Endurance is by Faith

Transcript

GRM 841
03/09/2003
Endurance Is by Faith
Hebrews 11:1-6
Gil Rugh


In the book Hebrews chapter 11, a chapter that we know as the chapter of the heroes of the faith. It’s a context of the writer of Hebrews drawing attention under the direction of the Spirit to these great men and women of Old Testament history who stood so strong with unshakable hope and confidence in the Lord. It is the writer to the Hebrews’ concern for his readers that they are being shaken by the storms, they are being unsettled by the difficulties and the trials that seem to be pressing in on them from every side. Just at the end of chapter 10 verse 32 he exhorted them to “remember the former days when after being enlightened you endured a great conflict of suffering,” both in their own personal suffering and stepping forward to be identified with other believers going through trials and difficulty. What was in danger of happening to them was they were losing some of that early zeal and enthusiasm, that passion and willingness to step up and suffering was a blessing in those days. We know what it is like with new Christians, their zeal for the Lord seems to know no bounds, opposition and difficulties don’t seem to weigh on them. Then with the passing of time we tend maybe to get worn down and as trial piles upon trial, and difficulty upon difficulty, pretty soon it seems like it’s taking more and more energy just to keep going. He tells them, go back and remember the early days and the zeal with which you confronted difficulties.

Toward the end of the chapter, he tells them in verse 35, “do not throw away your confidence which has great rewards. You have need of endurance.” Keep on. The chapter closes, we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the persevering of the soul. Those who quit evidence the fact they never had that saving faith in the living Lord. So it is in that context, we are those who have faith to the preserving of the soul, he moves to give some examples of those who faith to the preserving of the soul.

Then turn over to chapter 12. He picks right up again on this theme of endurance and perseverance. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us,” these witnesses I’ve just brought to the fore, “let us also lay aside every encumbrance, the sin which so easily entangles us.” In the context it would be the sin of failing to trust the Lord as we should. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” You have need of endurance. We are those who have faith to the preserving of the soul, “let’s run with endurance.” There is a tendency or a sense you want to quit. “Fix your eyes on Jesus,” and you’ll note, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame. Consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against themselves. So that you may not grow weary and lose heart. You’ve not resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against it.” You’ve forgotten some of what the scriptures teach regarding the trials and difficulty of our life are a part of what the Lord uses in the child-training process to mold us, to shape us, to strengthen us, to conform us to His image.

Verse 7, “it is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with sons.” With everything going on in this life and the pain and the suffering, the joys and the blessings, he’s concerned that we appreciate the joys and the suffering. The trials are part of God’s refining process. It’s in the context of talking about endurance and perseverance that he gives that great chapter that we know as the Heroes of the Faith. Here are some examples for you to emulate, to be encouraged by, to be reminded that you’re not only saved by faith, but you live by faith, and every day is an opportunity to trust the Lord and grow in our trust. Every trial is an opportunity to become more settled, more firm in our faith, and our God is in control and sovereign.

Having mentioned faith at the close of chapter 10 we are those who have faith to the preserving of the soul, it’s a natural transition, now here’s what faith is. He begins by giving a description more than a definition of faith. And faith is not just some kind of intellectual acknowledgement that certain facts are true. But faith is a reliance upon the very character of God and a trust in the finished work of His Son that produces in us a transformed life, a life that is lived in dependence upon Him. So, it is faith that enables us to endure. We talk about the need to endure, but we need to put that in context. Where do we get the strength to endure? Sometimes the problem with enduring is I just don’t think I can. The answer very simply is faith, trust the Lord. What is faith? Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Back up to chapter 6 of Hebrews verse 11. “We desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end.” We’re going to talk about this full assurance of hope in a moment. “That you may not be sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” That’s what we’re getting in chapter 11, some examples that we can imitate. Become imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. In chapter 11 as he begins to describe faith for us, “faith is the assurance of things hoped for,” the assurance, the confident assurance of things hoped for.” So, you see he’s describing faith probably more than defining it. Faith means you have confident assurance in what you hope for.

Listen to chapter 3 verse 14, “for we have become partakers of Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” When we came to place our faith in Christ we were brought by the work of the Spirit of God, our eyes were opened and we saw and believed, our full confidence was in Him. Now that is to be the continual focus of our lives. That gives us that confident assurance of things hoped for. Things hoped for carry us to the future. You hope for things you haven’t received yet. Hope by very nature has to do with something yet to come, and it is faith that gives us that assurance regarding things hoped for. At the end of chapter 10 verse 34 he said, “knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.” They were willing to suffer the loss of their physical blessings, their physical possessions. They had a confident assurance that they had a better possession and an abiding one.

Verse 35, “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence which has great reward.” Verse 36, “you have need of endurance so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what was promised.” The promise, something yet future, the things you are hoping for, the better possession. That confident, unshakable assurance comes from your faith. I really believe that God will do what He says. As the song said, the anchor holds. Hebrew believers are going through the storms and being beaten and battered, they’re reminded, your faith is the anchor for you. It gives you assurance and confidence. Things are being thrown around here, but my confidence is in the Lord and in the promises of His Word.

We have full assurance, back in chapter 10 verse 22, “Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,” the full assurance of faith. People talk about in our day the insecurity, uncertainty, people just seem to be fearful. What makes a believer different? Well, you know we all have different personalities, but it is something beyond our personality makeup. We’re talking about faith, and that gives full assurance, a confidence that God will do what He promised. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” conviction. We look at him as a person of conviction. Goes with that assurance, doesn’t it? Confident that this will be so. I have a conviction of things not seen. When we talk about faith we’re talking about the realm of beyond our personal experience. By that I mean when you deal with faith, you’re dealing with what you don’t have yet. I don’t have to believe I have a Bible, I have it in my hand. You say I’m going to give you a new Bible tomorrow, then I will take that by faith, and it will be faith until I get it. Once I have it, I don’t have faith that I’ll have it anymore, I have it. We’re talking about the promises of God, the inheritance He’s given us, the things we hope for. Quite frankly we’re talking about things I’ve never seen, nor have you ever seen. We talk with great confidence about the joys of eternity, we sing about the blessings that God has for us. But you know we’ve never seen any of that. I’ve never had even a little glimpse into heaven. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if God would just some evening appear and peel back a window into heaven and let you look with these physical eyes into heaven? Oh boy that would be such a settling thing for me. But all I have is this book, the promises of this book, and I’m going to place my whole hope for eternity in what He has said. It’s the conviction of things not seen. True believers have a conviction in their hearts of persuasion from God that what God said is true, what the Word of God says will come about.

Look back at II Corinthians chapter 4, II Corinthians chapter 4. Look at verse 16, “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying.” In the Hebrews the Apostle is writing, the writer of Hebrews is writing to encourage people that are going through physical trials—the loss of possessions, imprisonment and so on. Paul writes to the Corinthians about his own physical deterioration. He says we “don’t lose heart though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” Now note this, “while we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are unseen. The things which are seen are temporal, the things which are not seen are eternal.” In chapter 5 of II Corinthians verse 7, “we walk by faith, not by sight.” Yet as the people of God we have that firm, unshakable conviction in our heart and mind that what God has promised is just as real and just as true to me as anything I can see. People say well what if you’re not right. That’s not a possibility, no more to me than if people say well what if you’re really not holding a Bible. Maybe you live in a world of fantasy, but the reality is I’m holding it. The promises of God should be just that real to us, they’re just that sure. Come back to chapter 11. You’ll note that it’s faith that gives you that assurance. We’re talking about endurance, what’s going to give you that assurance, that conviction? Faith and willingness to trust God and what God has said. When I say trust God and trust His Word, they’re the same thing. The Word of God is the revelation of God, His person, His character, His will, His plans. When I trust His Word, I’m trusting Him. I’m not making a distinction there because I don’t believe there is a distinction. I believe God, I believe His Word, and that gives me the assurance and the confidence.

For by Him the men of old gained approval, by it, by faith. So how did the men of old, the giants of the faith, these men and women we look at and although sometimes think they are a different breed, they’re just not like you and me, they were cut from different cloth, or however we want to put it. You understand they weren’t they were just men and women of faith. “For by it the men of old gained approval.” The men of old, and he’ll pick up with them beginning with Abel in verse 4. There’s a list here of men and women who gained the approval of God by faith. They gained approval, the approval of God. They were approved by God. Came out of their faith. Their faith, their confidence in God shaped their behavior, their actions, and thus they gained the approval of God. The scripture testifies that these Hebrews would acknowledge that. These are Jewish believers. But these are men and women who were approved of God. God put His stamp of approval on them, and you read through that list, and you read figures that you are well familiar with.

Look at verse 3, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God so that what is seen was made out of things which are not visible.” We’re going to start at the beginning, I mean if you’re going to believe in God you have to believe in the God of the Bible, the God who has revealed Himself. The beginning point is to understand that He is the creator of everything. We are not living in a world where things happen randomly or by chance, we are living in a world that has been brought into existence by a sovereign God and so is ruled and controlled by Him. This is a foundational issue. When we get shaken in our faith it’s because we begin to doubt whether God is really in control, if God is really doing what is best. We have to back up and begin, it’s by faith we understand that when we are talking about God, we’re talking about the person who created everything. By faith we understand that the worlds or the ages. Literally that word translated worlds is the word ages. Refers to all the successive periods of time, everything in them was created by the sovereign God. The fact of His creation will establish the fact that He rules in all and controls in all.

By faith is written 18 times in this chapter, by faith, by faith, by faith, by faith. There is no great secret, there is no great mystery to being a giant, if you will, for God. Something available to every child of God, you walk by faith, you walk by faith. You face the greatest difficulties, the greatest trials by faith. You deal with the greatest disappointments and the greatest obstacles by trusting God. That’s it. You say oh I wish I could be like Abraham, oh I wish I could stand like Paul……..walk by faith, trust the Lord. You know even the mighty prophets were men of like passions as we are, James says. Oh, if I could be an Elijah. He was a man of like passions. I don’t think he was just like me. Well, if there’s a difference it was, he walked by faith. It’s by faith we understand the worlds were created by the word of God, so that what was seen was not made out of things which were invisible. We perceive, we understand it is a word of mental recognition. We’ve come to understand and know something with our minds as truth. It’s not just a feeling, but rather faith functions in the realm of understanding, knowing truth. It’s by faith we’ve come to know and understand that God is the creator of all things. You’ll note here, it’s not primarily a scientific issue, although I do not believe that anything the Bible says about God’s work of creation conflicts with true science. But you cannot prove it scientifically. In that sense unbelieving scientists are correct because to bring God into the picture you bring in the realm of faith. That is not something that they can test and prove and demonstrate. Now in their unwillingness to trust God and acknowledge God, they are moved to do those things which are even unintellectual, contrary to true science. But the fact of the matter is we understand that God created the world because we believe what God has said is true. The word of God is the Bible, and the Bible says God created the world by His word, and that word for word here, you’re familiar with the word logos, well here is the word rhemate. It’s the spoken word. God spoke the word, by the spoken word of God the worlds were created, they came into existence.

How do we know it? We go back and read the opening chapters of Genesis, and you don’t even have to be a good reader. Genesis 1:3, “God said let there be light,” there was light. Verse 6, then God said. Verse 9, then God said let this happen, it happened. Then God said let this happen and it happened. We say well do you think it could really be? Yes, I have no doubt at all. That’s all the evidence I need. God says it, it’s true. Now again I don’t believe that there is anything mythological about this, it doesn’t mean that then you have to put your mind aside. Because we understand and we are using our mind on this. There is no conflict with science as science, that’s why there’s a whole number of scientists who are Christians who have devoted some time to demonstrate with scientific evidence is completely in line. In fact, it only can support the existence of a God.

I was looking at some buildings they’re proposing you know to replace the Trade Center that was destroyed. I don’t want to get off the subject here, but I could, or off track. But you know I was looking at these buildings and saying I wonder how many explosions you would have to have to have some beautiful buildings to replace the Trade Center buildings. You know how many explosions you would have to set off before you could get finally everything to come together in such beautiful order as the architects are designing. That’s just a building, it doesn’t compare in any way to the complexity that we have come to know that permeates our creation. I think it’s not surprising to me, but I believe somebody planned it. I look at a beautiful building I don’t say my that must have been quite a tornado that brought that into existence. That would have been something. I wonder if it took more than one tornado, probably took tornadoes over millions of years to put that building together. You say look you can spin out all the tornadoes you want for all the years you want, and you wouldn’t get a building like that and yet my body just happened to happen. We all know what happens, when one part of your body breaks down somehow things go wrong. But I don’t believe it because of the evidence of science, I believe it because the Bible says it.

Look in Psalm 33, Psalm 33 verse 6, “by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, by the breath of His mouth all their hosts. He gathers the water of the sea together as a heap, He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him for He spoke, and it was done, He commanded, and it stood fast.” You’ll note there why men and women will not acknowledge God as the creator, that would require them to stand in awe of Him, to acknowledge Him and bow before Him.

Look over in Isaiah in the Old Testament, chapter 40, Isaiah chapter 40 verse 21. In this context God is declaring the true insignificance of man. Look at verse 6 before you come down further, Isaiah 40 verse 6. Isaiah is instructed to call out. “What should I call out? Call out all flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Verse 15, “behold the nations are like a drop from a bucket, are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales.” And we look at the nations of the world and people wring their hands, what is going to happen. It’s like a piece of dust on the scale to God, they’re nothing. He is sovereign. Verse 17, “All the nations are as nothing before Him, they are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.” I really believe the Word of God. Is my faith shaken, my feeling insecure these days? I watch the news and oh my what’s going to happen in this world? What about my kids and my grandkids and all my plans? What’s to be shaken? Are the nations powerful enough to undo the work of God? He is the sovereign creator.

Come down to verse 21, “Do you not know, have you not heard, has it not been declared to you from the beginning, have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the vault of the earth. Its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to dwell in? It is He who reduces rulers to nothing, makes the judges of the earth meaningless.” They no sooner come on the scene, and they’re gone. You can’t compare God to anyone or anything. Look at verse 26, “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars. The one who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power not one of them is missing.” You see He’s the sovereign God. Don’t look at the nations, don’t look at the mighty people of the world. Look at Him, He has no equal. That’s why Paul, as we look to him in our study of Acts in chapter 26 and he can stand before the great and mighty, the governor and the king and what? With full confidence and assurance tell them the truth of the Word of God. People say oh could I go if I got called unexpectedly to appear before the governor and all the important people of the city. What would I say, what would I say? Well just tell them the Word of God. I don’t think I could talk. Why? I mean, who compares to God? I talk to Him every day. He is the one who rules overall, these are counted as nothing by Him.

Chapter 42 verse 5, “thus says God the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.” You see the declaration of who He is, and it goes back to the whole work of His creation. Chapter 44 verse 24, “thus says the Lord your Redeemer and the one who formed you from the womb. I the Lord am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by myself and spreading out the earth all alone.” He goes on to say He confirms the Word, verse 26 of His servant. You see the sovereign creating God is in charge of all things. Chapter 45 verse 9, “Woe to the one who quarrels with His maker, an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth. Will the clay say to the potter what are you doing, or the thing that you are making say he has no hands?” Look at verse 12, “it is I who made the earth and created man upon it, I stretched out the heavens with my hands, I ordained all their hosts.” Verse 18, “for thus says the Lord who created the heavens, He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place but formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, there is none else.” You see He’s the sovereign God. How do you know God created the earth? How do you know it didn’t just evolve one day and whatever in the past, how many billions of years there was an explosion and eventually out of the slime and here we are. If we’re going to take a vote of scientists that view probably wins in one form or another. But God’s not taking any votes, there’s nobody’s vote that counts but His. He’s already declared I don’t have an equal and I belong to Him, I’m His child, He’s, my father. Like when you’re a little kid and you want to impress someone. You better treat me good; my father is tough. Don’t you know who my Father is? He’s the one who created everything. And I should be shaken because, I was going to say the fools of the world but that's what the Bible says they are. Those who have no knowledge have said God has no hands, in effect they have rendered Him meaningless. You can believe God if you want, but He’s not allowed to be considered in the picture. We talk about science, we’re scientists, we’re smart, we believe it all just happened out of an explosion or out of chance. And you give me enough time and put chance into time, and we’ll end up with what we’ve got. He who sits in the heavens and laughs, a frightening thing.

Verse 21 of Isaiah 45 and then we have to go back to Hebrews. “Declare and set your king for their case, indeed let them consult together. Who has announced this from old, who has long since declared it? Is it not I the Lord. There is no other God beside Me, a righteous God and Savior. There is none except Me. Turn to Me and be saved all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other.” Solemn, awesome that the God who created everything, who exists in His own category, if you will, because there is no equal, there is none to compare Him to is the one who says, “turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth.” But man thinks he can compete with God.

All of this to say as we come back to Hebrews chapter 11 verse 3, “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God.” If you’ve been around Indian Hills longer than a week and a half, you know that I don’t have a scientist mind. Even if I did, I wouldn’t see my goal as to try to convince people by science that God is a creator because the Bible tells me it’s a matter of faith. There is not enough evidence to convince an unbelieving mind, there will never be enough evidence to convince an unbelieving mind. When Jesus walked the earth, He could heal the blind and raise the dead and that did not convince unbelieving minds. Not a matter of evidence or lack of evidence, it’s a matter of hearts and minds that live in the realm of darkness. And Romans says then “they’re left to the futility, the emptiness of their minds.” They are unwilling and they are unable to comprehend the truth and see reality as it is.

“But by faith we understand the worlds were prepared by the Word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” You’ll say wouldn’t it be possible God superintended and He made it out of things. Well, it tells me here, He made it out of things that weren’t visible, created out of nothing. The book of Genesis stresses that, the book of Hebrews says, “we understand by faith that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” You know what? God didn’t have any material to start with and He created it all. Exactly as He said in Genesis. Well do you solve the problem by lopping off the first chapters of Genesis? No, we just read a few verses, a couple of verses in Psalms and then went to Isaiah, but we could multiply those from the Psalms and from the prophets and so on. It’s not a matter of just well we’ll reinterpret the jandra of the opening chapters of Genesis as a different kind of literature. Not intended to be taken literally. The problem is then we have to deal with the prophetic literature that way, the writer of the Psalms has to be dealt with that way. Then we come to the New Testament we find out that we have passages in the New Testament, a number of them, that have to be dealt with that way. Then we get to the very character of Christ whom the Bible repeatedly says was the one who created all things. So, it is the scheming of unbelieving minds who would imply if we properly understood the kind of writing the opening chapters of Genesis really were we would understand that it’s not saying that God literally created everything by just speaking. You understand that’s what the testimony of the Bible consistently is. It’s not a matter of understanding, it’s a matter of believing. With faith then you do come to a proper understanding.

It’s by faith you understand the work of creation. Let’s look quickly at what follows. You have two examples and then a summary verse. “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.” The first example is Abel and Abel offered the right sacrifice; he offered it by faith. That’s why his sacrifice was accepted. That would indicate God had spoken on the subject. They were bringing sacrifices to God. How did they know to bring sacrifices? God had addressed the subject. They were responding to what God said He required. Cain may have brought the best that he had. That’s not what God asked for, that’s not what God required. God required a blood sacrifice. “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” He could not just bring the best that he had, he had to bring what God required. Abel did it by faith. It was a better sacrifice than Cain because when you act, believing what God has said, on the basis of what God has said, you gain God’s approval. Abel’s sacrifice was better because it was offered in faith. He believed in what God said and acted accordingly, Cain did not. He obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts. Through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. It’s just not a historical account, there is something being declared. The one who comes to God by faith is the one who is accepted by God, the one who is declared righteous by God. You’ll note the issue here is faith. Abel never joined a church, nothing ever said about his baptism, his confirmation, his keeping the sacraments, his doing any of these things. But salvation has always been by faith. He had the testimony of God he’s righteous. Why? He believed God and what he did by faith, that continues to speak. When you come to God in faith then you receive righteousness from God, you are declared righteous by Him. Being dead he still speaks. What does he say? The one who comes to God through faith is accepted by God and thus receives righteousness from God. That’s the testimony of Abel. He offered a better sacrifice; he’s approved of God. So, he obtained righteousness. That’s the goal, isn’t it? To be what God says we must be.

What about Enoch? “By faith Enoch was taken up that he should not see death and he was not found because God took him up, for he obtained the witness before being taken up that he was pleasing to God. Enoch was pleasing to God,” that means he walked by faith. By faith he was taken up. Why? He was living a life of faith, he was trusting God, so he did not die, God took him directly to heaven, directly to glory. You know, turn over to the book of Jude. I mentioned that God would have revealed and spoken regarding the matter of sacrifices and Cain and Abel were both responding to what God had said. Abel was responding in faith; Cain was responding in selfish unbelief. He would decide what he would bring rather than believe what God had said. Enoch was a preacher, a prophet, a spokesman of God. We sang some hymns about the second coming and Enoch was one of the early preachers about the second coming. In Jude verse 14, “And about these also Enoch in the 7th generation from Adam.” You go back in the genealogical tables there and you count, and you come to Enoch the 7th from Adam. “He prophesied saying behold the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment upon all, to convict all the ungodly and all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” Now Jude has been warning about false teachers and Jude spoke about these things, spoke about the judgment of God on such people. He spoke as the prophets did in the Old Testament in what we call the prophetic past. It was normal for the prophets in the Old Testament to speak in the past tense of the future events they were speaking about because the Word of God is settled and sure. When you speak what God says He’s going to do you could talk about it as an accomplished event, because it is as good as done.

What did Enoch speak about? He spoke about the coming of the Lord, coming judgment on unregenerate people. So very way back you’re only 7 generations from Adam and already you have the doctrine of the Second Coming being preached. In the context of the Second Coming, you have judgment, what we know of as the Second Coming, the coming of the Lord to bring judgment. He appeared the first time to accomplish salvation and the second time He’ll bring deliverance to us and judgment to the unregenerate. Enoch was a man of faith, so he had the testimony he walked with God. “The Old Testament says Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him.” The Greek translation of the Old Testament translates he walked with God with he was pleasing to God. The writer to the Hebrews is using the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, and he’s saying the same thing. He walked with God; he was pleasing to God. Why? He was a man of faith.

Come back to Hebrews chapter 11, “and 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.” He gives a summary statement here, then he picks up in verse 7, “by faith Noah;” verse 8, “by faith Abraham;” and verse 11, “by faith Sarah” and so on. But you have to understand without faith it is impossible to please God. Enoch was pleasing to God, he had this testimony at the end of verse 5, “he was pleasing to God.” You understand no one has ever been pleasing to God, ever will be pleasing to God apart from faith. You must have faith. What do you believe? You believe that God is. Do you believe in the existence of the God of the Bible? We’ve already seen that means you’re believing in the God that’s revealed in the Bible, the God who created everything. I believe, well I believe there’s a God. That’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re believing that God is and if we’re believing the revelation that God has given of Himself beginning at the beginning of the Bible as we’ve already dealt with in verse 3. I say that I believe that God is I mean the God who created everything, the God who brought everything into existence and thus rules over all creation and so on.

“And that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” You must believe that this God is a righteous God, a holy God, a God of justice, there’s moral character to God. He’s just not some fuzzy thing, but He is the God whose attributes are revealed in His Word, the God whose very character, nature and being is revealed through His creation, but only understood by His grace through the revelation of His Word. They must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. That’s those who are willing to trust Him. Those are the ones who seek Him, the ones who believe in Him. “Seek the Lord while He may be found and call upon Him while He is near.” I am believing what He has said and now I live my life in that constant, if you will, seeking of Him. It’s like we begin by faith, we live by faith. Well, it’s not like I’ve come to the end of my search. In one sense we can talk about how we’ve come to the end of our search just like we can talk about saving faith and there is a climactic portion of that, but in another sense, it is the beginning of a life of faith. So, it is a beginning of what? As I seek God and come to know Him through faith in His Son. That’s the beginning of a life of a pursuit of God and a desire to please Him, knowing that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him, those who desire to live their lives pleasing to Him. That’s what we’re talking about, we seek to honor God, we desire to honor Him, we are seeking Him in our lives. That’s a life of faith.

All the examples through this chapter are going to come back to this, they believe that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. I’m going to take Him at His Word and I’m going to trust Him and every time things come into my life that shake me, I have the opportunity to grow a little more in my faith. You don’t know what I’m facing. No, and God doesn’t call me to face what you’re facing. I look at people and say I don’t know how I would hold up if I had to face what they face. But you know what? I really believe God would give me the grace and strength if He would call me to face that. That’s why I can encourage them that God will give them the courage and the strength, that it’s God who is in control and I don’t have the answers to why. Remember we studied the book of Job. God never does tell Job why, but He does conclude the book telling him what? I’m in charge, I’m God and you’re not, I don’t have to give you an explanation. But you have to trust me. Aren’t we like that with our kids? You have one of your little children or grandchildren and something happens and they’re so afraid. You say it’s all right. What do you mean it’s all right? I’m afraid. You don’t have to be afraid. We look at it from our perspective in maturity and we say there’s nothing to be afraid of, everything is under control. But for them everything is not under control and they’re afraid something is going to happen. But they don’t have to be afraid. We can tuck them in at night and say you don’t have to be afraid; you don’t have to worry about it, and it’s true. God says the same thing. You’re my child, I’m in control, don’t worry about it. Be anxious for nothing. Thank you, but I’m going to stay awake and worry anyway. It’s just not necessary, worse than that it’s sin. We have to deal with our children. If they keep getting out of bed and saying I can’t go to bed, I can’t sleep, ………….. You say you get in bed. That just becomes an excuse not to do what they’re supposed to do. There’s nothing wrong, everything’s fine, now you get into bed. Now sometimes the Lord has to tell me that. You don’t have to worry about it. Does God have everything under control? If He doesn’t there is nothing I can do about it anyway, but I know He does.

We talk about endurance, we talk about standing firm, we talk about not being blown about, we talk about having that inner peace and security and what it really means to not be anxious about anything. We’re really talking about trusting my God. He is, He’s the God who is, I’m fully confident in Him and He rewards those who diligently seek Him. I want to walk with Him and trust Him. Maybe some day He’ll reveal to me why He did what He did, maybe He never will in time or eternity. But that’s all right, I’m still fully confident He’s doing what is right, everything is under control, and some day I will bask in the glory of His presence, having entered into the inheritance that He promised. That puts everything into perspective, it allows me to live a life of settled security. Praise God for our salvation.

Let’s pray together. Thank you, Lord, that you are a God that we are privileged to trust. You’ve not hidden yourself and kept yourself secret, but you have revealed yourself. More than that you have called us to yourself and given us the joy and privilege of belonging to you. Lord, in these days we need to be a people walking by faith, enjoying the security, the tranquility, the peace that only you can bring to a hardened mind. We rest secure in you. There may be painful and difficult things that come into our lives, things that are sorrowful and unsettling. But in it all we have that settling assurance you are in control; we belong to you, your purposes are being accomplished and you are bringing us to the inheritance that we have hoped for, that we long for, and you have promised we will receive. Lord, I pray for any here going through especially difficult times, that they might experience this peace, this tranquility. Lord help them to focus their mind on you, to seek you and the peace that comes from walking with you as their God. We praise you for that privilege. In Christ’s name, amen.