July 31, 2022 Preaching | Bro. Jay Singson
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised… My righteous one will live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul (Hebrews 10: 36, 38-39). Endure and do not shrink back. Do not turn your back on what Jesus has done for you on the cross, for this is displeasing to God. This was a dangerous and true warning for the Hebrews who faced persecution and were tempted to shrink back. A warning that is equally relevant for us Christians today. While we may not face the same life-threatening situation, this time of relative safety can also lead us to be too comfortable in our faith. Too comfortable that maybe nothing in our lives now really sets us apart from non-believers. Too complacent that our faith might no longer confront our idols, challenge our sinful habits, or relentlessly refine us into the likeness of Christ. Like these early Christians, we too are called not to shrink back and to endure through faith.
But what is faith? Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen (v1). Faith is both something that is certain and a proof. It is a certainty in what we hope for, a confidence, a substance, a steadiness, and an assurance of something we can stably rely on. It is also a proof, an evidence, and a conviction about what we do not see. Faith is the proof of what we don’t see and that what we do not see is real. It isn’t a blind faith as some might assume, but one that is based on what God has revealed of Himself to us. Though we have not seen Him face to face, because of what we know of Him, we believe that He exists and are certain that He proves to be the One who rewards those who seek Him (v6). It’s just like the story of a little boy who was scared to follow his father down a dark cellar. He was afraid because he couldn’t see anything, not even his father. Yet upon hearing his father’s words of encouragement, he jumped down in faith, trusting in who his father is and the certainty that he will catch him.
Though this kind of faith seems difficult, we can look back at the people of faith who have gone before us for by it the people of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible (v2-3). The early believers believed that God created the universe though they were not there to witness it. This was because God revealed it to them through the author of Genesis. In the same way, we believe in God and the certainty of His existence because of what He has revealed of Himself to us. Biblical faith is not a blind faith but always an obedient response to God’s revelation.
And there are countless stories of faith since the world began, men whose faith was pleasing to God. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain…(v4). It wasn’t so much that Abel offered a better sacrifice, but that by faith he offered what he confidently believed was an acceptable sacrifice based on who God is. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death… (v5). Enoch walked with God in a lifestyle that was characterized by devotion. It wasn’t that he did not sin, but that he lived in communion and intimacy with God. Biblical faith also implies intimacy and a daily process of knowing Him, learning more about His ways, and growing in faith. It is also spending time with Him in frequent appointments. It is in reading His word, memorizing His promises, and applying it in our daily lives. It is a daily step by step reliance on God that continues on throughout our whole life. We please God through faith that responds to His revelation, that believes He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. Without which, without faith it is impossible to please Him (v6).
These verses on faith were an encouragement for the Hebrews in the face of persecution and continue to be an inspiration for us Christians today. When we feel too comfortable in our faith or are tempted to shrink back, we can go back to what who God is and what He has revealed of Himself, and live our lives growing in faith, believing that He exists and is a rewarder of those who seek Him. For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9).