What is faith?

Sometimes faith may simply be trusting God and that He knows what He's doing (even if we're not sure) .

cliff hanley said:

Q. Can we be sure of "what we expect and want to happen"?

What if you’re not sure? Is it not faith?

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Correct.
Expect - The next thing in a series is what you expect.
Desire - want to happen

Faith = the next thing comming is the series
is not an accident and it is desirable.

If your not sure, then it's serendipity,
or a happy accident, or the odds are 50/50 or better.

Faith is the confidence that your odds are 100%
in your favor in the long run.

I think of it as a divine knowledge

cliff hanley said:

What is faith? I've looked in the bible but most of those that mention faith that I've come across refer to acting in faith rather than explaining what it is. For now I'm looking at;

Hebrews 11;1. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Q. Can we be sure of what we hope for? Is hope not uncertain by definition?

Hope. Adjective; expect and want something to happen (origin; old English)

So...Now faith is being sure of what we expect and want to happen...

Q. Can we be sure of "what we expect and want to happen"?

What if you’re not sure? Is it not faith?

Hope in Greek; elpida

Q. What language were the epistles written in? I've heard that most scholars believe Koine (common) Greek; some believe Hebrew and Aramaic?

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“Now faith is the substance [hypostasis] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

“[Jesus] Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his [God's] person (substance/hypostasis) .....” (Hebrews 1:3)

Jesus was the express image of God's substance (hypostasis) just as faith is the substance (hypostasis) of things to come.

It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that is in itself evidence of what it represents as existing.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” (Galatians 5:22)

A common example would be if you pray for a need. And the Holy Spirit develops faith in your heart, you know your answer or provision is on its way. Faith represents it and enables you to believe God is providing it.

cliff hanley said:

What is faith? I've looked in the bible but most of those that mention faith that I've come across refer to acting in faith rather than explaining what it is. For now I'm looking at;

Hebrews 11;1. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Q. Can we be sure of what we hope for? Is hope not uncertain by definition?

Hope. Adjective; expect and want something to happen (origin; old English)

So...Now faith is being sure of what we expect and want to happen...

Q. Can we be sure of "what we expect and want to happen"?

What if you’re not sure? Is it not faith?

Hope in Greek; elpida

Q. What language were the epistles written in? I've heard that most scholars believe Koine (common) Greek; some believe Hebrew and Aramaic?

Click to expand...

For me, faith is believing when all things around you say not to. Can you imagine Abraham standing over his son with knife raised and yet still believing in the One who said kill? Or Noah building a huge ship with no way to get it to water yet still believing in the One who said build it? Faith is believing in when all things in this world says don't.

I think it is trusting in God. Paul gives a good example of faith when he talks about how Abraham was justified by faith in that he trusted in God's promise to make him a father of many nations even though he would not see it. (Romans 4:16-25)

So faith in Christ, in the salvation sense, is trusting in His promise to safe us from our sins. Faith is not belief that God exists, it is the trust you put in Him over things that cannot be seen.

cliff hanley said:

What is faith? I've looked in the bible but most of those that mention faith that I've come across refer to acting in faith rather than explaining what it is. For now I'm looking at;

Hebrews 11;1. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Q. Can we be sure of what we hope for? Is hope not uncertain by definition?

Hope. Adjective; expect and want something to happen (origin; old English)

So...Now faith is being sure of what we expect and want to happen...

Q. Can we be sure of "what we expect and want to happen"?

Click to expand...

If I confidently step on to the wooden deck outside my house, I have faith in it's integrity to support my weight and hope (expect and want) that it will do so.

If I have doubts about it's integrity then I will demonstrate my lack of faith in it by stepping carefully and looking carefully. At that point my hope founders. I want it to be safe but I am no longer expecting it to be so.

What if you’re not sure? Is it not faith?

Click to expand...

Jesus regularly admonished His disciples for lack of faith. They were so uncertain and scared.

It seems that real active faith that the Bible speaks of is hard to come by.

Faith is Fides/Pistis; which is both trust in, and faithfulness/fidelity to, something.

cliff hanley said:

What is faith? I've looked in the bible but most of those that mention faith that I've come across refer to acting in faith rather than explaining what it is. For now I'm looking at;

Hebrews 11;1. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Q. Can we be sure of what we hope for? Is hope not uncertain by definition?

Hope. Adjective; expect and want something to happen (origin; old English)

So...Now faith is being sure of what we expect and want to happen...

Q. Can we be sure of "what we expect and want to happen"?

What if you’re not sure? Is it not faith?

Hope in Greek; elpida

Q. What language were the epistles written in? I've heard that most scholars believe Koine (common) Greek; some believe Hebrew and Aramaic?

Click to expand...

Those who trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins have "Faith"

I believe the Bible teaches that "Faith" is a gift from God, because it would be extremely difficult to convince ourselves put our lives and trust in Him unless He gives us the Faith to do so.

None of us would decide to surrender our will and our lives to God, unless He first draws us to Himself. We were all born sinners, so we wouldn't naturally go to the light as it would exposes our sins.

I believe the bible also teaches that we only come to Faith when God regenerates our hearts and causes us to seek Him, then His Holy spirit transforms us to eventually become Christ like.

cliff hanley said:

Can we be sure of what we hope for? Is hope not uncertain by definition?

Click to expand...

Yes, anticipating any yet future event is, by definition, not certain. The future cannot be known with certainty except via belief, which is not certainty but, well..., it's belief.

I would agree with Dan1988 by adding the following:

Faith comes from God. We don't seek God. God chooses us, God does the Saving and God gives us the Faith to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, and to believe in what Jesus did on the cross. And not just that Jesus died on the cross, but "How" he died. Jesus died by shedding His Blood for an atonement for our sins. When God gives us the Faith to believe in how Jesus died then we understand how we are saved. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that Jesus died ONLY ONCE, a bloody death, shedding His Blood for all our sins, was buried and that Jesus rose again the third day and ascended to Heaven where He is now seateth on the right hand of God. Jesus only had to die ONCE to pay for all our sins, forever. FAITH is believing in the saving Blood of Jesus Christ. There is no other way to Heaven but through the Blood of Jesus Christ. That is why Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." - John 14:6 (King James Version)

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (King James Version) - This is the True Gospel:
1. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Ephesians 2:8-9 (King James Version):
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Romans10:17 (King James Version):
17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 3:25 (King James Version):
25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

God Bless You All and we trust in the Blood of Jesus Christ to get to Heaven!
To God Be The GLORY!! - Amen