Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

   - Hebrews 11.1

From earthly things lift up your heart’s eyes; love the most loving host of angels; blessed family which dwells on high, where the old does not groan nor the infant cry, where of God’s praise no voice is restrained, where there is no hunger, where there is never thirst, where on celestial food the heavenly folk are fed, where none dies because none is born...

   - Columbanus, Poem on the World’s Impermanence, Irish, 7th century

Faith is of two parts. The first is that with which we are most familiar. It consists of those “hoped for” things that we read about in God’s Word – forgiveness of sin, heaven, eternal life, a dwelling-place with God forever.

When we truly believe, we have a measure of “the assurance of things hoped for”, an inward sense of confirmation and wellbeing that we describe as “hope.”

But this inward assurance of hoped-for blessings is only half of faith. Another way to say this is, if your faith consists only of this assurance – that your sins are forgiven and you are going to heaven when you die – you do not yet have a full faith, a true saving and sanctifying faith.

For faith is also the “conviction of things not seen.” The Greek says, literally, “the evidence” of things not seen. Faith shows itself true in evidence, evidence based on unseen things. What are those unseen things?

Columbanus suggests some, but, of course, there is much, much more. More important, what does it mean to show “evidence” of unseen things? We can’t see angels, but apparently true faith consists in practicing the existence of angels in some way. We can’t see Christ enthroned at the Father’s right hand, but true faith consists in practicing that exalted presence as far as it requires.

To what extent do you feel confident your faith is more than mere assurance of things hoped for, but goes on to the daily, vital practice of things not seen? Living only half of faith is like seeing with only one eye. We see truly, perhaps, but certainly not fully, not as well as we might if both perspectives of sight were engaged.

If you’re living only half of faith, dear friend, you don’t know what you’re missing.

Psalm 99.1, 2, 9 (Sine Nomine: “For All the Saints”)
The Lord is King! Let all the peoples quake!
He rules above the angels; let earth shake!
Amid His people Jesus Christ is great –
Exalt the Savior! Exalt the Savior!

Lord, as You are praised and worshiped and served by angels and saints in heaven, so may I join with them my own life, to praise and worship and serve you this day. Adapted from Colum Cille, “Altus Prosator”

For a free, five-lesson study on The Landscape of Unseen Things, send T. M. an email requesting it. Suitable for personal or group use.

T. M. Moore, Principal
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