Faith is at the ABSOLUTE heart of the Christian experience. How would you define Biblical faith? In these verses from Hebrews 11, sometimes called the “Hall of Faith” chapter of the Bible, the writer mentions three men from early humanity who personified faith. Let’s see what we can learn from them.

Chris Adomanis

[Hebrews 11:4-7]

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ Why do you think Abel’s sacrifice was accepted and pleasing to God, but Cain’s was not? How does Abel “still speak” today? Read Genesis 4:1-16.

+ Very little is known about this character Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24 and Jude 14-15). Why do you think he is mentioned in these series of verses, especially right after Cain?

+ Hebrews 11:6 is a verse we should all know by heart. How does God reward those who diligently seek Him?

+ According to some scholars, it had never even rained on earth before God sent the Great Flood, which makes Noah’s command to build an ark OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF DRY LAND, even more outrageous. And remember, Noah lived BEFORE the revelation of God as experienced by Abraham and Moses. How did Noah’s obedience to God “condemn the world”? Is this a good or a bad thing?Why or why not?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ I think what these verses show is that faith and obedience are explicitly linked. In the Christian experience, you can’t really have one without the other. Father, too often, we don’t live out the faith we proclaim we have. People who do not claim you as Lord and Savior sometimes live less selfishly than we do. Empower us by your Holy Spirit to work out our salvation (Philippians 1:12-13) so that Your name will be forever praised. Amen

Real faith will always do something (David Guzik, 2018, Commentary of Hebrews 11)

Justification IS by faith alone, but NOT by a faith that IS alone. A faith without any yield of righteousness is not true faith. (Adapted from Everyone’s a Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology by R.C. Sproul)

James 2:14-26: 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?