Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Faith Is The Superior Principle of Life, Heb 11:1-7

The writer of Hebrews has concluded chapter that, faith is the dynamic by which the just shall live( Heb: 10:38).Faith is the assurance that what God has promised, He will fulfill. Also faith is the assurance upon which all christian hopes are based. Faith is not a leap into unknown or a crutch for the weakling but the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the conviction of things not seen(11:1). The writer explains what faith does than what it is. This confidence and conviction are based on the divine revelation. True faith is produced by God. It is taking God at His word. The old testament fathers received God's approval because of their faith.

By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God. This visible world points to an invisible Creator.There are many views about creation account. Material science cannot explain the origin of the world. The theory of evolution has no satisfactory answer for the origin. The conclusions of all these theories are not final and in a state of flux. All these theories of origins have never been proved and still remain as only theories. But the Bible starts with the statement that "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth". No one witnessed the act of creation, yet by faith we know that the worlds were framed by the word of God.

Now the writer illustrates lives of the Old Testament leader to show, what faith does and how it enabled them to have a right relationship to God. Abel, Enoch and Noah were heroes of faith lived before  the days of Abraham. Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. Abel is the picture of true worship.God revealed to Abel that there is a right  and there is a wrong way to approach God.He offered  his sacrifice by faith and it was more acceptable than Cain offered. H received  from God the testimony that he was righteous. Christ is the  new and living way to approach God. He is the lamb that was slained. We cannot devise our own way to worship God. We are exhorted to offer the sacrifices of praise to God continually through Jesus Christ(13:15).

By faith Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying.He walked with God in a time of wickedness. At the age of 65 Enoch started walking with God along with his family (Gen 5:21-24).  Walking implies, Faith and fellowship with God. Before he was translated at the age 365, Enoch had received the testimony that he pleased God. It is impossible to please God without faith. He that comes to God must believe in the existence of  sovereign God and live accordingly. God is the rewarder of those who seek Him sincerely. They will finally enter His presence either by the way of death or by rapture.When Christ returns, those who are in Christ will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air and they will be with the Lord for ever
(1 Thess 4:16,17).Do you have that blessed hope?

Verse 7 shows the faith of Noah. By faith he built an ark to save his family from the flood. With no sign of a flood or knowledge of it, Noah built the ark, taking God at His word. It shows his conviction of things not seen. Faith enabled Noah to become a witness for God. He was a preacher of righteousness. By his act of faith he condemned the unbelieving world. Through faith Noah became heir of the righteousness. Faith is our response to God's revelation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. May God help us to follow the example of Abel, Enoch and Noah.