How Can I Strengthen My Church?
(Positive Attitudes Lead To Positive Actions)
The Great Faith of God’s People
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Sometime during his life Enoch must have received a promise from God that he would go to heaven without dying. Up to that time everyone had died—sooner or later. There was no record of anyone ever having been taken away without dying. But God promised and Enoch believed. It was the most sane, rational thing that Enoch could do; what is more reasonable than that the creature should believe his Creator? Why do we have such a hard time believing our Creator?
And so it happened! Enoch walked with the invisible God for three hundred years (Gen. 5:21–24) and then he walked into eternity. Before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. The life of faith always pleases God; He loves to be trusted. What are some ways we can walk with God?
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Without faith it is impossible to please Him. No amount of good works can compensate for lack of faith.
After all is said and done, when a man refuses to believe God, he is calling Him a liar. “He who does not believe God has made Him a liar” (1 Jn. 5:10), and how can God be pleased by people who call Him a liar?
Faith is the only thing that gives God His proper place, and puts man in his place too. “It glorifies God exceedingly,” writes C. H. Mackintosh, “because it proves that we have more confidence in His eyesight than in our own.”
Faith not only believes that God exists, but it also trusts Him to reward those who diligently seek Him. There is nothing about God that makes it impossible for men to believe. The difficulty is with the human will. What are your thoughts?
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
The faith of Noah was based on God’s warning that He was going to destroy the world with a flood (Gen. 6:17).
There had never been a flood in human experience, in fact, there is some reason to believe that there had never been rainfall up to that time (Gen. 2:5, 6).
Noah believed God and built an ark, even though he was probably very far from navigable waters. Doubtless he was the butt of many a joke. But Noah’s faith was rewarded: his household was saved, the world was condemned by his life and testimony, and he became heir of the righteousness which is received on the basis of faith.
Perhaps many of the early Jewish Christians to whom this Letter was written often wondered why, if they were right, they were such a small minority. Noah steps out from the pages of the OT to remind them that in his day only eight people were right and all the rest of the world perished!
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
Abraham was probably an idolater, living in Ur of the Chaldees, when God appeared to him and told him to move. With the obedience of faith, he left home and country, not knowing his ultimate destination. Doubtless his friends ridiculed him for such folly.
The walk of faith often gives the impression to others of being imprudent and reckless, but the man who knows God, is content to be led blindfolded, not knowing the route ahead. What are your thoughts on this?
Hebrews 11:9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
God had promised the land of Canaan to Abraham. In a very real sense it belonged to him. Yet the only parcel of ground he ever bought in it was a tomb for his dead. He was content to live in tents, the symbol of pilgrimage, instead of in a fixed abode. For the time being, he treated Canaan as if it were a foreign country.
The companions of his pilgrimage were his son and grandson. His godly example left its mark on them also; even though they were heirs with him of the same promise that the land would be theirs.
Hebrews 11:10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Why did Abraham hold such a light grip on real estate? Because he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
He did not have his heart set on present, material things, but on the eternal.
In the original there is a definite article before both city and foundations—the city and the foundations. In the reckoning of faith there is only one city worthy of the name and only one with sure foundations. God is the architect of this heavenly city and He is its builder as well. It is the model city, without slums, polluted air, polluted water, or any of the other problems that plague our metropolitan centers.
Hebrews 11:11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
By faith Sarah was miraculously empowered to conceive when she was about ninety years old.
The record clearly states that she was past the time of life when she could bear a child. But she knew that God had promised her a baby, and she knew He could not go back on His word. She had shatterproof faith that He would do what He had promised.
Hebrews 11:12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
Abraham was about ninety-nine when Isaac was born. Humanly speaking it was just about impossible for him to become a father, yet God had promised a numerous posterity and so it must be.
Through Isaac, Abraham became the father of an innumerable earthly family, the Hebrew nation.
Through Christ, he became father of an innumerable spiritual family, that is, true believers of every subsequent age. The sand by the seashore probably pictures the earthly progeny, while the stars of the sky illustrate the heavenly people.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
The patriarchs all died in faith. They did not live to see the fulfillment of the divine promises. For instance, Abraham never saw his numerous progeny. The Hebrew nation never occupied all the land that had been promised to it. The OT saints never saw the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah. But their telescopic vision brought the promises near, so near that they are pictured as waving at them in joyful anticipation.
They realized that this world was not their final home. They were content to be strangers and pilgrims, refusing the urge to nestle to make themselves comfortable. Their desire was to pass through the world without taking any of its character upon themselves. Their hearts were set on pilgrimage (Ps. 84:5, Knox).
Macdonald, Farstad Grady Scott, Hindson, E.E.
