Chapter 10 closes with a warning to the Hebrew Christian, who had endured many persecutions when they accepted Christ, not to become panic-stricken and be thrown into a stampede, but to brace up against the situation which was facing them and endure to the end. It is necessary therefore for one who has done the will of God in accepting Christ to exercise patience unto the end of life. Paul's exhortation was emphasized by quotations from Habakkuk, chapter 2. The apostle expressed his convictions concerning the Hebrew Christians, that they would not shrink backward but would press forward in the fight.

The people of God have always been saved by faith. It is by faith that they are saved today. Such is the conclusion to which the apostle came as we saw in the last lesson. In chapter 11 Paul enlarges upon the principle of faith and shows how the people of God have always lived by faith and wrought all of their accomplishments.

In 11:1 the apostle asserts that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. Properly speaking this is not a logical definition of faith. Nevertheless, it is a statement which gives us a definite idea as to its nature. There are many things which we cannot take hold of by any logical processes or by sight, but we have faith which is based upon the testimony of God that such and such a thing is true. Our faith is the conviction with reference to the things not seen. Believing God as we do, we accept His statements, step out upon His promises, taste the Lord, and see that He is good. Thus faith brings us to the standpoint of absolute certainty.

All the biblical writers emphasize the fact that people are saved by faith and not by works. At the present time there are two schools of thought: One declares that men are saved by faith and faith alone; the other asserts that faith is never recognized as such until after it has expressed itself in obedience to some definite command. Which of these two positions is correct? Does Hebrews, chapter 11, throw any light upon the question, the answer to which we are seeking? As we study this passage, we see that various men of God who are mentioned here wrought by faith. What they did was the expression of faith. For instance, Abel made his offering to God by faith. Noah built his ark by faith. Abraham obeyed the call of God to leave his country by faith. He offered up Isaac, his son, upon the altar by faith. Moses forsook Egypt by faith. Those belonging to the school of thought that emphasizes that faith is never recognized as such until after it has expressed itself in obedience to some command look to such verses as these and find in them proof of their position.

On the other hand, there are those who look at verse 5 and see that Enoch was translated by faith so that he did not die. God did not command him to do anything in order that he might not die. He simply gave him the promise that he would not die but would be taken out of the world without dying, and he believed implicitly. There was therefore nothing that he did which entered into his translation except trusting implicitly the promise of God. Thus he was translated by faith and faith alone. "By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised." The same thing was true of Abraham. There was absolutely nothing which they could do or did except to believe implicitly the promise of God. So faith in this case is faith only. At the end of his life Joseph made mention of the departure of the children of Israel and gave commandment concerning the removal of his bones to Palestine. He had implicit faith in the promises of God. This faith expressed itself in the command to the Hebrews to take his remains to the Holy Land. He did not do anything but simply asserted his absolute unswerving confidence in the promises of God. This was a case of faith purely. According to verse 35 certain women received their dead by a resurrection from the dead. This they did by faith. Nothing that they did affected the situation but, believing the promises of God, they received their dead back to life. God thus honored their faith. This is faith apart from works. Others were tortured and subjected to mockings and scourgings, whereas still others were stoned and sawn asunder. These were heroes of endurance. They believed the promise of God and thus unflinchingly accepted what was done to them. By faith—pure and unadulterated—they took their stand. There were no works in anywise in connection with their stand for God.

In view of the various cases that are set forth in Hebrews, chapter 11, we come to the conclusion that the faith by which people are saved is simply trusting God and relying upon Him to fulfill His promises. It is erroneous therefore to say that faith must always express itself in obedience to a definite command before it is recognized as saving faith. This conclusion is confirmed by Paul's statement in Romans, chapter 4, "Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned as of grace, but as of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reckoned for righteousness" (vss. 4,5). When therefore the Scriptures affirm that men are saved by faith, they mean simply what they state. This is a pure trust in God apart from any act of obedience.

But everyone who has a trusting faith will unhesitatingly obey the commands of the Lord. If they hesitate or refuse to become obedient to what the Lord commands, it is evident that they do not have a saving faith. Men are saved by the grace of God, but they take hold of this redemption by pure faith. Those who are saved are urged to live for and work for the Lord, who promises a rich reward for service rendered in His cause. We are therefore saved by faith, but we are to be rewarded according to our works. To this conclusion all the evidence of Hebrews, chapter 11, points most positively and unmistakably.

Hebrews, chapter 11, has been designated "the roll call of faith." Those who are listed here are indeed heroes of faith who naturally fall into two classes: the heroes of achievement and those of endurance. Most all of those mentioned in the first thirty-four verses are named because of their pressing forward after their justification in the cause of God in an aggressive active life in His service. But the heroes of endurance are especially mentioned in verses 35-38. It takes more faith to be in this latter class than in the former. Action under the gaze of the world proves a great stimulant often times; wheras to linger in some unknown spot, enduring suffering because of one's loyalty to God requires a much greater faith.

According to 11:2 the elders had witness borne to them by their faith. It is a little difficult to know of whom the apostle is speaking here—whether of the early patriarchs or the ones who are mentioned later in the chapter.

In verse 3 he tells us that by faith "we understand that the worlds have been formed by the word of God." The word in the original rendered "worlds" primarily means ages. But from the facts presented it is evident that he is speaking about the material universe. However, he speaks of it in terms of the section of eternity which we call time and which was preceded by eternity in the past and will be followed by eternity after the material universe passes away. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Since faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, it is evident that God commanded Cain and Abel to offer sacrifices as an atonement for their sins. Abel offered his by faith, whereas Cain substituted his wisdom for that of the Lord. He was therefore rejected.

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death." As stated above faith here does not embrace any act of obedience whatsoever but simply implies trust in God. This assumes that God had promised that He would translate him. Enoch believed the promise and God honored his faith, taking him out of the world suddenly. In the same manner all who are in Christ at the time of His descending from heaven to the air will be caught up to meet Him there. This is termed the rapture of the church. It is mentioned in I Thessalonians, chapter 4, and I Corinthians, chapter 15. We do not know when that time will come. It may occur any moment but we are confident from the teachings of the Scriptures that it will occur before the Tribulation. Without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to God. Everyone who comes to Him must believe that He is and that He will reward those who seek after Him.

Noah was warned by God of the coming Flood which destroyed the antediluvians. He therefore by faith went forward and constructed an ark in which he and his family were saved. This great ship rested upon Mount Ararat. In recent years there have been certain rumors that it has been discovered by some aviators but the reports are so very vague and unauthenticated that one cannot put any confidence in them. We shall therefore await further and positive evidence before reaching any conclusions as to its being in existence today.

God called Abraham to separate himself from his relatives and to come to a land which He promised to give him for an inheritance. Abraham obeyed. When he left home, however, he took his father and entered into northern Mesopotamia and stayed there until the latter died. Then he came on down into "the land of promise." He sojourned there with Isaac and Jacob, heirs together with him of the promise. They were looking for the great millennial city of Jerusalem which will be the joy of the whole earth. He could have returned to the place from which he had come, namely, Ur of the Chaldees, but he was looking for "the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God." This, as has been suggested, is none other than the millennial Jerusalem, of which we read in Isaiah 65:17ff.

By faith Isaac upon his dying bed blessed Jacob. Jacob likewise blessed Joseph. In the same way Joseph spoke of the departure of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage.

In the same manner Moses by faith "refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he looked unto the recompense of reward." In the course of time by faith he forsook Egypt, kept the Passover, and screened himself behind the sprinkling of the blood of the paschal lamb.

By faith Joshua led the host of Israel across the Jordan and besieged Jericho. By faith he captured it. By faith Rahab the harlot hid the spies and enabled them to escape to their own camp. By faith the various judges of Israel wrought their mighty works. Likewise David and Samuel and all the prophets who worked for God did so by faith and thus obtained the promises.

As stated above in verses 35-38 we see a reference to God's noblemen and women. Here are the real martyrs and true saints of God who doubtless will obtain the greatest rewards and wear the brightest and most glorious crowns. These, as we see, suffered unflinchingly the tortures and the mockings which were imposed upon them. Some of them were stoned; others were sawn asunder. Some were killed with the sword. They went about in sheepskins and in goatskins, being destitute and afflicted and ill-treated. Of such characters the world is not worthy. Of course the writer was speaking of the Old Testament saints; but during the Christian Era there have been many loyal and faithful martyrs of the Lord Jesus Christ. From the sixth chapter of the Book of Revelation and other passages in that section of the Word, we see that the days of martyrs are still ahead. God alone knows what awaits His people. But let everyone realize this fact: That God's grace is sufficient for all of them. All they have to do is to look to Him, trusting His grace, and waiting for Him to bring the deliverance.

According to verses 39 and 40 all the Old Testament worthies died without having received the promise. The reason for this was that God purposed that they should not be made perfect and enter into the fullness of their reward apart from us. The time when they will receive their reward is at the end of the Tribulation and at the beginning of the Millennial Age when the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ (Rev. 11:17,18).

In Revelation, chapter 4, we see four and twenty elders sitting on twenty-four thrones around the throne of God. A careful study of this passage reveals the fact that these are saved men who are in the presence of God. The number twenty-four is suggestive of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. When anyone studies this passage in the light of God's moral government and His dealings with His people in the past and present, he comes to the conclusion that these twenty-four elders represent the saved of the Old Covenant as well as those who are at present saved. Thus Revelation, chapters 4 and 5, when studied in the light of Hebrews 11:39,40, sets forth the teaching with reference to the saved of all ages who are made perfect at the same time.