Faith

Outside the church the word "Faith" is used in two main ways. In one way it has the same meaning as "hope". In another way it is used as a reference to a religion. Neither of these matches the meaning we have in the church where "Faith" is so deep a belief in something that we are convinced of the reality of it as though we did actually see it. Hebrews 11:1 says:

Now faith is the conviction concerning those things that are in hope, as if it were these things in action, and the revelation of those things that are unseen

From this we see that faith is not just hope, but conviction (confidence, certainty) on top of hope.

In the church there is only one person in whom we can have that faith - God. This faith is not just a belief in the mind that he exists, but a belief in our core, our heart, in everything about him. Not just that he exists but that he is all that matters.

As a result of our faith in him we also have faith in everything he has said. Having faith that everything he said was true and knowing that he set a standard of conduct for us, our faith leads us to obedience.