Faith - Heb 11

We must be very careful to understand faith as Paul uses the word because he ties faith so closely to salvation.   It is not something we must do in order to earn salvation—if that were true, then faith would be just one more deed, and Paul clearly states that human deeds can never save us (Galatians 2:16).    Instead, faith is a gift God gives us because He is saving us (Ephesians 2:8).       It is God’s grace, not our faith, that saves us.   In His mercy, however, when He saves us, He gives us faith—a relationship with His Son that helps us become like Him. Through the faith He gives us, He carries us from death into life (John 5:24).

Even in Old Testament times, grace, not deeds, was the basis of salvation. As Hebrews points out, "it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Heb 10:4). God intended for His people to look beyond the animal sacrifices to Him, but all too often they instead put their confidence in fulfilling the requirements of the law — that is, performing the required sacrifices.   

When Jesus triumphed over death, He cancelled the charges against us and opened the way to the Father (Colossians 2:12-15).    Because He is merciful, He offers us faith.   How tragic if we turn faith into a deed and try to develop it on our own! We can never come to God through our own faith any more than His Old Testament people could come through their own sacrifices. Instead, we must accept His gracious offer with thanksgiving and allow Him to plant the seed of faith within us.

FAITH

A Perilous Journey of Faith

It is one thing to boldly proclaim what God can do. It is quite another to actually trust that God will do what He has promised. Ezra had been telling King Artaxerxes about the divine protection that God’s people could expect (Ezra 8:22). But then he was allowed to lead a group of exiles back to Palestine. At that point, Ezra determined that he needed to demonstrate his faith by declining an armed escort.

The Persians must have thought the choice ludicrous. The route from Babylon to Jerusalem that Ezra selected followed the northern border of the Arabian Desert. At nine hundred miles, it was shorter than the northern route through Aleppo and Hamath, but it was also more dangerous. Bandits and warring clans frequented the highway and its watering holes, waiting to ambush travelers and caravans. To travel without soldiers virtually invited disaster, especially given the precious cargo that the group was carrying (Ezra 8:24–30).

Yet God rewarded the people’s faith with an uneventful journey (Ezra 8:31). The trip took about four months to complete, averaging seven or eight miles per day. Such a relatively slow pace was perhaps due to the many children and elderly who made the journey.

Ezra’s courage is a challenge to God’s people today to follow through on their statements of faith, especially when unbelievers are watching the outcome. What good does it do to talk about trusting solely or primarily in God, only to abandon that position as soon as things get tough? We need to act in a way that is consistent with the faith we proclaim.

Danger Ahead

Jesus had grave concern about the condition of His followers’ faith. He knew that there was danger ahead. Powerful enemies would lay hold of Him, and the disciples would be sorely tested. No wonder He took measures to keep a low profile (Mark 8:26, 30). He wanted to avoid exposing these men to the full force of His opponents before their faith was ready to handle such a trial.

None of us knows what dangers lie ahead for our faith. We may be headed for trials and challenges that we never imagined. Is our faith ready to meet whatever challenges come our way? Or have we let the yeast of unbelief gain a foothold, breaking down our trust in God and spreading resistance to Him throughout our lives?

Spectator Faith

Pollsters repeatedly report that as many as one-third of the population of North America professes to believe in Christ. Yet numerous surveys show a steady decline in public morality, not just among the unchurched, but among the churched as well. What accounts for this apparent contradiction between faith and practice? Perhaps we can gain a clue from what God told Ezekiel about the people of his day who seemed to follow a similar pattern.

Ezekiel must have had quite a following, because when it appeared that the Lord was about to reveal something through him, news of the event raced through the community (Ezek. 33:30). His prophecies were like a performance, with his listeners hanging on every word (Ezek. 33:32).

But when the show was over, so was the people’s interest. They generally ignored the content of what the prophet had to say; only his presentation seemed to matter. To be sure, they talked as if their lives were going to exhibit genuine concern for others, but from day to day they lived only for their own self-interest (Ezek. 33:31). On the whole, their curiosity about Ezekiel’s sermons amounted to little if any life change.

The problem in Ezekiel’s day was not unlike a problem in our own day, in which “faith” is more entertainment than it is heart commitment. People become spectators rather than players. Their concern is more with What is the latest word from the Lord? rather than What am I going to do with what God has said? As James put it, one becomes merely a hearer of the word rather than a doer—deceiving oneself in the process (James 1:22).

That is the worst thing about faith as entertainment—self-deception. True conversion means a changed will, not just an expanded knowledge about spiritual things or good feelings toward God. As Jesus pointed out, true love for God means living according to His will (John 14:15, 21, 23–24).

Foggy Faith

Early morning fog can be a beautiful sight as it creeps over the mirrored surface of a lake or huddles over a silent meadow. Many a photographer has waited until just the right moment to capture a subject enshrouded in mists before the sunlight burns them away.

Yet while fog may be impressive in the natural world, it can be utterly perilous in the spiritual, as Hosea pointed out. He used the image of fog as a metaphor of Israel’s faithlessness (Hos. 6:4). The nation’s commitment to the Lord was as empty and fleeting as a cloud. As soon as the people felt the “heat” of moral and spiritual conflicts, their loyalty to God evaporated.

This same “foggy faith” characterizes many people today. In an emotional moment they may pay impressive lip service to loving and serving God, but as soon as their feelings of devotion fade, their “faith” is effectively vaporized.

Clearly, as the Lord evaluates faith, what seems to matter is not whether it is beautiful, but how long it will last.

Staying Focused

The world is a complex place. Many things vie for our attention. As a result, no matter how much we may want to honor God, it’s easy to become distracted and even confused. It’s easy to forget what really matters.

Moses made it clear to the Israelites what really mattered and therefore what they needed to stay focused on. After briefly reviewing how God had delivered them from Egypt and kept them alive during their desert journeys, he challenged the people to keep their attention focused on the “statutes and judgments” of the Lord (Deut. 5:1). He urged them:

•     to “hear” the statutes and judgments—to listen to them clearly and repeatedly;

•     to “learn” them—to go beyond beyond simple memorization to personal ownership; and

•     to “be careful to observe” them—that is, to actually do them, to make them a way of life.

Moses reviewed the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6–21), the spine of the Law. Then he repeated his call for a three-part response to the Law at the end of the presentation (Deut. 5:32–33):

•     “Be careful to do them”—a response of obedience.

•     “You shall not turn aside from them”—a response of focus.

•     “You shall walk in all the ways”—a response of integrating the Law into everyday life.

This emphasis on keeping one’s focus on what God says is repeated throughout Deuteronomy (for example, “Hear, O Israel,” Deut. 6:4–5; 9:1; 20:3; 27:9). In fact, it is repeated throughout Scripture (for example, Ps. 19:7–11; 119:9, 11; Matt. 4:4, 7, 10; Rom. 12:2). Thus, like the people of Israel, believers today need to remember what is central. We may have many pursuits, but we need to maintain a single-minded focus on the Lord and what He has said.

Tips for the Timid

For some followers of Christ, faith is not merely a private matter but a timid one as well. It’s as if faith is such a delicate thing that unless one carefully protects it, the world will surely destroy it.

The Book of Hebrews challenges believers to a different way of living. Faith that is alive and growing need not be treated like a pet bunny rabbit that is periodically brought out of its cage to be adored and fed on special occasions, but then quickly returned to its haven of safety. To be sure, we live in a world of roaring lions (1 Pet. 5:8) and therefore must be on guard. Yet the safest way to live in a world of spiritual dangers is to build up our strength, not to hide our faith in secrecy. Hebrews offers some suggestions:
             (Heb 10)

•     We can take confidence by freely entering into God’s presence through Christ (Heb. 10:19, 22).

•     Our faith can rest in full assurance that because of Christ’s work on our behalf, our sins have been forgiven (Heb. 10:21–22).

•     We can keep a firm grip on the basics of our faith, which rest on the integrity of Christ (Heb. 10:23).

•     As believers we can stir each other up to loving, active faith (Heb. 10:24).

•     We can meet with other believers regularly for encouragement, accountability, worship, and prayer (Heb. 10:25).

•     We can leave judgment and repayment up to God, who is the ultimate Judge of people (Heb. 10:29–31).

•     We can keep a loose grip on privilege, comfort, and possessions and instead show compassion toward those in need, such as prisoners (Heb. 10:32–33).

•     We can condition ourselves for the long haul so as to finish well (Heb. 10:35–39).

Spiritual strength and health means integrating our faith with every area of life. Faith is not just one more thing on a list of a hundred things, but rather the foundation of who we are. If our walk with Christ is real, it should become evident to others (James 2:14, 26; 3:13). Faith that is alive and growing is faith unleashed!