5. What is the Bible definition of faith? How would you explain this too someone you met in the street? Hebrews 11:1. (Read verse 3.)
NOTE: ‘‘Faith is expecting the word of God itself to do what that word says, and depending upon that word itself to do what the word says. When this is clearly discerned, it is perfectly easy to see how it is that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Since the word of God is imbued with creative power, and so is able to produce in every substance the thing which that word speaks; and since faith is the expectation that the word itself will do what the word says, and depending on “the word only” to do what that word says, it is plain enough that faith is the substance of things hoped for. Since the word of God is in itself creative, and so is able to produce and cause to appear what otherwise would never exist nor be seen; and since faith is expecting the word of God only to do just that thing, and depending upon “the word only” to do it, it is plain enough that faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” Thus it is that “through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” He who exercises faith knows that the word of God is creative, and that so it is able to produce the thing spoken. Therefore he can understand, not guess, that the worlds were produced, were caused to exist, by the word of God. He who exercises faith can understand that though before the word of God was spoken, neither the things which are now seen, nor the substances of which those things are composed, anywhere appeared, simply because they did not exist; yet when that word was spoken, the worlds were, simply because that word itself caused them to exist. This is the difference between the word of God and the word of man.’ A. T. Jones: Review & Herald, January 3, 1899.
6. How can we live faithfully day by day? Matthew 6:31-33.
Compiler’s note: The phrase translated “take no thought” in the King James Bible simply means: don’t worry, don’t be anxious.
NOTE: ‘“Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” (verses 30, 31). Much unnecessary care and anxiety is felt in regard to our future, concerning what we shall eat and drink and wherewithal we shall be clothed. The labour and worry of needless display in apparel causes much fatigue and unhappiness and shortens our lives. Our Saviour would not only have us discern the love of God displayed in the beautiful flowers about us, but He would have us learn from them lessons of simplicity and of perfect faith and confidence in our heavenly Father.’ In Heavenly Places, page 115.