The Salvation Process-Faith

Hebrews 11:1 KJV says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." That word substance in the greek can be translated to mean confidence. So with that translation, "Now faith is the confidence of thing hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." If faith is the confidence of what we hope for, then to the degree that we hope is the degree that we will have faith. If we have little hope, then we will have little faith. But if we have great hope, then we'll have great faith. We can't even operate in faith until we first hope.

Faith is the confidence of what we hope for and we can only hope for what God has provided for us by grace. Hope is the ability to envision with our heart God's plan coming to pass in our life. It is the ability to look beyond our present natural circumstances and see with our heart God's promises taking place in our life. Romans 8:24-25 KJV says, "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

God calls His people to live a lifestyle of faith. Hebrews 10:38 KJV says, "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." When we live our lives by faith it is pleasing to God. God is not pleased when we draw back from a life of faith unto a life of self-dependent and trusting in our on wisdom. Hebrew 11:6 KJV says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Those who diligently seek God and follow Him by faith will be rewarded. Jesus told His disciples that had forsaken everything to follow Him that they would be rewarded not only in this life, but also in the next life. Mark 10:29-30 KJV says, "And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall

receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters and

mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life."