The Movement of Faith
“Faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”
The word faith is a loaded term, especially in the Christian faith...see what I did there? When you look up the word faith in the dictionary, it is simply a synonym for the word belief. But here in Hebrews we see that God wants to expand and shape our view of the word faith to be more than just a belief.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. Another translation puts it, faith is the substance of things hoped for. Faith is the proof of what we believe, not the belief itself. The author says faith is a reality, which means it is visible, something we can see, and tangible, something we can touch. Faith is the outward expression of the belief and hope that is in our hearts. Our actions, which are visible, show (demonstrate, prove) that we truly believe that our hope for the future will be a reality, not might be a reality.
In Hebrews 11, the author doesn’t just mention that the ancestors believed. He tells of their corresponding actions that demonstrated that belief. We know that they truly believed God, not just said they believed God, because of their actions.
It would stand to reason that our beliefs should be the basis for how we live. In other words, our beliefs should drive our actions. This is faith. In fact, the Greek word for faith [pistis] used in this verse means “faithfulness, belief, trust, with the implication that actions based on that trust may follow.”
Faith does. Faith acts. Faith moves.
Abel brought an offering to God that was proof of his worship and adoration of God. He did not withhold the best of his flock and we see that here in Hebrews God approved of his gifts. Abel did not just pay lip service to God. His offering was a testimony to the place God held in his heart. Rahab, a non Hebrew, had heard about the God of the Israelites and feared Him. And because of that belief, she chose to hide the Israelite spies.
Without an action, faith is dead (James 2:17). Without actions, all we have is a hope and a belief. Faith is demonstrated by actions in our lives that show God and others what beliefs we truly have in our hearts. We can say anything. We can feel anything. But for a lack of better wording, faith puts our money where our mouth is. How we behave, what we do, reflect what we truly believe. If we truly trust that God is our provider, we will give with an open hand. If we truly believe God is sovereign, we will submit to His authority. If we truly believe that God’s ways are for our good, we will seek to live a holy life. James 2:18 goes on to say “I will show you my faith by my works.”
Abraham’s faith is probably talked about the most in the Bible. I am always in awe of Abraham’s faith. Verse 8 tells us “by faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going (emphasis mine). God simply said, “Go, to the land I will show you” (note the future tense of the verb will show). And Abraham gathered up his things and left. This would be the equivalent of packing up your home, putting your house on the market, selling it, and starting to drive not knowing where you are going next. But, we wouldn’t be talking about Abraham’s faith if God had revealed everything to him all at once.
When we know it is going to rain, we make sure the windows are rolled up in the car. When a woman knows she is pregnant, she prepares a nursery. But these are things we can be certain of because there is visible proof—clouds in the sky and a sonogram picture. This is not faith. When Noah began to build the ark, all he had was a command from God. There was no visible proof, no cloud in the sky, to indicate it was going to rain. Yet, he trusted God and got to work. This was faith.
God wants us to take action based on what we believe, even when we don’t have visible proof of the outcome. The definition of believe is to “have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.” It is easy to act in accordance to what we know, what we are certain, will happen. Faith is when we act when we have confidence without absolute proof.
Faith moves us forward.
It is when Abraham set out, when he moved forward, that the course of his life began to change. Abraham could have stayed where he was, waiting for God to act or waiting for God to tell him all the specifics so he could be sure. Abraham had no visible proof about his promise from God. He had a belief in his heart and he acted on it. God wants us to act on His word alone. So, He asks us to do something without providing the details of how. He wants to see that we trust Him to be faithful.
Stepping out in faith is not necessarily being certain of His will, what He will do (the outcome), or how he will do it. Faith is stepping out being certain that He will be faithful to us. And faith isn’t stepping out and simply hoping He will come through. Faith is stepping out and trusting that God will move.
When Abraham took Isaac to the mountain to sacrifice him, he had no idea how God was going to save Isaac. But, he set out to be obedient with the certainty of the promise God made to him that he would be blessed through Isaac and the certainty of God’s faithfulness. He didn’t just believe that in his heart; his arm, poised, ready to strike his son, demonstrated his faith. He did not withhold obedience because he didn’t know the full plan. Rather, he followed through with his actions trusting God’s sovereignty and character.
Faith is not about trying to prove something to God. It is about following His leading and stepping out, even with the unknowns. And faith is not about testing God. It is not about stepping out with an intended outcome in mind and testing to see if God shows up in the way we have designed.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith was not dependent on the outcome. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar “If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he can rescue us from the power of you, the king. But even if he does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” Their faith was in God and not what they desired God to do.
One of my favorite stories of faith in the Old Testament recounts Jonathan and his armor bearer taking action against the Philistines (not mentioned here in Hebrews 11, but told in 1 Samuel 14). Jonathan sets out and says “perhaps the Lord will be with us.” I don’t know about you, but I think I’d want a little more assurance than “perhaps” before I went into a battle outnumbered. But he had a belief in his heart that “nothing could hinder the Lord.” And the Lord was with him that day. When we choose to do something, and we are uncertain of the outcome, but certain of God, He will always be faithful to us.
Faith moves God.
Hebrews 11:6 that it is impossible to please God without faith. Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say that faith is what prompts us to draw near to God. When we draw near to God, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). So we draw near to God believing that He is and that He rewards those who seek Him. God will always respond to our faith. That is something we can certain of. Our faith moves God to act. Jesus demonstrated this time and time again in the New Testament. He was moved by people’s faith and He responded to it.
Ultimately, all of these examples of faith are meant to point us to God. They demonstrate His faithfulness more than anything else. They point to a promise even greater than each individual mentioned. They had faith in a good God with good promises for “the righteous ones who live by faith.”
All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. (Hebrews 11:39)
God wants us to know Him more intimately and He wants us to have a deeper understanding of His character. I am convinced those who take great steps of faith understand God’s faithfulness and character more deeply than those who don’t. He invites us to draw near and He promises to be faithful and good when we do. But drawing near means taking a step of faith.
What act of faith has God been calling you to take?
