What is faith?

Hebrews 11:1 says in the New King James, “​¹ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” The English Standard Version says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

“Substance” (NKJ) and “assurance” (ESV) translate the Greek word “hupostasis” which is difficult to translate its meaning. “Evidence” (NKJ) and “conviction” (ESV) translate the Greek word “elegchos,” that means “reproof” or “proof” or “bring to light.”

It could be that the NKJ is looking at faith objectively, that is, describing it as an object or thing, while the ESV, and most other translations, is describing faith subjectively, that is, how it is experienced, or how it feels.

I think the NKJ is probably more accurate in its translation, but the ESV is probably easier to understand.  

Faith is that ability or capacity in us to have assurance or be sure about something we have imperfect or incomplete knowledge about or something that is promised or potential but not yet fulfilled. We can see that faith in others by their confidence towards that which is not seen or unfulfilled.

Words like “assurance,” “conviction,” “confidence,” and “trust,” are synonyms for “faith” and “belief.” Another word that means the same as faith or belief is “persuaded,” though it is a different Greek word. We see this in its contrast with “disbelieved”: “²³ So when they [the Jewish leaders at Rome] had appointed him [Apostle Paul] a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved." Acts 28:23-24   To be persuaded is to believe.

“Faith” and “belief” mean the same thing, but the Greek word “pistis” is translated as “faith” 239 times in the New Testament. “Trust” translates a different Greek word, and only appears a few times in the New Testament, but it is often used by people as a synonym for faith. The word “trust” has a little different meaning as it tends to speak of an ongoing dependence, and though we need to have such a dependence on God, the word “faith” works better when it comes to initial salvation, because we are saved when we first have faith in Christ, not because we have to continue to trust in him until the end of our lives before we are really saved. Salvation happens at a point in time. Yet we do trust in God to complete what he has begun in saving us, for salvation will be complete at the coming of Christ and the resurrection when we receive our new bodies.

Faith summary for 1/30/25