Hebrews
11:1-2 says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.” It’s not
often I praise the King James for having the best translation of a verse, but
in this instance I will. This passage in Hebrews has always seemed to me to
hold the key to understanding what true, saving faith is. “Faith is the
substance,” it says. The word substance (sub-stance) might be seen as meaning
standing under the way a foundation stands under a building. Substance is
almost a literal translation of the Greek word used here (ὑπόστασις); it
translates as “that which stands under.”
Another way to look at the word substance is to think of it
as having concrete meaning versus abstract meaning. Faith is an abstract noun –
a noun without material substance. Faith, love, hope, anger, greed are all
abstract nouns; they have no concrete representation unless they manifest in a
“substantial” way. The Hebrew writer is saying that our faith gives substance
or material reality to the things we hope for. Hope, being another abstract
concept, requires something to substantiate it.
Faith is also “the evidence of things not seen.” In a
judicial sense, evidence is that which proves certain facts to be true. In this
case, we have faith that certain facts are true even though we cannot see them.
It is as if our faith makes them visible. I did not see my Savior walk dusty
Palestine or preach from a boat on the lake or climb the hill of Calvary, but I
believe He did those things as firmly as if I had seen them. There are mounds
of evidence confirming that the Bible is a true record of historical happenings,
but it is my faith that makes those unseen things real, visible to me. Verse
two explains how
faith is proven: “For by this the people of old were approved.” Their faith
was evident in their lives.
It is the knowing/believing the truth of God’s Word that
caused God to approve the people of old, as the Hebrew writer says. The same
applies to us according
to verse six: “Now without faith it
is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe
that he exists and is a rewarder of those who seek him.” As we can see from the
example of the “people of old,” the confirmation of our faith may not come to
pass in our lifetime. Hebrews
explains: “These all died in faith without receiving the promises, but
seeing them from a distance and welcoming them, and admitting that they were
strangers and temporary residents on the earth…. Therefore, God is not ashamed
of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
The Gospel of Luke gives us two examples of faith in God’s
people. The elderly priest, Zechariah,
was told by an angel that his elderly wife would have a child. Lacking
immediate faith, he asked for a sign to prove the truth of the angel’s words.
God graciously overlooked Zechariah’s lack of faith by continuing with His
plan, and the sign the priest asked for was to be struck dumb until the promise
was fulfilled. About nine months later, Zechariah got his voice back and being
filled with the spirit spoke a hymn of praise to the God who proved faithful
even when he was not.
The other character Luke mentions in the same context is
Mary. She
had an experience similar to her uncle’s, having the same angel, Gabriel,
visit her with astounding news. The difference is that Mary didn’t ask for
proof; she simply wondered how it could be since she was a virgin. She didn’t
doubt Gabriel’s word; she just voiced her natural curiosity. In her heart, she
understood the concept that, “With God, nothing shall be impossible.”
There is another character mentioned the Gospels who
struggled with belief. A man had a son who was tormented by a demon. The evil
spirit was apparently quite robust; Jesus’ disciples, though sometimes able to
cast out demons, were not successful in this case. When Jesus came on the
scene, he asked the father if he believed He could heal his boy. The
man responded, “I believe; help my unbelief.” Jesus accepted the father’s
imperfect faith and delivered the boy from the demon. Note that Jesus also
chided His disciples for their little faith.
This leads me to believe that there are stages or states of
true faith. It takes only a simple faith – like
that of a child, Jesus said – to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The one thing
necessary, the sine qua non of saving faith is a slippery thing. It is
not enough to believe that the God of the Bible exists; even
demons believe that says James. The faith that saves must have substance;
there must be evidence that it exists. I believe that is what the passage in
Hebrews eleven is saying. The substance is within the believer, but the
evidence is apparent to others.
If you don’t know me well, the depth of my faith may not be
evident to you. However, if you observe me over time, there should be something
in my words and deeds that proves the existence of faith in my life. Commenting on Psalm
104:16, “The trees of the Lord are full of sap,” Charles Spurgeon says, “As
the sap manifests itself in producing the foliage and fruit of the tree, so
with a truly healthy Christian, his grace is externally manifested in his walk
and conversation. If you talk with him, he cannot help speaking about Jesus. If
you notice his actions, you will see that he has been with Jesus. He has so
much sap within, that it must fill his conduct and conversation with life.”
To be called a sap is a derogatory remark. Being sappy is
usually meant in a negative sense of being too sweet – too emotional. But,
considering Spurgeon’s commentary on sap, let me encourage you with this: don’t
worry; be sappy.
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