Sunday, 1/18/2026

Faith Defined

Hebrews 11 is an exposition of faith.

Hebrews 11 was written to strengthen believers in the face of

unrelenting pressure.

Hebrews deals with two questions: What faith is and what faith does.

Heb 11:1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the

conviction of things not seen.”

Faith is an Assurance and a Conviction

Faith is a firm persuasion in the mind and in the heart. It is a steady

confidence, a joyful anticipation.

Hebrews 3:14 “For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold

our original confidence firm to the end.”

Doubt is what questions. Faith is what believes.

Mark 9:20–24 “And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit

saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground

and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21  And Jesus asked his father,

“How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From

childhood. 22  And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to

destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and

help us.” 23  And Jesus said to him, “ ‘If you can’! All things are possible

for one who believes.” 24  Immediately the father of the child cried out

and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Faith relates to things ‘hoped for’ and ‘not seen’

Things “hoped for” are things that we do not yet possess.

Redeemed bodies

A sinless church

A perfect world

Faith trusts what God has promised. Faith rests on the promises of

God.

Commands are to be obeyed. Promises are to be believed.

Things not seen

Things not seen are things that do exist. They are present realities.

They are already in place, though we cannot see them.

Christ is exalted at the right hand of the Father.

All who are in Christ are forgiven, loved and destined for glory.

Right now God is in sovereign control of all that happens in your life

and all that happens in the world.

God works in all things for the good of those who love Him.

Faith believes what God has revealed.

Heb 11:3 “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the

word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are

visible.”

The creation is one of those things that was “not seen.”

Faith believes what God has revealed.

Rom 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of

Christ.”

God has spoken, and that is why faith is possible.

Faith is not a capacity that some people are born with.

Faith involves personal trust based on compelling evidence.

God reveals Himself and then invites us to examine the evidence.

John 20:31 “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the

Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his

name.

Faith will enable you to endure under unrelenting pressure

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not

seen

Faith believes what God has revealed and trusts what God has

promised.

You must run with endurance the race that is set before you (12:2).

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Remember all that He endured, and

think about the glory that right now is His, and one day will be yours

(12:2).