Faith Is Understanding – Hebrews 11:3

Contrary to what atheists think, Christianity is not anti-intellectualism. In fact, it was by an understanding of truth that we became Christians. To understand is to perceive through reflection and insight, with a degree of conviction and determination that causes one to act. The centurion who sought Jesus by faith for the healing of his servant clearly understood the nature of possessing authority, and more importantly, he understood Jesus’s ultimate authority. Jesus therefore commended the centurion’s faith, because he understood and believed in Him. (Matt 8:8-10) It is dangerous for Christians to fail to understand, but the reality is that many are not thinking clearly about what the Word of God says. Because of their lack of understanding, their faith is weak and ineffective, or worse, false and damning. As the writer of Hebrews states understanding comes by faith, we will consider what believers are able to understand through biblical faith.

By faith we understand there is no difference between the Old Testament saints’ faith and our faith today.

We have the same faith as Abraham, Moses, Enoch, and all the other Old Testament saints because our faith is from the same immutable God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8) God has never changed in His holiness, glory, and nature, and He has always made the way of salvation to be by faith alone in Christ alone, both in the Old Testament and the New. (Gen 15:4-6; Eph 2:8) What’s more, today we have have the complete Scripture that guides and reveals to us God’s full plan of redemption, whereas the Old Testament saints had only their oral traditions to know God and His Will. If we still find our faith to be weaker than that of the Old Testament saints, we must search out and repent of the idols in our hearts that cause our faith to be divided. By faith, we understand we have the same God and the same salvation as the faithful saints of old.

By faith we understand our faith is not blind faith.

Faith comes by hearing and understanding the evidence that God provides for us to believe. (Rom 10:17) Though faith is never without reason, faith goes beyond reason to enable us to believe and trust in God. Faith understands the character and promises of God as it beholds God’s revelation of Himself through creation and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Ps 8:3-4; Heb 1:1-2) Contrary to science, in which the things unseen can only be explained by a posed theory, Scripture clearly explains everything we need to know about God, creation, and salvation. Do not practice blind faith by being ignorant about what Scripture says. We practice reasonable trust in the proof of God’s revelation.

By faith we understand the Bible is God’s Word.

Out of nothing, God created the whole universe by the power of His Word. (Gen 1:3) The “word of God” in v.3 is God’s effectual command- His Word never comes back empty, but accomplishes His Will without fail. The Bible speaks to us today- it is God’s living, active, and authoritative Word. How you handle the Scriptures reveals the true nature of your faith, because it is only by faith that one believes the Bible is God’s Word. When Paul was facing extreme hardship, he sought the Scriptures above anything else. (2Tim 4:13) How do you handle God’s Word? Do you believe what Jesus says? True faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and it is only by faith you can understand the Bible is God’s Word.