Moroni begins his discourse on faith with a definition of that term: "Faith is things," that is, a strong, firm, belief that things exist even though they cannot be seen. He says, "Things which are hoped for and not seen." The Apostle Paul (Hebrews 11:1) defines faith as the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The word substance means that which stands under, or the underlying reality of things. It is that which sustains the qualities by which matter becomes perceptible to us. For instance, here is an object. We examine it. We find that it has a certain weight, and a peculiar color; that it is impervious to the action of most acids; that it amalgamates readily with mercury, and that, for practical purposes it forms valuable alloys with silver, or copper, etc., we call it gold. Another object, with a different combination of qualities, we call silver; another copper, etc. That which sustains these qualities is the substance.
What substance is in the material world, faith is in the spiritual world. It is the very foundation of hope, and also of other qualities essential to the Christian character, namely love, humility, peace, joy, benevolence, etc. Faith is one of the conditions of Salvation, and the Apostle after having quoted Habakkuk 2:4, "The just shall live by his faith," gives the foregoing explanation of just what faith is. The two definitions of both Moroni and St. Paul are essentially the same, that in the Book of Ether being more concise.
By faith, we may assure ourselves of the existence of that, which, to our ordinary sight, is not seen. It is the power through which unseen things are made real.
Theologians say that there is an historical faith that accepts as facts the records concerning Christ, or for that matter, any of the great men who have had outstanding characteristics portrayed in any of the annals of mankind. But there is also a saving faith which is entirely different. This is implicit trust and confidence in the divine work of the Redeemer, with a complete surrender to His will and obedience to His commandments. The word trust as we use it here is fully exemplified by reading the sixth and seventh verses of Chapter 7, Book of Alma: "I trust ... that ye look forward ... with an everlasting faith..." Trust means "confidence in the integrity or acts of another"; the assured reliance on their moral soundness; the assured anticipation of something. That is the hope, based on a perfect faith that saves from all evil. It is the faith which as Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, was made in the likeness of man, causes the man of faith to grow into the likeness of Christ. (Philippians 2:7-9)
Faith has also a third important meaning. The Apostle Paul writes (Galatians 3:24-26): "Before faith came we were kept in ward under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So that the Law hath been our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For we are all sons of God, by faith in Christ Jesus." Here the Apostle contrasts law and faith. Law is the Law of Moses, or the Mosaic Dispensation, which was the schoolmaster with authority until faith, that is, the Dispensation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ came.
Moroni makes the same distinction in verse 11 in this Chapter, when he says: "But in the gift of His Son hath God prepared a more excellent way," than the Law of Moses.
No witnesses until after trial. Moroni adds this memorable truth, that faith must stand trial before it witnesses to the truthfulness or falsity of a thing hoped for. Or as we call it, a testimony is obtained, which brings absolute and lasting certainty. "Wherefore," he says, "dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."