Living By Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. -Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

We hear this verse quoted a lot, now what is it that is the "things hoped for" or the "conviction of things not seen"?

Yes, there are a whole lot and many of us might know them by heart but there are crucial few things which we must know and one of these crucial things is to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to die to reconcile those who would believe in Him to God.

He is also our Lord and Saviour, Lord first then Saviour.

Paul condensed one of these "things hoped for" in Romans 1:1-5.

Can we say that we will continue to live in faith when we are under persecution? Note that in greek, faith (pistis) and faithful (pistos) are almost synonymous, so to live in faith is to be faithful, not only when times are easy but especially when times are tough.

Why?

Matthew Henry in his commentary of Hebrews 10, said that those who are in natural states are in darkness and Satan (and the world) has no problem with those in darkness, it is only those that are in the light and truly born again that will suffer persecution.

These trials show where our faith is placed in, whether they are placed in our circumstances or in God, who tells us that our longsuffering will have great reward. (Hebrews 10:36)