I recently noticed something in Hebrews Chapter 11 that I hadn’t noticed before. Hebrews 11, called the “Hall of Fame of Faith,” demonstrates a progression of faith. Our salvation is a process that we work through until we get to Heaven. This time; our lives is the time that God is perfecting or completing us. In Heaven we will be completed.
In this post, I want to look at Hebrews 11 and study the
progression from sinner to saint, beginning with this passage:
Hebrews 11:1-3 (NKJV)
11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
The Steps to Pleasing God
Hebrews 11 is about the patriarchs and matriarchs of our
faith, but there’s more here than meets the eye. Because there are examples of their faith but
there is also a pattern for the perfection (or completion) of our own faith.
It’s my intention with this post that we will learn how to “obtain
a good testimony” like them. These were
people who pleased God.
Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So, the question is this; Do you have faith that pleases God?
Let’s look at the steps to that kind of faith:
Step One – Giving
Hebrews 11:4 (NKJV)
11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
Why is giving the first step to faith? Because our giving speaks about whether or
not we have the basics of faith. It’s
about trusting God for His promises.
There are a number of promises about giving - (Malachi 3:10) These are promises you can see - (Matthew
6:25-34)! You can see whether God provides or not, but there are other promises that you can’t see, like salvation. We are promised Eternal Life if we
believe. But if we don’t trust God for provision,
which we can see, how can we trust Him for salvation, which we can’t see.
Giving isn’t just God’s method to provide for His
church. It’s also His method of teaching
you to trust Him.
Step Two – Agreeing with God
Hebrews 11:5 (NKJV)
11:5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Enoch pleased God.
What was it that pleased God? His
faith, but his faith was shown in his agreement with God – He walked with God
(Genesis 5:22). In order to walk with together
in the same direction you have to be in agreement. Enoch was in agreement with God and walked in
His ways. He applied God’s will to his
life, so God took him. This is a picture
of the Rapture. If we agree with Jesus
and walk in His ways; if we live His will for our lives, we will be called up
with Him (1 Thessalonica 4:16-17). Are
you ready to be called up into Heaven?
Step Three – Answering God’s Call
Hebrews 11:7 (NKJV)
11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
God called on Noah to build an ark to preserve mankind. God had a plan for all of mankind, man’s
redemption, so he called on Noah to preserve mankind in preparation for the
redeemer to come. Noah answered that call and built an ark. In faith!
It had never rained until then (Genesis 6:5-22)!
Step Four – Following God’s Will
Hebrews 11:8 (NKJV)
11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
God had a plan for Abraham’s life (Genesis 12:1-4), and he called him to leave his father’s house and his nation and follow God to a place that God would show him. Abraham followed because of His faith. He believed God for the promise that God had given him and followed. God has a promise for you. He has a plan for your life.
Step Five – Believing God for the Promise, No Matter What
Hebrews 11:17-19 (NKJV)
11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
Not only did Abraham follow God, not sure of where He was going, he was sure of the promise. He knew that God would deliver the promise, even if God had to do a miracle to complete it. When he was tested, he offered up Isaac, the son that was the beginning of the promise God made to Abraham, because he was sure that God would keep His word even if He had to raise Isaac from the dead (Genesis 22:3-19).
Hebrews 11:13 (NKJV)
11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
All of these people had the kind of faith that pleases
God. You can see the progression. You start by trusting God for the things you
can see and progress to the kind of faith that makes God proud. Hebrews 11:6 say “God is not ashamed to be
called their God!”
Faith in Action
James 2:20 tells us
that “Faith without works is dead.” It’s
not just about believing God, it also about taking the actions of your
faith. All of these not only believed
but demonstrated their faith in their actions.
I want to look at some others who acted out their faith.
Action One – Stepping Out of the World
Hebrews 11:24-27 (NKJV)
11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
Moses was raised as the grandson of Pharaoh. He was a future King of Egypt, but he gave it
all up. He stepped out of the world and
into God’s will. Egypt is the symbol of
our lives before salvation, when we were still in slavery to sin and
oppression. It’s like living in the
world and outside of God’s will. Moses
left all that behind to be in the will of God.
If we want to see Christ’s reward, then we also need to
leave the world behind and live the life that will bring us the reward.
Action Two – Trusting God Through Trials and Afflictions
Hebrews 11:32-34 (NKJV)
11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
The Christian life isn't all peaches and cream, as my mother
would say. There are going to be trials
and afflictions; there will be attacks and assaults, but this scripture tells
us that God can deliver us. God can turn
assaults and attacks into victories, but there has to be a step into action;
believing God and stepping out knowing that God will bring you through. It’s not about not being afraid, it’s about facing
that fear and going forward trusting in God, anyway. How often are we paralyzed by fear in
assaults and not able to move forward because of it.
Action Three – Living Out God’s Will
Hebrews 11:38-40 (NKJV)
11:38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
The problem is that we don’t always see what God is
doing. We don’t see all that God sees,
or all that He’s doing in us. That’s why
we so often complain about circumstances, instead of looking for what God might
be using those circumstances to bring about in us, through our response to
those circumstances. We need to learn to
trust that what God is doing is to perfect or complete us.
1 Peter 5:10 (NKJV)
5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Suffering is how God works in us. Where is character built? In adversity or blessing? God is preparing us for His promise. He has to complete us according to that promise. If people in Heaven are just the same as in the world, then what’s the difference? Why all the suffering and struggle to remain the same. Th fact is that life in the world is the way we are changed and made new for life in Heaven.
A Recap
Steps to faith!
Step 1 – Giving:
Step 2 – Agreeing with God!
Step 3 – Answering God’s call!
Step 4 – Following God’s will!
Step 5 – Believing God for the Promise!
Faith in Action!
Action 1 – Stepping out of the world!
Action 2 – Trusting God through trials and afflictions –
Action 3 – Living out God’s will!
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