THE BIBLE DEFINITION OF FAITH.
People say, “What is faith?” Now the Bible definition of faith is perhaps as good as any one that we know of. We are told in Hebrews xi., “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Now faith is—what? The substance, or, as you have it in the margin, “ground” or “confidence.” In other words, faith is dependence upon the veracity of another. Why, all business is carried on on this principle of faith. Let men lose confidence one in another, and see how quick business could cease here in London. Let men withdraw their confidence, and see what would take place in the commercial world to-morrow. It was faith that brought you here. If you had not faith to believe that there would be a meeting in this hall, you would not have come. Somebody said there are three things about faith—knowledge, assent, and laying hold, and it is the last clause that is safe. Not the knowledge. A great many people say, “I believe Christ is able to save.” They give their assent, and say, “I believe” but that does not save. It is the last clause, the laying hold, that saves, and that is what we want to press upon you.
Faith has an outward look, not an inward one. Hundreds of people spend time in looking at their own hearts, but