Conviction
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
Conviction – Take a trip with me to Washington, D.C. Walk down the cherry blossom pathway. To the left you see the Jefferson Memorial. Ahead is the Washington monument. Over there is the Capitol dome. What do these building signify? They are demonstrations of the principles of our way of life. Yes, they are made of stone and steel. But they inspire us because they are physical representations of our freedoms. I point to them and say, “You see, these buildings are symbols of our freedom.”
This is the sense of elenchos, the Greek word translated “conviction”. It is more accurately translated “demonstration” because it tells us that God has chosen to reveal tangible pointers toward the invisible reality. Faith is observing this demonstration and resting securely on what it means. Faith is not my subjective inner persuasion to believe. It is God’s outer tangible demonstration of His invisible realm.
So, what is this tangible demonstration that confirms God’s invisible realm as a present reality? Where are the buildings and monuments that I can point to and say, “These demonstrate the hidden reality of God?”
The first one is on a hill outside Jerusalem. The cross is a tangible demonstration of God’s hidden reality. The second one is nearby in a garden. The empty tomb is a life-altering symbol of God’s invisible rule. The third one is the book you hold in your hands when you read this verse. God’s word is a physical demonstration of His invisible kingdom. Now you can add your own examples of elenchos. Every time God shows demonstrates His reality in this world, He provides us convincing proof of what is invisible but real. This pattern of demonstration has been going on for a long time. Do you remember the story about the rainbow?
This verse tells us something incredibly important. Faith is not something I create in my heart. Faith is what God is doing in the world. It is His display of the basis of true reality and His demonstration of the symbols that point to that reality. Faith is God at work. It is His good news. And I am called to agree with what He is showing me and live accordingly.
Are you one of God’s demonstrations of His invisible reality? Could I point to your life and say, “You see, there’s tangible proof of God’s reign”?
