What does Hebrews 11:1 mean by 'faith is the substance of things hoped for'?
Faith is the very substance, core, and epitome of things hoped for, and it is the evidence of things not seen—realities that cannot be touched or seen. The invisible can be comprehended only by faith, by taking God at His Word.
Les teaches that Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the substance, the very core and epitome of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things not seen—things you cannot touch or see. The only way to comprehend these invisible realities is by faith. He connects this to verse 2, where by faith the elders, the Old Testament saints, obtained a good report. In verse 3, through faith—by taking God at His Word and being settled on it—we understand that the worlds and universe were framed by the Word of God, so things seen were not made of things that appear. Les emphasizes that we are dealing with the invisible, and faith is the only means of comprehending it.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.