“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
This verse is not a definition of “faith”, but more of a description of what faith does. “Confidence” is a Greek term that describes something substantive, meaning essence or reality. Faith treats things hoped for as reality.
If anyone is looking for a distinction between faith and hope, we say that the object of hope is a future event, but that faith is concerned with future and present things. Faith receives the forgiveness of sins offered in God’s promise in the present.
“Assurance” means proof or conviction. Faith itself proves that what is unseen is real, such as a believer’s rewards at the return of Christ.
Luther put it this way, “Faith does not insist on knowing the reason for God’s actions, but it still regards God as the greatest goodness and mercy. Faith holds to that against and beyond all reason, sense, and experience, when everything appears to be wrath and injustice.”
God’s blessings on your day…