In Hebrews 11:1, faith is described: "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Faith is being sure and certain of something without any tangible evidence outside of the Word of God.

Abraham is the great pioneer of faith. It is said of him that  "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3).

God promised Abraham a son. Abraham was getting old and had a barren wife. The years progressed, and Abraham saw no progress, not even a hint that God would keep His promise. Abraham persisted in faith. Romans 4:18 says of Abraham, "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed." Faith is being sure and certain of something because God promised it, without any other evidence.

The Bible speaks of another man who exercised faith out of a chasm of negative circumstances. This man was a criminal, a condemned man. He was incarcerated at the time when Jesus Christ was arrested and condemned to die.

We do not know the man's name; we don't know where he was from. We do know that he had committed some crime against society and, consequently, was scheduled to be executed on a cross.

Three men were crucified that day. They were comrades in tragic circumstances. Nothing bound them together except that they were to die together in a horrendous public spectacle.

We don't know how much this criminal knew about his companion in death, but we can be fairly certain that he had heard of Jesus and the uproar caused by His teaching, and the diabolical scheme of the Jewish leaders to destroy Jesus.

The soldiers did their duty quickly and efficiently. Three men were suspended on crosses, placed next to each other, with Jesus in the middle. The two companions in death with Jesus heard the mocking crowd, saw the mourning women, and witnessed the darkness in the middle of the day.

Something sparked in the heart of the one criminal. It was faith. There was no evident reason for it. How could this Jesus be King and Savior when He, too, was dying like a common criminal?

The other criminal remained rebellious to the end. He joined the crowd in mocking Jesus (Luke 23:39).

The criminal who was exercising faith in the most difficult and hopeless circumstances possible spoke up and, by his words, joined a unique group of people who could be called faith warriors. This criminal rebuked the mocking criminal, declaring that the death penalty they had received was just and they were getting what they deserved, but that this man Jesus was absolutely innocent. Faith was talking; faith was declaring surety and certainty in the face of nothing tangible to be believed in, except for the words of Jesus.

The criminal owned saving faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God when he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). That was enough. Jesus said it was a done deal, stating, "Today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43).

That criminal exercised classic faith. Out of nothing tangible except for the words of God, he believed, and won the day.

Got faith?