Hebrews 11:1-6
Most of us have heard of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, or the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Wikipedia lists hundreds of different Halls or Walks of Fame. One that is not listed is the one of Faith. The eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews has sometimes been called Faith’s Hall of Fame. In the opening few verses of this chapter, before the author lists several people who had shown great faith in their lives, he gives a brief description of what faith is. Let’s take a look at that.
In verse 1 our author gives a definition of faith. Faith is a solid conviction and assurance of a future reality, not based on physical evidence, but on divine assurance. For the most part we have faith in what certain people tell us, we have faith that the appliance we just bought will work when we plug it in, or the new car will start when we turn the ignition. We don’t give it a second thought. How about believing what God has said, even though we don’t actually see it right at this moment? That is faith. Our faith wavers when we apply human thinking to our circumstances, when we allow our feelings to overcome our faith. It fails when we fail to see God at work in our circumstances, when we have guilt over sin, and when we listen to the enemy, Satan’s lies.
How many times we read God’s promises in the Bible, we pray, but we don’t see anything happening? Some crisis happens in our lives, and we fear God has forgotten us, or question His love for us. True faith is finding certainty in uncertain territory. God, on the sunny, clear day is the same God in the foggy night. He is with us regardless of our circumstances. Faith is absolute conviction that God is both willing and able to accomplish all He has promised. Our faith is never in vain, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrews 10:23).
Two words can describe faith - sure and certain. Faith believes God’s character - He is who He says He is. Faith believes in God’s promises - He will do what He says He will do. When we believe that God will fulfill His promises, even though we don’t see it yet, we show true faith.
In verse 6, our author tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. It is impossible to walk closely with Him. Genuine faith doesn’t just believe that a divine being exists. It believes in the God of the Bible, that He, alone, is the only real and true God. True faith also believes that He will reward people’s faith in Him because He promises to do so. It is not enough to just believe that God exists. Even demons do that (James 2:19). We must have a personal relationship with Jesus. We must believe and seek Him. Faith is a conviction that Jesus can, and a hope that He will. Faith believes God is real, that He is good, and will do what is right. We cannot serve God unless we both believe He exists, and that His plans for us are good. We must trust and obey.
Every miracle in the Bible came as a result of obedience. God told the people to step out in faith, and when they did, He provided what they needed at that time, whether it was healing or some type of deliverance. That is the key to a life of abundant joy in God. Faith is the inescapable condition of successful prayer. To pray in faith we have to truly believe that God is real, that he cares deeply about everything that concerns us, and is listening intently to everything we pray.
In the opening verses of this great chapter, before he goes on to describe many men and women of faith, the author gives the example of the brothers Cain and Abel (vs. 4). Both brothers knew what God required. Abel obeyed. Cain did not. Abel acted in faith, while Cain acted in unbelief. Abel’s faith made him righteous, not his offering. He had faith and was obedient. Cain did not have faith. Cain was just going through the motions of ritual in a disobedient manner, with no authentic faith. Faith was the missing factor in Cain’s sacrifice. True saving faith works in obedience to God. Do we have this type of faith?
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