Examples of Faith in Action
“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.” (Hebrews 11:7 ESV)
“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. 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. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” (Hebrews 11:8-10)
“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. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:23-26 ESV)
“By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.” (Hebrews 11:29-30 ESV)
Common Denominators of True Faith
What are some common denominators (shared features) of the faith of these people of God? Some of them are not listed specifically in these examples, but if we read their stories in fuller content in the Old Testament, I believe that the first one is that they trusted God, they believed him, and they obeyed him. They did as he instructed them to do, by faith, even when what God was asking them to do appeared to be a daunting (overwhelming) task.
For Noah did not decide on his own to build an ark for him and his family and for the preservation of the creatures of the earth. God instructed him to do that, and he told him exactly what he needed to do, and Noah followed the Lord’s instructions. And he and his family and two of every kind of living creature on the earth (I believe) were saved from death while the rest of the world was destroyed in the flood that God sent to judge the people.
And it says here that by faith Abraham obeyed (God), and he went where the Lord was sending him, even not knowing where he was going. He was just following the Lord’s direction, one step at a time. And he and his wife Sarah believed God when he promised them that they would have a child in their old age. His name was Isaac, and Isaac’s son was Jacob (Israel) from whom came the nation of Israel which then we, by faith in Jesus Christ, became a part of along with the Jews who believe in Jesus Christ.
[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; John 8:18-19,38-47; Jude 1:5; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]
Now it was the faith of Moses’ parents that kept Moses alive when all the baby boys were being killed by the king’s edict. And Pharaoh’s daughter found him and adopted him as her own. But by faith in God, in obedience to the Lord, when he was grown he chose to be mistreated with the people of God. And God called him and used him to deliver his people Israel out of slavery in Egypt and to lead God’s people toward the Promised Land. And by faith he obeyed the Lord, and he led them 40 years in the wilderness.
And it took enormous faith for the people of God to cross the Red Sea after God parted the waters so that they could walk through the sea on dry ground, but with a wall of water to their left, and with a wall of water to their right, not knowing how long the water would remain parted. And by the people’s faith, in doing what God commanded them to do, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down. So for all of this faith to be genuine, it was coupled with obedience, and obedience is what brought the results.
What If?
But what if all of them did not obey the Lord? Would their faith still be genuine faith? Abraham and Sarah would never have had Isaac, and the nation of Israel from then to this day, which now includes Jew and Gentile who believe in Jesus Christ, would never have been born. And Jesus would not have been born through their lineage. And we wouldn’t have salvation from sin and eternal life with God. In fact, we wouldn’t even exist if Noah had not obeyed God, for all of humanity would have died in the flood.
So, do you see that faith has to be coupled with obedience for it to be genuine faith? Even Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of sin, we will lose them for eternity. But if for Jesus’ sake we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, then we have eternal life. For Jesus said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING God’s will.
And we read in Hebrews 3 and 4 that God considered faith to equal obedience, and disobedience to equal unbelief. So, the two are intrinsically tied together and cannot be separated. And all throughout the New Testament writings we are taught that faith which is gifted of God will result in obedience and in the forsaking of our sins or it is not genuine faith. For if sin is what we practice, and if sin is what we obey, and not obedience to God, and not holy living, we do not have eternal life with God, period!
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]
“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39-40 ESV)
And what is this saying? It is letting us know that our salvation will not be complete until Jesus Christ returns for his FAITHFUL ONES, and he takes us to be with him for eternity. That is when we will receive our glorified bodies. Until then, all who have died in Christ, even all who were of faith in God and in his promises before Jesus ever appeared on the earth, and who obeyed the Lord, are regarded as “asleep” (at rest). And it won’t be until Jesus returns at the end that we will be made complete (perfect) in Christ.
Until Then
By Unknown
My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heartache here is but a steppingstone
Along a trail that's winding always upward,
This troubled world is not my final home.
The things of earth will dim and lose their value
If we recall they're borrowed for a while;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,
Remembered there will only bring a smile.
This weary world with all its toil and struggle
May take its toll of misery and strife;
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon;
When it's released, it's destined for the skies.
But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4SaKgGZijM
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