Someone has said that prayer is used more, abused worse, and understood less than any other Biblical subject. The same may be attributed to the subject of faith. It is freely discussed, abused much, and understood little. Connection may be made between the words “faith” in Hebrews 10:38, “faith” in Hebrews 10:39, “faith” in Hebrews 11:1, “by it [faith]” in Hebrews 11:2, and “faith” in Hebrews 11:6.

The word “faith” in Hebrews 11:1 occurs without the article; therefore, it is treated in its abstract conception, not particularly as New Testament faith. The writer proceeds to prove the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc. The preliminary definition is important since the examples that follow illustrate it.

Faith is frequently discussed. Athletes speak of faith in winning their next game. That is not faith in the Lord but in themselves. A religionist’s faith may be classified with the reply received by one who asked another, “What do you believe?” He answered that he believed what his church believed. When asked what his church believed, he said they believed what he did. The interrogator then asked what both he and his church believed. He answered that each believed what the other believed. Any time faith is nothing more than a benevolent quality of the soul, without any respect to the reality or unreality of its object, it is not saving faith.

The division between Chapters 10 and 11 of Hebrews should be ignored. Chapter 10 presents faith as the principle of Christianity and the impetus of patient endurance (vv. 35-39). Verse 39 states, “But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.” This faith cannot be separated from its enduring quality in Chapter 11. That is the very principle of Christianity.

I John 5:1 states, “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.” Like Hebrews 10:39, this is continual believing throughout life. A time will never come when this one ceases believing that Jesus is the Christ. The writer was discussing patient endurance. In spite of conflict, persecution, and affliction, Christians are not those who draw back, but they have believed and continue to believe.

What gives faith its enduring quality? Is it faith in oneself, the government, politics, some religious denomination, a particular assembly, or a preacher? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ gives faith its enduring quality. Hebrews 11 explains that.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The common interpretation of this verse is that it is the definition of faith. However, we have proved in the previous message that this is only a partial definition. The writer of Hebrews only defined that which is connected with what he was saying in the context.

The Greek word upostasis translated “assurance” in the NASB and “substance” in the KJB is made up of two Greek words, meaning “that which stands under a foundation.” The word actually speaks of the ground or foundation or reality upon which one builds a hope.

There is some truth in the statement that it is “assurance or confidence in what is promised.” The same Greek word occurs in Hebrews 1:3. There it is interpreted as “the representation of the reality of Him [God].” The NASB says, “the exact representation of His nature.” In Hebrews 3:14, the word is translated “assurance.” Some say that faith is the title deed of things hoped for. Those are good definitions of faith but do not fully explain it.

The Greek word elegchos is translated “conviction” in the NASB and “evidence” in the KJB. It means that by which invisible things are proved and men are convinced of their reality. The verb form of this Greek word is used as Christ spoke in John 8:46—“Which one of you convicts Me of sin?” The noun form is used in II Timothy 3:16 and is translated “reproof” but could be translated “conviction.”

Some say that conviction or evidence serves as a telescope to see what cannot be seen without it. Others declare that it does not put stars where there are none, but it enables us to see stars without which we could see none. Another says that it is the demonstration of things not seen, embracing not only future realities but all that does not fall under the cognizance of the senses, whether past, present, or future. Many good statements are made about faith. However, each of the preceding defines “subjective” faith.

Did the inspired writer of Hebrews intend that our subjective faith is the assurance or substance of what we hope for and the conviction or evidence of what we do not see? Should we place confidence in our subjective faith? Is our subjective faith the foundation of things for which we hope? Those who have that concept of faith do not differ from Christian Scientists. If faith is no more than the mere subjective act of believing, it would result in hypersubjectivism.

The context in which faith is found in Hebrews 11:1 proves that it is objective, not subjective. Subjective faith is taught in the last verses of Hebrews 10 and Hebrews 11:6. However, the message of the Lord Jesus Christ gives faith its enduring quality. What one believes in regard to Christ is the assurance or substance of things hoped for. That is the foundation. A person’s subjective faith is not the foundation. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ gives assurance or substance to subjective faith.

The truth of the Lord Jesus Christ is the assurance and conviction of all the promises of God in reference to unseen things to be eschatologically realized. That was true when Abel offered his sacrifice. He looked forward to the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Enoch walked with God, looking forward to the translation of the saints of God. Moses endured, seeing Him who is invisible. By faith, Abraham saw Christ’s day and rejoiced. Hence, that which gave assurance or foundation to the faith of Old Testament saints was the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:27 says that the Lord began at Moses and all the prophets and expounded to the two men on the road to Emmaus the things concerning Himself—not their faith. New Testament faith does not differ from Old Testament faith. Saints of the Old Testament looked forward to Christ’s coming. Saints of the New Testament look back to the time He did come.

In Hebrews 11:2, the men of old obtained a good report by “it”—objective faith. The objective message of Christ gave foundation to the subjective faith of those elders.

Faith is not without knowledge. It is not only based on knowledge but it leads to more knowledge. The entire passage of Hebrews 11 should be read with this definition—“what we believe in regard to Christ.”

Faith is the positive recognition of truth. It embraces everything God says in His word as truth. Saving faith is concerned with spiritual things, eternal things. If saving faith is the acceptance of Christ as He is offered in the gospel, one might ask the question, how much of the gospel must a person know before he can be saved? Salvation is not equated with regeneration.

The exercise of faith is seen in Hebrews 11:6—“And 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 seek Him.” One must have enough knowledge to know about the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. The principle of faith that was given him in regeneration enables him to embrace the message when he hears it. To accept Christ, an individual must know about Him. No man can approach the Father except through Christ. Only those within whom the Holy Spirit has wrought regeneration can believe the message of Scripture.

No man can please God separate from faith. In Romans 14:23, the apostle Paul declared, “…whatever is not from faith is sin.” Faith in a religious organization, in any other institution, or in a person is sin.

The act of believing and the message believed must be distinguished. Faith is not a blind thing. To believe and rest the full burden of one’s hope on God’s promises is not presumptuous.

Earthly blessings may partially smooth the rugged journey of life, but they cannot fill the deep void that sin left in the human soul. The books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon contrasted will illustrate that. Solomon tried wisdom, pleasure, wealth, etc., but none of those things gave him lasting joy. He found no lasting satisfaction in those things because nothing in the world can satisfy the human heart. It is bigger than anything the world can offer. In the Song of Solomon, Solomon found lasting joy, because he was occupied with the Subject—Jesus Christ—which is bigger than his heart.

The person in Jesus Christ finds satisfaction in the infinite Savior, not in wealth, wisdom, or pleasure. The infinite Christ and the message concerning Him gave foundation or assurance to the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc. That same Christ and His message give foundation to our faith.

Saving faith is satisfied as to the credibility of the testimony that comes from God. Faith, a way of obtaining knowledge, must be compared with science. As all sciences must operate within the scope of completed creation, faith must operate within completed revelation. As all sciences look for additional evidence to prove their particular theories, faith is demonstrated or proved by information about hidden things already existing.

Let us analyze the statement, “Faith believes what it cannot prove.” If one means by “prove” that he obtains knowledge by his own observation without depending on information received from others, the distinction between faith and proof is valid. However, faith affords just as high a degree of scientific certainty as proof in the narrower sense of the word. Nevertheless, faith affords a much higher degree of certainty.

Every person who has a checking account receives a monthly bank statement. Upon receipt of the statement, he compares his calculation from his checkbook with it to determine whether they harmonize. The individual’s calculation is obtained by proof; whereas, the bank’s information is received by faith in the integrity of the bank. Disagreement between the checkbook and the bank statement leads one to adjust his calculation with the information received from the bank, because he wants to unify his financial world. He does not adjust the bank statement. Likewise, every person who claims to have had some religious experience should compare that which is his proof with the word of God, because he believes in the integrity of God who gave the word. When experience does not harmonize with God’s word, experience must be adjusted accordingly. Experience must be analyzed in the light of Holy Scripture. Too many religionists seek to change God’s word to suit their experiences.

The degree of subjective faith depends on one’s knowledge of Scripture. His faith is adjusted according to his knowledge of the absolute sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, the atonement of Christ, the freeness of grace, the power of the Comforter, etc.

The act of faith is not turning “from” something “to” something, but conversely. In I Thessalonians 1:9, Paul said, “…You turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God.” A common question that is asked is “Have you tried Jesus?” One who has not been turned by God in grace cannot turn from sin. Jeremiah 31:18-19 says, “…Bring me back that I may be restored, For You are the LORD my God. For after I turned back, I repented; And after I was instructed, I smote on my thigh; I was ashamed and also humiliated because I bore the reproach of my youth.” An individual may turn from sin, but that does not denote salvation. Turning from evil may be a complete act within itself. True faith in Christ is active. One who has turned by grace “to” God turns “from” idols. He believes and keeps on believing, because the foundation of his faith is the Person and Work of Jesus Christ.

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The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE—UPDATED EDITION is the source of all Scripture quotations in this message, unless otherwise noted.

Copyright ã   2006

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