Faith is the motivating force of our life and the underlying substratum of our thought. It is an attitude of mind that enables us to go forward to perfection. When around us people are falling by the wayside, we are empowered to stand up “in faith”. Faith is the bedrock of our life in Christ. It is because we believe certain things that we do what we do. It is ultimately faith that enables us to accept suffering and to survive. Faith is therefore both an enabling power and an ennobling power.
The argument of the latter part of the Letter to the Hebrews is that men and women of past ages suffered and died because of their faith in that which God had promised them. “The just shall live by faith” is an important principle for believers of all ages. Hebrews 11 is an overview of the lives of past characters who demonstrated great faith. It contains incidents which we would probably not list or describe, but which the author, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, says are indicative of the faithful life of the person described.
Let us note some interesting examples described in the chapter:
Abel is first — a strange example, one might feel — but Abel clearly demonstrated the divinely acceptable form of sacrifice, a sacrifice that demanded the shedding of blood and the selection of the correct animal.
Enoch and Noah are both praised for their obedience and cited as examples of faithfulness.
Abraham is the first major example. He is commended in several aspects: firstly, as one who obeyed by traveling according to divine instructions; and secondly, as one prepared to sacrifice his only son. Abraham was a man of significance who, by thought and action, demonstrated the greatness of his faith.
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph are all identified as men of faith, with rather interesting details being identified as exemplifying their faith.
Moses is given rather more coverage than the others with significant teaching about his time in Egypt.
The list concludes with reference to three examples drawn from the Exodus that seem a little strange to us but are part of the divine commentary on the history of Israel (vv 29-31).
At the end of the list the reader of the letter is linked to these dead saints. All of these faithful people are dead and buried, awaiting the resurrection from the dead of many more faithful men and women, “that they without us should not be made perfect”.
Running with patience
Hebrews 12 opens with a very vivid picture, probably an allusion to the long-distance runner entering the last stages of the race. He alone is competing, but all around him are massed the great circle of past runners. They are “watching” him as he concludes the race. To him they seem like a cloud of witnesses, observing him and waiting for him. At the same time, ahead of him is the “One” who has gone before, the captain of the team who ever lives to train and guide all other athletes on this race of a lifetime. The training advice echoes down the ages:
“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (12:1).
Of course, in the first-century Roman games the competitors ran naked, literally removing everything that might impede their progress. The message should not be lost upon us — in order successfully to compete in the race of life, all the trappings of this life have to be removed. In a spiritual sense, this should not be thought of as removing literal clothes, but rather as curtailing or suppressing those aspects of our lives that have a negative impact upon our ability to “run the race”.
Such things are the suffering and anguish experienced in daily life. In order for us to realize the real meaning of these words, the writer continues to describe the nature of our suffering. The comparison is made between Jesus and ourselves:
- he suffered unto death so that he might become a faithful Son of God, while
- we have not yet suffered unto death, but we do have literal, physical suffering.
Hebrews 12:5-13 provides us with a very helpful analogy of our suffering. It uses that teaching to give practical guidance for survival. The writer begins with a quotation from Proverbs 3:11,12 that emphasizes the necessity for a father to chasten his children. The natural here is a pattern for the spiritual; it is an object lesson for disciples who may need to accept the discipline of a heavenly Father. We all know how annoying a spoiled child can be. We accept that, in order to develop a balanced character, children need correction to help them grow up as civilized human beings.
Suffering is therefore the lot of man, so that man might be acceptable to God and able to inherit the promises. It is not that God is vindictive or malicious in causing the suffering of humanity; rather, He allows suffering as a faithful and wise parent. He does this in order for us to be changed — from sinful, selfish creatures of dust into selfless sons of God. By suffering with the rest of humanity, we can understand the pain of life and have empathy with others. Suffering forces us to look toward the future, instead of being content with this present life. Suffering teaches us to hope for what we do not possess now, but what we hope to receive in the future.
Years ago, I remember talking to a sister in a far-off land, living in fairly poor circumstances with obvious family problems. She told me that she had three children, one of whom had only one leg, but that she could remain happy and content because she knew that one day Jesus would return, and that he would be able to restore her son to full health. She quoted the passage, “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart.” That kind of faith enables her to triumph over suffering and to survive in a hard world.
How can we learn to survive such suffering? First, by realizing that — although our suffering is as a result of Adam’s transgression — it is also a result of the circumstances of life, circumstances provided for our edification.
Unfortunately, a misunderstanding of a key reference in Ecclesiastes has led to an unhelpful approach to the events of life. The phrase “time and chance happeneth to all” (Eccl 9:11) has been interpreted as stating that events just happen in a casual, “throw of the dice” manner. However, in God’s world, events happen for a cause, and they have an effect. They are structured to help disciples respond in faith. Events are not random, isolated, and without reason. Rather, they are structured according to a divine plan, so that we might be challenged and changed.
It is our response to the challenge that is all-important. In considering the portrait gallery of faithful men and women in Hebrews 11, we should remember how the individuals responded to the circumstances of their lives. I believe this is why the list includes many apparently trivial items. These items are the everyday events of life — ordinary things which we also experience. If we are to survive the attacks of pain and suffering, then we have to learn to use our life situations as opportunities to serve and praise our Heavenly Father.
Faith is the power to survive. Faith is the vision to see beyond the immediate. Faith is the motivating power that can change sinners into saints and transform ordinary things into the divine. Faith is both an enabling power and an ennobling power — faith is vital for salvation.
Faith is the raw material from which saints are made.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One