What is Faith?

A brother posted greetings this morning and writes, “Please help to answer the following question: What is faith?” What a powerful question that involves so many things! Faith is a word that we use almost every day, but perhaps we use it in so many settings that it can lose a little of its impact. The little distinctions that exist  in its usage can get lost. Let’s see if we can sort through the ideas and strengthen our understanding.

When we share a religious heritage or culture, we generally think of the word faith in a religious setting. The writer of Hebrews even defines faith for us as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). Inside a religious setting, faith is a strong belief in God which is a necessary part of a salvation process. A non-believer often sees religious faith as belief in something when there is no evidence. Since God cannot be physically seen and examined, faith must mean believing in things that cannot be seen.

But a reasoned understanding of faith touches on so much more. Let’s look at faith both in and out of a religious setting.

We All Have Faith or Expectations

Faith is the expectation that a promise (either verbally stated or implied) will be kept. Everyone places “faith” in things each day. When I walk into a room and flip on a light switch, I have faith that the light bulb will turn on and that light will illuminate the room. If I sit in a chair, I have faith that the chair will hold my weight. When I board an airplane, I have faith in many things at once – that the engineers knew how to get something that weighs so much to propel through the air in a manner that will safely get passengers from one place to another; that the pilot and other workers know their jobs and are capable of performing the tasks involved in flying a plane effectively and efficiently; and I also place some faith in the other passengers’ behavior and conduct while flying.

When the promises come from a person, the definition of faith takes on a connotation of loyalty to the person, and to the person’s ability to keep the promises. “The public lost faith in the company’s president.” We are afraid the president can no longer keep promises to fulfill the job. “Susan acted in good faith.” Susan functioned based on her observations and what she expected would happen as a result.

An interesting thing to notice is that our expectations that the promises will be kept almost always affects our behavior. If I didn’t believe the chair would support my weight, I would be foolish to sit in it – wouldn’t I? I behave, not because I have actually weighed 100% of the evidence, but because my observations have occurred often enough that I have confidence or trust that something will occur. I sit in the chair because most of the time, the chair does not collapse.

Faith in Things Not Seen

Sometimes the promises that we believe in are concepts not physical entities. “The searchers had faith they would find survivors in the rubble.” When a couple get married, they have faith that their union will bring them happiness and fulfillment. When the couple promises to be faithful to each other, the vow for faithfulness is larger than just physical intimacy. Emotions, support, confidence and protection are a part of the pledge of faith.

Some of the things not seen are bigger issues than what we can completely comprehend. Why am I (personally) here? How did people (collectively) come to exist? How did the universe come into being? None of us were physically present when that happened, so we all form the answer to that question by faith. I can choose to place my faith in the observations of other people (who also were not present when it happened).

Observations

Many of those people are much smarter than I and they follow a method of observation known as the “scientific method.” The scientific method usually works when observing something that is physically present. Maybe I can place trust in the scientific method to make correct observations about a past event. There are a few scientific explanations for the beginning of the universe that we usually identify as evolution. I can place my faith in that explanation.

I can, however, place my faith in a different observation. Personalities that are present in the part of the universe that I can see make me wonder how personalities came into being. I choose to explain their presence by a beginning that springs from an intelligent, creative personality. I can place my faith in the beginnings of the universe from an intelligent designer, rather than from a random process of the combination of random elements. Many choose to call that Intelligent Designer, God.

Keeping the Faith

In the religious community, the word faith is also used to describe the set of things you believe about the Ultimate Promise Keeper. This set of beliefs are a part of the doctrines of your religion. The beliefs have guidelines and boundaries. Understanding them and adhering to them is a part of the salvation process – becoming right with God. Faith becomes the collective word for the total package of your convictions.

The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Faith is the understanding of those beliefs. It is the trust that those beliefs are correct. But ultimately, just like in every day life, faith is the expectation that promises will be kept. Faith in God believes that God will keep His promises.

Understanding Certainty and Proof

As we conclude these preliminary thoughts about faith, it is important that we think for a moment about how we reach certainty. What level of proof am I willing to accept? Let’s say that you have $1 to invest or spend.

Guarantee

You go into a store and there is a box of popcorn sitting on the shelf. The cost of the popcorn is $1. You can take your $1 and buy a box of popcorn. The purchase is 100% guarantee. If you spend the $1 you will receive the popcorn. Some things can be given with a 100% guarantee.

But most things do not come with such a guarantee. If I told you that if you invest $1 dollar, I can give you a 95% chance that you will will $5 dollars, would you make the investment? If you have the $1 to risk, you might consider that a good investment. It does not give you a 100% guarantee, but it has a very high rate of probability.

Probability

If instead the chance of getting the $5 on a $1 investment was only 5% instead of 95%, would you take such a chance? Again several factors would affect your decision.

Some things can be measured or observed through the scientific method, but somethings cannot. Did George Washington throw a coin across the Potomac River? None of us were present, so none of us “know” with 100% certainty. We do not expect such certainty with matters of history. Was Shakespeare a great author? It depends upon how I define both “great” and “author.” Once define, I have to make judgments about how his works meet the criteria. Again it is not measured in terms of 100% certainty.

Does God exist? I cannot know with 100% certainty because I am not God. How good are the chances that He exists? I examine the evidence through my observations, and I determine there is a 95% chance that He exists. Faith is not the 5% chance that I cannot see. Faith weighs the entire situation and says “I believe in what I cannot see because of my trust in what I can see.”

I hope this helps a bit. Blessings on your day.