Words are somewhat subjective in their definitions, as the definitions are in some way related to the usage of the word rather than solely using the words origin. Etymology has become a rare hobby for most, and non-existent for more. Words are defined by both their origin, i.e. from Latin, Greek, Germanic, etc…But also in light of their usage in society at the time of printing. Because of this, language is dynamic.

Take for example the word ‘Gay’ in 1828 Webster defined the word as:

GAY, a.

1. Merry; airy; jovial; sportive; frolicksome. It denotes more life and animation than cheerful.

Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay.

2. Fine; showy; as a gay dress.

3. Inflamed or merry with liquor; intoxicated; a vulgar use of the word in America.

The only dictionary entry is as an adjective.

In 2019, Miriam-Webster holds somewhat to the adjective usage found in 1828, but has added a Noun usage, not found in use in 1828.

Gay:

: HOMOSEXUAL especially : a homosexual male Not only can words change over time, but words are also invented as well. For example the word ‘Racism’ is a new addition to English. Meriam-Webster defines ‘Racism’ as: rac·ism | \ ˈrā-ˌsi-zəm 1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race a belief thatis the primaryof human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 a : a doctrine or political program based on the assumption of racism and designed to execute its principles b : a political or social system founded on racism 3 : racial prejudice or discrimination racialor discrimination As to the history of the word Miriam-Webster has this to say: ‘Racism appears to be a word of recent origin, with no citations currently known that would suggest the word was in use prior to the early 20th century. But the fact that the word is fairly new does not prove that the concept of racism did not exist in the distant past.’ Understandably a book can be written about all the variances of these examples, there are a myriad of cases to be looked at that we won’t take the time herein to go over. This understanding of the dynamic nature of words and language does two things for us. First, it shows an author or speaker needs to be careful to choose the words of his script wisely to get the desired point across, and secondly, the hearer or reader needs to use context to determine the exact meaning the former is attempting to convey. God, the author of the KJV(the Bible), also defines the terms He uses throughout scripture by this rule of context. As an author, the Lord chooses the words He wants to convey truth to mankind as a reader, it’s our job to study (2 Tim 2:15) His words in their context to understand what it is the Lord is saying. With all of this in mind, we are going to look at ‘Faith’ to see how Atheists and The Lord define it. For example, Nick Harding in his book ‘How To Be A Good Atheist’ says this…’When backed into a corner the theist will then produce his trump card. The trump card is ‘faith’. By using the word ‘faith’, the theist is actually agreeing with the atheist. ‘You’re right, there is no evidence that proves my God exists.’ Faith is the last redoubt, the last rampart to hide behind. As there is no evidence for god, the atheist is told, often in a patronising tones, to accept the vacuous idea of faith, which is nothing more than wishful thinking. Faith is a desire, a hope that something might turn out to be true against all evidence to the contrary.’ How to be a good atheist, 2007 pg123-124. Nick then goes on to quote the self proclaimed agnostic Bertrand Russell on Faith as follows: ‘ We may define ‘faith’ as a firm belief in something for which there is no evidence. When there is evidence, no one speaks of ‘faith’. We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the Earth is round. We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion for evidence.’ How to be a good Atheist, 2007. Pg 124. Askatheists.com on What is Faith has a plethora of answers by proclaimed atheists on the definition of faith as ‘belief without evidence.’ The variety of sources show that this definition has permeated atheism as a whole. The problem is, when an atheist applies this definition to The Bible, and bible believers, he is misrepresenting the position of the bible believer, and it seems no one has stopped to study the Bibles definition, I have some guesses as to why but they are only guesses. Let’s look at two of the most widely used verses by atheists to propagate this twisted idea of ‘belief without evidence’. First, John 20:29-Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. The atheist uses this as a proof text for faith not having evidence because of the Lord’s statement ‘blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believe’ The Lord did not say ‘there is no evidence for my existence so if you believe without any evidence you’ll be blessed’…the statement is to Thomas who said…‘But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. Thomas rejects evidence of Jesus Christ resurrection, the testimony of his friends eyewitness accounts…we have seen the Lord…and claims he won’t believe unless he sees the Lord himself. So the Lord says to Thomas… seeing the Lord physically. After which the Lord says: not seeing Jesus Christ physically. …blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. The ‘not seen’ here is not blindly following Jesus Christ without any evidence, it is The second follows: Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: notice the ‘seeing’ is in context,After which the Lord says:

Hebrews 11:1-Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Here the scriptures define faith as ‘the substance of things hoped for.’ And ‘the evidence of things not seen’ when the atheist sees the two phrases ‘hoped for’ and ‘things not seen’ he takes that to mean that faith lives in a fantasy world, that somehow faith is a cop-out term that means you have no evidence for your belief and you cant quantify your belief. This is the furthest from the truth as we will see.

We will take the first part of the verse, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

The Lord, remember He is the author, and He is about to define the word for us, tells us that…Now faith is the substance of things hoped for… So to get the definition of faith we have to look at the whole phrase.

The 1828 Webster dictionary defines substance as ;

SUB’STANCE, n. [L. substantia, substo; sub and sto, to stand.]

1. In a general sense, being; something existing by itself; that which really is or exists; equally applicable to matter or spirit. Thus the soul of man is called an immaterial substance, a cogitative substance, a substance endued with thought. We say, a stone is a hard substance, tallow is a soft substance.

2. That which supports accidents.

That which subsists by itself is called substance; that which subsists in and by another, is called a mode or manner of being.

3. The essential part; the main or material part. In this epitome, we have the substance of the whole book.

This edition is the same in substance with the Latin.

4. Something real, not imaginary; something solid, not empty.

Heroic virtue did his actions guide,

And he the substance, not th’ appearance chose.

5. Body; corporeal nature or matter.

The qualities of plants are more various than those of animal substances.

6. Goods; estate; means of living. Job’s substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, &c. Job 1.

We are–exhausting our substance, but not for our own interest.

Notice the definitions numbered 1,3,and 4 so faith is the ‘being,’ or the ‘essential part,’ or ‘something real not imaginary’ of things hoped for, we see the Lord use this definition throughout scripture. The first mention of the word ‘substance’ in scripture is Gen 7:4-For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. Notice here the ‘being’ or ‘that which really exists’ being understood as the definition.

Next we need to look at ‘hoped’ or in the general sense ‘hope’

Hope:HOPE, n. [L. cupio.]

1. A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.

The hypocrite’s hope shall perish. Job.8.

He wish’ed, but not with hope–

Sweet hope! kind cheat!

He that lives upon hope, will die fasting.

2. Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God’s gracious promises; a scriptural sense.

A well founded scriptural hope,is, in our religion, the source of ineffable happiness.

3. That which gives hope; he or that which furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good. The hope of Israel is the Messiah.

The Lord will be the hope of his people. Joel 3.

4. An opinion or belief not amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence. The christian indulges a hope, that his sins are pardoned.

Notice the difference made between ‘hope’ and ‘wish’…’hope’ is used when something is obtainable yet you don’t have it, or can’t see it, notice the second definition showing the event tied to ‘hope’ is future, therefore is not seen or obtained in the present. But, notice the fourth definition, ‘hope’ is grounded on substantial evidence.

To illustrate:

Observe, a man sets his alarm at night because he hopes he will wake up. The hope is founded on the evidence that up until this point he has woken up, its a high possibility that he will wake up, but he’s not absolutely sure of that, he can’t see tomorrow and can’t obtain it the night before. Conversely, a man must wish that when he wakes up he will be a different person, in a different place, living a different life. The former is founded on evidence. The latter is not founded on evidence. No one goes to bed a fat american in debt and wakes up James Bond.

The Lord also defines hope as follows:

Proverbs 10:28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.

Proverbs is a book composed mostly of contrasting statements, notice how the Lord defined ‘hope’ for us. He switched the word ‘hope’ with the word ‘expectation’ for the contrast. So hope is an expectation…Webster agrees with the Lord here.

So you see that faith is not blind, but is the substance (The essential part; the main or material part.) of things hoped for (An opinion or belief not amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence.

We are getting closer to the definition of faith, there is only one more thing to consider and we will have the whole view.

Romans 8:24 says-

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Notice the wording, hope that is seen is not hope…the Lord adds to the definition of hope. The addition can easily be inferred by the definition in Webster’s with the use of ‘expectation’… That is, an expectation being unseen, or future..but the Lord doesn’t leave anything to private interpretation.

Hope isn’t seen yet.

There is absolute evidence for hope as illustrated before, but what the bible-believer is hoping in he hasn’t seen yet.

To illustrate, observe…

Hebrews 11:7-

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Noah hadn’t seen rain yet, but he acted by believing in something he hadn’t seen yet, and it came to pass.

Hebrews 11:8

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Abraham leaves Ur of the Chaldees, having never seen the land of Canaan.

Hebrews 11:27-

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Moses forsakes Egypt, having never seen God.

John 20:27-29

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Here the Lord gives the exact definition of scriptural faith. Notice He tells Thomas to …not be faithless, but believing, then look at the context, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Thomas believed because he saw, Jesus Christ then says ‘blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believe‘

Herein lies faith’s definition, remember that Thomas had perfect evidence (eyewitness testimony) to believe in the resurrection of Christ WITHOUT SEEING, but he refuses, and so the Lord reveals himself to Thomas but states that those who believe without seeing are blessed.

So, faith is defined as ‘belief in something/someone, with perfect evidence for believing, but you haven’t seen it, or obtained it, yet!’

Where the atheist ‘loses his shirt’ is he says faith has no evidence. That’s a blatant lie, and an ignorant position to take. But most do. Mankind though operates on this exact definition everyday without recognizing it, no one today has seen Benjamin Franklin, yet people believe he existed. No one has SEEN tomorrow, and yet man believes he will see it. No one has SEEN the common ancestor that man and ape-like animals supposedly diverged from. The evidence for similarities between man and ‘chimp’ (if you will) is there, and the bible has a perfectly logical explanation for it to be so, but nonetheless the evolutionist invents a common ancestor and the atheist believes it.

It is hypocrisy for the atheist to say that he does not operate in faith, because he does. The problem. The atheist placeshis faith in in the wrong person. For the atheist his faith is in his own power of reason. That misplaced faith will damn a man to hell.

Salvation from hell is freely given to any one who stops trusting themselves and recieves Jesus Christ by faith…

Acts 20:21

Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is easy for me to confess I operate in faith, and that my faith is in Jesus Christ, and his Bible, for the ‘just shall live by faith’.

For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance, he is about to conquer the highest peak; as he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.

Robert Jastrow, Astronomer, Agnostic.

I haven’t seen Jesus Christ yet, but based on the facts, I will one day soon. I haven’t seen heaven yet, but one day soon I will.

You’d better get ‘Faith’ right, you don’t have to end up in hell… Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners…Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures…but to as many as recieved him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe in his name…For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved…for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved…

Don’t go to hell. You don’t have to.

Recieve Jesus Christ before it’s too late.

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 14:6-

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.