What Is Faith?
Notes
Transcript
When I volunteered to be camp pastor at Canonicus I always enjoyed the rope course. It was a series of activities intended to build communication and team work skills. One of the elements you could do was a trust fall.
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
All of the Bible is God’s word to us and important for us, but some chapters stand out over others. We have the great love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13, the great description of what Jesus did for us in Isaiah 53, the resurrection chapter in 1 Corinthians 15, and in Hebrews 11 we have a chapter describing faith.
A description of faith
A description of faith
This verse is not intended so much as a definition of faith but more “as a summary of what faith does: faith binds the believer securely to the reality of what he does not (yet) see, but for which he hopes” (P. Ellingworth, Commentary on the Greek Text)
In the Bible the word faith is used in a couple of ways:
The content of what we believe, the Christian faith
Our attitude toward God – trusting God and being committed to following him whatever the circumstances.
In Hebrews it usually refers to confidence in God, believing that God will do as He has promised.
A suggested translation would be “Those who trust God are sure that he will give them what they hope for; they are certain that things they do not yet see are real.”
The writer goes on in the chapter to give a list of examples of people who trusted God:
Noah – didn’t see the rain clouds when God told him to build the ark
Abraham – didn’t know where he was going when God called him to leave his home.
Promised his descendants would become a great nation. He believed that promise even though he did not see it fulfilled.
Being sure of what we hope for
Being sure of what we hope for
Hope is not a feeling, not wishful thinking. It is looking forward to something with eager expectation.
People hope for all sorts of things – pleasant weather, a good doctor’s report, their team to win, an easy day at work. Nothing wrong with those things but they aren’t what the writer is talking about here.
People put their hopes in all kinds of things. The lottery, another person, luck. In the end all these things will disappoint us. The only sure hope we have is in God, revealed to us in Jesus Christ.
What is our hope
Jesus is with us and will never forsake us
Jesus will bring to completion the work He has started in us
Jesus will return and establish God’s kingdom
Jesus will raise us up to be with Him eternally
We will have a place in that kingdom where we will reign with Christ
Faith gives substance to our hope. It brings what we hope for into reality by acting as if it is already here. Having faith is living as if God’s promises are true despite what appearances might look like.
A group of people in the Midwest who were experiencing a serious drought decided they would gather together in a field to pray for rain. Only one brought an umbrella.
Certain of what we do not see
Certain of what we do not see
If we just look at what we can see in the world around us it is easy to lose hope. It seems that at best nothing changes and more often it seems that things are getting worse. In fact, the Bible tells us that this world will get worse before Jesus returns, but it also promises us that in the end all will be well. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, no more pain or sorrow, suffering or death.
Faith knows that God has a place prepared for us, even if we do not see it now.
Bank account – don’t see the money yet use our debit cards trusting the money is there.
What is faith and hope based on
The faithfulness of God
The certainty of God’s promises
The love of God demonstrated in Jesus Christ
Faith enables an individual to venture courageously and serenely into an unseen future, supported only by the word of God.
We live by faith, not by sight.
Through trust in God the faithful experience his power in their lives and receive his approval. Thus, they confirm his reality.
Our passage reminds us that faith is central to our walk with God. Too often our society says, “Show me, and then I’ll have faith.” God says, “Have faith, and then I’ll show you”.
The writer of Hebrews would encourage us to follow the examples of the great heroes of faith he listed, to persevere in seeking and doing God’s will in the face of hardships and in spite of opposition. We are called to live our lives as citizens of God’s kingdom, even though it is not fully here.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.