The other discussion of Hebrews 11 turned on a light bulb...
When we carefully define the words "Substance", "Hope" and "Evidence" used in Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things as yet unseen.
The word translated "Substance" means a solid, tested, proven foundation. A foundation that has been tested and proven, providing ample EVIDENCE of it's strength and suitability.
The word translated "Evidence" means the results of testing which prove things that cannot be readily seen.
The word translated "Hope" means understanding things based on evidence and tangible proof. It is much stronger than the word translated "Know" - which means reaching conclusions based upon reasoning rather than hard evidence and testing.
I can't tell you how long I have lived with a "Nebulous" definitions of "faith".. Oh.. You just have to act without really knowing... Oh - you won't really have tangible evidence.... and when people say "You have to take a Leap of Faith" or "You need to step out in faith" - they mean you have to go do something that you have no real basis for truly knowing you need to do or whether it is in God's will or not.
Ironically - that's actually the opposite of what The Author of Hebrews is really saying...
What he is saying is that "Faith" is the rock solid, tested, proven foundation that lets me trust with 100% certainty that God will do what He says. It is the Physical evidence that proves the reality of the things which I cannot see. That with this evidence - I can understand what I need to do as part of God's will.
For example - we cannot often SEE God's plan or the fullness of God's will... We often don't get the real road map and the specific explicit directions... But - what we DO get is evidence... Real evidence in our own lives.... Evidence that allows us to understand the things we can't physically see....
Now.. This evidence may or may not make sense to people other than ourselves... But - it is the evidence that we need to figure out the "right" things.... Now - our first source of this evidence that gives us insight is The Scripture.... Our God is not a God of "Chaos" - He has ways, and those ways are consistent. Now... God's plan for you may be different than God's plan for me - but it is not a plan of Chaos... God will teach you how to discern the evidence proving His plans in your own life.
Notice how this is completely different from "Walking by Sight" - meaning doing the things which appear pleasing in our own eyes.... "Walking by sight" ignores the actual evidence of God's will and God's plan - and discards that evidence and proof because it doesn't coincide with what I want to do...
The first incident of this in the Bible is Eve... The Fruit was "Pleasing to her eyes".... Even though she had the evidence of God's will - the admonitions that this fruit was not for them to eat - she ignored this evidence because it contradicted what she wanted to do.... In her words - she "Forgot" the evidence proving God's will....
This is where it becomes so important in our own lives... To stop pining away "If God would only"... Well - the evidence is that God is NOT doing that - so move on. Don't keep standing on your own wishes - and then trying to transfer them to God... Quit "Walking by sight" - Observe what God IS doing and act accordingly.. Look for the actual evidence of God's hand... Observe where the Hand of God IS in your life and where it is not.... If you think you are supposed to do something - and it's obviously not working - ask God to prove it to you.. When God does prove it to you - continue on... KEEP working... Don't give up... Don't get discouraged...
Thanks
When we carefully define the words "Substance", "Hope" and "Evidence" used in Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things as yet unseen.
The word translated "Substance" means a solid, tested, proven foundation. A foundation that has been tested and proven, providing ample EVIDENCE of it's strength and suitability.
The word translated "Evidence" means the results of testing which prove things that cannot be readily seen.
The word translated "Hope" means understanding things based on evidence and tangible proof. It is much stronger than the word translated "Know" - which means reaching conclusions based upon reasoning rather than hard evidence and testing.
I can't tell you how long I have lived with a "Nebulous" definitions of "faith".. Oh.. You just have to act without really knowing... Oh - you won't really have tangible evidence.... and when people say "You have to take a Leap of Faith" or "You need to step out in faith" - they mean you have to go do something that you have no real basis for truly knowing you need to do or whether it is in God's will or not.
Ironically - that's actually the opposite of what The Author of Hebrews is really saying...
What he is saying is that "Faith" is the rock solid, tested, proven foundation that lets me trust with 100% certainty that God will do what He says. It is the Physical evidence that proves the reality of the things which I cannot see. That with this evidence - I can understand what I need to do as part of God's will.
For example - we cannot often SEE God's plan or the fullness of God's will... We often don't get the real road map and the specific explicit directions... But - what we DO get is evidence... Real evidence in our own lives.... Evidence that allows us to understand the things we can't physically see....
Now.. This evidence may or may not make sense to people other than ourselves... But - it is the evidence that we need to figure out the "right" things.... Now - our first source of this evidence that gives us insight is The Scripture.... Our God is not a God of "Chaos" - He has ways, and those ways are consistent. Now... God's plan for you may be different than God's plan for me - but it is not a plan of Chaos... God will teach you how to discern the evidence proving His plans in your own life.
Notice how this is completely different from "Walking by Sight" - meaning doing the things which appear pleasing in our own eyes.... "Walking by sight" ignores the actual evidence of God's will and God's plan - and discards that evidence and proof because it doesn't coincide with what I want to do...
The first incident of this in the Bible is Eve... The Fruit was "Pleasing to her eyes".... Even though she had the evidence of God's will - the admonitions that this fruit was not for them to eat - she ignored this evidence because it contradicted what she wanted to do.... In her words - she "Forgot" the evidence proving God's will....
This is where it becomes so important in our own lives... To stop pining away "If God would only"... Well - the evidence is that God is NOT doing that - so move on. Don't keep standing on your own wishes - and then trying to transfer them to God... Quit "Walking by sight" - Observe what God IS doing and act accordingly.. Look for the actual evidence of God's hand... Observe where the Hand of God IS in your life and where it is not.... If you think you are supposed to do something - and it's obviously not working - ask God to prove it to you.. When God does prove it to you - continue on... KEEP working... Don't give up... Don't get discouraged...
Thanks
Last edited: