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T h e K i n g ’ s B u s i n e s s
October 1932
(2 /indies in ihe EPISTLE io ike HEBREWS . . . By J ohn C. P age
substitutionary sacrifice and atonement for sin, arid was a lost man. By faith in the word of God concerning the way of approach to God, Abel offered the more excellent sacrifice. To some degree, he understood the nature of sin and the holiness of, Jehovah. He perceived that God alone could build the bridge across the chasm that sin had cre ated. “ And by it he being dead yet speaketh.” What does he say? Just this: “ Without sheddirig of blood is no re mission.” _ Beware of any philosophy of life or any system of re ligious thought which ignores the blood of Christ as the only refuge of the soul. Protestantism has wandered far away from its professed cardinal doctrine of justification by faith. It has lost its vision of the substitutionary and atoning sacrifice of our Lord. It has turned from the thought of God to the thought of the world, from the robe of righteousness to a patchwork of ethical culture. E noch In the second man mentioned, we have an illustra tion of the walk of faith. By faith, Enoch walked with God. He agreed with God, for how “ can two walk to gether, except they be agreed?” Enoch believed in the testimony that had come to him through the godly line of Seth. The witness of nature and conscience was sup plemented by that supernatural revelation which included the promise of Genesis 3:15. This walk of faith had a definite beginning. From Genesis 5 :22, we gather that , the birth of his first-born son created a crisis in his career, and that this crisis marked the beginning of a new expe rience. He continued his walk with God for three hun dred years— three centuries of spiritual apostasy and gathering gloom presaging the coming storm of judgment. Amid such conditions, it is not easy to stand true. But faith energized him for the fight, and he overcame. The consummation of such a career is coriiforting and quickening. By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death and was not found because God had tfanslated him. The reign of death was broken. The power of God overcame the power of death—a beautiful forecast of that event described in 1 Corinthians 15:51 and 52, and 1 Thessalpnians 4:17, and which will take place when our Lord returns. It is worth while to observe carefully the closing words of Hebrews 11:15: “ Before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.” It is one thing to be “ accepted in the beloved,” and it is another thing to be “ approved unto God.” Take time to think of this. All who are accepted in Christ will meet Him when He comes, but only the approved ones will receive His “ well done.” Meditate a bit on 2 Corinthians 5 :9 and 10, especially as it appears in the Revised Version. N oah The activity of faith in Noah appears in the building of the ark. Not a cloud could be seen in the sky to indi cate the approach of judgment. But Noah walked by faith, not by sight. Believing that the flood would come, he acted upon his belief. He is described in 2 Peter 2 :5. as a preacher of righteousness. His testimony and his example in build ing the ark condemned those who, in unbelief, refused to
Faith and Its Heroes H ebrews 11
he principle on which the Christian life commences, continues, and reaches its consummation is faith. “ The just shall live by faith” (Heb. 10:38). Hebrews 11 elucidates this principle and shows that faith is not merely an act of confidence, but also the working force in a godly life. “ As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Col. 2 :6 ). How was Christ received? By faith. How shall we walk, how shall we take the successive steps in that walk? By faith. “ The life which I now live in the flesh,” Says the great apostle, “ I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Gal. 2 :20 ). So then we begin the Christian life by faith, we walk by faith, we fight the good fight of faith, and we overcome by faith, for “ this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith’ (1 John 5 :4). The constant operation of faith is the secret o f the abiding life and of fruitful service. D efinition The chapter opens with a definition, or brief description, of faith. The Revised Version is helpful at this point. “ Faith is the substance of things hoped for, a condition of things not seen.” Faith lays hold of the Word of God, the work of Christ, the witness of the Spirit* and is sure to the point of conviction concerning things not seen. It acts upon the conviction of their reality. This is the dominant note in the chapter. The men and women here mentioned had a working faith. They believed the word of God to the extent of acting upon it. Real faith is vitalizing. It creates an attitude which makes it possible for God to work. Faith is energizing; it touches God, and to touch God is to receive communicated life and power. Not only is faith energizing, but it is intelligent. It acts not upon impulse or feeling, but it rests upon the unchanging word of the unchanging God. “ Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Where this Word is neglect ed, we find joyless and powerless lives. The education of our faith is the supreme concern of our holy Father and the explanation of those testings and trials that often per plex us. A pplication Following the definition of faith, we have the applica tion of it to life. From verse 4 to verse 34, sixteen men and women are mentioned by name* A great unmentioned host appears in the remaining verses of the chapter. Those whose Sames are recorded present to us the various phases or activities of faith. A bel Abel \s an example of faith in the matter of worship. To his parents, the way of approach to God had been re vealed (Gefi. 3:15, 20, 21). Through sacrifice, a covering for the guilty was prepared. The sacrifice unto death spoke of God’s righteous judgment upon sin, for “ the wages of sin is death.”* The lesson taught by God to the first sinners was undoubtedly conveyed to their sons, Cain and Abel. It must have been so, for had there been no word of God, there could be'no basis of faith. Cain rejected the way of
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