The Enduring Faith, Part 8 – Hebrews 11:15-16

And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. Heb 11:15-16

One thing we have learned as we continue in this series on faith is that genuine faith endures. Despite setbacks, discouragement, and sins, the patriarchs persevered in their spiritual pilgrimage, overcoming their trials by faith. They had the opportunity to return to their old lives, but instead of looking back to the world, they continually looked forward to their heavenly homeland. Like the patriarchs, all who are in Christ Jesus are spiritual nomads in the world. We are on a journey to reach heaven, where we will dwell with God forever, so we must endure in faith and remain loyal to our God. In this portion of Hebrews, we consider what motivated the patriarchs to overcome the world by faith.

The patriarchs desired and look forward to heaven. (But as it is, they desire a better county, that is a heavenly one.)

The patriarchs’ fervent longing for heaven empowered their faith to continue forward in their spiritual journey. The patriarchs didn’t passively wait for heaven. They longed after the heavenly city, and they were wholeheartedly committed to endure until they reached it. Heaven must be the Christian’s daily desire. Believers who think little of heaven will think much of the world, and their lives will not be distinct from the rest of the world. Heaven is incomparably better than the world. Whereas this world is passing away, the heavenly city lasts forever. (1Jn 2:15-17) True satisfaction is experienced in heaven alone. Though we live as foreigners in this temporary world, we will finally be settled in peace forever once we reach heaven. (1Pet 1:1, Rev 21:3)

The patriarchs realized that God is not ashamed to be their God. (Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God…)

By faith, the patriarchs knew that God was pleased by them. (Heb 11:6) God is not ashamed to be our God, and He proved it by making a covenant with us to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Though there is nothing we have done or could do to please God, God smiles upon us and calls us His own because He placed us in Jesus, who has perfectly pleased God the Father. (Rom 8:15-17) We cast ourselves on God’s grace and mercy alone, and in Christ, we find grace upon grace and new mercies every morning to be accepted and loved by our God.

The patriarchs trusted in God’s work. (…He has prepared a city for them.)

God is the one who has prepared heaven for those who live and die in faith. We can not trust man’s work, but we can trust God completely. Heaven will be an indescribably beautiful city, built by the love of God. (Rev 21:18-19) There is no sickness or death in heaven- everything that we suffer through in the world will not exist in the city of God.

Faith will be strengthened as we meditate on heaven, God’s love, and God’s Work during our pilgrimage through the world. Take heart, for the God who has built this glorious city is the God who will sustain our faith until we reach our heavenly home.

December 9, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith, Part 7 – Hebrews 11:15-16

Since the Christian’s pursuit of holiness will inevitably be fraught with trials and persecution, enduring faith is crucial to engage in this spiritual warfare. If the patriarchs were not fully resolved by faith to follow God’s call but rather yearned for their old way of life, they would not have endured in their spiritual pilgrimage. Their faith would have stalled, and they could have turning away from God and returned to their old country. These verses in Hebrews are a great reminder to believers about the dangers of backsliding and apostasy.

The cause and characteristics of backsliding and apostasy are similar, but their ends are completely different. What is backsliding? Backsliding is a spiritual lapse. When a Christian who has been passionate and faithful to the Lord departs from the Word and the ways of God without repenting, he is backsliding.

What causes backsliding?

Sin– Christians know what sin is, but some remain in it. Though they may be miserable, they go back to the bondage of sin. This is why Christians must repent every day.

Unbelief– When we doubt God’s Word, we will backslide. Unbelief causes us to sink in despair and drown out trust in God. The only antidote against the power of doubt is faith.

False teaching– False teaching misleads Christians, and causes them to depart from God’s ways outlined clearly in His Word.

Disappointment– Disappointment distorts your perspective and will cause you to be controlled by your emotions rather than by faith.

Backsliding is temporary, apostasy is eternal. The backslider is passive in his sins, but the apostate directly and proactively offends God. Peter was backsliding when he denied Jesus, but he repented in tears and returned to follow the Lord. Judas, on the other hand, was an apostate who betrayed and turned in the Lord Jesus to be put to death.

Some people begin backsliding and end up practicing apostasy. Take heed, anyone who sins secretly and habitually is in a dire situation of falling in apostasy. All Christians sin, but their hearts are pure and they earnestly desire and seek after what pleases God. We must understand what causes us to backslide. When we fail to love Jesus above all, we will backslide. The top priority in every Christian’s life must be to love the Lord with all his heart. We must constantly go back to our first love, remembering how our eyes were opened to see our hopelessness, and the grace and forgiveness that was poured out on us through Jesus Christ.

If we find ourselves backsliding, we must stop and examine ourselves by the mirror of Scripture. With solemnity, impartiality, and frequency, we must check our emotions, will, and mind and see where we are falling short of God’s Will. We must then repent of our sins, thinking about where and how we fell. Repentance is a radical change in mind about God, sin, self, and the world, which leads to a change in conduct. It’s not simply sorrow over the penalty of sin, but its to be contrite in heart for sinning against God. True repentance takes us back to see our hopelessness. It humbles our souls to find true hope in Christ alone, who saves undeserving sinners by grace alone. This is the only way to stop the pattern of backsliding that can lead to apostasy- repent and believe in the gospel.

December 2, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith, Part 6 – Hebrews 11:15-16

The patriarchs lived by faith and died in faith. Considering themselves strangers and exiles in the world, they wholeheartedly sought the heavenly country that God had promised them. It would have been a dangerous thing for the patriarchs to constantly think about their old country from which they went out, for the opportunity to return was always with them.

This is the case with our conversion as well- to constantly think about our old lives, or to downright live a life full of compromise and love for the world and sin is a spiritual peril. (Prov 26:11) But it leads us to the question of whether a Christian can lose his salvation. Is it possible to lose your salvation because of a sin you commit? Yes and no. As John MacArthur once said, “If you could lose your salvation, you would.” This is the power of sin. It has a replaying effect in our lives, and without God’s grace and overcoming power to sustain us, we would surely fall away.

By God’s grace, once you’re saved, you’re always saved. This major doctrine of the perseverance of saints is foundational to biblical faith, and it is one of the core issues that distinguishes between Calvinism and Arminianism. Whereas Calvinists believe their salvation depends wholly on the grace of God, Arminians focus on human choice and power, believing that man is able to choose or oppose God’s salvation. Arminianism is based on a man-centered salvation, and tragically, most churches in America follow this erroneous doctrine.

Though the doctrine of the perseverance of faith has been abused by nominal Christians since the church of Acts, it is a good and precious doctrine that gives all glory to God for our salvation. Our salvation does depend on human will- it depends on the grace of God. When the Bible speaks of those who have fallen away from the faith, or when we ourselves witness people whom we have considered brothers and sisters in Christ apostate, we must consider whether they were ever genuinely converted, because those who are saved by God’s grace will endure.

What is true conversion? Christians were spiritually dead in the grave, with no desire to be saved. By God’s grace, we were raised up with Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again for our justification. Salvation is not based on our activity, knowledge, or effort- by God’s grace alone, we were convicted by the Holy Spirit to repent and bear the fruit of sanctification. (2Sam 12:13) This is God’s way of salvation. It stands on His promise, His work, and His grace that is fulfilled and sealed by Jesus Christ. We are saved because God has placed us in Christ. Opposite from all other religions and man’s fallen way of thinking, those who are humble and completely dependent God alone are the ones who are truly strong. (Rom 8:32)

How do I know my salvation will not be lost? Those who hear and believe the gospel have eternal life. We don’t deserve this gift of salvation from God, but Jesus humbled Himself and laid down His life so that we would be lifted up with Him. As we focus on God’s love and grace, we will grow in humility, sanctification, and love for Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. (1Cor 1:27) God began this work of faith in us- He will maintain it and help us endure to the end. (2Tim 4:6-8)

November 25, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith, Part 5 – Hebrews 11:13-14

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. Heb 11:13-14

Living by faith is always in the present tense- the faith you practice now will determine the faith you will have at the end of your life. None of us can control our circumstances, but we can control how we react and respond to them. To cultivate a practice of responding to all things by faith, let us consider the importance of the Christian mind.

Our minds control how we perceive and respond to circumstances. Unless we practice heavenly mindfulness, our response to circumstances will always be based on emotions- fear, anxiety, anger, etc. Faith is a reasoning trust. It is an expression of what is in the mind. Christians have been enlightened with God’s truth by the Holy Spirit- we are now able to see everything through the lens of Jesus Christ. (1Cor 2:14-16; Eph 4:17-18) If we don’t control our thoughts according to Scripture, we will be controlled by our emotions and circumstances.

How can we build up our minds in Christ? The measure of every Christian’s faith is determined by how much he meditates on God’s Word. Those who continually keep their minds in the Word have their love and affections set on heaven, where Christ is. (Col 3:1-2) Meditation allows you to regain control of your mind, by sanctifying your thinking and bringing it into submission to Christ. Meditation takes every thought captive to Christ, as you surrender your mind and yourself to the will of God. (Acts 4:19-20)

As we take control of our thoughts, we will naturally pursue what our minds are fixed on. The Old Testaments saints who had enduring faith sought a country of their own- heaven. They were in a passionate pursuit of heaven because their minds were set on the things above, not on the things of the earth. Faith that comes through meditation on Scripture will make you passionate for the things of God. (Phil 3:7, 9-11)Jesus desires us to live with a passion and love for Him- being lukewarm in faith is a condemnable sin. (Lk 9:62; Rev 3:15-16) Passion drives a Christian to labor for the Lord- without this faith and love, no works will be acceptable to God. (Rev 2:4-5)

Enduring faith comes through a renewed mind and a heavenly pursuit filled with passion. It begins with meditation, and will result in a zeal for the Lord and His kingdom.

November 19, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith, Part 4 – Hebrews 11:13-14

The testimony of the patriarchs who died in faith shows us the three essential components of enduring faith- notitia, assensus, and fiducia. In the previous weeks we expanded on notitia and assensus– the content of faith, and the conviction- or believing- that the content is true. However, faith does not stop at mere knowledge and belief in its truthfulness. The third element- fiducia– is the personal trust, reliance, and love for Jesus Christ that is manifested by those who have saving faith. The patriarchs, having seen and having believed in God’s promises, welcomed what they saw and also confessed who they were in light of God’s promise, resulting in their total commitment and obedience to God.

Enduring faith abides, always expressing itself with good works. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to walk with the Lord in trust and obedience. However, there are things that can hinder us from walking by faith. Fearing something or someone other than God will make you shrink back from glorifying Him in all circumstances. Christian, do not fear what you can lose. Those who fear the Lord know He is with them, and put their hope in the Lord alone. (Matt 10:28) Prayerlessness is another great hindrance to walking by faith. Jesus showed us how important it is to pray. He prayed unceasingly during His earthly ministry, and He taught us how to pray to the Father. When we pray in the Spirit, our thinking and hearts are changed to do the will of God by faith.

As you live by faith in obedience to God’s Word, you are confessing with the patriarchs that you are exiles on the earth. Christians are missionaries, doing the work of God and passing through en route to their heavenly home. Those who truly live by this confession aim to live on earth simply, with thoughtfulness and faith. They live for the Lord and for His glory, while removing every kind of sin and distraction from their lives. They live in the world, but they do not love the world. What is the world? Whatever pulls you away from Christ is the world. We must constantly examine ourselves and guard our hearts. If you are living in the pursuit of money, success, or man’s approval, you are loving the world. (1Jn 2:16)

Those who live by faith strive to enter through the narrow gate. They turn away from the world by faith, and they follow God by seeking and obeying His Word. We must always remind ourselves and one another of who we are- we are children of a God. As pilgrims in this world, we have a glorious gospel to share with the lost. By faith, we will endure and live out our confession in trust and obedience to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

November 12, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith, Part 3 – Hebrews 11:13-14

November 5, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith, Part 2 – Hebrews 11:13-14

Every Christian- in different ways and at varying levels- goes through suffering. Just as gold is refined by fire, trials have melted away the superficial faith of men who ultimately apostatized from the faith, while in others, trials have brought to surface a divine faith that brilliantly endured to the praise, glory, and honor to God.

The author of Hebrews records how the patriarchs of faith- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- endured in faith. Though they never saw God’s promise of a great nation fulfilled in their lifetimes, they didn’t die in disappointment or hopelessness- they died in faith. How did the patriarchs endure? What can we learn from their examples so that we preserve our faith to the end?

“…having seen them…”

By faith, though the promise was not yet fulfilled, the patriarchs believed God’s Word and saw its fulfillment with assurance. (Heb 11:1; Gen 12:2) God reveals His Will through His Word- our faith must therefore rest on God’s Word, not on emotions or physical evidence. (Rom 10:17) The most important aspect of Christian life is handling Scripture properly. Everything you see as a problem in your life stems from a failure to hear and believe God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is able to give us understanding of God’s Will revealed in His Word so that we can walk by it in faith. We must therefore seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit by depending on God and recognizing Jesus as Lord in every area of our lives. (Col 2:6)

What are the characteristics of those who see Jesus as Lord?

They know what is of utmost value.

Those who honor Jesus as Lord consider Christ to be the highest worth in their lives. When you value something else more than Jesus, you hurt yourself and the church. We must examine ourselves each day and ask ourselves- What do I value most in my life today?

They worship Christ.

We were all born spiritually blind in sin, but now that we can see Jesus, we worship Him as Lord over all. (Jn 9:25, 37-38) The Christian must make matters distinct in his life- in every situation, we must worship Christ. As we honor Christ, we will not fear the world, man, or our circumstances, because we know what is true. Jesus overcame all things by His death and resurrection, so that we can bravely stand in God’s love and truth amidst all trials. (1 Pet 1:8-9; Acts 4:19-20)

They know who they are.

Those who see God and His Word know they are sinners. The Holy Spirit dwells in those who are broken and contrite in spirit. As we see God, we stay humble, and Christ abides in us, and we in Him.

Jesus blesses those who do not see, yet believe in His Word. (Jn 20:27-29) While the patriarchs only saw a glimpse of God’s promise fulfilled, we have a full revelation of God’s redemption fulfilled in Christ through the complete Scripture. Considering this, we ought to live more faithfully than our fathers of faith, with more joy, and more thanksgiving. Let us truly treasure and obey God’s Word. As we live by what is revealed to us in the Bible, our faith will endure.

October 29, 2018 0

The Enduring Faith – Hebrews 11:13-14

In the life of faith, how you finish matters. Starting is easy- as a young man of faith, you might feel confident to boldly face whatever lies ahead, but to actually fight the good fight, finish the course, and keep the faith requires an enduring faith that only God can endow. Every believer hopes to end well, but most presume their finish line is waiting for them many years ahead- too far to be visible to the eye. But the reality is, we don’t know what tomorrow holds, and for any of us, we may be crossing our finish line tomorrow. (James 4:14) Moreover, we don’t know how man can turn. The Bible says that some will fall away from the faith. (1Tim 4:1) Paul witnessed it himself when Demas, who labored alongside him, suddenly fell away from the faith to go after the world. We may have personally experienced it ourselves, when those whom we believed to be brothers and sisters in Christ abandoned the church and walked away from the faith. They proved that they did not have true faith that endures. Lest we become arrogant, the Bible says let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. (1Cor 10:12) We must all be watchful, and look to God alone who sustains our faith.

How then can we endure during these wicked times? What does enduring faith look like? Hebrews 11:13-14 speaks of the patriarchs- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob- those who were promised a great nation of descendants who would be set apart for God. (Rom 4:16-17) They didn’t receive what was promised in their lifetimes, but they all died in faith, having only tasted the promise through the birth of their sons.

As descendants of the same faith, we face the same challenge as our forefathers. We read the wonderful promises of God, in His Word, but we don’t yet see them fulfilled today. As with the patriarchs, our greatest hope in God is the promise of our salvation. The Bible says we have been predestined, called, justified, and glorified, but we know that in our current state we are not yet glorified. We are in the process of sanctification, and we endure in faith and await our glorification. This is the nature of God’s eternal and immutable promises- it is already, but not yet.

Even though the patriarchs didn’t yet receive the promises, they endured because they knew that the One who promised was faithful. We have eternal life today, because God has promised it. Do you experience, enjoy, and give glory to God because He has given you eternal life? We- along with our forefathers of faith, and with all who have believed- have not yet received the fulfillment of salvation. But we are in the process of it, and as we experience it and enjoy it now, we will live by faith that endures to the end.

October 21, 2018 0

The Power of Faith, Part 2 – Hebrews 11:11-12

By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. Heb 11:11-12

The faith you receive to trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection for salvation is the same faith you are to practice to obey Him as Lord. Whether you have a faith that can move mountains, or a faith that is as feeble as a bruised reed, the object of every genuine believer’s faith is the same- Jesus Christ. Herein lies the power of faith.

By the testimony of Sarah’s faith in Christ, we see what the power of faith can do.

Faith moves. (By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive…)

Sarah received the ability to conceive by clinging on to God’s power and promise. Everyday, whether we are navigating through stormy seas or still waters, we must walk by faith. By faith, we are in Christ. It is a gift of God through which we are saved. Every spiritual blessing that is ours in Christ is realized and claimed by faith- love, joy, peace, strength, and victory in spiritual warfare. (Rom 15:13; Phil 4:13)

How can we improve our faith?

– By the body of Christ. No believer can be spiritually healthy in isolation from the body of Christ. God has given us brothers and sisters in the local church to strengthen and edify one another.

– By practicing love. A truly healthy church practices upholds sound doctrine and practices love. We must love one another in deed and truth, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.

– By prayer. Faith always prays. Prayer without faith is feeble, infrequent, and unbelieving.

Even the littlest faith can do all things. Look to Christ and seek His wisdom, guidance, and power. By faith, we will receive. (Luke 17:6)

Faith trusts God. (…she considered Him faithful who had promised…)

To conceive at the age of 90 was impossible, but Sarah believed and obeyed God because she considered Him trustworthy. Trusting God is at the heart of powerful faith. We trust in God’s promises because He is the One who promises, and great is His faithfulness- those who trust in God know true peace and rest. (Lam 3:22-23; Ps 23) By faith, we believe God promises as ours in Christ, and His Word becomes the foundation of our hope, joy, and endurance through life.

Faith bears fruit. (Therefore there was born…as many descendants as the stars…)

Who we are today is the byproduct of our faith. Sanctification depends on faith. No matter what your circumstances are today, if you have true faith, you will grow, because God is the source of fruit-bearing faith. To grow is to practice faith. As we live by faith, God will produce the fruit in our lives that glorify Him and identify us as His own. This is the power of faith.

October 14, 2018 0

The Power of Faith – Hebrews 11:11-12

The greatest illustration of the power of faith is in the believer’s salvation. We, who were once dead in our trespasses and sins, were raised with Christ, having been saved by grace through faith. As astounding and joyful as it would be to see a deceased loved one rise up from the dead, it is even more miraculous to see one who is spiritually dead and alienated from God made alive together with Christ. Yet this is what happened to us by the power of faith. (Eph 2:1, 8)

Having previously looked at the accounts of men of great faith, we come to the testimony of Sarah. Contrary to the opinion of many contemporary Bible critics, the Bible does not discriminate against women. Rather, it upholds God’s special design and high calling for women, which both fallen men and women have rejected. Scripture is filled with accounts that highlight the strength and faith of women- women who defeated evil men, women who supported Jesus’ ministry, and the women who were the first to witness Jesus’ resurrection. As we look into the power of faith in the life of Abraham’s wife, Sarah, we will see that women can have just as strong- if not stronger- faith as men.

How did Sarah’s faith begin?

Powerful faith begins with understanding what is genuine faith. Saving faith and living faith are one and the same- the faith that is at work in your conversion is the same faith you practice as a follower of Christ. Before our conversion, our nature was to love what was evil. But by the grace of God, we heard the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ, and we received the gift of faith to believe and turn away from sin and be converted to Christ. (Jn 5:24) As a child simply trusts and depends on his father, so we have trusted in Christ Jesus as our Savior and Lord. This trust that we have in Christ for the salvation of our souls is the same trust we practice in our daily lives. (Lk 18:17)

True faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. By faith, though we do not see, we believe, because we trust in the One who gives us the promise. If you are not yet converted, you have no saving faith, and without saving faith, you can not have living faith. Therefore, believe in the gospel- God has loved the world by sending His only Son to die on the cross for our sins, and He was raised from the dead to be the Lord and Savior of all who trust in Him for salvation. Come to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and by the power of faith in Him, you will be freed from the power of sin. (1Cor 15:1-4)

Powerful faith is individual. Faith is never credited by inheritance or association- you can never be saved by your parents’ or spouse’s faith. Sarah had her own faith apart from her husband Abraham’s faith. When we read that Abraham by faith sojourned as a foreigner to obey God’s heavenly call, we can infer that Sarah followed her husband because of her own obedient faith in God. (Heb 11:8-10)

How did Sarah own her faith?

Sarah a had a biblical marriage. Wives must submit to their husbands, but only as is fitting in the Lord. Sarah and Abraham were both humble, and as Sarah submitted to Abraham and Abraham loved Sarah, they grew in sanctification and faith together, individually. (1Pet 3:6; Phil 2:3-4) Biblical marriage is the best grounds for growing in holiness, because sins are constantly exposed, forgiven, and repented of. Husbands and wives must mutually teach and support one another- when one falls, the other must support, encourage, and teach their spouse.

By God’s grace. God’s grace is always with those who have faith. Sarah was by no means a perfect woman, but she was upheld by God’s grace. When Sarah laughed at and doubted God’s promise of a sin, God still fulfilled His promise and allowed Sarah to conceive. (Gen 18:10-13; 21:1-2) We always stumble in faith, but God is faithful, and His grace is abundant towards those who trust in Him.

Faith is to obediently trust in the Lord. As we continue to look at the power of faith, we must examine ourselves and look for the reasons why we fail to trust God.

Have you repented biblically? True repentance always bears the fruit of obedient faith. God can not be fooled- He looks into our hearts for sincerity in repentance. Without it, you will always fall into the same sins. (Matt 7:16–17)

Do you still live under bad influences? Anger, disappointment, ignorance, and fear of man are all of our old nature. If we continue in these sins, we can not trust in God. (Col 3:5-8)

Is your conscience hardened? We are trusting in ourselves and hardening our consciences when we shift blame or rationalize our sins before God and man. We must confess our sins, and trust in Christ alone for forgiveness and righteousness.

Do you have idols? We trust in what we desire most. We must always look out for what is competing with Christ in our love and loyalty.

October 7, 2018 0