If you are anything like me, you will be amazed at what the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 accomplished by faith. For you however, you don’t seem to get further than simply struggling with sin. How did these people get these things done? Heroic actions seem outside of your grasp! Yes, you may have heard it millions of times before, but they did it by faith. It is not until you grasp the delightful nature of this faith that you can live by faith. Let me explain.

Many people jump into Hebrews 11 and declare that verse 1 is a definition of faith. I believe, with people like John Calvin (see his commentary on Hebrews 11:1), that Hebrews 11, including verse 1 is speaking about some of the results of saving faith. In other words, if a person has saving faith, this is the kind of action that will progressively become natural to him/her. Surely then, if you are struggling to live a holy and exemplary life, the first question has to do with your faith. Do you have the kind of faith that drives and empowers you to live the life of faith? Remember what I said in the previous weblog—not all men have faith! (2 Thessalonians 3:2)

If Hebrews 11:1 is not a definition of faith, then what is faith? Are you satisfied with the pat answer that faith is believing in God? Even the demons do that—remember? (James 2:19). Is your faith any different? Please follow me into this discovery that I found quite overwhelming.

Read Hebrews 11 again and notice the emphasis on seeing. It begins in verse 1 and is spoken about in verses 3, 7, 13, 14, 23, 26 and 27. As I read these verses, I become excited about the vast possibilities for the person who has the faith. It appears to me that at the heart of saving faith is the ability to see God and His kingdom. There is something thrilling about the fact that when God grants an unsaved sinner the gift of faith, (Ephesians 2:8-10) God is thereby granting that person the ability to see God and His kingdom.