By Jen Quinnelly, Bulletin Editor
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Our world is rampant with different religions. Most people claim to have some sort of faith in something or someone. For some, that faith means acknowledgement or even trust in a “higher being.” For others, that means faith in one’s “self” and the denial of existence in a higher being beyond their self. In every religion but Christianity, each individual must reach out for the acceptance and relationship of some higher being or work towards some higher plane of existence. The Bible expresses just the opposite philosophy—God reached out to man. God wanted (and still wants) a relationship with human kind. When that relationship was severed by sin, He provided a means of restoring that relationship—the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
In the wonderful clamor, glitter, lights, and frivolity of Christmas, much time is spent celebrating the birth of a baby most people know next to nothing about. Most don’t realize that Christ’s birth provided the promised redemption of man. They have no idea who God is. According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is trusting in the hoped for solution and certain that it will happen even if it’s not visible now. The Jewish people of the Old Testament trusted God to do what He said He would do. They were sure of their future hope—a Messiah; they were also certain that He would deliver them even if it wasn’t in their lifetime. The book of Hebrews goes on to speak of faith displayed in various Biblical characters: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, etc. “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” (Hebrews 11:39) They believed God would provide restoration of that perfect relationship He once had with sinless man.
What do we hope for? In our current generation, we know that God provided a solution. He sent Jesus to die for our sins; He provided a way for us to accept His offer of eternal life with Him. We also know that He promised to return and take us to be with Him for eternity. That’s what we hope for. What are we certain of? Christ love for us, His salvation, and His return to earth.
Hebrews 11:2-16
This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
(Read the rest of the chapter for more examples of Godly faith.)