What does Heb 11:1 mean?

[Keeping Alert]

I was reading Hebrews 11:1... it is a very familiar verse

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.

And I suddenly realised that I did not quite understand it...

Anyone care to help out?

Blessings,
KA

[Stephen]

Hi Keeping Alert,

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.

I don’t often stray far from the KJV, but sometimes, when I am perplexed, I look to my copy of the NIV. I’ve often found the two working together to be quite clarifying.

The NIV puts it this way:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

What we ‘hope for’ – and as Christians are SURE of – is Our Father, and His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

And our ‘blessed hope’ is Our Lord’s return. We are completely confident about that.

And our confidence is strengthened and established by scripture and prophecy.

By contrast the ‘atheist’ generally holds the position that unless he can hold, see, weigh and measure something, that it does not exist.

We do not all see angels, demons, or, indeed, Our Lord. But we are convinced by ‘evidence’ around us.

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Romans 1: 20)

Watch this for a powerful testimony to Paul’s words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8yVQ4OWuWI&playnext=1&list=PL9D5D77FC34B3EF27


‘Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."’ (John 20: 29)

God Bless,

Steve

[mark s]

Hi KA, My understanding is that the fact that you have faith in God is the evidence that this is true.

Peter said that your faith through trials is the proof that your faith is real.

Paul said that the Holy Spirit testifies within us that we are children of God.

I think these are one and the same.

Love in Christ,
Mark

[daffodyllady]

I guess this verse underscores to me the difference between faith and wishful thinking. Faith is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the things we cannot see are yet more real than the observable world.

God gives a measure of faith to every human being. We all somehow know that there is existence after death. Somehow, every human being knows there is a spirit being larger than himself. Faith in God is that inner knowing. Whatever we believe, is absolute reality to our soul.

Our faith in God grows as we allow that inner seed of faith to turn toward His Light, in humility and honesty. We grow to know Him more fully. As we know Him more and more, the more we act differently than we used to. Knowing Him changes our very core.

Therefore, what we grow to know- HIM- becomes the bedrock of eternal purpose to us. This FAITH, the KNOWING, is the very substance that shapes us and our interaction with the world around us. The things we hope for are eternal. We hold the weight of the very substance of eternity in our hearts.

This is what gives persecuted Christians the superhuman ability to go singing to their death. This is what empowers us to rise above sin in our own lives. This is what gives sweetness to the soul even when everything else in life is sour.

Faith is the very substance of eternity. Faith needs no material evidence of eternity, because it already knows by experience the reality of God's love shed abroad in the heart.

[Keeping Alert]

Wonderful answers, guys!

The NIV version is is how I understood it for the longest time. But from the KJV I read faith is the "substance" - what does that really mean? What sort of substance is that? How do we handle such a substance?

faith is the "evidence" of things not seen... well, there are 2 types of people - those with faith and those without faith... how did this faith come about... by diligently seeking (verse 6) or did that diligent seeking a result of that faith given by the invisible God?

[M.C.Nige]

faith is the "evidence" of things not seen... well, there are 2 types of people - those with faith and those without faith... how did this faith come about... by diligently seeking (verse 6) or did that diligent seeking a result of that faith given by the invisible God?

I believe that we all have a measure of faith, and it is demonstrated in doing everyday things. For example: I have faith that a car will take me from my house to a given destination. That faith translates into the action of me getting into the car and driving to that destination. Do you know anyone who always checks a chair before they sit on it? There is no reason to believe that the chair won't support their weight but the proof that it will support their weight doesn't come until after they sit on it.

You mentioned Hebrews 11 v 6. One source of faith for belief in God is seen in Romans 10 v 13-17:

13. for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
14. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15. And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16. But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17. Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

[Stephen]

Hi M.C.Nige,

You mentioned Hebrews 11 v 6. One source of faith for belief in God is seen in Romans 10 v 13-17:

13. for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
14. How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15. And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16. But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17. Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

That is an excellent and very appropriate quote.

You really made me think.

I would follow St Paul’s words through even further … just a continuation of the verses you quoted …

“But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, Their sound went out into all the earth, And their words unto the ends of the world.
But I say, Did Israel not know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation, With a nation void of understanding will I anger you.
And Isaiah is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I became manifest unto them that asked not of me.
But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” (Romans 10: 18 – 21)


Let him who has ears to hear …

God Bless,

Steve

[Mrs. B]

What does Heb 11:1 mean?


NOW Faith is a Substance.......of things hoped for,
the Evidence of things not seen....

Faith is Believing.........
I believe that God is God......
That Jesus is His Only Begotton Son...

I believe if I put Jesus First in My Life....He will never leave me or forsake me
We are Saved by Faith....
We must believe that He Is.....and that He is the Rewarder of those that Dilligently SEEK HIM....
Without Faith.......It is IMPOSSIBLE to Please Him


Abraham Believed God......and it was Account unto Him for Righteousness....
Believing God and His Word is our righteousness.....

Gal. 3:6....Even as Abraham Believed God.....and it was accounted to him for righteousness...

7....KNOW ye therefore that THEY WHICH ARE OF FAITH, THE same are the Children of Abraham....

Now notice this.....Glory
8.....And the scripture, foreseeing that God would Justify THE HEATHEN through FAITH, Preached Before the Gospel Unto Abraham...saying, In thee shall ALL NATIONS BE BLESSED.....

9....Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, The same are the Children of Abraham........So then they which be of Faith are Blessed With Faithful Abraham....

12...The law is not of faith:
but, The man that doeth them shall live in them...
13...Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us:
for it is written, Cursed is Every One that hangeth on a tree:
14...That the Blessing of Abraham Might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ:

that we Might Receive...THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH..
24....WHERFORE THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING US UNTO CHRIST,
THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSFIFIED BY FAITH....


The Law was a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ....
25...But after that faith is come...we are no longer under a school mastser..

26....For ye are all the Children of God BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS...

28...There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female;
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus....

we all have the One Spirit of Christ......no male nor female...But the Spirit of Christ

29...And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and Heirs according to THE PROMISE




24....Wherefore the law was Our Schoolmaster...to bring us to Christ, that we might be JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.....


WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY OUR BELIEVING...by our faith


Mrs. B

[keithareilly]

Keeping Alert,

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for …”
I understand this to mean that faith is the substance from which the good works we do under the new covenant are formed. Under the law there was an external pressure applied to our being to produce good works. Yet without faith, fulfilling the requirements of the law is not possible. Under the new covenant “Faith” is the substance which produces, through our members, good works (alternatively, faith is the seed from which good works grow). Thus James says I show you my faith by my works.

“Faith is the evidence of things not seen”
Without Faith we cannot fulfill the requirements of the law. Thus Faith is a necessary substance and because faith is a required substance we must obtain this substance. Yet, Faith is not a tangible thing that one can obtain as one obtains a thing containing matter or mass and cannot be measured using instrumentation as light, mass, temperature and other tangibles can be measured. Instead faith must come from the hearing, and the preaching, etc. Thus, the existence of Faith itself is evidence that there exist things which are not made of matter. And these intangible unseen things change who we are and by changing who we are change our actions and by changing our actions change reality itself. Because faith can be measured by how it alters reality, faith is scientifically provable, though you won't hear many people say so. Also, because the presence and lack of faith can be measured by examining a persons actions before and after they become a beleiver, it is possible to postulate and test theories regarding faith. This means faith is real enough to be examined scientifically.

A new reality is created by our faith as it works itself out in our lives transforming us into the people we hope to be and faith causes our lives to affect changes in time and space. Thus faith is matterless unseen thing which is evident through our actions as it brings about the holy people hoped for and is therefore evidence that unseen matterless things exist (which strengthens hope itself).

Keith

[Resurrection Torchlight]

The old saying "seeing is believing" isn't true for we who have faith. Faith is believing without seeing to put it simply.

The NASB puts it this way

Hebrews 11:1
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

If you continue reading the passage it explains what it means. Those Old Testament faithful believed in the promises of a future kingdom yet they dies without realizing it. Their faith was the assurance or substance of what they believed they would one day see.

RT

[daffodyllady]

I think it is very informative to look carefully at how the faith of each person listed in Hebrews 11, influenced their course of action. Notice their faith was always evidenced by action. If they had not acted upon their faith, would God have counted their feelings of faith, to be actual faith?

[mark s]

Hi daffodyllady,

That is James' point, too. If you really do believe, your behaviors will conform to your beliefs.

I've hear a preacher conjecture, James comes to visit, and you tell him you are a Christian. He replies, "Don't tell me you are a Christian, I will come live in your house for a month, then I will tell you whether you are a Christian."

Love in Christ,
Mark