Christ the True and Better
Christ Our True Faith
Hebrews 10:32 - 11:40
When you live in confidence, hold fast, not neglecting one another in love, and walk in obedience and holiness with our King you will joyfully give everything to and for Him even your life in death and suffering. “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” - 1 Peter 1:6-7
- Hebrews 10:32-34 - “But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened,(photizo: imbue, permeate with saving knowledge) you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.”
If anyone throws away their confidence, does not hold fast to their hope, neglects the brotherhood in love, and walks in disobedience and unholiness, they will receive what was always intended for them destruction, God has no pleasure in them. But the righteous will live by faith. “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” - 1 Peter 1:7
- Hebrews 10:35-39 - “Therefore do not throw away (apoballo: throw off, cast away agament) your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, (hoop-os-toley: be timid, cower, shrink, hesitating to avow what they believe) my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”
Faith, the gift of God, is to know with firm trust and full assurance in God’s word by which we are fully convinced without wavering. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” - Ephesians 2:8-9
- Hebrews 11:1-3 - “Now faith is the assurance (hoo-pos-ta-sis: confidence, firm trust, assurance) of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. (accredited) 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
Faith before the flood. “Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.” Genesis 4:4 - “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:24 - “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” - Genesis 6:22
- 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.”
Faith after the flood. “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.” - Genesis 12:4
- Hebrews 11:8-12 - “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”
Faith of pre and post-flood is the same Faith given to us today. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” - Proberbs 3:5-6
- Hebrews 11:12-16 - “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
Godly men of old by Faith believed God and obeyed. “Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” - John 8:56
- Hebrews 11:17-22 - “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. 20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.”
Faith before the exodus. “Now a man from the house of Levi went and took as his wife a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son, and when she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him three months.” - Exodus 2:1-2
- Hebrews 11:23-28 - “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.”
Faith after the exodus. “And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.” - Exodus 14:22
- Hebrews 11:29-31 - “By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
It has always been by Faith Alone. “For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward..” - Hebrews 10:34-35
- Hebrews 11:32-40 - “And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
