What Is Faith?

What exactly is faith? This is the next question poised by the Hebrews letter after urging enlightened readers not to throw away their confidence in the promises of God. The author quotes the prophet Habakkuk, about whom little or nothing is known. His short book is nevertheless in the Hebrew canon and quoted by the apostles. The Hebrews author seems to be combining quotes from a couple prophets or quoting from memory. At any rate, while what he quotes is not precisely what we have in Habakkuk, it is what the prophet essentially says, namely that the righteous person shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4). But what do the two authors mean by faith?

Turning to the internet I find these definitions:

faith

fāTH/

noun

1. 1.

   complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

   "this restores one's faith in politicians"

   synonyms:

   trust, belief, confidence, conviction;  optimism, hopefulness, hope "he justified his boss's faith in him"
2. 2.

   strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

   synonyms:

   religion, church, sect, denomination, (religious) persuasion,(religious) belief, ideology, creed, teaching, doctrine "she gave her life for her faith"

Is that what these authors mean? Which shall we choose? Complete trust in someone or a strong belief in certain religious doctrines? Or is faith something that is apprehended by one's spirit, an understanding that defies proof, that simply is? Let's listen to Hebrews. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. - Hebrews 11:1-2 ESV 

And how do those two definitions help?

The Greek translated as assurance refers to a substructure or foundation, something firm on which to build. So Ezekiel is told by God about the forms or design of the temple (Ezek. 43:11). The building had specific dimensions that must be followed exactly. So faith has specifics. It is not something vague or mystical, without clarity, a mere whistling in the dark. When you hope for things to come you turn to faith, but that hope is based upon some specifics, some events and acts from the past. You can build your life upon it.

Hebrews modifies that definition with a second. Faith is the conviction of things not seen. A conviction is a proof. You can test it. Paul, writing to Timothy, uses another version of the Greek word here to speak about the use of Scripture. It is useful for correction or reproof, he says (2 Tim. 3:16).  One does not correct or reprove without proof. So the man of faith speaks and acts with proof, even though what he hopes for in the future is not yet seen. His hope is based upon proof from the past. That proof is the foundation upon which he builds his life. The Scripture, in Paul's usage, is a record of that past. It is a record of what God has said and done for His people. As such, it is proof. So the Hebrews writer picks up that thought to write about people of faith who looked back upon the deeds of God and heard His words. Based upon God's earlier acts and words, they trusted themselves and their futures to Him.

In the rest of the chapter he then gives example after example of men and women who walked by and lived in such faith. We'll take a look at those examples in future posts.