HEBREWS 11:1

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This verse is a good introduction to the rest of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, because Hebrews chapter 11 is a great chapter about faith and those who have lived by faith in God in this world. Verse one tells us two important things about faith. It tells us that “faith is the substance of things hoped for,” and it tells us that faith is “the evidence of things not seen.”

When we are told that faith is the substance of things hoped for, it is speaking of the future. Faith is all about the future. Jesus promised a wonderful future in heaven for those who believe in Him and follow Him. His teachings were all about the next life. He promised persecution and tribulation and trials for this life, but He promised peace and perfection and life everlasting for those who believe and follow Him. When Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth,” He was talking about the next life. Those who follow the Lord instead of their own selfish will are the ones who shall inherit the earth. This will be manifest at the judgment. Concerning this life, Jesus said, “In the world you shall have tribulation.” He also said in Matthew 10:34-35, “Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” That is the way that things are going to happen in this world for those who follow Christ. If you are not having these types of contentions and tribulations and sorrows, then you are either not a follower of Christ, or your life is a very rare exception.

Those who are going to continue to live by faith in this world are going to have to constantly look to the future. In the future Christ will return. In the future we will be a part of His wonderful kingdom. Our faith in Christ is focused on the future. No matter how bad things get in this life, nothing and no one can take away the great promises for the future that Christ has made. Do not forget that Hebrews 11:1 says that “faith is the substance of things hoped for”. Remember that a Biblical hope is a sure thing. It is called “hope” because it is in the future, but it is certain to happen. It is on a firm foundation.

Hebrews 11:1 says that faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” There are two ways to live life: by faith or by sight. If you live by sight, then you only believe what you see. Such a philosophy is useful for practical matters sometimes, but it is totally inadequate for living by faith. For example, if you only live by what you see, then you cannot have faith in Christ whom you do not see. Also, you cannot have faith in God’s power to even use the bad things that are happening to eventually bring about a good outcome.

Notice that Hebrews chapter 11 says that there is “evidence.” Of course, if you are believing something that is true, there must be evidence. If there is no evidence, then it cannot be true. Just make sure that you are correctly interpreting the evidence. The word that is translated “evidence” means “proof.” We cannot see Jesus, but there is proof that He exists. Thousands of people were eye-witnesses to His coming and many of them left their written testimonies. In the world that we live in today there are lives that have been changed by Jesus. Human history was changed by Jesus, and there are many historical documents that mention Him. There is ample proof to believe in Jesus. But it still requires the eye of faith to “see” Him. The human heart must trust in the invisible Christ in order to be saved by Him. Jesus said in John 20:29, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Concerning this evidence of things that we do not see, Hebrews 11:3 says, “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Notice carefully the first little phrase of this verse: “through faith we understand.” Without faith it is impossible to understand the reality of the world around us. The world around us has more going on than just the things that can be seen. Throughout the course of the history of the world, as one age gives way to the next and so on, it is evident to those who have faith that something is taking place above and beyond the plans and purposes of human beings. God is involved. “He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.”

The last phrase of Hebrews 11:3 has a direct reference to the creation event. It says “the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” What this means is that modern science without faith cannot find the truth about the origin of things. Therefore, the secular scientists are wrong on the subject of origins. They are trying to find an answer by looking where there is no answer. That is why the conclusions of modern science change over time. They base their conclusions upon what they see, and as they see more things over time they come up with new conclusions. The Word of God will be the same a hundred years from now, but the science books will not be. Whoever does not have faith cannot understand God’s creation.

The elders had faith, and Hebrews 11:2 says, “For by it the elders obtained a good report.” They obtained a good report from God. No matter whom you are or what you do, it is impossible to get a good report from God without faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “For without faith it is impossible to please him.”

Abel is the first elder who is mentioned who pleased God with faith. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.” Why was Abel’s sacrifice more excellent than Cain’s? The Bible says in Genesis 4:4, “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” Evidently Abel knew that God’s will was for men to make an animal sacrifice. Each animal sacrifice would be symbolic of the Savior who would come and die for the sins of the world. Once you hear God’s Word and act upon His Word, it proves that you have faith. Cain would have also known God’s will, but Cain did not believe or obey. Cain’s will was to offer a different sacrifice. He did things his way instead of God’s way, because Cain did not have faith in the Word of God. The same thing happens today. Every person is either living by faith the way that Abel did, or else living without faith like Cain did.

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” In what way did Enoch live by faith? The answer to that question is found in Genesis 5:22 and 24. Those verses say, “And Enoch walked with God after he begot Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters…And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” One of the phrases to notice in these two verses is: “Enoch walked with God.” That phrase is stated twice, so obviously the Holy Spirit wants us to take note of it. To walk with God is to live by faith moment by moment. To live by faith is to walk with God. That was the great service that Enoch did for God: he walked with God. Not many people have ever done that, because it takes daily faith. No wonder it pleased God so much. And Enoch walked with God for three hundred years. Probably no one will break that record. God loves to have fellowship with people: as many people as possible. In the New Testament we are also told to walk with God. It says in Colossians 2:6, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” What is the most important work that you could ever do for God? Just walk in fellowship with Him day after day for the entire length of whatever life you have left, and you will be doing something far better than preaching sermons, giving money, singing songs, or writing books. You will be doing something that very, very few people have ever done, and God will be pleased with you if you have faith in Christ.

Enoch pleased God so much that Enoch “was translated.” He was one of only two people who went to heaven without death. Enoch was transported from the earth to heaven, and so was Elijah. When Christ returns, all believers will be raptured from the earth. What a day that will be!

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” In addition to stating the absolute importance of faith, this is a verse that describes some key elements of faith. Every person should want to please God, knowing God’s almighty power. But no matter how many good deeds anyone does or no matter how good of a life that they live: “without faith it is impossible to please him.” Without faith it is also impossible to be saved and to spend eternity in heaven. It says in Ephesians 2:8, “For grace are ye saved through faith.” It says in Hebrews 10:38, “For the just shall live by faith.”

In order to understand the phrase “without faith it is impossible to please him,” we need to think about what it means to have faith. To have faith means to be trusting in God and to have faith means to be relying upon Jesus. Therefore, “without trusting in God it is impossible to please him,” and “without relying upon God it is impossible to please him.”

If you have true faith, then you have the qualities that are mentioned in the last part of Hebrews 11:6 that says, “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” If you have faith then it means that day after day you believe that Jesus exists, but it also means much more. It means that you seek Him. It means that you know that God is a giver of gifts, and you want to partake of His great and wonderful gifts. The gifts of God are not of this world. His are the gifts of grace and love and wisdom and true spirituality and the power to face all that you must face. God is a gift-giver; those who continually seek Him find Him. Jesus said, “Seek and ye shall find.”

The Bible says in Hebrews 11:7, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” God warned Noah. That is an example of the importance of living by faith. God knows what is best for us. God directed Noah to build an ark because an ark would be Noah’s salvation. It is strange that a human being would think that going their own way will be better than going God’s way. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.” Two things happened when Noah built the ark. The first was the saving of his household. That is symbolic of salvation. When you come to faith in Christ and then live by faith in Him, others will follow you. But on the other hand those who do not have faith in Christ will be condemned.

Noah was an heir of righteousness because he had faith in the word of God that was given to him. In our day the Word of God centers on the person of Jesus Christ. If you have faith in Christ you also will be an heir of righteousness.

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