Clarity about Faith

Introduction:

When I initially planned this series, I had in mind a study that would provide encouragement for us during these strange times in our nation. That concern remains, and I think it will remain regardless of who wins elections or which party controls the houses of Congress.

We have to prepare ourselves spiritually to live in a hostile world, and with the overall decline of Christianity within the United States, the time for preparation is now. It would be easy to stick our collective heads in the sand and think to ourselves, “this too shall pass,” and while that might be the case, we still need to be ready to live in less hospitable circumstances.

Consequently, we need to consider what we have joined, what we are part of as believers in Jesus as Lord and Christ.

The writer of Hebrews has grown concerned with news about this congregation.

They have responded to persecution (see Heb. 10:12-32) by taking one of two postures:

Abandon association with Jesus to return to Judaism.

Abandon association with Jesus by blending in with the broader culture.

The letter warns that abandoning Jesus comes with grave consequences.

We should take this warning seriosly because it does not exclude us.-

Faith Defined

We can return to the previous section to get the full lean in to the use of these words.

Faith is not chosen at random.

The writer has divided the world into two kinds of people.

Those who shirk or become timid.

Those are are “of faith.”

Faith is the “hypostasis” of things being anticipated.

Hypostasis can refer either to the substance or essence of something.

The assurance of something.

We probably have a blended understanding of term, here.

The structure of the wording remains in keeping with the qualitative focus.

Expanding upon the initial statement is statement two: the evidence of matters not being seen.

This cannot be taken in broadly.

Based upon the previous section, we know the writer of Hebrews has in mind the promise of God of Jesus’ return.

Hence, of unseen matters refers to those things that are based on God’s promise.

God’s promise is the source of assurance.

God’s promise is the evidence.

Introduction: Part 2

In Part 1, we examined the broader concerns the writer of Hebrews had for his audience.

He wanted them to understand that they were in the truth and to remain therein.

He warns them (although we did not consider this). There are consequences for abandoning the faith.

He is willing to consider the Hebrews may prove to be disingenuous believers.

In this part, our goal is simple:

To see the foundation for this relationship between faith and hope.

To see the theme of hope discussed in similar terminology.

To think about the importance of certainty for believers.

Faith Illustrated

The writer claims that the Bible has ample evidence of people who illustrate this definition.

He has not contrived it out of thin air. He has a reason for stating it thus.

The elders: this refers to people written about, sometimes at length, sometimes briefly, in the Bible.

They “were witnessed” in “this.”

“In this” seems to be a catch all for the relationship described in Heb. 11:1.

“Were witnessed” refers to what the divine record teaches/shows about them, and through them, what it shows about faith.

Faith Applied

We encounter our first “by faith” statement.

18 more will follow.

The statement made shows a specific instance where the relationship holds.

We are considering that the universe was made by the utterance of God.

The end result, or logical inference from this, is that what is being seen has come to be not from what appears.

The universe is not the product of that which is at hand of the material substance of itself.

Instead, it came to be, and stands in existence, because of something not seen, namely the word of God.

Although this first example looks backward, it makes a point about present views and their applicability to the future.

Romans 8:24-25.

2 Corinthians 4:16-5:7.