Have you ever thought about how deeply Noah must have trusted God?
God warned Noah that He would bring a flood to destroy all flesh from the earth. Up until this point, it had never even rained, let alone flooded. So, what God was describing to Noah was something that had never happened in the history of mankind up until that point.
Furthermore, to be saved from the flood, God instructed Noah to build an ark, detailing the specifications, dimensions and construction type. To our knowledge, man had yet to even build a boat.
So, God told Noah that something that had never before happened was going to happen, therefore he must build a vessel that has never been built. Unprecedented weather patterns were on the way, and Noah must employ untested technology to survive the flood.
But, Noah trusted God. So, when God warned Noah of the flood, Noah believed God. And when God told Noah to build the ark, and how to build the ark, Noah built the ark according to God’s designs. Why? Because Noah trusted God.
Hebrews 11:7 states, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”
Noah’s faith was the reason he believed God, and it was also the reason he moved quickly (moved with fear) to do what God instructed. Since Noah had this faith, God withheld the flood until the ark was finished.
Noah had faith, and that faith saved Noah, but that faith also motivated action. What does your faith motivate you to do?
Religion has so diluted Christianity that we struggle to understand a simple word like “faith.” This is nothing new. The first century Christians faced the same problem, which is why the writer of Hebrews spent the entire 11th chapter explaining what faith is.
The problem is that religion demands adherence, obedience, and loyalty. Religion demands purity in actions, and creed. In its demand for these things, the relationship between God and man, and God’s amazing grace that has been bestowed upon man, get relegated to merely being an introductory paragraph.
Attend any seminary, and you’ll learn that there is historical faith, saving faith, and true faith. Talk to some religious leaders, and you’ll learn that there is a living faith and a dead faith. Some will even define faith as a system or a doctrine to be followed.
All of this ignores the fact that God gave us His word… and words have meanings and definitions.
Language is a gift from God. We speak in language and understand each other every day, most of the time without really thinking about it. When you tell me that you believe me, I don’t parse your statement to determine if the fact that you believe me will accompany obedience to me, or whether your belief in me is living or dead. I simply understand that, when you say you believe me, you are taking me at my word.
So it is with faith. The biblical dictionary definition of faith (this is a combination of the Strongs and Thayer’s definitions) is a deep-rooted trust, or a conviction of the truth. Simply put, faith means trust.
Hebrews 11:6 describes what it means to have a deep-rooted trust in God, and a conviction of His truth. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Faith in God means believing that He is, and that He is Who He says He is. It also means to trust that God is good, and that He will respond to your faith. He will reward your diligent search for Him and His truth.
Faith means believing God is, and that God is good.
Faith really is that simple. And that simple faith is the faith that saves.
Enoch is probably one of the most enigmatic figures in the Bible. He was pivotal. At least two New Testament writers made references to him, and he is remembered as one of the Godliest men who had ever lived. Yet, despite all this, we actually know very little about him.
Nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped writers from exploring the man and myth of who Enoch was. Some of what is written is based on ancient manuscripts. Other writings are based on legends and myths. From all this, entire belief systems and doctrines have arisen from perceptions of who Enoch was, what he wrote, and what he did.
Here’s the thing. The only relevant information about Enoch was given to us in the Bible. Genesis 5 tells us that Enoch was the father of Methuselah, that he walked with God for 300 years, and then was translated up into Heaven.
Hebrews 11:5 summarizes Enoch’s life this way, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
All God wants us to know (because this is all He inspired to be included in scripture) is this. That he fathered Methuselah, walked with Him for 300 years, and was captured up into Heaven. God also makes the note in Hebrews 11:5 that Enoch pleased God by his faith.
So, what God wants us to know is that He is pleased by our faith. When we trust God, God sees that faith and places us in the same league as Enoch.
Hebrews 11 follows that thought with verse 6, which says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
There are many things written about Enoch, and there are entire religious doctrines built on myths surrounding a relatively unknown, yet pivotal Biblical figure. However, what God wants us to know is that Enoch had faith and lived by his faith in God, and that pleased God. Further, God wants us to follow that example.
In Genesis 4, Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the LORD. Scripture tells us that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, which makes sense because he grew crops for a living. Abel, on the other hand, brought one of the firstlings of his flock, which also makes sense as Abel kept sheep for a living.
Now, Genesis 4 tells us that God had respect for Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. As a result, Cain became very upset. God confronted Cain about his attitude, saying, “If you do well, won’t you be accepted? And if not, sin lies at the door.”
Cain did not do well, however. As he and Abel worked in the field, Cain vented his frustration on Abel, resulting in a fight that led to Cain killing Abel. Cain was subsequently banished, leading him to found a godless society. Adam and Eve had another son, who fathered the Godly lineage in the pre-flood world.
Such set the stage for the downfall of mankind, leading to the flood in Genesis 6-9.
In taking all of this into consideration, the question is often posed, “Why did God respect Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s?”
One answer commonly given is that Abel offered a blood sacrifice, while Cain did not. While this explanation harmonizes with the Gospel pattern of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins, the fact is that there is little Biblical evidence for it, especially when you consider that grain offerings were a completely legitimate part of the temple system of worship in the Old Testament.
The explanation with scriptural evidence is actually much simpler. Abel offered his sacrifice by faith, whereas Cain did not.
Hebrews 11:4 says, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”
Abel offered his sacrifice by faith. He knew God was God, trusted in His goodness, and rested in His grace.
On the other hand, Cain lacked this faith. He obviously knew God existed, but did not trust God’s goodness and grace. For Cain, the offering was more of an obligation than an offer of thanksgiving or worship. Thus, God rejected it.
Scripture is very clear, and the point is driven home in Hebrews 11. What pleases God is faith, that simple trust in His existence and grace. While that faith motivates action, the fact is without that faith, the most righteous acts in the world will not please God.
So, with all that in mind, do you have faith. Do you believe that God is? And do you trust in His goodness and grace? (Hebrews 11:6)
And if so, are you living by that faith? May God grant you clarity as you reflect on your faith.
Have you ever noticed that multiple educated people can evaluate the same sets of data, and come up with two completely different conclusions?
One Wall Street analyst looks at a particular company and recommends buying their stock. Another looks at the same company, with the same financial statements and business prospects, and recommends selling their stock.
One football scout watches a prospective quarterback and sees vulnerability and liability. Another sees the same quarterback in the same game and sees the future of the franchise.
Multiple experts, same information, different conclusions.
Today, we see the same things happening in the debate over evolution. The evolutionist sees evidence such as carbon dating and fossils, and concludes that evolution is true. The creationist sees the exact same evidence, and concludes that the fossil record proves the existence of the flood from Genesis 6-9, and thus creationism is true.
Both the evolutionist and the creationist are highly educated and well-reasoned in their conclusions. So, how do they look at the fossil record, carbon dating, canyons and rock formations, and come to such different conclusions?
It has to do with their faith.
The evolutionist has a faith that the world was created by various physical forces and chemical reactions without the intervention of a divine creator. Thus, when he examines the fossil record, his faith is validated by what he sees as evidence of an old earth. Through his faith, he believes in evolution.
The creationist has a faith that the world was created by God, so when he examines the fossil record, his faith is validated by what he sees as evidence of God’s intervention (such as the worldwide flood).
You see, faith is not shaped by evidence, but rather, faith shapes how we evaluate evidence. If you are looking for proof before you believe, then you will never find the evidence you are looking for. However, if you believe, you will see things that validate your belief.
Thus, we find in Hebrews 11:3 that “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
Our demand for proof of God’s existence will never be satisfied, at least, not until the end time. However, when we decide to trust that God exists and that He is good, then God responds to that faith and rewards it (Hebrews 11:6).
So, the question is, what do you believe? And how is that belief shaping your worldview?
Many Christians mistakenly define faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That definition, which is a quote of Hebrews 11:1, doesn’t really tell you what faith is, rather it tells you what faith does.
Faith is a deep-rooted trust in the Lord and a deeply held conviction of His truth. Faith means having a belief that cannot be deterred by circumstance, blessing or curse.
When you hold this level of faith in the Lord, the intangible things of God no longer cause you to question His existence or goodness.
That’s why Hebrews 11:1, which kicks off an entire chapter demonstrating faith through the lives of the Old Testament saints, states that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Because we strongly believe in the Lord, He is real to us.
It’s not that faith can create a being and alter reality, but rather, because of our faith, we can see the unseen God move. We can see His work. And because we see His work and the effects of His working, we see further evidence of His existence, power and goodness.
It’s like Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:8, “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”
We don’t see the wind, but we know it exists because we feel its presence and we see the effects of its movements. Likewise, because we believe in God, we can feel His presence and see the effects of His movements.
This faith, in turn, shapes our worldview, which then influences our actions and our choices. It’s this faith that pleases God and guides us to where He wants us to be and what He wants us to do.
It’s this faith that gives substance (tangibility) to the things that we hope for, like Heaven, healing and peace. It’s this faith that shows us the proof (evidence) of the things of God that we do not see. And it’s this faith that helps us understand that God created all things by His word (Hebrews 11:3).
And it’s this faith that pleases God (Hebrews 11:2, 6) and brings us salvation (John 3:16, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:8-9).
Do you trust the Lord? Do you have this level of faith?
One of the most frustrating characters of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was Edmund, the younger brother who suffered the stereotypical middle-child syndrome. Lured into Narnia to play with his younger sister, he denied its existence to avoid being associated with her immaturity when confronted by their older siblings.
Eager to obtain special treatment, he quickly abandons his siblings in a new, mystical world to seek the favor of the witch, who had previously fed him Turkish Delight. By the time Edmund reaches the following scene, a full-on war has erupted in his heart.
Edmund realizes that, at the witch’s side, he is on the wrong side of the coming battle, but his desire for self-preservation and the hope for possible future favors prevents him from undertaking his own escape. Ultimately, he has to be rescued.
Most characters who frustrate us onscreen do so because we see a little of ourselves in them. Edmund frustrates us because we see his struggle as our struggle. Trying to fulfill our own desires, we find ourselves trapped on the wrong side of the spiritual battle front. Our desire to be on Aslan’s side while simultaneously receiving Turkish Delight from the witch has rendered us captive, needing the Lord to rescue us by His divine grace.
This battle inflicts needless pain and anxiety upon us, as the struggle could easily be avoided simply by following the words of Christ in Matthew 6:24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Just as Edmund could have avoided the whole struggle by choosing loyalty to his siblings, the creatures helping them along, and pursuing the presence of the obviously good Aslan, Edmund tried to have it both ways. Such is the same mistake we make.
Most Christians want to serve God, but to a degree, we also want to enjoy the pleasures of this world. We envision a world where we can somehow live for ourselves while at the same time living for God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 that this is impossible. We will either serve God, or we will serve our own self-interests, seeking only to enrich ourselves with the pleasures of this world (serving mammon).
Any choice to try to accomplish both is actually a choice to serve the latter, with the added consequence of self-deception.
Therefore it is important to heed the words of Joshua as he closed out his service to the nation of Israel, “Choose this day whom you will serve… as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” This decision will lead to a powerful commitment, one Moses made which was chronicled in Hebrews 11:24-26, “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”
What sinks most Christians is the desire to enjoy the things of the world while having God in their corner. The way of the narrow road that Jesus described is the commitment to serve God first in all things, and trust Him to bless you as a result. To commit to serve God first, and to live for Him and not self, we must constantly ask ourselves two questions. (1) To what have I committed myself today? and (2) Why?
As we continually ask ourselves those questions, while continuously committing ourselves to serving God, we will notice a shift in our priorities, and a shift in our motivations, to the point where we become the people God intended on us being, and we will see the blessings thereof.
For centuries, Bible teachers have taught their followers to aspire to his level of faith. The Jewish nation sees Abraham as their father, as does much of the Islamic world. His life was used as an example by Paul, James, and the writer of Hebrews to demonstrate salvation by faith, and living by faith.
Yet, Abraham was not a perfect man and sinned on at least three occasions recorded by scripture. So, what is it about Abraham that has inspired generations of people to follow the Lord more perfectly? Three things:
1. Abraham believed God.
Genesis 15:6 says, “And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” This scripture is repeated in Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Abraham’s belief in God extended way beyond a vague belief in a divine figure, and went even deeper than a belief in the existence of the God of the Bible. Abraham’s belief in God was a personal trust.
God spoke to Abraham, and Abraham believed what God told him. He literally trusted God with his life. That’s true faith, and it’s the faith that motivated Abraham’s life.
2. Abraham’s faith produced Abraham’s life.
Hebrews 11:8-10 says:
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11 contains a highlight reel of Abraham’s life, recording every major accomplishment he had in the Lord. Before each action, Hebrews states, “By faith.”
By faith Abraham went out to a strange country, not knowing where he went. By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise. By faith he offered up Isaac. By faith.
“By faith” simply means, “Because he trusted God, he obeyed Him in doing this.”
Because Abraham trusted God, he answered God’s call to go to a place that he would eventually inherit, though he had no idea where he was going.
Because Abraham trusted God, he sojourned in the promised land, looking for God’s city.
Because Abraham trusted God, he offered up Isaac when God told him to.
Notice that everything Abraham did, he did because he trusted God. His trust in God shaped his worldview, his values, his decision making, and his actions.
3. His actions completed his faith.
James 2:21-24 says:
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James 2 is often misinterpreted. Many use these verses to teach that a certain amount of works is necessary for salvation. That teaching completely ignores the fact that James was written to Christians who were already saved.
James 2 is not about salvation. Rather, it is about making your faith complete, or useful. It’s about fully realizing the blessing of your salvation in this world.
Abraham believed God. That trust in God motivated action. His actions completed his faith and allowed God to bless him.
A prime example of this is the birth of Isaac. God told Abraham that he would father a son in his old age, by his wife, Sarah, who, even in her prime could not have children. Abraham believed God, and God regarded Abraham’s trust as righteousness.
Abraham acted on that faith to father a child with Sarah, and because he acted on that faith, God blessed him with a son. Had Abraham not acted on that faith, fathering a son would have been biologically impossible. However, Abraham’s faith, coupled with his action, produced a child. God blessed.
In considering these three things about Abraham, we must ask ourselves the following questions. (1) Do I believe God? Do I have faith? (2) Do my actions reflect the faith I say I have? (3) Am I living out my faith in a way that facilitates God blessing me?
If our actions do not reflect the faith we profess, then we must assess ourselves to see what we really believe, then work to bring that into accordance with scripture. This will also involve learning new actions and new habits, and unlearning some old ones.
If our actions reflect our faith, then we will see our faith completed and God will bless us. If we give God nothing to bless, then we have no reason to expect a blessing.
May God guide you as your continue to seek His truth.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Hebrews 13:2
“Y’all come on out and see me,” echo’ed the voice of Pastor Bill Simpson throughout the sanctuary of the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church of Denison, Tex. “I have a credit card, and a bedroom. I’ll take you to dinner, and I’ll give you a place to sleep.”
It was the annual messenger meeting of the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas, and Pastor Simpson was called upon to give the response to the welcome by the host church. Simpson had served as the pastor of Tall City Baptist Church in Midland, Tex., for as long as anyone could remember. He was well-known for his hospitality, generosity and kindness.
As pastor of Tall City, he worked to keep West Texas Baptist Institute in operation, published the Tall City Messenger, and supported missionaries worldwide. Those who had traveled through West Texas would tell you that Pastor Simpson would take in anyone who showed up at his doorstep. He loved fellowship, and he loved God’s people. Therefore, if any showed up to his door, he entertained them.
Pastor Simpson exemplified Hebrews 13:1, which says, “Let brotherly love continue,” as well as Hebrews 13:2, which says, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
When the Bible says to entertain strangers, it is commanding us to be hospitable. This thought is a continuation of the command to “let brotherly love continue.” God wants us to have a genuine affection for one another, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for everyone around us.
Pastor Simpson’s hospitality stood out in a world where we’d rather put someone up in a hotel room with a McDonald’s gift card rather than invite them in and cook them dinner, but there was a time when most Americans were as hospitable as Pastor Simpson. Hospitality is a dying courtesy in a world where we fear crime and value our privacy.
Still, if we are affectionate toward each other as scripture teaches, then we will also be hospitable.
Now, Hebrews 13:2 takes an interesting turn when it says “for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”
In the church where I grew up Spiritually, I was taught that this verse meant that we should be kind to everyone, because we never know when we are dealing with an angel in disguise who is checking to make sure we are showing the love of Christ to a lost and dying world. Therefore, I was always nervous when presented with a choice to give to a homeless individual, or whether to withhold out of suspicion that I was being scammed.
I have since overcome this fear by learning these three things. (1) I have learned that I will never regret generosity, (2) I have learned that if the recipient of my benevolence misuses it (if the homeless man to whom I give money uses it to buy beer), then he will be held accountable to God, not me, and (3) angels (as in the Spiritual beings) do not go around posing as homeless people in an effort to make you be more benevolent.
The context of Hebrews 13:2 is that the scriptures are teaching us to be affectionate, loving and benevolent toward each other. We are being taught how to love and interact with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
It is on that note that we are told to “entertain strangers,” that is to be hospitable to other Christians. (In the context of time, there were no Motel 6s where traveling Christians could stay. Their options were to sleep outside, stay at an inn and contract bedbugs, or stay with acquaintances or fellow Christians.)
The scripture then notes that by “entertaining strangers,” or being hospitable to Christian brothers and sisters, that some “entertained angels unawares.”
The word “angel” comes from the Greek word ang-eh-loss which simply means “messenger.” The angels who were Spiritual beings were merely messengers of God, as demonstrated in the books of Genesis, Joshua, Daniel, and Luke.
In other passages, the word “angel” is used to describe the pastor of a church, such as in Revelation 2:1, where Jesus says, “Unto the angel of the church at Ephesus, write….” That angel wasn’t a Spiritual being appointed to oversee the church at Ephesus. It was the pastor called to lead Ephesus. The message Christ dictated for John to write was intended for the pastor at Ephesus to deliver to his church.
So, given the context of Hebrews 13:2, the phrase “entertaining angels unawares” could very well be paraphrased, “you never know who you’re helping.”
While it is an interesting idea that Spiritual angels are checking in on us, a more powerful truth is that, by letting brotherly love continue and being hospitable, you may actually make a difference in someone’s life, who will in turn make a difference in the lives of hundreds of people. You never know if the person you are helping will one day become a great angel (messenger) like the great Billy Graham.
So be generous. Be hospitable. Be friendly. Help those around you as you have opportunity. You will never regret loving, and you will never regret the good you do, neither in this lifetime, nor when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ on judgment day.
–Leland Acker has served as pastor of Life Point Baptist Church since its inception in 2008. He is currently leading the congregation through a study of the book of Hebrews, which will conclude Sunday, Dec. 17, with a study of Chapter 13.
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