What is faith?What is faith?What is faith?What is faith?

11:6 Without faith it is

impossible to please God...

11:6 Without faith it is

impossible to please God...

11:1 Faith is the confidence 11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we assurance about things we cannot see. cannot see.

3. An Emotional State - taking emotional temperature - faith when I feel doubtful? 2Cor. 5:7 “We live by faith, not by sight.”

- God gives confirmation - Not the norm!

Current DefinitionsCurrent Definitions

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

The nature of The nature of faithfaith

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

The object of The object of faithfaith

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. ExpectationExpectation

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

ExpectationExpectation

Col. 1:4,5 we heard of Col. 1:4,5 we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you and the love which you have for all the saints; have for all the saints; because of the hope laid because of the hope laid up for you in heavenup for you in heaven

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Convinced the Convinced the unseen portion of unseen portion of

the universe is realthe universe is real

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Convinced the Convinced the

unseen portion of unseen portion of the universe is realthe universe is real

This momentary, light This momentary, light affliction is producing for affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all glory far beyond all comparison, while we comparison, while we look not at the things look not at the things which are seen, but at which are seen, but at the things which are not the things which are not seen; for the things seen; for the things which are seen are which are seen are temporal, but the things temporal, but the things which are not seen are which are not seen are eternal. eternal.

2Cor. 42Cor. 4::17 17 -18-18

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

Convinced the Convinced the unseen portion of unseen portion of

the universe is realthe universe is real

ThomasThomas

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Sure enough to Sure enough to

actact

11:1 Faith is the confidence that what we anticipate will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. NASB “Conviction”NASB “Conviction”NASB “Conviction”NASB “Conviction”

2 God gave his approval to people in days of old because of their faith.

3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

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

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

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

That he is who he That he is who he says he issays he is

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

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

goodgood

= personal trust= personal trust

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

Considering Considering how central how central faith is, how faith is, how seriously do seriously do we view the we view the

issue of issue of unbelief in our unbelief in our

lives?lives?

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

Considering Considering how central how central faith is, how faith is, how seriously do seriously do we view the we view the

issue of issue of unbelief in our unbelief in our

lives?lives?Stealing, assault, Stealing, assault, prostitution, etc.prostitution, etc.

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

Considering Considering how central how central faith is, how faith is, how seriously do seriously do we view the we view the

issue of issue of unbelief in our unbelief in our

lives?lives?

•Stewing in anxiety Stewing in anxiety •feeling sorry for feeling sorry for

ourselves ourselves •non-actionnon-action

A willful decision to accept God’s interpretation of reality

Should include both mental affirmation of the truth…

and personal trust expressed in action

Ways to think about faith:Ways to think about faith:

- Faith is a denial of pride-putting my views, my feelings aside to accept his view

- Dependence and trust is the furthest thing from autonomy

Why does God pick faith as Why does God pick faith as His requirement rather than His requirement rather than something else?something else?

- If a minimum moral standard was required, some might have trouble meeting it,

- but faith is something we all can do

Why does God pick faith as Why does God pick faith as His requirement rather than His requirement rather than something else?something else?

- Faith is the basis for personal relationship

Why does God pick faith as Why does God pick faith as His requirement rather than His requirement rather than something else?something else?

Applying this Applying this abstract abstract

understanding of understanding of faith through Old faith through Old Testament storiesTestament stories