Your Answer:  Assured Conviction

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"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:1  (NAS)

Assurance of Things Hoped For:

When a Christian prays for wisdom, he or she must ask in faith, not doubting.  If and when our faith matures, we will gain this assurance that God is faithful and just to deliver on His promises:

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind."  James 1:5-6  (NAS)

But the required faith comes from hearing the word of Christ.

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Romans 10:17 (NAS)

In this example in James 1:5-6, God promises to give wisdom if we ask Him for it in faith, without doubting.  Since faith comes from hearing the word of Christ...if we never read the Bible, will we ever develop faith? 

If we don't ask in faith for God to give us wisdom...will He still give it?  If, after reading the words of Christ, we ask Him for faith...and doubt...will He still give it?

As you can see, we need to play an active part in the faith process.

Walking by Faith...or by Sight?

When a person refuses to believe something they have not seen, then they are trying to walk by sight.  For example, a person may refuse to believe that Alexander the Great lived in history...because they cannot see him or have never seen him.

Similarly, a person that refuses to believe in God and Jesus for the same reason...they are also walking by sight.  Until Jesus comes again, we will not see Jesus physically:

"Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--for we walk by faith, not by sight..."  
2 Corinthians 5:6-7 (NAS)

Even though Jesus right now is not seen; by faith, we have the "conviction of things not seen."

By Faith The Men of Old Gained Approval:

The writer of Hebrews goes on to say in verse 2:

"For by it (faith) the men of old gained approval."   Hebrews 11:2  (NAS)

Let's look further at these examples of the men of old...

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Question 10

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