Almost every Christian is familiar with chapter 11 of the Book of Hebrews, which is also considered the chapter of faith. They are familiar with the definition of faith and are able to define the definition of faith. But the fact, that they can quote the definition of faith, doesn’t mean that these words have been formed in them and that they live according to these words. Because there are many Christians, who have a faith without content. What is a faith without content?
Call those things which are not as though they were
Because who practices Hebrew 11:1 in their daily lives? Who believes the words of God above the words of the world and call those things which are not and are according to the will of God as though they were?
And what is maybe more important, who keeps standing on the Word, if the things, which are called into being are not immediately visible in the natural realm? As discussed in the previous blog post: ‘Shall I find faith on earth?’.
How many keep standing in the faith on the Word, which means that you keep standing in the full assurance of the Word and don’t deviate from the Word? And how many become disappointed and start to doubt the words of God because of the words of the world and deviate from the Word and compromise?
The words, actions, and behavior of believers prove if they are true believers and believe in what they confess with their mouths or not.
What is a faith without content?
This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (馬克 7:6-7)
You can confess all you want with your mouth. And you can confess all the words of the Bible, but if you speak words and do things that contradict your confession then you don’t believe in what you confess with your mouth and your faith is empty and has no meaning. You walk in a faith without content, which is in reality, no faith at all.
Many people say they believe in God and Jesus Christ, but only a few demonstrate their faith in God and Jesus Christ through their lives.
Faith is not that you kind of hope that what is written in the Bible is true and that you hope that what you say will come to pass.
不, faith is a total assurance and a full conviction that what is written in the Bible is true.
Faith means walking in the authority of the Word and praying and believing that you receive, instead of walking as a beggar, not being sure, but hoping that you will receive.
The hope, which is mentioned in Hebrew 11:1 is not the hope as many define hope, namely that you want something to happen or want it to be true, but you are not really convinced. But the hope, which is mentioned in Hebrew 11:1 is a full assurance, a trust, that expects with confidence.
Jesus walked in the authority of His Father
Jesus was the Firstborn of the new creation. 所以, Jesus is our example. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith, therefore we should look upon Jesus (赫布 12:2). Jesus came in the Name of God, in His authority and walked in faith in His Father (馬修 11:27, 路克 10:22; 22:29,).
Jesus knew the will of His Father, but it was up to Jesus if He obeyed the will of His Father. Because Jesus had also been given a free will.
There were many opportunities during Jesus’ life, that Jesus could have left the will of God and deviated from the words of God and given in to the lusts and desires of His flesh, and submit to the devil.
But Jesus loved His Father and because of His great love for God, Jesus stayed loyal to His Father and resisted the temptations of the devil (另請閱讀: Can you resist the temptations of the devil?)
Jesus sought the things which were above. Therefore Jesus spent much time in the Scriptures and with His Father in prayer.
After Jesus was baptized in water and received the Holy Spirit, Jesus went and did the will of His Father and represented, preached, and brought the Kingdom of God to God’s people.
Jesus preached the message of repentance
Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel (馬克 1:14-15)
Jesus didn’t preach a message of false love as preached by many people today. A message that accepts everyone and everything and tolerates sin and compromises with the world.
But Jesus stayed faithful to God and showed the love of God to His people by preaching the 呼籲悔改 (Mat 4:17, Mar 1:14-15).
Just like God spoke through the mouths of the prophets, including John the Baptist, and called His people to repentance (另請閱讀: 悔改的呼召 和 施洗約翰, 那個不鞠躬的男人).
The faith of Jesus in His Father was a reality. It was His life and not just an addition to His own life.
Jesus had a personal relationship with His Father and didn’t want to be separated from Him. 然而, Jesus knew that the time would come, that He would be separated from His Father (另請閱讀: The truth about rejection?)
但直到那個時候, Jesus stayed faithful through His obedience to His Father and spoke the words of His Father and did all the things, He had seen His Father do (約翰 5:30; 8:28, 38; 15:15).
Jesus met the need or lack of every person, who came to Him and made them whole. Everything Jesus did, Jesus did through faith in God and in His authority; His Name (另請閱讀: Have faith in God).
Jesus wasn’t intimidated by natural circumstances
Jesus walked by faith in God and didn’t allow Himself to become intimidated by natural circumstances. He walked not after what He perceived by His senses. He wasn’t intimidated by the devil, 惡魔, God’s people, including the religious leaders and scribes, persecutions, heavy storms, lack of food, and other natural elements. Because Jesus had faith in God and relied on Him. Jesus trusted God completely and walked after the Spirit.
Jesus wasn’t intimidated and He didn’t change His message because of the people and the circumstances.
Despite everything that happened around Him in the natural realm, Jesus continued in His faith in God and preached and brought the Kingdom of God.
When the moment came that Jesus was taken captive, Jesus didn’t hide or run away, like the disciples, who were still the 舊造.
But Jesus allowed them to take Him captive, since Jesus knew the scriptures and the will of God and knew that the time had come to fulfill God’s task.
Jesus had yielded Himself to God. 所以, Jesus accomplished His task by His great love for His Father and through His obedience to Him and reconciled man back to God and restored the position of fallen man and made them whole (另請閱讀: The peace, Jesus restored between fallen man and God 和 耶穌恢復了墮落之人的地位).
Jesus preached and revealed the Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God that was hidden from mankind, became visible by the coming of Jesus Christ and His walk. But the Kingdom of God didn’t stop after Jesus ascended to heaven and took His place on the mercy seat at the right hand of the Father (另請閱讀: What happened on Ascension Day?).
Because just like Jesus was sent by His Father and did, what His Father had commanded Him to do and what He had seen His Father do, Jesus likewise sent His disciples and His disciples did what Jesus had commanded them to do and what they had seen Jesus do (另請閱讀: 神的誡命和耶穌的誡命.).
門徒, who were later called Christians, preached and brought the Kingdom of God by faith in Jesus Christ and through the obedience of His words, in His Name; in His authority and power, to God’s people first and then to the Gentiles.
Just like Jesus, the Christians were also not intimidated by the people and natural circumstances; resistance, persecutions, imprisonment, storms, ETC. Causing many to die in the faith as martyrs and witnesses of Jesus Christ.
The same Spirit, Who lived in Jesus lives in the new creation
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak (2 哥林多前書 4:13)
By the blood of Jesus and through regeneration in Him, you have been made righteous. You are anointed, which means that you are put in the position of a son of God and possess the Holy Spirit of God. You have the same Spirit of faith, Who dwelled in Jesus and therefore you are able to walk in faith.
Walking in faith means, that you fully rely on God and His Word. It means that you know that His Word is the truth. Therefore you shall consider His words as the truth in life.
When you consider His words as the truth, you shall apply His words in your life.
When you apply His words in your life, your life shall be changed after His truth and Christ shall be formed in you.
You shall no longer listen and feed yourself with the words of the world and speak the words of the world and walk in unbelief. 反而, you shall listen and feed yourself with the words of God and speak the words of God and walk in faith.
You shall no longer be led by the world (the world system) but by the Word of God. Because Jesus is the Captain and Author of your salvation and He shall lead you and you shall believe in the Name of Jesus and everything He has done.
You believe in the Word. Therefore you shall walk according to what the Word says and live after the will of God. You shall represent and bring His Kingdom on earth. Instead of strengthening the kingdom of the world by your words and works.
As long as you stay in the Word, which means that you obey the words of God and do them in your life, you shall stay and abide in Him and you shall be protected.
If you obey Him and do what He has commanded you to do instead of obeying your flesh, you shall show Him your love for Him and therefore you shall walk in love. Because walking in love means nothing more than obeying the words of God and keeping the commandments of Jesus and living after His will and according to what He says (2 約翰 1:6)
‘成為地球之鹽’
