The word faith has various uses; its central meaning is similar to "belief", "trust" or "confidence", "certainty", "sureness," but unlike these terms, "faith" tends to imply eclipsing or rising above the personal rather than an interpersonal relationship – with God. The object of faith can be a person (or even an inanimate object or state of affairs) or a proposition (or body of propositions, such as a religious credo). In each occurrence, though, faith is in an aspect of the object and cannot be logically or "scientifically" proven or known with impartiality. Faith can also be defined as accepting as true something which one has been told by someone who is believed to be trustworthy, honorable, principled and so forth. In its proper sense faith means trusting the word of another.
Faith under extreme adversity
The "world" considers that the righteous are not worthy to live in the world, and God declares the world is not worthy of them. Though the righteous and the worldlings widely differ in their judgment, they agree in this, it is not fit that good men should have their rest in this world. Therefore God receives them out of it. The apostle tells the Hebrews, that God had provided some better things for them, therefore they might be sure that he had the expectation that they provide some good as well. As our advantages, with the better things God has provided for us, are so much beyond their own, so should our obedience of faith, patience of hope, and labor of love, be preeminent. And unless we get true faith as these early church believers had, they will rise up to condemn us at the last day. Let us then pray continually for the increase of our faith, that we might imitate these shimmering examples, finding ourselves, along with them, unblemished in holiness and gladness, and shine like the Son, our King, who reigns at the right hand of God the Father for evermore.
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Why did God decide to save us through faith? (John Piper)
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