Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Bible Commentary:

Hebrews 11:1 is a popular Bible verse in the New Testament that teaches us what faith really is. To put it simply, faith is believing in something you don’t see with your human eyes.

If that concept is completely foreign to you, begin by looking at something you can see—a flower, for example. Look at every detail of that flower, the stem, leaves and the petals. Consider for a moment the part of the flower you can’t see—the roots. After all, if there were no roots, the flower wouldn’t exist.

Let’s look at Hebrews 11:1 again. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

The flower is evidence that the roots are there, though you don’t see them from the surface. Like the flower, there is evidence that God exists. Even though we don’t see Him with our human eyes, we see His work.

Evidence of God

Something as simple as a flower is evidence that God exists. The beauty of nature cannot deny a Supreme, loving God Who created it. In His knowledge and awareness of every detail in our lives, God speaks and responds to us through His written Word.

If you’re confused and struggling with what to believe, go directly to the Source and ask God to confirm to you that He is real and that the Bible is His Word, and to show you in a way that you can clearly understand.

Maybe you have already done that. If not, He eagerly waits for us to seek Him. We can talk to God like He is a Person Who really hears us and understands. Begin reading the Psalms or some verses from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John in the New Testament.

Then expect a response. That is faith.

Recognition of God

As you begin to recognize God communicating to you—to your personal situation and life experiences—your faith begins to grow because God becomes real to you personally.

You begin to believe that not only does He know and care about every detail in your life, but He loves you deeply. As the dialogue increases between you and God, a relationship develops—a personal relationship, a friendship.

Yes, you can have a close, personal relationship with God Himself, just like you have a close relationship with your spouse or your best friend.

As your relationship with Him grows, your faith increases. And where there is faith, there are miracles.

Unlocking the Truth by Faith

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

The Bible talks about many, many rewards for believing and obeying God. Yet at the very root of obedience is believing Him—faith.

He asks us to trust Him and follow Him, but it is very difficult to do either of those if we don’t first decide to believe Him. It’s pointless to do a laundry list of good acts to please Him, if we don’t believe what He says.

The first leap of faith is the most critical–to believe that Jesus is the Son of God and died on the cross for our sins (Plan of Salvation). The only way you can know for sure if the Bible is true is by seeking the truth yourself.

Dive into God’s Word, and commune with Him from the depth of your own heart, and rejoice as you see His heart answer yours. Study the Bible verse of Hebrews 11:1 and embark on an adventurous journey of faith with Christ.