By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.  Heb 11:7

What are the hallmarks of authentic faith? It’s somber and terrifying to think that many who believe they are saved will one day hear from Jesus, “I never knew you.” (Matt 7:22-23) Thankfully, we don’t have to worry or live in constant doubt of our salvation because Scripture describes characteristics of true faith. In this account of Noah’s life, we consider three hallmarks of authentic faith. The first is obedience. Noah took God’s Word seriously and took immediate heed of God’s warning by building the ark. (Gen 6:22) He was full of conviction even when he didn’t yet see the things God had promised or warned him of, because Noah had faith. (Heb 11:1) He trusted God in reverence and love, and knew Him intimately- he knew God was good, and he was assured that whatever God did was out of His goodness. Obedience is of utmost importance, because it is a matter of life and death. By Noah’s obedience, Noah and his family were saved from the flood. All believers are saved because of Jesus’s obedience to the Father. We can not neglect obedience, not because we are saved by our obedience, but because we are saved for obedience to Jesus Christ. Lordship salvation is biblical- it is the only way God describes the nature of true salvation. (1Jn 2:3)

The second sign of authentic faith is that it is not silent or hidden. Noah’s act of obedience in faith condemned the world of its widespread sin. (Gen 6:5) As God’s elect, He considered the building of the ark as his calling, because he knew of God’s imminent judgment and His gracious provision of salvation. The ark- being the only means for man’s salvation- represented Jesus Christ. Like Noah, we are God’s elect who know of His coming judgment and His way of salvation. We must condemn the world by delivering the gospel of Jesus Christ to all men. (Jn 3:16,18-20) Not only must we merely speak of God’s salvation, but we must show it by being salt and light of the world. We must be set apart in holiness, and walk in such a way that reflects Christ and His gospel to this condemned world. (Matt 5:13-16)

Finally, if you have authentic faith, you must be aware of what you have, and what you are. Every Christian is a fellow heir with Christ. (Heb 1:2) He is a child of God, which is an honor that surpasses any worldly position. We were once dead and alienated from God in our sin, but God raised us up with Christ through faith and imputed His perfect righteousness to us. Now that we are in Christ, there is absolutely no separation between us and God, and there is no more guilt. We are no longer defined by worldly circumstances, but by faith, we are heirs of God’s righteousness.

By Noah’s example, let us examine our lives for these hallmarks of authentic faith. By faith, Noah obeyed God’s Word, proclaimed and lived by the gospel, and became an heir of God’s righteousness.

What is fake can often times seem deceptively real. Take fake news for instance- media outlets create bogus, sensational stories for the sake of drawing readership, and they deceive readers into believing them to be factual. The consequences of being fooled by fake news, however, is nothing compares to the eternal consequences of being self-deceived by fake faith. In the end times, many individuals who have believed their faith to be sincere will be turned away by Jesus. Therefore, God urges us to examine our faith through the light of His Word. What are the marks of authentic faith? We can highlight three key aspects of faith in this account of Noah’s life- obedience, true righteousness, and God’s righteousness. Here, we will consider the first hallmark of obedience in the life of a genuine believer.

Noah was a man who walked with God. (Gen 6:8-9) When God spoke, Noah reacted in obedience. To obey is to comply with everything God has commanded. Although we know that true faith is evidenced by obedience, we may often find ourselves struggling to obey the Lord. What hinders obedience? What is needed to obey?

You need to prepare. (By faith Noah, being warned by God…)

Obedience begins with how you view God’s Word. Being warned by God, Noah was sober-minded to take God’s Word seriously and obey. (Gen 6:11-13) Throughout Scripture, God continually provides warnings and instructions to His people, but how one regards God’s Word determines whether or not he will obey. What is your attitude to God’s Word? God’s Word must have the ultimate authority over your life, but we fail to obey when we prefer to turn to ourselves or to the world rather than to God. We live in a fallen reality of self-sufficiency, rather than submitting to the ultimate reality of God that is revealed in His Word. We must be prepared by God’s Word with a readiness to obey.

You must be convinced by the Word. (…about things not yet seen…)

Though Noah didn’t yet see the things that God warned him of, he trusted God and believed in His Word. He was able to trust and obey before he saw anything with his eyes. This is something we must truly wrestle to attain. In God’s dispensation, the Old Testament prophets did not understand the things revealed to them, but nevertheless, they relentlessly struggled and sought to understand them, because it was God’s Word. Without this kind of attitude, you can not obey. Mere knowledge has no power to compel our wills to obey- like Jacob’s tenacious struggle with the angel, we must wrestle with the Word of God until we are absolutely convinced in our hearts. Daniel was able to risk his life to live obediently in faith because he trusted in God’s Word. (Dan 6:10, 9:1-2) We must not give up on God’s Word. Faith is bold only when it is rooted in the Word of God.

You need holy fear. (…in reverence…)

Noah had a reverential attitude to God’s Word. Mere knowledge of God’s Word can not help us obey. Our hearts must be affected by holy fear and godly emotions to be moved to obedience. Noah was affected by God’s Word, and it resulted in his reverence and love. Scripture is filled with accounts of godly emotions- Jesus’s life was full of love and aching compassion, bearing in full the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He teaches us that without love, all works are disqualified. Holy fear and love can only come from loving Jesus above all else. Unless you love Christ distinctly, you will not love His Word. Like the church of Ephesus, we could have robust programs and activities within the church, but without a passionate love for Christ, all would be in vain. (Rev 2:2-5) By the Holy Spirit, we have understood how desperate, miserable, and poor we were. He brought us to the cross, where the death and resurrection of Jesus prevailed over all to cover us with His love and forgiveness. Jesus can not be forgotten in our hearts- He is our first love. How do you know you love Jesus distinctively? Those who love Christ are ready to immediately abandon all for Him. This is Jesus’s call to all Christians, and the ultimate test of your love for Him- will you deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him?

Through Noah’s example, examine why you fail to obey. When Noah was warned by God, he trusted, feared, and loved the Lord. He therefore prepared an ark.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God. Heb 11:5

Enoch was a man who never died. Unbelievers may write off the biblical account of his life as fairy tale, but ironically, we live in a world that desperately strives to attain immortality through science and technology. Man seeks to live forever, because regardless of whether he is a Christian or a non-Christian, the reality of death is utterly devastating. How did Enoch avoid death? Just like us, he was a man born in sin, destined to die under its curse. (Rom 5:12; 6:23) But God took him up so that he would not see death. Enoch had saving faith in Jesus Christ, and his deathless life was the proof of the power of saving faith that overcomes the power of death.

If saving faith delivers you from the power of death, it is crucial to be assured that your faith is genuine. The world is filled with easy believism– many people believe Jesus to be their Savior, but they are unwilling to embrace Him as Lord. They are deceived, and Jesus has declared that they will be shut out from the kingdom of God. What is true saving faith? Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11:1) It possesses the promises of God, and beholds the proof of what natural man can not see. True faith is in Jesus Christ- it depends on nothing but Jesus, and completely surrenders the heart, will, emotions, and intellect to Him. Those who have faith love Christ distinctively, and turn away from sin and trust only in the redeeming work of Jesus for their salvation. (Rom 10:9-10)

After trusting in Christ for salvation, many stumble because they then try to earn the kingdom of God by their own works. Jesus described the kingdom of heaven to be like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and sold all he had to buy the field. (Matt 13:44) This man joyfully gave everything up to Christ, because nothing could compare to Him. This is the mark of saving faith- it sees everything as dung in comparison to the worth of Jesus Christ. To deny self and to deny the world is a joyful way of life for those who follow Christ. They trust in their eternal union with Christ, and they know that apart from Him, they are nothing. (Jn 15:4-5)

Pleasing God begins with saving faith- faith in Christ alone as Savior and Lord. Examine your faith, for not all faiths in this world can save. Like Enoch, only those who receive Jesus as the object of their saving faith pass out of death into life. (Jn 5:24, 11:25-26)

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. Heb 11:4

There is nothing about Abel that would cause the world to consider him successful. His life was tragically cut short when he was murdered by his own brother for worshipping God properly. But Scripture says that God remembered him, and that though he died, he still speaks. Abel, like every other Christian, is truly successful, because God considered him so.

What are the marks of those whom God considers successful?

As we have learned from the example of Abel’s faith, those who are successful are true worshippers. Worship begins by recognizing Jesus as the one true God, and it results from faithful obedience to His Word. (Jn 4:23-24)

Secondly, those who are successful are accepted by God as righteous. Every religion apart from Christianity is a failed attempt to satisfy God by human effort. No matter how righteous man tries to be, he falls short of God’s righteousness. However, God testified that Abel was righteous. Did Abel keep the whole law? No, Abel’s righteousness did not come from himself, because he was a sinner just like every man and woman born after the Fall. (Rom 5:12) No one can be righteous on his own. The Bible says that none is righteous. (Rom 3:10) Sin is most clearly revealed by how man has dealt with Jesus. We crucified the Lord Jesus Christ because we hated God and His holiness. (Jn 19:15) The Bible says our hearts are deceitful, rendering us incapable on our own to judge true righteousness. (Jer 17:9-10) And that even in our sin, we prefer self-righteousness over God’s righteousness. We create our own standards and ways to approach God based on our experiences and emotions. Deceived by self-righteousness, we decide for ourselves what would please God. (Rom 10:2-3) Jesus warns us against this sort of legalism- those who trust in themselves for salvation will be shut out of the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 7:21-23)

Then how can one be righteous before God? God considers a man righteous by an imputed righteousness- the imputed righteousness of Christ alone. (Rom 5:1, 10:4) The righteousness of Jesus is the only acceptable righteousness we can have before God because apart from Christ, no one is righteous. Only Christ satisfied God completely. Those who trust in Christ alone for salvation will be considered righteous by God, because they have been washed by the blood of Jesus and given His robes of righteousness. (2Cor 5:21)

How do you know you’re righteous? Those who are righteous live by faith. (Heb 10:38) They trust and depend on God to work in their lives and guide them, and they find rest as God hears and answers their prayers. (James 5:16) The righteous hate sin, and are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare, having been freed from its dominion. They are compassionate. They are gospel-centered, and they love, serve, and give generously to fellow believers. (Matt 25:37, 40) Lastly, the righteous are humble, seeing themselves truly in the light of God’s greatness and glory.

In addition to being true worshippers who are righteous before God, those who are successful live forever. True success is eternal life. Abel still speaks today, because though he died, he is still alive. He obtained eternal life through his faith. Eternal life begins here and now, and like Abel, those who live, speak. (2Cor 4:13) They speak of Jesus’s death and resurrection, and in their love and compassion, they readily share the gospel with the lost. All things pass away, and when our lives are over, all our worldly accomplishments and possessions will soon be forgotten. But to be remembered as one whose words led others to eternal life in Jesus Christ is real success, and that legacy will survive to the glory of Christ forever.

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.  Heb 11:4

Everyone hopes to be successful in life. To most, that means possessing great wealth, while to others, success may mean having joy, being altruistic, or leaving behind a lasting legacy. But when all is said and done, success will be determined by God on the day of Judgment, and it will not be based on money, good repute, or any other worldly gain. The truly successful man will be able to enter heaven and hear from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” In this portion of Hebrews, we see a comparison between Abel and Cain- both were sinners offering sacrifices to God, but one was commended over the other for offering the better sacrifice. In other words, Abel was successful before God, and Cain was not. What are the marks of those who are considered successful by God? By this example of Abel’s faith through which he still speaks today, we will study the marks of a truly successful life.

You must be a true worshipper. For true success, you must give true worship like Abel. Every man is a worshipper whether he admits it or not. Even atheists, who claim there is no God, worship at the feet of science. We worship Jesus, the true, loving, and living God. Cain and Abel offered worship to God through their sacrifices, but only Abel’s worship was acceptable to God because he offered it by faith. Faith comes from the hearing of God’s Word. Cain and Abel most likely would have received God’s Word from Adam and Eve, which must have included clear instructions on what God required of them to offer as a sacrifice. Abel heard the Word, believed, and acted upon it, by bringing the firstborn of his flock. But Cain did something different, offering what he thought might be better by bringing the produce he worked from the ground. Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God because Abel had faith and obeyed God’s Word.

Worship is meaningless without obedience, because sin causes God to turn away from the sinner. When Jesus called out to the Father while bearing our sins on the cross, God had to turn His face away from His eternally beloved Son. (Mk 15:34) God had no regard for Cain’s sacrifice because of his disobedience. (Gen 4:5) Cain made up his own way, while Abel worshipped according to God’s Word. Our obedience to God’s Word is the evidence of our faith, and God accepts only those who worship by faith.  To fail to obey is to offer dead worship- it is a devastating sin. In 1 Samuel 15, God commanded Saul to utterly destroy all the Amalekites and all they possessed. But Saul disobeyed God by sparing the king and their choice flocks, thinking he would sacrifice them to God. Saul’s disobedience stripped away his kingdom and God’s favor. Samuel the prophet told him, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” (1Sam 15:22) God does not value the sacrifice itself- for all things created are His- but God looks into your heart. Your worship comes from your relationship with God, and the only way to draw near to God is through His way written in His Word.

If your spiritual life seems shallow and lacking joy as you come to worship God this Sunday, think about the kind of sacrifice of obedience you bring to God every day. Worship is the start of everything you do, and if you fail to worship, you will fail at everything in life. Where there is faith, obedience will follow. And just as faith without obedience is dead, obedience without faith is sin. We must first trust in the Lord and believe in His promises, then, out of the love and gratitude in our hearts for Jesus, we will obey. (Jn 14:15) As we come together as a church to worship our great God, the true worshippers who offer the sacrifice of obedience like Abel are those who are truly successful.

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. Heb 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.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. Heb 11:1-2

What is real faith, and do you have it? In order for Jesus’s resurrection to be powerfully effective in your life, you must have faith.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. By faith you can live as though you already possess these things. What are the things hoped for? Biblical hope is tied to God’s promises in the gospel. This hope is certain, because the reliability of any promise depends on the one who promises it, and our hope is anchored to God’s unfailing Word. Faith therefore involves a strong element of trust in God. Matthew’s account of Jesus and Peter walking on water is a clear illustration of living by faith. (Matt 14:24-27) When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the sea, they cried out in fear, thinking He was a ghost. But Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” It was the Lord, the Alpha and the Omega, the Almighty God who was speaking to them. (Is 44:6; Rev 1:8) Peter believed that if Jesus commanded him to come to Him, then he too, would be able to walk on water. As Peter trusted in Jesus and walked on water by faith, we too, can be assured of the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, and live by faith in Him every day.

Faith is also seeing spiritually what can’t be seen physically. Every believer’s testimony is, “I was blind, but now I see.” Through the Scriptures, believers now see Jesus as Lord, heaven as real, the Bible as God’s Word, and themselves transformed through the gospel. (Jn 20:29) By faith, we see Jesus in the midst of trials and dire circumstances, and we can trust Him, knowing that nothing is greater than God. (Ps 46:1) To question God’s presence during suffering is greatly dishonoring to Him. What stands between you and God that prevents you from believing? Diligently search out the pride, sin, unbelief, a misunderstanding of faith or anything else that hinders you from seeing Christ.

By faith, the men of old gained approval. Saving faith and living faith can not be separated- saving faith is manifested daily into living faith. The central message of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is the object of true faith and hope. The law can not save you- you just have to trust in Jesus, who is the guarantor of a better covenant. (Heb 7:22) Is Jesus the center of your life? If not, your faith might be subjective and false. Now is the time to examine if your faith is real. There is only one kind of faith that is recognized and accepted by God, and it is faith in Jesus Christ alone. (Matt 8:9-10) There were many religions practiced in world during the Old Testament period, but God recognized only those who had faith in Christ. No good works of man have ever impressed God- He approves only those who have faith in His Son. So examine yourself as you understand what biblical faith truly is. As men and women of faith, let us follow the biblical pattern of those who saw and attained the promises of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Heb 11:1

Saving faith is the foundation of all faith. Without a wholehearted commitment and dependence on Christ alone for eternal life, you can not understand nor practice the faith that the author of Hebrews describes. Before delving further into Hebrews 11, you must first consider, Is Jesus the Lord of my life? Does He come first in everything? Jesus is the One who controls and cares for our lives. If we have saving faith, it must be practiced every day. As we study Hebrews 11, we will see what genuine faith is, and what faith can do.

Believing is possessing. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for…

Faith is the assurance– it is something tangible, clear, and with complete certainty. Faith does not say, “I’m trying to have it,” but rather says, “I already have it.” When God called Abram to leave his country and his family, Abram was able to go as the Lord told him, because He was assured in God’s promise of blessing. (Gen 12:1-4) David- when he was just a shepherd boy- stood fearlessly against Goliath, because he was assured of God’s deliverance. (1Sam 17:34-37) By the power of faith, we can have this kind of assurance. We are the children of God and co-heirs with Christ, but without faith, we can’t live as though we truly are. (1Jn 3:1; Rom 8:17)

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. Often times we don’t differentiate between hope and desire. Biblical hope is always tied to God’s promises, whereas desire is related to the things of the earth. Faith and hope always go together- faith is the assurance of things promised by God. Biblical hope is certain, because God’s promises will never fail. When we pray with faith according to God’s will, we can be assured that God has already prepared what we asked for.

Believing is seeing. Now faith is…the conviction of things not seen.

Christians are supernatural, because they have the mind of Christ. Faith is able to see what can not be seen- by God’s saving grace, we were able to see our own sin, which led us to look for a Savior. All men are born blind, and live in darkness. Unbelievers can’t see God, so they will use their own means to try to earn salvation because they are unable to realize their sin. Only the Holy Spirit can help us see our sins, and see Jesus Christ as the Savior. (Jn 16:8, 9:15)

What can you see by faith?

You see Jesus as Lord. Your life is driven by Christ. His resurrection is your reality, because you can see Him by faith. (Acts 25:19)

By faith, we behold the proof of things not seen. Though the world can’t see Jesus, we see Him always with us in His love. Believers must be wary of their emotions, which can easily hinder faith. The object of our faith is God, His Word, and His Will. Though circumstances may change along with our emotions, God never changes, so our faith can remain stable and steadfast. Faith goes beyond reason (but not without it) and enables us to see God clearly and live according to His Will. As we will see in Hebrews 11, men and women of faith lived in a way that is impossible with man. By faith, we can do the same.