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Hebrews 11:1
Faith and Hope
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
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Why it is worth knowing
- Faith is not wishful thinking: it is confident assurance
- “Things hoped for” points to future realities already certain in God’s plan
- “Things not seen”: faith operates where sight cannot reach
- This definition launches Hebrews 11, the great hall of faith
Where it sits: Hebrews 11:1-6
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. For by this, the elders obtained approval. By faith we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
Hear the passage it sits in, sung word for word, on BibleDo's Hebrews page.
Background
Hebrews 11 is known as the “Faith Hall of Fame”: a panoramic survey of Old Testament figures who lived by faith before seeing the fulfillment of God’s promises. The chapter opens with this definition: faith is not blind hope but substantive conviction. The Greek word for “assurance” (hypostasis) is the same word used for the foundation of a building. Faith is the load-bearing structure on which Christian life rests.