Faith perceives the universe was created by the word of God, to the extent of what is seen, comes into existence not coming into existence from that visible.Hebrews 11:3
This is the nature of faith, it perceives things that exist but are not seen with the natural eye. Perceive means to understand, see with insight, reflect. This kind of seeing and understanding does not come through the natural but is given to us in knowledge of Christ. If someone doesn't believe the earth was created then this person does not possess faith as only by faith do we see the things that are unseen. Faith perceives the existence of things unseen.
Now, faith exists assurance, hope, conviction of things not seen. For in this, those past give evidence.Hebrews 11:1
The things that exist are created by the word of God. The word of God is Jesus who existed in the beginning with God, who was God, and who created all things that were ever created.* Think about this, in Jesus, the one who created the earth and all things in the beginning, in Him we are made alive, a new creation. "You exist of Him in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God, both, righteousness and sanctification and redemption"* Jesus exists the first fruit of a new creation, and he existed in the beginning. Faith perceives that the universe was created by Him, the word of God and that we are a new creation in Him.
fix your eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who on account of the joy before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame...Hebrews 12:3
The word fix means to fix one's eyes, to view with undivided attention, by looking away from every other object. Jesus is the author and he is also the perfecter which means he perfects, matures, completes.* We first beheld the Son, considered his words, and when believing we took hold of a measure of faith. When we continue to fix our eyes on Jesus faith is added to us, thus we are perfected in faith. Jesus as an earthly man saw ahead into things unseen, and he disregarded the shame of dying on a cross so that we might be saved. This is what Christ died for, saying it is finished, so that we may have and be complete in fullness of Life. It is through faith we obtain the end goal, of Life.
Faithfully Abel offered to God an acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through whom obtained, existing righteous.Hebrws 11:4
By faith we obtain righteousness, and righteousness is through faith according to grace, so that we do not boast. Jesus is the author of faith, and believing is the work of God, thus our part is to labor for food that endures unto Life. What kind of food gives life and increases faith? Faith is obtained through the words of Christ, he is the Word of Life, and his words exist Eternal Life, as all things are created through his words. So the food that we labor for, the treasure that we seek, ask, and knock for is the living bread, bread from heaven, the words of Christ which is food that endures into Life. Abel foresaw by faith into things unseen by the visible eye, that God would give his Son, a spotless lamb, and he showed in his act of giving, a spotless lamb, that he believed God.
Faithfully Abraham obeyed, called to go out to a place, he was about receiving an inheritance, he set out not knowing where he was going.Hebrews 11:8
This word for obeyed, means to obey, be obedient; to answer (the door); to give ear; to listen. There is a connection between faith and obedience, "without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one approaching God must believe the one seeing exists and rewards those who seek him."* By faith we can approach and see God, and we perceive also that he created the universe. Seeing is believing and through faith we see the things unseen and believe. We seek to have and increase faith, it is like laboring for heavenly food that endures unto Life, which is not like working for earthly food that we see with the visible eye and which perishes. What did Abraham really see?
And the scriptures foreseeing that God would justify the nations by faith, preached the good news beforehand to Abraham, saying in you all nations are blessed in respect of the One.Galatians 3:8
Paul writes the gospel was preached to Abraham beforehand as scriptures foresaw that through the Seed, Christ, all nations would be justified in Christ. Abraham saw into these things, that the inheritance would come through the One, the Son given as a sacrifice, and Abraham believed the good news and was counted righteous. Faith perceives, it gives ear, it listens, it answers the door, it is obedient. By faith we see God and know he created all things, and we have testimony of blood, we perceive He gave his Son whose blood justifies us and cleanses us from all sin, and so we perceive peace with God. We also perceive that all nations and all peoples through faith will be blessed in Christ.
Faithfully Enoch was transported, the one not seeing death and not found on account of God transporting him, for before transporting, given evidence pleasing to God.Hebrews 11:5
This word for given evidence also means to bear testimony in confirmation, to declare distinctly and formally. How was Enoch's life a testimony to God? We know it is impossible to please God without faith and we are justified by faith. Faith produces works but we are not justified by works, righteousness is by faith according to grace. So it was not what Enoch did that gave evidence pleasing to God it was what he looked into, saw, and believed. As did Noah, "faithfully Noah received revelation concerning things unseen, aggressively laid hold of and built an ark, to the extent of saving his household,"* Noah took hold of faith, possessed it and was saved. Jesus came to save the world so the one who believes, who takes hold, he will be saved. The one who believes not will not be saved. "And this exists the one his commandment that we believe the name, the one His Son Christ and love one another..."* The word name means name; title, the name of the author of a commission. The Father placed his seal on Christ, therefore he was commissioned for our salvation, he exists the author of faith and salvation so we must believe, come into existence through Him.
Now, to the one laboring his wages are not credited as a gift, but towards an obligation. But the one not working and now putting trust upon the one justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.Romans 4:4-5
If obedience to the Law justified man, it would be something earned not credited as a gift. The promise God gave Abraham was before the covenant of circumcision and the Mosaic Law, it was a promise of inheritance based upon it being a gift, thus according to grace. Abraham put trust in the one who justifies, this is the faith of Abraham. This word for putting trust means to believe, put one's trust in, with an implication that actions based on that trust may follow; (pass.) entrust. There is a mental persuasion of putting trust in something, thus faith has the root word of persuasion. Putting trust in God doesn't happen over night, this is why we see the scriptures say God proves he is faithful and trustworthy.* "God is faithful, the one through whom called, to the extent of fellowship, the one his Son, Jesus Christ, the one our Lord."*
For if Abraham was justified by works having something to boast about (but not before God) for what does the scriptures say? yea, Abraham believed God and it was counted to him to the extent of righteousness.Romans 4:2-3
Abraham believed God, he put his trust in God, with the implication as Paul writes God rewards those who diligently seek him. What does God reward when we put our trust in Him? he rewards us with faith, we see into things not seen, thus we have assurance, hope, and conviction that these things are true. To have and increase faith we fix our eyes on Jesus, the word of God, the author and perfecter of faith. There is a proving of faith, which brings us forth into maturity, renews the mind, in which we the see importance of enduring. Testing or the proving of our faith is not through temptation, God doesn't tempt us, this is a scheme of the devil to try to choke out the word which increases faith. This is of the faith of Abraham, he did not turn back because of unbelief but was strengthened in faith until he became fully convinced.* The devil seeks to choke out the seedling so press on child of God, fix your eyes not on things seen but things unseen, and be strengthened in faith. Read the words of Jesus, until you are fully convinced, fully trusting in God, coming into existence completed, perfected, a mature child of God.
... they acknowledge the promise, existing aliens and sojourners to the extent of the land, for the one who speaks of this kind, communicating, seeing that they seek a heavenly country, also to be mindful of its departure, which going forth would not have opportunity to return.Hebrews 11:13-15
God told Abraham to go to this land, but Abraham's faith was not based upon a promise of earthly blessing. Abraham foresaw through faith a heavenly country. Abraham was mindful of this so that going forth he would not find it suitable to return to his homeland. The faith of Abraham acknowledges that this world is not our home, we are like foreigners, ambassadors, strangers residing in a country not our own. To be focused on the earthly gives opportunity to turn back, but those of the faith of Abraham are not ones who turn back, we believe in a promise much better, taking hold of the promise coming through Christ. By faith we see and acknowledge the promise, coming into existence a new creation, partakers of the promise. We are mindful of these things, not looking back, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Faith perceives the existence of things unseen.
Jesus I Believe