What is Biblical Faith? - Hebrews 11:1-2

Hebrews 11:1-3, 9-12 - Faith in Action
11 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised landlike a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

You will not see a better definition of faith in the bible than in verse 1.  I have heard it said another way, "Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see."  Faith is a gift we receive from God.  Yet, we are called to put faith in action.  As James says, "Faith without works is dead".  When we exercise faith it shows we trust God, and as we do our faith gets stronger.  I call this chapter the "Hall of Faith" because in it the author recounts several Old Testament people and how they exercised faith often in extraordinary ways.  Though these characters did not yet know Jesus, they trusted in God and were rewarded for their faith.  If you read through these examples, you will see that the author fully believed these people have been rewarded for their faith by being with God forever.

One of the best examples of faith is Abraham. We call him the "father of faith".  When God told Abraham to leave his home and go with his family to a place God has prepared, Abraham believed.  In a seminal passage from Genesis 15:5, after being told his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky Abram believed, "And it was credited to him as righteousness." This word means Abram was saved and justified with God by his faith.  Abraham trusted in God's promises and acted on them by leaving his homeland and journeying in faith to the promised land. 

And, of course, the greatest example of faith was when Abraham offered his only Son, Issac, as a sacrifice to God.  Being a father there is no greater test a man could have than offering one of his children to God in this way. Of course God stopped Abraham from doing this, and blessed him as a result of his incredible faith.  It was through Abraham's faith that the Jewish people were set apart to bring in the Messiah many generations later.  Twenty four generations later God did as He promised, which we will be celebrating on Christmas day. 

Where is God calling you to act in faith?  What steps will you take to follow this leading?  Share it with a close friend, or someone in your life group so they can pray for you.  Remember faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.  I know friends God will bless you richly as you walk in faith and put your faith into action!