“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1).
Some years ago, right after the Lord called me into the ministry, I began to teach that faith has a time. In other words, there is a time when faith is faith, and there is a time when faith is not faith.
So, I taught that the word “now” in Hebrews 11:1 meant a time.
Then, one day I was teaching in a certain place, and a lady wrote me a very nice letter full of fire. In essence, she told me I was off in my teaching, because I did not realize that the word now is not in the original Greek text.
Well, I am a person who changes. I do not have a problem with changing if I find out I have been wrong. I will change instantaneously; it does not matter what anybody thinks about it—I intend to be right.
So I began to search it out to find out if she was right or if I was right. If I was wrong, I was going to change.
Sure enough, she was right. Now is not in the Greek text. It is not a time indicator in that verse. It really functions as a conjunction to connect the last verse of chapter 10 to the first verse of chapter 11.
A better translation would be “therefore” or “but.” It could read like this: “But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them who believe to the saving of the soul. [Therefore] faith is the substance of things hoped for” (Heb. 10:39; 11:1).
So I had to figure out what was going on. I knew that time was involved with faith. And I knew that this was where most people were missing it with faith.
If you do not understand that there is a time to faith, you cannot really walk in faith. You can spell it, and you can say it, but you will not walk in it until you find out about the time of faith.
I took another look at Hebrews 11:1 and said, “All right, if I drop the word ‘now,’ capitalize the ‘F’ and make faith the first word of the sentence, then it would read like this: ‘Faith is…’ Wait a minute…’Faith is?'”
Then I saw it! The word “is” is a present tense verb. It could say “Faith was,” and it could say “Faith will be,” but no: it says, “Faith is.“
When it says “Faith is,” it means right now—present tense. So I was back in the game, and I said, “OK, I will teach it this way. I can still prove it by the Word of God. Faith is.”
I kept meditating on the verse and said, “Well, let me add a little something here. Let me play with the English a little. I could say it like this, ‘Faith is now.’ Or I could say ‘Faith is.’ Or I could say ‘Now faith is.'”
I am back to square one. Faith is present tense. If it is not present tense, it is not faith!
Excerpt permission granted by Faith One Publishing
Apostle Frederick K.C. Price is the founder of Crenshaw Christian Center (CCC) in Los Angeles, California. He began CCC in 1973 and shepherded it into a ministry of world renown, with services held in the 10,000-seat FaithDome.
In 1978, Apostle Price received instruction from God to begin a television broadcast and, as a result, Ever Increasing Faith Ministries (EIFM) began broadcasting in five major television markets. Thus, the television broadcast soon after became global.
EIFM can be viewed on many television stations in all 50 states and in many foreign countries. Apostle Price is also heard on numerous radio programs and 19 Internet broadcast stations. Additionally, he can be seen on most social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and others. In 1990, Apostle Price founded the Fellowship of Inner-City Word of Faith Ministries (FICWFM), which later became the Fellowship of International Christian Word of Faith Ministries before disbanding in 2017. And in 2001, he established an East Coast church, Crenshaw Christian Center East.
A visionary and prolific author, Apostle Price is the author of some 50 books on faith, healing, prosperity, and the Holy Spirit. How Faith Works is a classic on the operation of faith and its life-changing principles.
Although he had already operated in the fivefold ministry gift of apostle, in 2008 Apostle Price was publicly affirmed as an apostle of faith. Under the mantle of the teaching gift, Apostle Price established several schools for ministry and formal education at CCC. Among them are Frederick K.C. Price III Christian Schools (preschool to 12th grade); the Ministry Training Institute in 1985; a CCC Correspondence School; the Frederick K.C. Price School of the Bible; and in 2008, the Apostle Price Ministry Training Center. Over the years, Apostle Price has received many prestigious awards, most notably the Horatio Alger Award and the Kelly Miller Smith Interfaith Award.
A year after his affirmation and after more than 35 years of service, Apostle Price stepped aside as pastor to formally install his son, Frederick K. Price Jr., as his successor. For years he served as the presiding prelate of both CCC West and CCC East and as the chairman of CCC’s board of directors. Having retired from his position as pastor and all other official duties, he restricts much of his travel.
A devout husband, Apostle Price has been married to Dr. Betty Price for 67 years. They are the proud parents of four children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.