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The Essence of Faith
Introduction:
We talk a lot about faith.
We are called people of faith.
We struggle with our faith but perhaps the most difficulty we have is understanding faith.
Hebrews chapter 11, referred to as the Hall of Faith Chapter, illustrates what faith looks like in the lives of the saints of old.
Chapter 10 closed out encouraging the believer to persevere and that the “just shall live by faith.”
The lesson we need as believers is when we live in peaceful or tumultuous seasons of life we need to trust (believe, demonstrate faith) in God.
This will help us to persevere.
The Description of Faith, vs. 1-2
The Hebrew writer is describing what “faith is” or what is the essence or nature of faith.
Verse 1 describes it two ways:
The substance of things hoped for
Substance describes something that is a foundation by nature but also is used for the substances that define the character of something.
So faith contains the reality or actual essence of the things hoped for.
Hope is a sure expectation.
A confident reality in future things
So faith is built upon the contents of what has been promised i.e. salvation, or any other promises of God
The evidence of things not seen
Evidence is the proof or conviction concerning the things not seen.
The conviction that God exists, His Word is true, His promises are true, etc.
Warren Wiersbe said, “This is not a definition of faith but a description of what faith does and how it works.
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.
Read that last sentence again and let it soak into your mind and heart.”
It is this demonstration of faith that the elders received a good report.
This is not a definition of faith but a description of what faith does and how it works.
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.
Read that last sentence again and let it soak into your mind and heart.
Good report is literally a testimony or witness in a positive way.
This would be opposite of a bad witness.
The Illustration of Faith, vs. 3
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996).
The Bible exposition commentary (Vol.
2, p. 317).
Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
By faith we understand and are convinced about matters concerning Creation
By faith we understand the world was created by the very utterance of God
When God spoke, things were created.
See , example is “God said let there be...”
By faith we understand that the very universe was created by something that did not before exist
God created something out of nothing
Not out of something that did not exist before.
This is something that men cannot do.
The Faith of Abel, vs. 4
Abel offered a great sacrifice than Cain
In , we see that Cain brought an offering from the fruits of the ground and Abel brought an offering from the firstlings of his flock and the fat of the sacrifice.
Many people have debated as to why Able’s sacrifice was accepted and Cain’s was not.
Many have offered their opinions but simply the Bible does not definitively say except as a matter of faith.
Here is what we do know about their offerings
Cain’s was from the fruits of the ground.
Such offerings were given.
They were called first fruits however, it does say Cain gave of the first of those fruits
Abel’s was the firstlings of the flock and the fat representing the very best.
Genesis therefore says that God had respect or God looked at with approval of Abel’s offering but not Cain’s offering.
Abel’s faith testified that he was righteous
Faith produces obedience indicating his righteous character
Abel’s faith is still testified about today even though he died.
The Faith of Enoch, vs. 5-6
By faith, Enoch did not experience death because God took him
The Bible refers to Enoch’s translation in
He was known as a man who “walked with God.”
People looked for him but could not find him.
He was removed from earth and taken into heaven.
Before his removal from earth, Enoch had a testimony to have pleased God.
Can you imagine the relationship and fellowship Enoch had with God?
One of complete trust, dependence and intimacy.
Enoch believed God and lived out what God had said to do.
It is an impossibility to please God without or apart from faith.
Impossible describes an inability that cannot under any circumstances be done
Everything we do must be out of faith in God.
Every man who approaches God must believe two things:
It is necessary
Believe that God exists
Believe that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Seek out fully)
The Faith of Noah, vs. 7
Noah was warned about things that were to come which were not yet seen or experienced
tell of the Flood
God communicated with Noah because he was righteous in his generation
By faith Noah moved with fear or reverence towards God and constructed out of obedience the ark
So Noah feared God and was obedient to God because of faith.
This was for the deliverance of his family.
Such faith resulting in obedience condemned the world
“In Noah’s day, the people were involved in innocent everyday activities and completely ignored Noah’s witness,” -Warren Wiersbe
Such faith resulted in Noah becoming the heir of righteousness which is only according to faith
Righteousness by means of faith
His righteous behavior was clearly shown to be the outworking of his faith.
He was rewarded.
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