What enables us to believe things of which we have no direct experience? It is our confidence in the character of the person who tells us of them. The strength of our belief of what we have been told is in proportion to the trustworthiness of the person who told us. For example, the Apostle Paul writes, “…I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12 NIV)
The followers of Christ to whom the inspired book of Hebrews was written, faced persecution. Some of them were discouraged and were thinking of leaving Jesus to go back to the Jewish religion. So, the book of Hebrews spends a great deal of time reminding us of who Jesus is, His character and His greatness. Not only is Jesus greater than the angels and the prophets, He is God’s Son. He is the exact representation of God. In addition He is our High Priest who has presented a perfect sacrifice to God in order to atone for our sins.
Chapter 4, verse 2 reminds us that the people whom Moses led out of Egyptian slavery were unable to obtain the land God promised them because they did not believe. They did not trust God to do what He promised. On the other hand, chapter 6, verse 12 encourages us to imitate those who, because of their faith, did inherit what they were promised. Chapter 11 gives us a list of such people and tells us about their faith. Verses 1 through 7 read:
“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. For by this, the elders obtained testimony. By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible. By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks. By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn’t see death, and he was not found, because God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
In these verses we can learn a great deal about the characteristics of the kind of faith which will enable us to receive what God has promised us in Christ. One thing we learn is that faith is not merely a tool which we use only when the situation calls for it. Rather, faith is a lifestyle. It is a way of looking at and living all of life.
Many things have no physical substance. We cannot touch them or see them with our eyes. Nevertheless, they are true even though we cannot prove it in the same way that we can measure physical objects. For example, love, hope and trust cannot be seen or weighed in a scale. Yet we know they exist and we feel their effects in our hearts and minds. It is faith which makes us sure of what we cannot see. Faith provides the proof we need of realities which are beyond the physical. It is our faith in the One who promised which makes us certain of what He promised even if we cannot see how the promise will be fulfilled.
Another characteristic of faith is that it understands. Perhaps we should say that faith gives understanding when other explanations fail. As our text implies, there is no credible explanation of how this universe came into being. Science shows us that it is not eternal. But faith provides the answer. Through faith we know that God created it out of nothing.
Faith is also obedient. We may not always understand why God wants us to do something, or to do something in a particular way. Yet, if we have faith, we will obey and do what God asks of us anyway. The reason God accepted Abel’s offering was that Abel did what was right. In contrast, Cain’s offering was inferior. He did not do what God asked of him.
We also learn that faith pleases God. God was so pleased with Enoch’s faith that God took him from this life without having to experience death.
In this description we see two crucial elements of faith. Our faith must be in the right person. In order to please God, we must first believe in God. How can we even know anything about God, let alone obey Him, if we doubt that He exists, or we doubt what He has told us about Himself?
Another crucial aspect of faith which pleases God is that we must believe that He rewards those who seek Him. Think about it. We get upset with other people who doubt our word. We get frustrated with people who question whether we will fulfill the promises we make them. We don’t like it when someone doubts our motives in giving them a gift. How much more it must displease God when we doubt His promises, when we question His Word and do not acknowledge the gifts He gives us!
Another characteristic of faith is that it acts. When God told Noah that He was going to destroy the earth by means of a flood, Noah had never seen rain or the kind of devastation water can bring. In spite of never having experienced such things, Noah believed God. Even though Noah accepted what God told him, it would have done him no good at all if he hadn’t put his faith into practice. His belief in the accuracy of what God said was not enough to save him and his family from the flood. He also had to build a boat. In the same way, if our faith is genuine, it will cause us to act on what God has told us.
This raises a question. The people of long ago were commended, that is testimony is given on their behalf, that they were certain of the things which they could not see. Abel was commended for being a righteous man. Enoch was commended for pleasing God. How does our faith compare to theirs? Are we sure of God’s promises? Do we believe He rewards those who seek Him? Do we seek Him? Will God commend us for our faith?