The Power of Faith

I love Paul’s discourse on faith in Hebrews 11 because he gives so many concrete examples of what it means to live by faith.  I believe that he wanted us to see that faith is not simply an abstract concept but rather a principle of power to govern our lives.  He first declared that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” which might make us think of faith as simply a feeling or mental exercise, but he quickly followed this up with his most dramatic example of faith in the whole chapter: “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (v3).  Even God works by faith, for through faith He created the worlds.  And so we too can do mighty works in the similitude of that through our faith in Him.  And in fact we must exercise faith if we are going to fulfill the mission God has for us: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (v6).  This chapter shows that faith is not just a belief but also a motivating force that can lead us to accomplish powerful works of God.

               Paul described numerous incredible feats by the prophets of old that were accomplished through faith.  Abel’s faith was such that he “offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (v4).  So powerful was his faith that even after his death his righteousness “yet speaketh” to us.  Enoch’s faith was so great that he “was translated that he should not see death” (v5).  Noah saved his family’s life through faith, for he “prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (v7).  Abraham and Sarah similarly did mighty works through faith: “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised…. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” (v11, 17).  They had a son through faith and then that son was offered up in great faith, knowing that somehow the promises of the Lord could still be fulfilled of seed through Isaac, which they were.  Moses was also an important example faith for Paul.  Not only did he have the faith to reject the riches of Egypt and “to suffer affliction with the people of God,” but through that he led them out miraculously: “Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned” (v25-29).  Later for the Israelites “by faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days” (v30).    

It appears that Paul could have continued describing the faith of many others in detail, but instead he summarized the faith of other great figures this way: “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens” (v32-34).  That is the power of faith, to stop lions and subdue kingdoms and escape the sword and in short be made strong out of weakness.  Paul’s message for us through this chapter is that we too can work mighty miracles if we will but have faith like this great scriptural figures.  As he put it to the Philippians, through faith we “can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth [us]” (Philippians 4:13).