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NASB | Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality--faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. |
Bible Question:
Dear fellow saints, We have the definition of faith here in Hebrews 11:1. Where does this faith come from? Is it the same for all believers? Can we receive or attain more? In Jesus' name, charis |
Bible Answer: Dear Charis, As I said elsewhere, Heb. 11:1 is not a definition of faith, but I won't rehash that here. To respond to your question, faith comes from God. It is His gift. It is not something we get apart from His operation in our hearts. We were dead in sin, and He had to make us alive, that is, give us new hearts (regeneration) capable of believing His word, and then He gave us faith in His word. In ourselves we were incapable of believing the Gospel. The gift of faith is attributed to the work each member of the Trinity: the Father: Rom 12:3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Eph 2:9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. The Son: Heb. 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. And the Holy Spirit: John 16:8 "And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; Is it the same for all believers? The content of what God has given us to believe is the same (Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,). How much of what God has given that we believe varies; He’s given to each "a measure of faith." Jesus emphasizes that we can't use how little faith we have as an excuse for not doing great things, but in so saying he is affirming that we can have varying amounts of faith. Matt 17:20 And He *said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. Can we receive more? Yes! It's called God's work of sanctification. Abraham is a good example: Rom 4:19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; Rom 4:20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, Rom 4:21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Peace, |