Living by Faith is....

Faith is confidence in the trustworthiness of God. That is, it is deeply rooted in His character and credible statements. It is the conviction that God is honest, what He says is true, and that what He promises will come to pass (Heb. 11:1). Obviously biblical faith must have some revelation from God, some promise of God as its foundation. One cannot believe something until it is first communicated to them (Rom. 10:17). Obviously, then it is not a leap in the dark. It demands the surest evidence in the universe—the Word of God.

In order to appreciate fully what faith is, it is vital to disassociate it from the myths and secular ideas that have eroded its true and rich meaning. Faith is not taking a risk; it is not even a well-informed calculated risk. Faith is not a gut feeling that is followed. Faith is not hoping for the best, hoping that everything will turn out all right. Newell (Hebrews Verse by Verse, pg. 372) says, “Hoping for something is not yet faith!” Faith is not a feeling of optimism. All of these are actually secular ideas or either extra-biblical concepts that have invaded the Christian idea. Faith must always be based on something God communicated or it is not biblical faith. Note again the words of Newell,

Things not seen show there is no consulting the human faculties or “feelings.” The ark is the test of faith. When Noah entered the ark, there was the same conviction of the fact of the coming flood that he had during the years of building the ark. God had spoken! That was all that was before his mind. He never looked at the sky.

Certainly there is a kind of natural faith that relies on nature evidences, but the focus of this writing is on supernatural faith. Living by faith results in supernatural living because one is literally trusting and relying on the Most High God and the supernatural realities He avails through the Cross of Christ.

So, how does Christ and His work fit into the category “of things hoped for” and “things not seen”? Preliminarily, the work of Christ is the primary focus of faith considered in these verses. Two words in Hebrews 11:1, conveys that authentic Bible faith has “substance,” and “evidence.” These words will point believers to what Christ has done for them. They galvanize their convictions about His High Priestly work, and secure God’s approval upon their lives (Heb. 11:1-2).

LIVING BY FAITH IS CONSISTENT WITH BEING SAVED

“The just shall live by faith,” says the writer of Hebrews. The challenges these believers were facing must be faced with confidence in God and what He has communicated. By faith they would be able to get a real grasp on the realities of Christ’s sacrifice, priesthood, New Testament, and the hard things they must face because they continue with Him.  A “just” person is a God-justified person—a believer in Christ. Every believer must settle in their minds that the Christian life can only be realized in its fullness as they “live by faith” (Heb. 10:38). “Faith” as used in verses 38, 39 (“believe,”) 11:1, and verse 3 refers to “conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervor born of faith and joined with it” says James Strong (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). This same word appears throughout Hebrews eleven. About living by faith W. Newell said, “not only the first step of faith, but a vital continuing on the path of faith, is set before us as a way of life: not only the obtaining of life, but the manner of life of the true believer….” This is precisely what the writer had been urging these Hebrew Christians to do.

No doubt some were tempted to “draw back” (Heb. 10:38) or shrink away from a bold confession of Christ, but this temptation must be resisted and genuine believers must persevere (Heb. 10:35-36). Such endurance under fire will require faith. God’s favor cannot rest on the believer who denounces his Christian faith—“My soul shall have no pleasure in him” (Heb. 10:38). To draw back unto perdition is to experience physical or moral ruin under the severe chastening of God. The chastening of God can be far worse than anything any human being or organization can bring to bear. Living by faith involves determining to never retreat from or recall one’s profession of faith in Christ. It involves going on with Christ consistently confessing Him and even though the climate and culture are hostile to Christianity. 

LIVING BY FAITH PROVIDES EVIDENCE OF THE UNSEEN

Not every reality is seen, felt, tasted, heard, or placed under a laboratory microscope to be understood. While it is true some things can be scientifically explored, it is equally true that other realities must be grasped by another means—faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” While it would be beneficial to explore this great verse, for now simply consider the phrase, “the evidence of things not seen.” Just because something is not seen does not mean it is not a reality. In Judaism there was an elaborate temple, a human priesthood on earth, the animal sacrifices were real, and all the trappings could be readily seen, but the realities of Christianity and the New Covenant are not visibly obvious. In fact they are not seen by the natural eyes.

The word “substance” literally means “to stand under, to support.” It is the thought of a foundation or basis.  So faith is the foundation supporting the believer’s hope. Faith is to a Christian what a foundation is to a house: it gives confidence and assurance that one will stand. 

The word “evidence” presents the concept of “that by which something is tested or proof” and simply means “conviction.” Thayer commented on its use in this verse defines it as: “that by which invisible things are proved and we are convinced of their reality.” Real faith in the believer’s soul is the proof of the invisible and the persuasion the invisible is absolutely real. The evidence is the inward conviction from God that what He has promised, He will perform. The presence of God-given faith in one’s heart is conviction enough that He will keep His Word.

Now “evidence” is linked to “things note seen” (11:1). We cannot see Christ or His sacrifice, His High Priestly ministry, His Heavenly Tabernacle, or the satisfaction of the Father with Christ’s sacrifice.  But, we have evidence that these are still realities though we cannot currently see them. One simply knows them and understands they are realities because of this knowing in their heart of hearts. Believer’s faith is “the evidence” that these, though invisible, are yet realities—actualities, and factual!

Faith then provides a basic framework for understanding and dealing with Christian reality (Heb. 11:1-3). The first eight verses of Hebrews 11 describe faith and illustrate how faith in God and His Word provides a basic framework for understanding and dealing with reality. This great chapter emphasizes the vision and endurance of faith. Christian faith stands or falls on the truth that the Word of God reveals. Thus Hebrews 11 helps believers realize that it is confidence in the reality of things they cannot see that lies at the root of faith. It is only “by faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Heb. 11:3).

Larry Richards observed that much of what Hebrews has communicated about believers’ new lives in Christ is invisible. One cannot presently see High Priest Jesus standing as the link between believers and the Father in heaven. Believers cannot see themselves as God does, holy and cleansed by the one great Sacrifice of Christ. They cannot see they are justified, accepted in Christ, and heir of an eternal inheritance. But when a genuine Christian accept these as fact, and they are convinced of them even though they cannot yet see their full reality revealed, then they are ready to begin to live by faith. Living by faith provides the needed “evidence of things not seen.”

LIVING BY FAITH IS PLEASING TO GOD

This basic truth is rehearsed in verse 11:2, “For by it [faith] the elders obtained a good report.” God approved of the lives of faith of these Old Testament worthies. This is mentioned in verse 11:4, “By faith Abel offered…God testifying of his gift,” and again in verse 5, “By faith Enoch was translated…he had this testimony that he pleased God.” Then notice the phrase in verse 6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.” These phrases teach that living by faith is pleasing to God, and He bears witness to the faith of the believers listed in this great Bible chapter. Each divine ‘testimony’ is introduced by the words “by faith.” God was most pleased with these individuals who trusted what He communicated to them and boldly acted upon His Word to execute His will. Warren Wiersbe said, “The summary in Hebrews 12:1 calls this list of men and women “so great a cloud of witnesses.” They are witnesses to us because God witnessed to them. In each example cited, God gave witness to that person’s faith.

If God was pleased with the life of faith in the history of the nation of Israel and in the individual lives of the people mentioned in Hebrews 11, then he will be pleased with lives of faith today under the New Covenant. In the context of the book of Hebrews that means taking Christ as the last and greatest communication of God to mankind. It is believing that Jesus Christ is a greater and more faithful Servant than Moses. Faith is knowing Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is greater and better than the angels of God. It is realizing that the priesthood of Christ is far superior to the priesthood of Aaron because it will endure forever in the power of a deathless life. It is believing that the Sacrifice of Christ is the final and satisfactory atonement for all sin forever. It is realizing that Christ did not present the value of His sacrifice at Calvary in a tabernacle on earth, but in the very Heaven itself. God wholly accepted it! He is satisfied!

Rely then on the truth that believers now have real cleansing, thorough forgiveness, an eternal inheritance, and full access to God because of faith in Christ! None of these realities can be seen, but believers know they are real by faith. That means forsaking the old systems of worship under the law and paganism and clinging to the new and living way that enters into the veil to the Heavenly Holy of Holies! The just shall live by faith! 

So then, living by Faith is the highest principle for Christian experience. In doing so, believers are sure to please God, sustain a distinctively Christian confession, secure eternal rewards, and effectively face the hazards of a righteous lifestyle.  Though staggering challenges pervade their lives, confidence in Christ enables them to respond with joyful obedience to still triumph in them all.  Forsaking Christ in fear ceases to be a consideration as they live by faith.