by Pat Lunsford

Created on: December 15, 2010   Last Updated: July 01, 2011

The 11th chapter of Hebrews has had many titles given to it such as the honor roll of the Old Testament, the hall of fame, and heroes of faith as it is filled with one example after another of true faith. The chapter contains a composite of people who illustrate the kind of faith that makes a difference in life, namely, the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen. What we believe in is what we hope for and faith gives our hope a present substance. We are given these examples in order to imitate those who through faith inherit the promises of God.

Verse 1 says "faith is the evidence of things not seen," and verse 3 says “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” How do we know that God made the world out of things not seen? According to verse 3 our faith is evidence. Romans 1:20 is the key to understanding these important truths. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

Paul is saying that the “things made” is evidence that God created the world where Hebrews 11:3 says faith is the evidence. Each of us can see the creation with all of its complexities yet not all of us recognize it as being made by God. Those who see the world as the creation of God have the testimony in themselves which, according to Hebrews 11:3 is evidence of faith. It’s like a picture within a picture. We may see it clearly while others don’t see it at all. Nevertheless, their inability to see it doesn’t diminish our faith because we can see it, which is our evidence. True faith, by grace, can see God in the creation.

God does not redeem men by works even in the Old Testament. The Scriptures say that Able, Enoch, Abraham, and other Old Testament saints pleased God by faith. In the New Testament, Jesus demonstrates God’s loathing of the self-righteous works performed by those who try to earn their own salvation. Works are the results of faith and faith is what pleases God.

Hebrews was written to Jews who had always depended upon works. It is what they had understood all their lives and apparently they really never understood what true faith was. What the writer is trying to convey to them through the examples of the Old Testament saints is that

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