Truth really can be stranger than fiction.
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La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.
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Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.
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Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.
Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?
The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!
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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried
Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.
Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6
Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.
Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!
The Biblical Definition Of Real Faith In God
The eleventh chapter of the New Testament book of Hebrews is dedicated in its entirety to all believers in Jesus who are willing to fight the good fight of faith in God. Such a fight can be lost without a clear understanding of just what it means to truly have faith in God. The scripture of Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as, "...the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." What does that mean?
The word substance is defined as being reality and solidity (The American Century Dictionary). A thing that is hoped for, obviously, is absent from the natural and physical life of the one who hopes for it. How then can a non-existent thing be made reality? The Bible teaches that things that aren't real are made real by the believer giving them substance. How does a believer give this kind of substance and reality? He "creates" substance by performing the works of faith that are associated with and lead to the believer's hope becoming reality. Works are physical, tangible actions that a believer performs before his hope is made reality. The thing hoped for is invisible, inaudible and intangible, but the works of faith are always visible, audible and tangible. These are the qualities that give non-existent things substance. James 2:17-18 says, "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone. Yea, a man may say, 'Thou hast faith, and I have works. Shew me they faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works'".
Consideration of real life examples is needed to fully comprehend the spiritual truths surrounding the subject of faith in God. This is why the eleventh chapter of Hebrews enumerates so many real life examples of the works of faith. Verse 7 says, "By faith Noah...prepared an ark to the saving of his house." Noah's work of faith was the physical building of a visible, tangible ark before the arrival of what was still invisible, inaudible and intangible--his and his family's salvation from the cataclysmic flood. Verse seventeen says, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried (tested), offered up Isaac...." Abraham's work of faith was his physical, visible and tangible preparation for the real sacrifice of Isaac. The fact that God halted Abraham from following through to the performance of a sacrifice takes nothing away from this man's willingness to offer Isaac. Verse twenty-nine says, "By faith they (Israel) passed through the Red sea as by dry land which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned." The work of faith of the children of Israel was their visible and physical passage on dry land across a sea while the Promised Land which they hoped to possess was still invisible and not yet reality for them. This did not prevent them from taking physical steps towards it. All of these people gave substance and reality to their faith by their works. The serious Bible student who desires true faith in God may study the entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews which gives many more examples and sums it all up with verse thirty-two that says the writer wouldn't have the time it would require to go on and on citing examples of great victories obtained by faith.
Another real life and modern example helps comprehension. If a person who lives in California hopes to take a vacation in New York, he can put substance to his hope by physical preparation for his trip. If he's going to drive, he gets his car in top shape. If he's going to fly, take the train or bus, he purchases tickets. He packs bags, buys travel books and envisions the fun and relaxation he have once there. These are all physical, visible, tangible and audible things that he does. It is these things that put substance to his faith that he'll visit New York, a place his natural eyes can't yet see. If he doesn't believe he'll ever see New York, there's no need to take any physical action to bring a false hope to reality.
The scripture also defined faith as, "...the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Evidence is defined as being available facts, circumstances, validity, statements, information and something admissible as testimony in a court of law (The American Century Dictionary). How can a thing that's not seen be an available fact, valid, true, a circumstance, or anything admissible as testimony in a court of law? Simply put, how can the eyes see what's truly not there? It must be remembered that the fact that the physical eye can't see invisible things doesn't incapacitate the spiritual eyes from seeing them. The mind has eyes also. These eyes can see things that aren't seen by the physical ones. The scripture of Ephesians 1:18 speaks of the eyes of one's understanding. Understanding takes place in the mind, in the soul. If there was no such thing as a "mind's eye", man wouldn't have an imagination.
Abraham and Sarah died physically before their natural eyes could see the host of natural and spiritual descendants given to them by God (Genesis 15:3-6, 17:15-16). This was a hope that was to be realized many years into the future, outside of their natural life span. Nevertheless, the same truths were at work. Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and all of the others that hoped with them, "Died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off (in their minds), and were persuaded of them, and embraced them..." (Hebrews 11:13).
Each individual believer in Christ Jesus must employ common sense and also seek the Lord to know what works of faith he is to do to put substance to his hopes if they are in agreement with the will of God. He must do the same to be able to view things hoped for with the eyes of his mind.
Bibliography
King James Version of The Holy Bible. Iowa Falls: World Bible, Inc.,
"Substance." The American Century Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1997. Print.
"Evidence." The American Century Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1997. Print.
© 2009 Heavenly Manna Ministries
Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.
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