Faith is “belief” or “trust”, using the same word in the New Testament language, Greek, where faith is explained so well. Faith means counting on and anticipating that wind will drive the sails of a vessel at sea—without first demanding an academic journal to document every molecule. Wind has enough evidence to prove its own existence and nature. So, any seaworthy sailor has “faith” in the wind.
The wind won’t always be there, but knowing this is also part of the sailor’s faith in the wind—knowing the wind’s behavior, its strength, and our ability to harness it.
Trust, faith, belief—choose your word to express the same idea: There is a point where the self-evident become too obvious to ignore. One can always cast doubt, but arguing past the point of “reasonable doubt” is known in legislatures as a “filibuster” and in the courts as “exhaustion”. Faith does not cross this line because it knows when the truth has proven its own case.
Justice and fairness and “righteousness”—choose your word to express the same idea—require faith in order to thrive. The “righteous” and fair people live my faith; they must—it’s the Law. Faith itself is an act of justice toward God, recognizing His goodness, presence, redemption, governance, benevolence, and His Laws that govern our existence and continued safety.
To live a life of happiness and strength one must recognize the Laws of life, but we can only acknowledged and accepted these Laws through some level of faith. Believing that the Bible’s evidential value requires faith rather than filibuster with unreasonable doubt.
Living by faith carries a sense of risk, but accepting risk merely accepts the truth that risk exists everywhere. One can die while “safely” at home. The safest place is the place God calls us to, so go, live, and thrive.
This is faith—when we need God and have no other hope, falling into His hands, being fully dependent on Him as a bird’s flight depends on the wind beneath its wings. The greatest and most satisfying level of faith continuously trusts in God and His Laws more than the empirical evidence before our senses. Life is faith.
Genesis 15:6, John 20:30-31, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38-11:40