Have you ever thought about things that seem to be at the same time two different things? Sometimes it seems that these properties can be the complete opposite of each other and yet define the thing as a whole. If sweet and sour pork comes to mind, I'm thinking of something a little different.
In physics, this property is called "duality." One very common example of this is light. According to physics, light behaves as a particle and a wave. It has momentum and energy but not mass. It can be affected by gravity and even exert pressure on a surface and yet has no mass.
I submit faith behaves like light. As said in Hebrews 11:1 -"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
How can something hoped for (not in hand or readily available) have substance? How can things not seen serve as evidence?
I submit that like light, faith operates in more than one manner. It has some seemingly contradictory properties. You see, faith behaves as a noun and a verb. It can be quantified and measured when there appears to be nothing else to support it. As a noun, it can serve as a "thing." But faith only becomes a thing when it behaves like a verb. In other words, when it takes on action. It has to be exercised or used in order to be quantified, measured, held or even felt. Like light, while it appears to have no mass, faith has momentum and can exert force. Just as light has no mass because it cannot be brought to rest (a very crude oversimplification -forgive me Professor Einstein), faith is not truly faith if it does not have actions to support it. Do you truly believe that a very wobbly chair will support your weight if when given the opportunity to sit on it you decline? Just saying that you believe something does not confirm your faith or give it substance. Only acting on it does. For this very same reason, the apostle James says' "faith without works is dead." It is the same reason the Bible records God saying, "Try Me." It is even the reason why we rely on science. We want to act on our faith, our belief, our disbelief. This duality of faith as a noun and a verb is true for scientists, laypersons, and clergy. It is the reason for all of our actions. To determine what one believes, simply look at their actions.
Sow What?
"But someone will say, "You have faith and I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds." -James 2:18