Upright Understanding

 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV

As rightly pointed out in St. Augustine’s definition of faith, ‘Faith is the first step to understanding; understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore, seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand’. Those who have ever acted contrary to the motivations of the heroes of faith have all demonstrated unstable understandings of their purposes in life, relationships, commitments, and engagements. Actions motivated by economic logic, social insecurity, political lineage, and emotional stability have always resulted in disobedience to the counsel of God. Therefore, it has always been by faith that obedient children of God understand why they were led into relationships, commitments, and engagement; and not by first unraveling the sense behind the relationships, commitments, and engagement. Whenever God reveals His words into the hearts of His children, the performances of those words are already settled in heaven. Who else on earth can thereafter alter the divine revelation? Unfortunately, revelations and declarations of unstable political, economic, and social systems of this world have always threatened to unsettle the upright convictions of saints in the words of God; and that’s simply because of the lack of faith in God.