Hebrews: The Daily Discipline of a Devoted Lifeنموونە

Faith is not a popular word in our culture. Richard Dawkins says, ‘Faith is the great cop-out’ – it avoids the need to think and evaluate evidence. He quotes Carl Sagan, who allegedly said, ‘By all means let’s be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains fall out!’ The writer to the Hebrews thinks the exact opposite. People of faith are the most courageous, realistic people on the planet. 

This chapter is like a hymn in praise of faith, and this passage acts like the crescendo of the hymn. Faith transforms the human experience. Faith:  

• Gives power to the weak. The writer names some of the great heroes of faith, but there should be an asterisk next to each one, because they had great failings alongside great triumphs. Gideon was a coward, Samson a womaniser, Jephthah made a rash vow and David committed adultery! These were men of clay, but when they exercised faith, God turned their weakness into strength. And he does the same with you and me, with all our baggage, sins and frailties. Faith gives power to the weak.  
• Gives meaning to our suffering. Special praise is reserved not for those who conquered kingdoms and quenched the fury of the flames, but for those who endured terrible suffering by faith: those who were ‘tortured’ (v. 35) or ‘faced jeers and flogging’ (v. 36). Faith is as much expressed by those who cling to God in the middle of terrible hardships and limitations, as it is by those who take on risky ventures. Christians who live with depression or major disabilities, who have suffered awful bereavement, or for whom each day is a battle – they are the saints who will light up heaven. They cling to Christ when they have every reason to give up, and God will honour them for it.  
• Gives hope for the future. For Old Testament saints the wait is a long time (vv. 39–40). They died in faith, without receiving their inheritance, waiting until the Gospel would come to us, so that only together with us would they partake in the new world God will bring about. So much of faith is a waiting game, but one day faith will turn to sight, our longings will be fulfilled, and we will reign with Christ in the New Jerusalem!

Reflection

How does faith transform a Christian’s view of suffering?