Faith can only be understood in relation to God’s providence and sovereignty, for if we have a God that is incapable or limited in any way, the concept of faith, and indeed Christianity is meaningless.
One of the reasons for the existence of doubt is because people do not understand or believe, understand or trust in the sovereignty and providence of God. Many do not think God is truly able or in control, and that evil is more powerful than Him. People think God is in some kind of battle with the devil. Consequently, their prayers are an expression of doubt searching for proof because they do not believe God is in control. Some, because of this orientation even give God deadlines, and demand miracles from God to prove His existence. Miracles are however not a sign to believers, but unbelievers. For a believer does not need miracles to confirm that God is truly working. In light of this truth, prayer, however, is a tool with which we fellowship with God; and is predicated upon a relationship!
The writer of Hebrews wrote to establish the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old; the Superiority of faith over works, etc. He spent the first ten chapters stressing that. He intermingled his discussion with a number of warnings on the consequences of failure to appropriate the benefits of the New Covenant. He was addressing a group of people who all their lives were used to works, sacrifices, and rituals in relating with God. The question that must have arisen in their hearts, was out to relate with God, under the concept of grace when all they knew was the Law. The writer stressed faith as the true way of justification and relating with God all through history. Indeed, God never justified anybody, whether in the Old or the New Testament, on the basis of works. He has always commended and justified on the basis of faith. God saw men and women as righteous because they trusted in Him, not because they kept the Law. He has always related on the basis of faith Heb 10: 31-39, Heb 11.
Hebrews 10:32-39, touches on the issue of suffering, pointing them back to God’s being in control and the need to have faith [Heb 10:37-39]. This provides the context for the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 and the several illustrations found in that chapter. Hebrews 11:1 is a verse, which apart from John 3:16, has been one of the most frequently quoted and defined. So what does this it mean?
Faith, the substance of thing hoped for….Heb 11:1
First from 1 Cor 13:13, we know that there is a distinction between faith and hope. Second, the biblical view of hope is different from the world’s view. Hope as defined in the context of the world is an emotional state of desire regarding what we would like to happen in future, but we are not sure it would happen e.g we hope that Nigeria would win the world cup in our generation. In contrast, biblical hope is a hope for a desired future that we are absolutely sure will come to pass. The question is, whose desire does biblical hope pertain to? The only desires on which biblical hope is hinged, and you can be absolutely sure that will come to pass, are God’s desires. The hope is based on the promises of God. The only way we can be hopeful and be sure will come to pass is because they rest on the sovereignty of God. It is an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast [Heb 6:19]. The Bible says Faith is the substance of that hope; Faith communicates the essence of that hope. If God is unable, or not sovereign, my faith is impotent. Faith is in the One who holds the future. What makes the hope a reality is Faith in God, the One who has promised and able to make it come to pass. Biblical hope is a gift that expresses our trust in God regarding what is going to happen and we’re sure it will come to pass because of our trust is in God who is in control. Outside of faith in a sovereign God, there is nothing like biblical hope!
Faith is the evidence of the things not seen
Essentially, it is talking about the same thing as above. As a popular saying goes, “seeing is believing”. In a sense, this is true [2 Pet 1:16-18, 1Cor 15:5-8, Acts 1:3]. There’s a misconception that makes some see faith as being blind, and that it is irrational. However, Faith is neither incompatible with reason, nor irrational. There are believers today whose faith does not rest on anything that is rational. However faith it is logical, and the most rational thing we have is the scriptures.
Faith is called the evidence of things not seen because what brings evidence for that hope/future desired thing is your faith in God. There is nothing more rational than that. Rather than allow God run your future/life than running it yourself. Trust in his decisions and options concerning your life and not yours. Without this orientation, Hebrews 11 would not make sense. Abel would not have chosen to be murdered. Moses would not have chosen the path he walked. But for the patriarchs listed in Hebrews 11, God chose their path and ordered their steps.
Noah for example, trusted God for who He is, not because he saw clouds gathering, but he knew God had the ability to bring rain which had never fallen on the earth. He spent 120 years building an Ark because He trusted in the ability and sovereignty of God, not signs or experiences! Heb 11:7. Abraham’s also expressed faith in the providence and sovereignty of God [Heb 11:8-12, Genesis 22:1-10]
Faith is not about obtaining promises [Heb 11:13, 39]. This would seem strange in this age where a man of faith is measured by his apparent successes, promises they received or track record. However, is not about the promises, rather it is belief in the sovereignty and providence of God. We have faith because of the One who made the promises, not because of the promises. It is about believing God! Heb 11 called them men of faith, not because they obtained the promises, but because up till when they died, they believed God!
In essence you cannot have Faith in God and would continue to have doubts until you believe in God’s sovereignty and providence – until you believe that anything that happens on earth is ordained by God. God allows evil because He is working out good. He only allows the devil because he has a plan over and beyond what is happening.
Finally, true faith, the kind of faith that justifies, has certain distinguishing elements. During the time of the Reformation championed by the likes of Luther and John Calvin, the elements that characterize it were identified by three Latin terms as follows: NOTAI [right data or information or knowledge]; ASSENSUS [Assent/agreement/acceptance of the right information]; and FIDUCAI [Basing one’s life on the right information which we have accepted]. This distinguished real faith from mere intellectual knowledge, and mental assent to facts like the demonic type of faith [James 2:19]. You have to acquire the right knowledge i.e. Before you have faith, you have to have the right information, Accept the knowledge, and base your life on it. We only enjoy the benefits of scriptures as we base our life on it.