WHAT IS FAITH?

Do you REALLY know what faith is? If someone asked you what faith is, no doubt you would spout Hebrews 11:1 without thinking: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Come on, now. What do you mean by "substance?" And what kind of "evidence" are you referring to? Would a new Christian or an unbeliever understand your explanation?

Did you know there are actually two kinds of faith? "Wait a minute," some of you are saying. "You're definitely going off the deep end now!" Don't be too sure about that. You know, you can have a head faith, or an intellectual faith in God and His Word just as you have faith that the chair you're about to sit down in will hold you. But that intellectual faith will not save you. Many non-Christians believe there is a God Who created the world, and even them; but that doesn't make them Christians.

The second kind of faith is the Hebrews 11:1 type of faith, or heart faith. To be effective, faith must get from the brain to the heart! It must become Divine assurance -- PRIOR to the actual fact. Doesn't make sense, does it? Let me give you one of the best definitions of faith I've ever run across, a definition that is easily understood. Actually, it's an illustration.

I write a bimonthly newsletter for the Prime Timers (Senior Citizens) at our church. In each issue I feature one of our members as "Prime Timer of the Month." The current issue is about Mary, an elderly widow for over ten years. Her husband strayed from his early Christian teaching, and Mary prayed for years that he would give his heart to the Lord. One time she fasted for twelve days for his salvation. So certain was she that God had heard her prayer that time that she told the people at church that evening, "My husband is going to get saved tonight." Her friends were skeptical and told her she was crazy. But God had given Mary such a positive assurance that she insisted, "There's not a doubt in my mind. Clyde will be saved tonight," and he wasn't even in church that evening.

Church proceeded as usual. But just as they were dismissing, the back door opened, Clyde walked in, threw down his coat, hit the altar and gave his heart to the Lord. He stayed true until he passed away years later.

And that, my friends, is what I call faith -- positive assurance!

What kind of faith do you have -- intellectual faith or the positive assurance of heart faith?

Preacher's Kid