What is the definition of faith given in this teaching?
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as taking God at His Word: it is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence, the proof, of things unseen. It operates in the spiritual realm, where things cannot be tangibly touched, and must rest on God's Word, aligning with hope regarding the invisible.
Les explains that faith and hope share the same meaning in this context, so being saved by hope does not contradict being saved by faith. In Romans 8, Paul says hope that is seen is not hope, and when we enter the invisible realm, faith is what we depend on. Turning to Hebrews 11:1, Les defines faith as taking God at His Word—the substance or very meat of things hoped for, and the evidence or proof of things unseen. Since these spiritual realities cannot be tangibly touched, they must be accepted on the basis of faith. He also notes that if he did not know this was the Word of God, he could not believe it.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.