********Hebrews 11:1-3

Hebrews 11:1–3 (NRSV)

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

◾ Augustine said, “Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe.”

◾ Clement of Alexandria said, “Faith is voluntary anticipation.”

◾ Martin Luther said, “God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.”

◾ Thomas Aquinas said, “Faith has to do with things that are not seen and hope with things that are not at hand.”

◾ Stanley Jones wrote, “Faith is not merely your holding on to God, it is God holding on to you. He will not let you go!”

◾ Helen Keller said, “If the blind put their hand in God’s, they find their way more surely than those who see but have not faith or purpose.”

Faith: (Holman Bible Dictionary) “trusting commitment of one person to another, particularly of a person to God. Faith is the central concept of Christianity. One may be called a Christian only if one has faith.”

Our English word “faith” comes from the Latin ‘fides,’ as developed through the Old French words fei and feid. In the Middle English period (1150–1475) ‘faith’ replaced a word that eventually evolved into ‘belief.’ ‘Faith’ came to mean ‘loyalty to a person to whom one is bound by promise or duty.’

The cynical unbeliever and editor H.L Mencken said that faith was the “illogical belief in the occurrence of the impossible.” What is faith? What does the Bible say about faith? How does the Bible define faith? The writer of Hebrews declares explanation of faith, gives examples of faith, and makes an exclamation about faith. The Bible specifies what faith is and what faith does. I want to challenge men and women to have faith in God, believe His word, and trust His Son. This passage gives us some particulars about what the Bible says about Faith.

I. The definition of faith. (1–3)

This is the most important definition of faith because it is what God’s word says faith is. Hebrews 11:1 gives the concise Biblical definition of faith.

A. What is revealed as faith. (1)

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

In the previous chapter the writer of Hebrews was exhorting the Jewish Christians to live by faith, to hold fast to their confession of faith, to endure trials and persecutions. They were exhorted to have faith in God and we are told that the just shall live by faith.

In the beginning of this chapter we are told what faith is! Chapter eleven of the Book of Hebrews is known as “the Hall of Faith.” In this chapter is a list of men and women who:

◾ lived by faith

◾ conquered troubles by faith

◾ stood by faith

◾ declared their faith

◾ and honored God by their faith in Him

Faith: pistis, pis’-tis; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstract constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself-assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

Everyone has some faith in something. Many exercise faith without giving much thought. Every day we reveal our faith by:

◾ driving a car

◾ riding in a plane

◾ eating food at a restaurant

◾ drinking water

◾ taking a doctor’s prescription of medicine, etc …

Johnny Hunt said, “There is a sense in which all people live by faith. The materialist has faith in his possessions. The humanist has faith in himself. The religionist has faith in his good works. The philosopher has faith in his own ideas. The Christian has faith in Christ Jesus. All people act in faith each day.” The writer of Hebrews tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for! Substance: hupostasis, hoop-os’-tas-is; a setting under (support), confidence, substance, to place under as a foundation or support. In the New Testament this word was used to describe a business document that served as proof of ownership i.e. a title deed. Hoped: elpizo, el-pid’-zo; to expect or confide: (have, thing) hope (-d) (for), trust. Faith is the confidence and substance and support of the things we expect and hope for based on God’s word and His promises and His faithfulness.

The writer of Hebrews was not promoting a name it and claim it faith. False teachers would teach:

◾ We are believing God for a new chariot (car)

◾ We are believing God for a healing

◾ We are believing God for favor on my team

◾ We are believing God for riches on my investment

◾ We are trusting God for nice clothes, popularity, many friends, and the world to revolve around me

Where our hope lies speaks volumes of where our heart lies. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where is your hope? Do you hope for the things of the world or in God? Hebrews 13:14 says, “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.”

As the old hymn states it, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.”

Faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for! For the Christian our faith is supported in the fact that Jesus lived, died for us, rose again, has ascended to glory and is preparing us a place there. When the Bible uses the word “hoped” it does not speak of uncertainty or wishful thinking. The Bible term for “hope” is confident assurance and expectancy. John MacArthur wrote, “True faith is an absolute certainty, often of things that the world considers unreal and impossible. Christian hope is belief in God against the world—not belief in the improbable against chance. If we follow a God whose audible voice we have never heard and believe in a Christ whose face we have never seen, we do so because our faith has a reality, a substance, an assurance that is unshakable.” Faith is not only the substance of things hoped for, but it is also the evidence of things not seen.

As Christians we live by faith and not by sight. After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus He had appeared to the disciples, but one of the disciples was absent. Thomas was not there and when the others told him that they had seen the Lord he did not believe them. He wanted evidence. This is recorded in John 20:24–29 which says, “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and vet have believed.”

Evidence: elegchos, el’-eng-khos; proof, conviction, evidence, reproof. This word speaks of evidence that we could take to court to prove our case. The evidence Christians bear to the world is changed lives. Christians live by faith and by the grace of God through faith in God we are saved. Warren Wiersbe wrote, “True Bible faith is not blind optimism or a manufactured ‘hope-so’ feeling. Neither is it an intellectual assent to a doctrine. It is certainly not believing in spite of evidence! That would be superstition. True Bible faith is confident obedience to God’s Word in spite of circumstances and consequences.”

None of us have ever seen Jesus, but by faith we believe and are assured of salvation. None of us have been to heaven or seen heaven, but with the eyes of faith we know that heaven is for real and heaven is for the redeemed. We trust what God says to us in His word and believe Him even though we have not heard Him audibly or seen Him visibly.

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, ‘Jump! I’ll catch you.’ He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flames, smoke, and blackness. The little boy was afraid to leave the roof. The father kept pleading with him and yelling, “Jump! I will catch you.’ The boy responded, “Daddy, I can’t see you.” The father replied, “But I can see you and that’s all that matters.”

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Lamoyne Sharpe wrote, “We often hear the expression, ‘seeing is believing.’ But in the spiritual realm, ‘Believing is seeing.’ Faith is the proof of the things we cannot see.” God is not impressed with the Kansas state of mind. Kansas is known as the “Show me state!” They will not believe unless you show them! That is not living by faith! The Bible tells us what is revealed as faith. Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Are you living by faith?

B. What is received by faith. (2)

“For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.”

When we live by faith those around us know who we serve and where we stand. Those who live by faith in God are known for their faith in God. When it is all said and done it will not matter:

◾ how much money you made

◾ the kind of home you lived in

◾ the kind of car you drove

◾ it will not matter how many games your team won

◾ how much fun you had

◾ where you worked at

◾ what kind of name you made for yourself

What will matter in eternity is did you know Jesus Christ by faith and did you live out your faith in the world. No greater testimony can be given about us other than we were men and women of faith in Jesus Christ. We ought to live in such a way that there would be no doubt about it at all. Live so that …

→ Your spouse wouldn’t have any doubt that you were a bond-slave of Jesus Christ

→ Your children wouldn’t have any doubt that you were a bond-slave of Jesus Christ

→ Your parents wouldn’t have any doubt that you were a man or woman of faith

→ Your pastor wouldn’t doubt that you knew God by faith

→ Your employer and co-workers wouldn’t doubt that you belonged to Jesus Christ

David Jeremiah wrote, “Once faith has come alive, it makes certain demands upon us. We cannot say we have faith in God and remain unchanged. It is our response to the demands of faith that evidences the presence of faith.” The writer of Hebrews reminds the early Christians about those who came before them. Elders: refers to those forefathers of the faith. He goes on to give a list of the elders of the faith in this chapter. These elders obtained a good testimony. Obtained a good report: martureo, mar-too-reh’-o; to be a witness, i.e. testify (literal or figurative) charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that these elders, by their faith, have a good testimony because they lived out their faith in God. We have modem day heroes of the faith who changed this world, allowed God to work, and were instrumental in bringing in revival to the church and redemption in the world.

• Lottie Moon is remembered as a woman of faith!

• George Muller is remembered as a man of faith!

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer is remembered as a man of faith!

• William Carey was a man of faith!

• Jim Elliot is remembered as a man of faith!

The story is told that when Hudson Taylor went to China, he made a voyage on a sailing vessel. As it neared the channel between the southern Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the missionary heard an urgent knock on his stateroom door. He opened it, and there stood the captain of the ship. He said, “Mr. Taylor we have no wind. We are drifting toward an island where the people are heathen, and I fear they are cannibals.” Hudson Taylor asked, “What can I do?” The captain said, “I understand that you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind.” Hudson Taylor said, “All right, Captain, I will, but you must set the sail.” The captain responded, “Why that’s ridiculous! There’s not even the slightest breeze. Besides, the sailors will think I’m crazy.” But finally, at Taylor’s insistence, he agreed. Forty-five minutes later he returned and found the missionary still on his knees. The captain said, “You can stop praying now. We’ve got more wind than we know what to do with!”

May it be said of us when we pass on that we lived by faith, walked by faith, worked by faith, served by faith, helped by faith, gave by faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. The Bible gives the definition of faith. We have learned what is revealed as faith, what is received by faith, and we also note:

C. What is recognized by faith. (3)

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

The writer of Hebrews moves from faith then to faith now. He goes from what the elders believed and received to what we believe by faith. We are by faith to recognize that God made the heavens and the earth and in response to Him we are to live by faith in the One and true God. It is by faith that we believe Genesis chapter one! No one was there when God created the heavens and the earth! It is by faith that we believe that God made the seen world out of the unseen. That He made everything out of nothing! We believe that God spoke the world into being. Understand: noieo, noy-eh’-o; to exercise the mind (observe), i.e. (figurative) to comprehend, heed, consider, perceive, think, understand. God has given us spiritual insight and understanding that He made everything at His word.

We believe the word of God that the worlds were framed by the word of God! Worlds: (aion) designates the physical universe itself and also its operation and its administration. By faith we believe God made the world and He sustains the world.

He didn’t just set the world in motion and let it go whichever way it would go. God has the whole world and the universe in His hands. He made the world and He maintains the world, the universe, the galaxies, and everything that we can see, and everything that we have discovered, and everything we have not discovered.

We believe it by faith and trust in God and His word and it is impossible for God to lie. He has given us His word on it. C.H. Spurgeon wrote, “I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the depths of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much.” It was by the word of God and the power of God that the heavens and the earth were created. God made everything that we see by the things that were not visible. He created the heavens and the earth and by faith we accept it and believe it. It is not a blind faith! Creation in itself is evidence that there is a Creator! The false theory of Charles Darwin that has been so widely propagated and hailed as truth is a lie from Satan. Satan seeks to destroy men and women’s faith in God. He undermines what God says in His word and tries to deny the very existence of God. Satan has done an outstanding job of deceiving the world into believing that the world came about by the big bang and man came about through the process of evolution! John Phillips wrote, “To assert that it all happened by chance is like saying that Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary resulted from an explosion in a printing plant.” You may say “There is no way that could happen!” Exactly! There is no way that the heavens and the earth happened by chance.

By faith we know that God created the heavens and the earth! Jerry Vines wrote, “Whatever you believe about the origin of the universe, your beliefs are not based on scientific observation. Your beliefs are based on faith in something because no one was present when this world came into existence. There are only two alternatives: you can believe in the theory of evolution, or you can believe in creation. You can put your belief in human speculation or you can put your belief in divine revelation.” Christians, by faith, have put their trust in God and His divine revelation! All that we have seen should teach us to trust the Creator for all that we have not seen!

→ Doubt sees the obstacles. Faith sees the way!

→ Doubt sees the darkest night, faith sees the day!

→ Doubt dreads to take a step. Faith soars on high!

→ Doubt questions, ‘who believes?’ Faith answers ‘I!”

Because we recognize that God made everything we trust in Him who reveals Himself to us in His word. He made everything, He sustains everything, and His creation will give account to Him one day! By faith we believe the beginning and the end.

We have no business believing John 3:16 if we do not believe Genesis 1:1!

The Bible calls for us to have faith in God and in Jesus Christ His Son! The Bible calls for us to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved! The Bible tells us by faith to turn to God from our sins. The Bible expects us to live by faith, give by faith, stand by faith, and serve by faith. Vance Havner once said, “When faith is a reality people see the invisible, choose the imperishable, and do the impossible.” Are we living by faith? Do we serve God by faith? Have you placed your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you supported in your hope and giving evidence in your life? Are you obtaining a good testimony in this world because of your faith in Jesus Christ? Have you come to understand that God made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them? Do you believe that you are God’s special creation? Have you by faith believed what His word says about your sin? Do you believe that you have dishonored God and defied God with your life and that you are separated from God?

It takes faith to believe what God says about us and to believe what God did for us! God sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for the world so that those who believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life! Do you believe the gospel? Have you trusted in Jesus Christ alone to save you?

◾ Trust Him today!

◾ Live by faith today!

◾ Serve Him by faith today!