# What Is Faith? What The Bible Really Means (Hebrews 11:1) - Canonical: https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/what-is-faith - Author: Daniel Ziedins (https://www.iamreborn.net/about-daniel-ziedins) - Published: 2026-10-20 - Reading time: 4 minutes ## Short answer In the Bible, faith is trust in God — “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). It isn't blind, a feeling, positive thinking or the absence of doubt; it is relying on a God who has shown Himself trustworthy, above all in raising Jesus from the dead. Even small faith in a great God is powerful (Matthew 17:20). We are saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8), genuine faith shows itself in action (James 2:17), and it grows through hearing God's Word (Romans 10:17), obedience, trials and community. “Just have faith.” People say it at funerals, in hospital waiting rooms and on motivational posters. Usually they mean something like optimism — believing things will work out. But that's not what the Bible means by faith at all. Biblical faith isn't a positive attitude or a leap in the dark. It's trust in a Person who has shown Himself trustworthy. Here's what it is, why it matters so much, and how it grows. > Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. > > — Hebrews 11:1 ## What faith is Hebrews 11:1 uses two strong words. **Assurance** — a solid foundation you can stand on. **Conviction** — being persuaded that something is true even though you can't yet see it. Faith is confidence about what God has promised and about realities you can't see with your eyes. At its heart, faith is **trust**. Not just believing that God exists — even demons believe that (James 2:19) — but relying on Him. It's the difference between believing a chair would hold you and actually sitting down. ## What faith is not - **Not blind.** Faith rests on evidence — God's character, His promises and what He has done in history, above all the resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:14–17). - **Not a feeling.** You can feel nothing and still trust God. Faith is where you put your weight, not how you feel about it. - **Not positive thinking.** Faith isn't believing hard enough to make something happen. It's trusting God to do what He has promised, in His way and time. - **Not the absence of doubt.** “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) is a prayer Jesus answered. ## The object matters more than the size Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains (Matthew 17:20). The point isn't that you need huge faith. It's that even tiny faith in a great God is powerful. Strong faith in thin ice will still drop you in the lake; weak faith in thick ice will hold. What saves and sustains you is not the strength of your faith but the strength of the One you trust. > It isn't the size of your faith that saves you. It's the size of the One your faith is in. ## Why faith matters so much > And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. > > — Hebrews 11:6 - **It's how you're saved.** “By grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Faith is the empty hand that receives the gift. (See [What Is Grace?](https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/what-is-grace)) - **It's how you relate to God.** You can't draw near to someone you don't trust. - **It's how you live.** “We walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) — decisions, risks and obedience grounded in what God has said. ## Real faith shows up in life > So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. > > — James 2:17 James isn't saying you earn salvation by works — Paul makes clear you don't. He's saying genuine faith is never just an idea in your head. It changes how you live. Hebrews 11 is full of people whose faith _did_ something: Noah built, Abraham went, Moses left Egypt. Faith acts on what God says. ## How faith grows 1. **Hear God's Word.** “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The more you know God's promises, the more you have to trust ([start with The First 30 Days](https://www.iamreborn.net/first-30-days)). 2. **Remember what He's done.** Israel built memorials so they wouldn't forget (Joshua 4). Write down answered prayers and God's faithfulness. 3. **Obey in small things.** Faith grows by being used. Take the next step God shows you, even when you can't see the whole path. 4. **Walk through trials with Him.** “The testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:3). Faith that has been tested becomes faith you can lean on. 5. **Stay with other believers.** Others' faith strengthens yours when yours is weak. 6. **Ask for it.** The disciples prayed, “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5). So can you. **Faith, in short** - **Faith is trust** — assurance of what God promised, conviction of what's unseen (Hebrews 11:1). - **Not blind, not a feeling,** not positive thinking, not the absence of doubt. - **The object matters most** — mustard-seed faith in a great God (Matthew 17:20). - **It saves** (Ephesians 2:8) and **it acts** (James 2:17). - **It grows** through the Word, remembering, obedience, trials, community and prayer. [Put your faith in Jesus today](https://www.iamreborn.net/born-again) — The good news, a prayer, and your first steps. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the biblical definition of faith? Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” At its heart faith is trust — relying on God and His promises, not merely believing that He exists. ### Is faith blind? No. Biblical faith rests on God's character, His promises and what He has done in history, especially the resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:14–17). It trusts what God has shown, even when we can't see everything. ### What does faith without works is dead mean? James 2:17 teaches that real faith always shows up in how we live. We are not saved by works, but genuine saving faith produces obedience and love. ### How can I grow my faith? Read and hear God's Word (Romans 10:17), remember His faithfulness, obey in small steps, walk through trials with Him (James 1:3), stay close to other believers, and ask God to increase your faith (Luke 17:5). --- From the Reborn Journal at I AM REBORN — https://www.iamreborn.net/blog/what-is-faith