Looking back over the last few verses of Heb. 10, we see how the apostle begins the great theme of faith and what meanings the word conveys. Faith is reliance on God through his word. Faith is the sense by which we perceive the unseen. It is that which enables one [138] to give up the goods of this world in conviction that he possesses in heaven a better and more enduring wealth. (Heb. 10:34.) In the next verse he calls it "boldness"--which is dauntless, fearless confidence--and speaks of its great reward with God. But what makes this faith efficient unto the saving of the soul is its enduring quality. That is what the Hebrews needed above all things--a faith that becomes an unwavering principle of life, that patiently continues in the path of obedience under all circumstances. Not an initial belief simply, not a mere assent to the probability or truth of God's message, but a steady state of trust, a living for the world to come, a continuous looking unto God. He contrasts it with "shrinking back." Saving faith does not shrink back from any command or demand of God. The righteous shall live by faith; those that shrink back, shrink back "unto perdition." Faith or shrinking back, life, or destruction--these are the alternatives. Which do you take?

      Turn back to Heb. 3:6, 14, and note the "if's." Compare Col. 1:22, 23. The disobedience and unbelief of Heb. 3:18, 19 lay just in this "shrinking back" after they had already started on the way of faith. Note also Heb. 6:11, 12, 15. Hope is founded upon faith. This [139] teaching is for those in danger of backsliding and apostasy, and is very much needed now.

      Faith is the great need. First, last, and middle, he exhorts us to have faith. And here he traces faith in its various manifestations; its triumphs and glories; its earthly results, good and bad; and its eternal crown. So far he has shown us what God has done for us, what Christ did and is doing, the great sacrifice, the glorious gospel, the Mediator upon the throne interceding for us, the privileges of the Christian. And what for? That we may have faith. All is prepared, all is promised. Now trust and appropriate this salvation through a life of faith.

      It is faith that makes the glories we hope for real to us, so that they are not dreams, air castles, vain imagination, but a real inheritance. It is not only the basis of our hopes, but our assurance of them. All that is involved in the expression: "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for."

      Faith is "a conviction of things not seen;" puts us into touch and relationship with the unseen, informs us concerning it, and thus shapes our whole lives; for to him who lives in this conviction of things unseen the world looks different than to one who simply knows and [140] accepts what he can perceive with his natural senses. He who has faith lives according to the unseen world, and often loses advantage in material things, even incurring danger--yea, laying down his life and all for the sake of the things that are unseen. That this is the true way to live and be acceptable to God is seen in the fact that God bore witness in approval of such a course. (Heb. 11:2, 4, 5, 39.) That, on the other hand, it is the wrong way to live and displeasing to God to follow after the things that are seen and seek after temporal advantages is the lesson of the whole Bible. God's children walk by faith, not by sight. They set not their minds on things that are upon the earth (Col. 3:1, 2); lay not up for themselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust does corrupt, but seek for treasures in the unseen. But if man minds earthly things, he becomes an enemy of the cross of Christ. (Phil. 3:18-20.) Now the only possibility of our knowing anything of the things unseen lies in God's word. (1 Cor. 2:9-14.) He, therefore, who accepts God's account of those things as absolutely true, acts according to it, stakes everything upon it--in short, is convinced of it as he is of what he knows by bodily sense--he has faith.

      To such a man the visible universe means more than the face it presents. Over all, [141] behind all, he sees God. In every pebble, in every flower, he sees the power and Godhead of the Creator. In the rain and sunshine and fruitful seasons he sees God's hand dealing out life and love, even to the unthankful and evil. He ceases to value good things in and for themselves and learns to appreciate the Giver more than the gifts, and the gifts the more because of the Giver. Wherever he turns, there are marks and traces of God; for "by faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God." He learns to worship God by faith, like Abel; he walks with God by faith, like Enoch, living continually in that great and wonderful Presence. He understands by faith that his life's purpose consists in seeking after that God, and that in so doing he cannot come to naught, for God "is the rewarder of them that seek after him." He learns to obey God by faith, relying upon his word rather than his eyes or his reason (Prov. 3:5, 6)--like Noah, at the cost of time and labor and money; like Abraham, at the cost of home and kindred, looking with all assurances for the better home and more abiding city of God's promise. He forsakes the guidance of his own wisdom, the fruit of his experience and observation, when God's word would direct him into other paths, as did Sarah when she believed that she should bear [142] a son in her old age; as did Abraham when he offered up Isaac upon the altar--the climax of walking in the dark, with no light except that of the simple word of God.

      The inspired writer points again to the man of faith pronouncing blessings upon his grandsons, in solemn assurance, yet without evidence other than God's word of promise (Jacob); giving commandment concerning his bones in view of a future exodus of which there was neither sign nor prospect, except that God had said, "I will surely bring them up again from the land of Egypt" (Joseph); then the daring of faith, that, realizing itself backed by the Almighty, is afraid of no king (Moses' parents); then the sacrifice of the faith, which, perceiving the glories of God's recompense of reward so much greater than aught kings, thrones, pleasures, and treasures can offer, rejects these and chooses affliction and reproach that it may obtain the blessing (Moses); the endurance of a faith that rests in the resources of the infinite God; the faith that finds protection behind the God-appointed sacrifice; the faith that, being in league with Him who has all power, fears not to walk between two walls of water; the faith that is convinced of God's ability to overthrow walls and towers if only it complies with his will; and, lastly, [143] the faith that seeks friendship with God by showing kindness to his people (Rahab). All these are different manifestations of the same faith; and in all these instances faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.

      This is only a general view. Let us this week meditate on each example more particularly. Note the instances where the "things unseen" are mentioned. Consider the manifestation of faith in Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses; also the names mentioned in verse 32. What did each one of these do? How did each one's act show faith? How does faith come? In how many instances here did faith manifest itself in sacrifice, in risk of life, in risk of possessions? In what instances did it incur ridicule, reproach? Who in the New Testament lived entirely unto things unseen?

      Almighty God, we know thee by faith, that thou art above all, and that thou lovest us and directest us to eternal happiness and glory; and seeing that our own senses cannot penetrate [144] into the real nature of even the things they perceive, and thus misguide us, thou hast in grace shown us the truth concerning all things, as we need to know it, in thy holy word. Thou turnest our hearts to the things unseen; thou teachest us how to live truly and profitably; thou hast sworn to us a promise of inheritance beside which all the glory of the visible universe fades. O God, we believe; help thou our unbelief. We believe in thy love and forgiveness and goodness. Help us to-day to do thy will. Make us able, in view of thyself and our unseen home, to sacrifice and deny ourselves. Cleanse us from all evil with the sacrifice we plead in faith, Jesus Christ our Lord; and through him make us thy children indeed, heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ forever. Amen. [145]

[LOH1 136-145]