The Hall of Faith | Trust Without Proof – Hebrews 11:1-2
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.”
Faith. It’s an interesting concept. We can’t see it. We can’t touch it. We rarely even think about it. And yet, it’s something that runs deep in every person on the planet. We have faith in the driver barreling toward us at 40mph when all that separates us is a thin yellow line on the road. We have faith in every chair we sit on, every light switch we flip, and every piece of food we consume. Faith. The absolute certainty that the car will stay in its lane, the chair will hold us, the room will brighten, and we’ll survive our meal without actually knowing anything for certain. Faith.
Humankind is hardwired to put faith and trust in many things. Imagine a life lived completely devoid of any kind of faith; checking chairs before sitting, rushing dinner to the CSI lab to check for toxins. We are faith-filled creatures, and we see that played out every single day. But something happens when faith moves from sitting on chair to surrendering your life to an invisible God.
All throughout Scripture, we see examples of men and women challenged to have faith in a God they cannot see. They are asked to do things they don’t understand without any verifiable fact that they will work out. In fact, Hebrews chapter 11, also known as the “Hall of Faith,” is filled with examples of these individuals: Abel offering his best to God, Noah building a boat on completely dry land, and Abraham leaving his homeland all because God said, “Go.” It seems only fitting, then, that we’d begin this list with a good, biblical definition of what it means to have faith.
What Is Faith?
Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” At first, this statement seems non-sensical. It’s easy to laugh at the oxymoronic idea of being sure of things that haven’t happened yet and convinced of things we can’t see. Some people might even call this “blind faith,” “illogical,” or “simple-minded.” The risk outweighs the reward, if there is a reward at all, they say. But to the Christian, verses like Hebrews 11:1-2 make this idea abundantly clear. Verse 2 says, “For by it (faith) the people of old received their commendation.”Commendation, when used here, means something very close to “evidence” or “testimony,” the thing keeping so many apart from faith in God.
This is where we see the real draw of Christianity. Right before this list of Biblical heroes, we get a two-sentence peek into the mind of a loving God and a glimpse into the entire Christian message. Faith and trust in God without proof is what qualifies people to participate in God’s story, and the lives of these people will testify not only to God’s existence, but His goodness. Our entire worldview revolves around sacrificing everything and placing our faith in God based on His character alone, and trusting Him to protect, provide, and use us as He sees fit.
The Importance of Faith
The entire Gospel message is wrapped up in this idea: have faith. As Paul says in Ephesians 2, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Have faith. Have faith that God is who Scripture says He is. Have faith that He is good, kind, righteous, and just. Have faith that His ways are higher and better than our ways. Have faith that loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you will only lead to joy, not the anger and suffering we expect them to. Have faith that the situations God puts us in are for our good and His glory. It’s no surprise that after these two verses, the writer of Hebrews says, “Now let me prove it to you.” Story after story follow, all proving the goodness of God played out in the lives of those who trust in Him.
We all exercise faith in things 2,000 times a day, but still tend to doubt the only One actually worthy of complete trust and faith. Physically we plop ourselves onto decade-old chairs, and text while we drive, but adamantly suffer through the trials of life all by ourselves because we feel foolish “trusting a God we cannot see.” Sometimes all it takes is a reminder, chapters like Hebrews 11 to hold a mirror to our foolishness. Hebrews reminds us, quite plainly, that we don’t have blind faith in God hoping for good results. No, we have confidence in a God who has proven Himself over and over again, a God who has given us every reason to trust Him, and a God who never fails.
About The Author
Andrew Steier is the founder of Student Gospel Outreach, an organization that works with youth pastors and churches to develop disciple making strategies in student ministries. Find out more by going to Student Gospel Outreach and consider donating today.
