What is Faith?

Today we are going to talk about faith. And for that one we are going to start with:

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

What we just read was the definition of faith. The central feature of faith is confidence or trust. Faith is more than deciding to trust what is said. For example: You are at a very big bridge and you see someone jumping from the bridge hanging on a big elastic cord. The hight of the bridge is enormous. After watching him doing it several times, he asks for a volunteer to do the same. You will be hanging on the elastic cord and jump from the very high bridge. You may believe that you can do it when you are at the ground. But at the moment that you are on the high bridge and you watch down, you are getting scared and from that moment you say no. True faith is that you are not only think that someone or an organization is trustable, but that you are also doing what the person or organization asks without questioning. Also what the person or organization says you believe right away. You have no doubts and no fear.

We continue with: 

Romans 10:17

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Messiah.

You can’t believe something that you didn’t hear or that you didn’t read. That is why it is important to read or hear the Word of Yahweh regarly. This way you are able to develop a strong faith in Yahweh.

We read another verse from Hebrews 11: 

Hebrews 11:3

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of Yahweh, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 

In Genisis we read that Yahweh spoke and things happened just as He said. We were not there, so you need faith to believe this. Without faith you probably think that it is not really happened like this.

We continue with the next verse:

Hebrews 11:4

By faith Abel offered to Yahweh a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, Yahweh testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. 

Abel knew what offer he had to give, because he knew the Word of Yahweh. And he lived in the way that Yahweh apriciated. He had a healthy relationship with Yahweh. There was no written Word in the days that Abel lived, but because of his close relationship with Yahweh, he learned the Word of Yahweh. 

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to Yahweh must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Without faith you can't please Yahweh. This counts also for Yeshua. You have to believe that Yahweh and Yeshua are existing. And you need to have the will to obey Yahweh and Yeshua. If you don't believe you are capable, you will easy not even try to obey them. Also you have to believe that it is the Will of Yahweh that you obey Him. Else you think it doesn't matter, while it's very important for Yahweh. Yahweh wants you to obey because you want to obey Him. Because you want to make Him happy, else it is not good for Him. I give you an example: When a husband buys flowers for his wife, there is all the difference in the world between the husband who buys his wife flowers out of delight and the husband who buys his wife flowers simply out of duty. The wife of the first husband will feel herself loved. The wife of the second husband get her flowers, but doesn’t feel love and starts to wonder if her husband loves her. The same way it is with Yahweh and Yeshua. They want you to obey out of love. 

James 2:17

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

Faith is not something that you do only with your brain. It is something that has to be visible in what you do. It has to be hearable in the way you talk. Faith influences your life and you yourself. If that's not the case, then you have no faith. You just pretend that you have faith.

Hebrews 11:13-15

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 

A lot of believers, like Abraham, Moses, Joseph and David, believed Yahweh, but didn't see the Kingdom of Yahweh coming. They had visions and dreams about Yahweh’s Kingdom, but in real they never saw Yahweh’s Kingdom. Still they saw themselves as strangers in this world. They keep searching for Yahweh's Kingdom till they died. They searched for the promised land of peace from Yahweh, where Yahweh would rule. Their faith was very strong. They obeyed Yahweh in difficult situations. And they kept believing Yahweh’s promises. They are a very good example for us. Our faith suppose to be like their faith. 

Hebrews 11:32-40

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because Yahweh had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

A lot of Christians endured much because of their faith. And a lot of Christians saw big miracles because of their faith. But also these people didn't receive what was promised. 

The reason is that Yahweh didn't want to give just a kingdom in this world. He wants to renew everything and in the new world He wants to give the promised Kingdom in the renewed promised land. In this Kingdom will be nothing bad anymore, only peace and joy will be there. It will be an eternal Kingdom without death.

Faith is wonderful. Faith is strong and build bridges. Faith brings good things in our lifes. Faith brings wisdom in our lifes. Unfortunately faith brings also persecution to some of us. But know that those who are persecuted gets a big reward in Yahweh’s Kingdom. Their suffering will not be for nothing. Yahweh will see and not forget them.