If we were to conduct a little pop-quiz today, how would you complete this sentence:

Faith is_____________________.

There are, for sure, many words that believers in Christ might legitimately fit into that space. And if this exercise were to include those outside of the Church, the number of likely answers grows even larger!

But what we discover in Hebrews 11:1 is the Teacher’s answer key.

In this verse of Holy Scripture, the inspired author of the Epistle tells us that “ faith” in God is “ the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” So the correct answer to the test, at least as far as this verse goes, is “ assurance” and “ conviction.”

But this answer leaves us a bit puzzled. Assurance of what? Conviction about what? And how are these words related to the “ things hoped for”? And, furthermore, what are these “ things” that are “ not seen” anyway?

Well, it looks as if we’ve got our work cut out for us this coming Lord’s Day as we prayerfully consider these words of Scripture. As we study this passage, the Lord will enroll us in the ‘School of Faith’! And our very first task of the day will be to discover what this most essential word really means.