Sunday School Lesson 6: Faith and Righteousness, Hebrews 11:1-4, 7, 8, 17-18, 20-23, 32, 39-40.
Key Text: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
Paul’s definition of what faith is and what faith does is the foundation upon which hope is built. Substance or assurance may be the best translation for Hebrews 11:1. The first part of the verse includes the hope of the resurrection, the return of Christ, and the glorification of the saints. And, the second involves unseen realities, such as the forgiveness of sin through Christ’s sacrifice and the present intercession of Christ in heaven. Man possesses faith when He takes God at His Word and accepts Christ as the Son of God. In fact, faith is absolutely necessary if we are to understand Scripture revealed in Genesis to Revelation. For example, since no man or woman was present to witness the Creation, it must be accepted by faith.
Paul focuses upon the first man in his epistle to the Hebrew Jews to demonstrate faith. His first prepatriarchial example was Abel’s faith who “offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain” (Hebrews 11:4). In Hebrews, it is witnessed that Abel offered “By faith” and obviously, Cain did not. In Paul’s second example of a saint, he records how Noah’s faith “condemned the world” v 7. Noah was asked by God to build an ark “in faith” because of a coming flood. Paul’s third example records incidents involving Abraham’s faith when he left Ur of the Chaldees. Abraham left family and friends to go to a place he had never seen, not knowing what it was like or how to get there. He went merely because God had told him to go, and he obeyed. Abraham’s Faith was tried when God asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac–the son of God’s promise, the son through whom God would fulfill His promises. Though Abraham was stopped before the actual slaying of his son, his faith was so strong he believed God unconditionally. Paul’s fourth example demonstrates the intimacy between faith and God’s will and Word when Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau (Genesis 27 and 28). Jacob’s life of surrender and faith began the night he wrestled with the Lord at Peniel (Gen 23:24-32).
Paul’s fifth example involved the faith of the parents of Moses. They parted with their infant child in response to God’s leading them to participate in Israel’s deliverance. Finally, Paul listed deeds of faith done by David who “subdued kingdoms and wrought righteousness” as he executed judgment and justice unto all his people (II Samuel 8:15). These patriarchs persisted in their faith even though they “received not the promise” v 39. Paul now shows the superiority of the New Covenant: God saved this “better thing,” or fulfillment of the promise for this age. Without those of the New Covenant, the Old Testament could not be made perfect. AMEN!
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