1 Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.”
FAITH is NOT the result of things UNSEEN…but is a result of things clearly SEEN. But many don’t SEE. God calls them BLIND. They plant unbelief and expect to reap the fruits of belief. They sew discord and expect to reap the fruits of peace. They sew evil and expect to reap the fruits of good. They sew death and expect to reap life. They are indeed…’FOOLS’ (Ps 14:1).
Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for. The evidence of things not seen.
2For by it the elders obtained a good report
3Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God
6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went
9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable
13These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned
16But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.
18Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff
22By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment
24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
27By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
32And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
34Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens
35Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
36And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (Jew+Gentile = God’s Chosen People)
