FAITH: AS EXHIBITED IN HEBREWS 11.
FAITH. -STUDY 1.
1. Nature of faith (Heb_11:1-2). It is the substance or ground of things hoped for; it is neither a shadow nor a feeling; it is the evidence of things not seen. Jacob exercised it when he prized the birthright and sold the pottage. He laid hold on the promise, and made no provision for the flesh, so by faith he obtained a good report. Faith gives a good report of God, and gains a good report for the believer. I believe, and therefore have I spoken.
2. Knowledge of faith (Heb_11:3). "Through faith we understand." Seeing is believing, says the world. Believe, and thou shalt see, says the Word. By faith we understand that Christ has died, that sin has been put away, that we have eternal life, and are accepted in the Beloved. Unbelief cannot understand this; no unbeliever ever knew it. Do you know these things? "These things have I written unto you that believe that you may know" (1Jn_5:13).
3. Worship of faith (Heb_11:4). "By faith Abel offered unto God." He that cometh to God must believe. God is a Spirit. Faith enters within the veil and adores. Of the outside worshippers it may be said they worship they know not what. Remember the three musts. The first lies at the door of the kingdom: "Ye must be born again" (Joh_3:7); the next at the door of prayer: "must believe" (Heb_11:6); the third at the door of worship: "must worship in the Spirit" (Joh_4:24).
4. Translation of faith (Heb_11:5). "By faith Enoch was translated." We often speak of justification by faith, but seldom of translation by faith; every believer has been translated by faith into the kingdom of His dear Son (Col_1:13), and seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world. This is the victory that overcometh the world. You often think about the higher Christian life, and long to be delivered from the stifling atmosphere and deadening influences of the present world. Did you ever try Enoch’s way? Have faith in God.
5. Preciousness of faith (Heb_11:6). "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Faith is precious because it pleases God. There are two great things that please God: (1) The precious Blood of Christ. Are you pleased with that? (2) Faith in that Blood. God is pleased with that. Here are two truths, grasp them by faith, then all things are possible: 1st, believe that He is; 2nd, that He is what He says He is-a Rewarder. Many believe in His existence who practically deny His gracious character. Have you received like precious faith?
6. Testimony of faith (Heb_11:7). "Noah prepared an ark, by the which He condemned the world." The works of every believer should condemn the world. The building of the ark was Noah’s everyday work for 120 years. Every stroke of the hammer said, salvation to his house, but the echo whispered, condemnation to the world. Every conversation and every transaction of the Christian should have this testimony.
7. Obedience of faith (Heb_11:8). "Abraham when he was called went, not knowing whither he went." Faith does not question, but follows. To the Israelites God said, "Go forward." They obeyed, and step by step the waters fled from before them. He always makes a way of escape for the faithful. The Lord called Peter on to the troubled waters with Himself, and he obeyed, although he had not gone that way heretofore. The obedient follow Jesus anywhere. The Master hath come and calleth for thee. To the questioning ones He says, "What is that to thee? Follow thou Me."
8. Walk of faith (Heb_11:9). "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise." Every believer has been called out from the world to be a sojourner with God in the land that is His (Lev_25:23). With such a companion you need take no thought for your life. "My God shall supply all your need; be not afraid, only believe."
FAITH. -STUDY 2.
1. Aspiration of faith (Heb_11:10). "Looks for a city whose Builder and Maker is God. "Faith will not be satisfied with temples made with hands. It looks higher up for God’s building, and sees the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God. Faith seeks eternal realities; only the things unseen are eternal. Lord, increase our faith.
2. Fruit of faith (Heb_11:11-12). "Through faith Sara conceived seed." Many as well as Sara have at first laughed at God’s exceeding great and precious promises, but afterwards have judged Him faithful, and, like Isaac, have sown the seed and received in the same year an hundredfold (Gen_26:12). Unbelief is barren. Have you not been glorifying the Father in bearing much fruit, O ye of little faith?
3. Vision of faith (Heb_11:13). "Having seen them afar off." It is only the anointed eyes that can see at all. Faith climbs to Pisgah’s top and views the land that is afar off. It is the privilege of faith not only to dream of a ladder that reaches to Heaven, but to gaze on it continually. Unbelief is blind. "The pure in heart shall see God."
4. Confession of faith (Heb_11:13-14). "Confessed and declared plainly." The faithful are not ashamed to confess that they are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. There was no ambiguity about the declarations of Ruth (chap. Rth_1:16). The plain, practical confession of the young widow is much wanted among present-day saints with regard to Christ.
5. Devotedness of faith (Heb_11:15-16). "If they had been mindful they might have returned, but now they desire a better country." Faith has but one hand, and it reaches forth to those things which are before, forgetting the things that are behind, The language of faith is, "One thing I do" (Php_3:13).
6. Trial of faith (Heb_11:17-19). "By faith Abraham offered up Isaac." The trial of faith is more precious than gold. Your faith will be tried – if it is real it will stand the fire, like the Hebrew youths. The young ruler’s faith was tried and found wanting; but Abraham was ready to sell all that he had. Are you? Our Lord and Master sold all that He had and bought the field-the field is the world.
7. Blessings of faith (Heb_11:20-21). "By faith Isaac and Jacob blessed." The promise is to you and to your children. The believing parent receives it by faith, and lays it on the head of his offspring. Faith is able to claim blessing for others (Mat_8:13). Are others blessed through our faith? The prayers of the righteous availeth much. How much?
8. Remembrance of faith (Heb_11:22, margin). "By faith Joseph remembered the departing of Israel." We often talk about realising the promise, but all faith needs is to remember it. The butler said, "I do remember my faults this day." So did Peter when the Lord looked on him. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus.
9. Secrets of faith (Heb_11:23). "By faith Moses was hid three months." Some read this as if by fear Moses was hid; but they were "not afraid of the king’s command." Like the parents of Moses, every believer has his hidden hopes and secret expectations that no stranger can intermeddle with; every child of faith is a "goodly child."
FAITH. -STUDY 3.
1. Choice of faith (Heb_11:24-25). "By faith Moses refused,… choosing rather to suffer." Lot chose the well-watered plains, which were just pleasures for a season. Esau preferred the pottage; this also was pleasure for a season. Sense chooses in the light of the present; faith in the light of Eternity. Faith refuses the honours of the world at the cost of Christ, and such faith never blunders.
2. Estimate of faith (Heb_11:26). Faith esteems the "reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt." If you are reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye, your position is to be coveted. Why? Because the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you (1Pe_4:14). If we believe this, would we not more willingly go forth without the camp bearing His reproach?
3. Flight of faith (Heb_11:27). "By faith he forsook Egypt." This may look like cowardice, but faith never fears. "Not fearing the wrath of the king." We are constantly surrounded with those temptations and snares, and hurtful lusts which drown men, but Paul sounds the note of warning, "O man of God, flee these things." Are you living with any lust acquired in your youth? "Flee also youthful lusts." Are you often tempted to sin? Have the courage, like Joseph, to flee (Gen_39:12).
4. Means of faith (Heb_11:28). "Through faith he kept… the sprinkling of blood." Human means can only accomplish a human purpose. Faith uses, with all confidence, the divinely appointed means, no matter how feeble or ridiculous they appear to the world. God has no faith in rods, small stones, ram’s horns, jawbones, or broken pitchers; but God has faith in His own Word, and faith lays hold on that as the means omnipotent.
5. Boldness of faith (Heb_11:29). "By faith they passed through the Red Sea." Faith has boldness to enter anywhere if invited, even into the Holiest. Faith is Divine authority, and is more mighty than any of David’s three mighty men. It marches courageously through the foe, the furnace, and the flood, and speaks as one having authority. The word of faith is with power.
6. Victory of faith (Heb_11:30). "By faith the walls of Jericho fell." Jacob heard of Esau’s 400 men, and was greatly afraid, but at Penuel he got the victory through faith. Those who would win open victories for God must first conquer in the closet (Mat_6:6). We have this treasure (the light of the knowledge of the glory of God) in the earthen vessel; that our light may shine the pitcher must be broken. Broken pitchers precede victory. "I tell you even weeping." This is light from a broken pitcher.
7. Salvation of faith (Heb_11:31). "By faith Rahab perished not." "Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish." Israel would have been unjust if they had forgotten Rahab. The butler forgot Joseph. We have a just God and a Saviour who is faithful that hath promised. Rahab was willing and obedient because she believed. If ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land. "By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph_2:8), but "faith without works is dead" (Jam_2:17).
8. All-sufficiency of faith (Heb_11:32-35). "What shall I say more, time would fail me to tell of… who through faith." Faith is one of the three that never faileth. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? According to your faith be it unto you.
9. Sufferings of faith (Heb_11:36-38). Mocked, scourged, imprisoned, stoned, sawn, destitute, afflicted, tormented. We have left all and followed Thee. What shall we have? An hundredfold now in this life, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life; but the "with persecutions" is accompanied with the blessedness of Mat_5:10 : "He for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame." If we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him. "In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (Joh_16:33).
Autor: James Smith