Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval.

                                                                                                                 Hebrews 11:1-2 

The second of the godly attributes that Peter mentions is faith. The word “faith” and the word “believe” come from the same root word in the original language of the New Testament. That’s important because when we speak of having faith or believing, we are usually speaking of the very same thing. To have faith is to believe and to believe is to have faith. This idea is expressed in the New Testament approximately 450 times. That’s almost twice as much as the word love. Faith means to trust but it’s the object of that trust that matters most. As Christians, we fully place our faith and trust in the Person of Jesus Christ. To place our trust in anyone or anything else would be misguided. Faith is something that the unsaved world does not understand. Apart from Christ, we are limited to our five senses. But when we come to personally know Jesus, we are given spiritual eyes, allowing us to see and discern things that we were previously unable to comprehend. This truth is revealed throughout scripture. Consider the following:

 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

                                                                                                       1 Corinthians 1:18

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.                                                                                   

                                                                                                            1 Corinthians 2:14

Faith is assurance. God wants us to live in the full assurance that He is there and that He will protect us, provide for us, and guide our daily lives. However, this assurance is not limited to living this life alone. Assurance in Jesus goes beyond the grave and into eternity. Those who belong to Jesus not only live abundant lives here on earth but also enjoy the hope of eternal life with Him forever. This is why we should be diligent to seek after and pursue the things of God over and above the things of this world. Sinners who admit their need, call on God for salvation, and embrace the cross as fully sufficient to bring about this result will be saved. Righteousness comes to those who believe and salvation comes to those who confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10). This is the faith that brings assurance.

Faith is conviction. This means that the believer has all of the evidence and proof that they need to know that the things not seen are indeed realities. This conviction can be thought of as spiritual confidence. To have the conviction of things unseen is to have confidence. God wants us to live in the confidence that is found in Him. Our confidence is not in ourselves but it is in the understanding that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). As believers, our confidence is in the One “who is able to do far beyond all that we can ask for or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). This is the faith that brings conviction.

Faith is how we gain God’s approval. Instead of exhausting ourselves in trying to be “better people”, we can relax and trust that God has provided everything we need for this life and the next in Jesus. Our salvation comes through faith (John 3:18). Our righteousness comes through faith (Romans 4:5). Our ability to please God comes through faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is an essential part of authentic worship, effective prayer, genuine fellowship, and the sharing of the gospel. Faith in Jesus is what drives and fuels the life of the born again believer in Jesus Christ.

Today, tell God how much you trust and love Him, then live out your day in assurance, conviction, and the approval of God!