Faith!<\/p>\n
Scripture tells us we must have faith in God:<\/p>\n
We could cite hundreds of other examples.<\/p>\n
But Scripture also tells us of those who have some sort of faith but are not<\/em> saved. Jacob recently preached from Acts 8, which tells of a magician named Simon who believed and was baptized. But he then tries to buy from the apostles the ability to give Holy Spirit through laying on hands. Peter tells him, \u201cYou have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God\u201d (Acts 8:21).<\/p>\n So what is true, biblical faith? What\u2019s the difference between the ineffective faith of Simon and the effective faith of Abram?<\/p>\n Hebrews 11 is sometimes called \u201cFaith\u2019s Hall of Fame.\u201d The author considers numerous characters from biblical history, again and again stating what they do \u201cby faith.\u201d So let\u2019s learn about faith from this great chapter.<\/p>\n What is Faith in Hebrews 11? <\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Let\u2019s begin by noting three ways our culture uses the word \u201cfaith\u201d that differ from the way the word is used in this chapter.<\/p>\n First: Our culture uses \u201cfaith\u201d as a synonym for \u201creligion.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n We today speak of the \u201cJewish faith\u201d or the \u201cChristian faith\u201d or the \u201cMuslim faith.\u201d But Hebrews 11 is not telling us that Abel and Abraham and Moses did these acts \u201cby religion.\u201d<\/p>\n Second: Our culture uses \u201cfaith\u201d to mean a personal, subjective commitment.<\/em><\/p>\n We call someone a \u201cperson of faith,\u201d and we speak of \u201cfaith-based organizations.\u201d We\u2019ll encourage someone: \u201cHave faith!\u201d<\/p>\n When we use the word in this way, the object of faith is seemingly unimportant. Rather, the commitment itself is what is vital.<\/p>\n Faith in this sense is never commended in Scripture. <\/em>Rather: God<\/em> is commended, Jesus<\/em> is commended, and the true<\/em> object of our faith is emphasized<\/em>.<\/p>\n So Peter at Pentecost says the apostles are eyewitnesses<\/em> of the risen Jesus (Acts 2:32); Paul writes, \u201cIf in Christ we have hope in this life only [which would be the case if we benefit solely by subjective commitment], we are of all people most to be pitied\u201d (1 Corinthians 15:19).<\/p>\n Third: In some Christian circles, \u201cfaith\u201d has become a synonym for <\/em>\u201cprofession of faith.\u201d<\/p>\n As if Paul had written, \u201cBy grace you are saved through profession of faith.\u201d<\/p>\n But as noted above, in Acts 8 Simon professes faith and is baptized \u2013 but is not saved. Similarly, Jesus Himself says, \u201cNot everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven\u201d (Matthew 7:21).<\/p>\n \u201cFaith\u201d in Hebrews 11 does not mean \u201creligion,\u201d does not mean a personal, subjective commitment, and does not mean simply \u201cprofession of faith.\u201d<\/p>\n Before turning to the chapter, however, we also must note that Hebrews uses the word \u201cfaith\u201d a bit differently from the apostle Paul. Paul emphasizes faith in Jesus as the Redeemer \u2013 the One Who died as a sacrifice for sins, whom God raised from the dead. Even when Paul speaks of an Old Testament character like Abraham, he emphasizes faith being credited to him as righteousness, based on the work of the promised Redeemer. Hebrews 11, on the other hand, describes Old Testament men and women who had faith \u2013 some of whom knew almost nothing about the coming Redeemer.<\/p>\n So the word \u201cfaith\u201d is used in a broader sense in Hebrews: These believers all grasp the reality of what God has promised and hold onto that reality in the midst of distractions, temptations, and lengthy delays in the fulfillment of those promises.<\/p>\n With that understanding, consider Hebrews 11:1: \u201cNow faith is the reality<\/em> of what is hoped for, the proof<\/em> of what is not seen\u201d (CSB, emphasis added).<\/p>\n The author emphasizes faith is based on a reality. <\/em>Faith is based on objective truth. <\/em>Thus, the \u201chope\u201d is not a wish or desire, but a certain expectation based on God\u2019s revelation. God reveals who He is, what He is like. He displays that in history. And He makes promises about the future consistent with that revealed character. Faith takes that revelation, those promises \u2013 and enables us to hold on to them as certain, as real, as true.<\/p>\n Let me emphasize that again: Faith is not trying to convince yourself of something that is doubtful. Rather, faith is you grasping what is really true <\/em>and holding on to it. Others may not see that reality – but you know it by faith, you trust the Revealer, the One Who promises.<\/p>\n Let me use a trivial analogy to clarify the point.<\/p>\n Do you see a figure when you look at a full moon?<\/p>\n Some see nothing but dark blobs on a light background. But commonly in our culture people see the face of a man looking down, the \u201cman in the moon.\u201d In East Africa, people instead see the entire body of rabbit.<\/p>\n When at age 20 I taught school in Kenya, folks tried to convince me there was a picture of a rabbit in the moon. They would say, \u201cJust look! It\u2019s really there!\u201d But my brain was conditioned to see the man, and try as I might, I couldn\u2019t see the rabbit.<\/p>\n But after a few days, something clicked \u2013 the rabbit was <\/em>there. And it\u2019s actually much clearer than the man!<\/p>\n Just so with faith. We don\u2019t initially see the reality of Who God is. We just close our eyes and refuse to see; or we may squint and peer and, try as we might, not see. But then God opens our eyes and we see truth, the reality, and embrace His promises. We have faith \u2013 <\/em>a confidence that comes from the reality that is truly there.<\/p>\n Faith is a spiritual tasting, a spiritual seeing of the goodness of God, the beauty of God, the majesty of God, the grace of God: \u201cTaste and see that the LORD is good!\u201d (Psalm 34:8).<\/p>\n The author continues in 11:2: \u201cFor by [faith] the people of old received their commendation.\u201d Their commendation not from one another, but from God. The chapter goes on to describe men and women who obey <\/em>God. But the author\u2019s point is not obedience in and of itself. Rather, the author emphasizes that this type of faith leads to faithfulness, which in turn leads to obedience.<\/p>\n So that is faith in Hebrews 11.<\/p>\n How Does Hebrews 11 Encourage Us to Have Faith? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The author has just said: \u201cYou need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised\u201d (Hebrews 10:36 CSB).<\/p>\n Hebrews 11 is a series of illustrations of that point. We are to endure in faith and so worship God and delight in Him today; love our neighbors today; flee from sin today; and finally on the last day receive all God\u2019s remaining promises.<\/p>\n Each character cited in the chapter endures in faith; each gives us an example to follow.<\/p>\n But the chapter is more than a series of examples. The author arranges the material chronologically, thereby highlighting God\u2019s plan, with each individual story providing one more step in the movement of history towards the fulfillment of all God\u2019s promises.<\/p>\n So the author is saying more than, \u201cHave faith like Abel, like Enoch, like Noah, like Abraham!\u201d He is also saying, \u201cSee God\u2019s plan being worked out in all these lives! He continues to work it out today, bringing about all His promises!\u201d<\/p>\n After telling the stories of ten individuals who take part in God\u2019s plan, in Hebrews 11:32-40 the author steps back, speaking of two categories of people: Those who had great success in this world through faith in God, and those who lost everything in this world through faith in God. God commends those in both categories<\/em> for their faith. But none <\/em>receive all God\u2019s promises. That is reserved until we too become part of God\u2019s faithful people.<\/p>\n Then at the beginning chapter 12 the author exhorts us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. He is the ultimate person of faith. He endured the cross for the joy set before Him of seeing all God\u2019s promises fulfilled. We are to endure in faith like Him.<\/p>\n So: Don\u2019t let our culture\u2019s use of the word \u201cfaith\u201d obscure the biblical meaning. God has revealed Himself as He truly is. God has privileged us by giving us a summary of His plan for this creation, and by including us beneficiaries of that great plan. Let us then have an enduring faith in that reality, and so lead faithful lives, delighting to obey Him and to display Him, thereby hastening the coming of that final Day when He fulfills every promise, summing up all things in Christ.<\/p>\n