Hebrews 11:1-12:29
Today’s passage began with a great question, “What
is faith?” Then, the writer provided a definition. Faith “is the confident
assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of
things we cannot yet see” (11:1, 2). The Latin word for faith is fides, meaning “to
trust.” Noah Webster marked that, in the Greek language, the idea of faith was
“to be bound or made fast by rope,” in other words to be fastened or tied to
something one believes. Therefore, Webster wrote in his definition that faith
is “the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting
on his authority or veracity, without other evidence.” Also, faith is “the
judgment that what another states is truth” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).
Our passage continued with a long list of people in the Old Testament
who demonstrated genuine faith (11:4-40). “All of these faithful ones died without
receiving what God had promised them, but they saw it all from a distance and
welcomed the promises of God” (v.13). It is evident in these stories that faith is a
big part of one’s relationship with God. In fact, “It is
impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe
that there is a God and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (v.6). Remember when
James wrote that faith without works is a dead faith? I guess we could also say
that works
without genuine faith are dead or useless works.
Why does faith matter so much? Well, consider the alternative. To have
no trust in what God says or does is to say that He is not trustworthy, that He
is a liar, or that there is someone better. How can one be in right standing with
God if he holds to the belief that God is a liar, not worthy of trust? To bind oneself
to God’s words, not knowing but believing that they are true or will come true,
is a tremendous act of honor to Him.
Daily Reflection
After having recounted all the people who demonstrated true faith, the
writer changed gears and focused his attention on his readers. “Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so
easily hinders our progress; and, let us run with endurance the race that God
has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom
our faith depends from start to finish” (12:1, 2).
Do you have faith? Do you trust God? Have you bound yourself to His
words and promises? What “weights” tend to hinder your progress in the life of
faith?
Did you notice, that in regards to faith, the writer addressed the
issues of suffering and discipline? Many have been tortured or persecuted for
their faith in God (11:36-39) and, today, we still experience difficulty, trials, heartache, and
punishment (12:6-13). How does faith intersect with hard times, set backs, and
discipline?
“God has far better things in mind for you... but you can’t receive
the prize at the end of the race until you finish the race” (11:40).
BiAY.org | Day 354 — 11 Days to Go
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