NOW FAITH IS

“NOW FAITH IS the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” – Hebrews 11:1

One of the fundamental principles of Faith is embedded in the phrase, “NOW, FAITH IS”: “NOW FAITH IS the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony” (Heb.11: 1-2). This scripture not only defines WHAT FAITH IS, it infers that FAITH IS a PRESENT TENSE reality. Moffat’s translation of the New Testament simplifies this truth: “Now faith means that we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see” (v.1).

FAITH is the ASSURANCE, CONVICTION or SUBSTANCE of things hoped for – things desired. Substance implies something tangible; something of practical value or significance. Faith is the Substance of Hope: FAITH + things HOPED for = SUBSTANCE. Faith gives substance to things hope for. Faith goes beyond simply hoping that we’ll receive. Faith substantiates Hope!

HOPE means Desire. Faith is the dynamic bridge between our hopes – dreams, desires, visions – and their manifestation. Hope is necessary, but it remains incomplete and unproductive without Faith, and can actually get discouraged and frustrated: “HOPE deferred makes the heart sick, but when the DESIRE comes, it is a tree of life” (Pro.13:12). Faith enables the desire to come! Desires may be godly or evil; and any desire that we cannot sincerely ask from God in prayer, has no place in Faith: “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ASK when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mk.11:24). The King James version uses the word, “desire” in place of “ask.” Faith gives substance and tangibility to desires – to Hope.

FAITH is the EVIDENCE – Certainty and Conviction – of things not seen; things not yet received. Evidence speaks of the proof of existence and reality of something. Faith is Evidence of the Unseen: FAITH + Things UNSEEN = EVIDENCE. Faith is the conviction of receiving things yet to be seen. The world says, “Seeing is believing.” Faith says “BELIEVING is SEEING”: “Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have SEEN Me, you have BELIEVED. Blessed are those who have NOT SEEN and yet HAVE BELIEVED” (Jh.20:29). 2 Corinthians 4:18 describes the practice of Faith: “While we do not look at the things which are SEEN, but at the things which are NOT SEEN. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Verse 3 of our Meditation text says, “By Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are SEEN were not made of things which are visible.” Faith is not about wishing or hoping, but about BELIEVING NOW. Faith lays hold of the unrealities of hope and brings them into the realm of reality. “NOW FAITH IS” – not “WILL BE” tomorrow or in the imaginary future. If it is not NOW, it is not FAITH! What matters is what I BELIEVE NOW, irrespective of what I am sensing.

Hope is always future tense; pointing to the future. But Faith is Now! If our believing is not present tense, it’s not Faith. Mark 11:24, says, “When you pray, believe that you receive”! The believing is WHEN we pray. We don’t receive from God through HOPING, but by Faith – really BELIEVING. We cannot substitute Hope for Faith and get answers from God. This principle is true concerning Baptism of the Holy Spirit, divine healing, finances, or any answer to prayer. We cannot just wish or hope that God hears us or that we’ll receive. Our believing must be Now! Moreover, yesterday’s record of faith is never as important as our present state of Faith.