Friday, January 18, 2013
With Faith
There are a few chapters in the Bible that have such a strong theme that they are known by one word.
1 Corinthians 13 is known as the Love chapter. "Love is patient, love is kind... and the greatest of these is love."
Hebrews 11 is known as the Faith chapter, containing the word more than two dozen times.
Luke 15 is sometimes called the lost chapter, containing the stories about the lost sheep, the lost coins, and the lost (prodigal) son.
Faith is important. It is by grace we have been saved, through faith - Ephesians 2:8. During the reformation a strong emphasis was put on three 'sola' phrases: Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, and Sola Scriptura meaning Faith Alone, Grace Alone, and Scripture Alone.
This side of heaven, faith and hope will support us through difficult times, but a day will come when God's Kingdom is realized and there will be need for neither, for God will be with his people.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11 not only defines faith, but it continues on with the powerful examples of faith that we see in the Old Testament from the likes of Abraham, Noah, Jacob, Moses, and many others. Those people, as well as those we have known personally such as grandparents who lived a life of faith, have given us examples to emulate. The author of Hebrews builds on the momentum of this great faith chapter to lead into chapter 12:
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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