Hebrews 11  - A Good Reputation

We have freedom.  That’s the reality.  God is so Sovereign that He gives men and women the freedom to choose what they do.  People are proven to be righteous and faithful to God by what they do.  Those who have unfaithful hearts and whose lustful eyes long for the things of this world prove God’s freedom and His justice.  We can have as much faith as we want.  There is no excuse at the end of the day.  We have one life; we choose what to do with it (Ezekiel 6:13).

Let’s be honest, life is a struggle.  Our battle against sin is a struggle.  Studying.  Problem solving.  Overcoming hardship, bad government, poor leadership, family relations, health issues, finances, business challenges, parenting, marriage, aging, etc.  Life’s a struggle.

And yet we are surrounded by a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith in Jesus Christ.  God’s faithful alumni.  Our ancestors and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  God watched over them as they lived and died.  And He holds them secure now.

To be a man or woman of faith requires this: you must believe that God exists (11:6).  Prerequisite number one.  And you must believe that God Almighty rewards people who sincerely seek him (11:6).  Requirement number two.  All of these heroes of the faith knew they were sinners needing God.  And they honored God with what they did.

Scores of our ancestors believed this.  They await perfection now (11:40).  They will get perfection when we do (11:40, 2 Peter 3:15, and 2 Corinthians 5:10).  God has promised an eternal heavenly homeland.  In that homeland, we will live with the people of faith who have lived and died before us.

They were amazing people.  They trusted God our Rescuer, Jesus Christ.  By faith in God they did the impossible: overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, turned weaknesses into strengths, became strong in battle, and received loved ones back from death.

People with a good reputation, God’s righteous ones, live by faith.  We earn our reputations.  And God takes no pleasure in anyone who turns away (10:38).  Faith is a mindset of confidence in God and a belief in God’s promises.  It is trust in our hope rather than doubt.  There are levels of faith, degrees if you will.  Jesus said, “Ye of little faith, why are you so afraid” (Matthew 8:26).  May that never characterize us.  God says that His righteous ones will live by faith.  

We are God’s children, His people who do not turn away to destruction, the faithful ones whose souls will be saved.  Go by faith, live by faith in God.  Die by faith - knowing and believing that we won’t get all of God’s promises in this lifetime, but we will in God’s timing (11:13).

Let’s be ever mindful of what we long for.  Long for a better place, a heavenly home (11:16).  God is not ashamed of His people.  But there must be evidence of your faith.  In Abel’s case, he trusted God.  He showed his trust by his devotion and offering to God (11:4).  Moses suffered "for the sake of Christ" (11:26).

        What about us?  What does the evidence show?  Are we just worldly and seeking worldly selfish things?  A.W. Tozer says that if there is no evidence you are a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, you are not born again.  Hebrews makes the same point that there must be evidence of your faith in God to produce a good reputation.

        “And it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (11:6).  Let’s keep our eyes on the One who is invisible.  And surround ourselves with other people of faith in Christ - especially in your marriage - for there is dynamic power in a marriage where both husband and wife have confidence in God’s promises.

As a foreigner living in a foreign land, I take comfort in God’s reminder that we are all foreigners and nomads here on earth (11:13).  Thanks be to God for His sacrifice on the Cross and His promise of eternity with Him.

Lord Jesus, thank you for your example of a life well lived.  The Life well lived.  Please give us patient endurance and help us to increase our faith in You.  You are the champion, initiator, and perfector of our faith.  We place our hope in your heavenly homeland, the better life after the day of your return - the day of resurrection.

Lord God, may we earn a good reputation because of our faith in you and may the evidence show that we honor you and trust in the reward that only you can give.  Amen.

At the park with Arch (our three-year-old grandson).