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I have studied God's word for over thirty-five years and my knowledge has grown considerably over these many years. But when God first revealed the full extent of his grace to me, I was blown away by the depths that I had missed, depths that had been hidden in plain sight all the while.

Grace underlies everything in God's word and appears from the outset. The reason we that miss this fact is one of the cruel consequences of the Fall which, from its inception, has served to focus our attention on the law.

How come?

Well, consider the giants of the faith, mentioned in Scripture.

King David was a man after God's own heart, yet he murdered and connived to hide his own adultery. Noah got drunk, and Abraham and Isaac were cowardly liars; while Jacob was a liar, a cheat, and a thief. And wasn't Rahab a prostitute? Or, what about Samson, who dishonoured God and his parents by drinking and carousing and fornicating with unbelievers?

If you're looking for paragons of virtue, might I suggest you conduct your search elsewhere? Every one of those just mentioned was a flawed human being. It's a wonder then, that not only do these very flawed individuals get a mention in the Bible, they are actually given special mention in Hebrews 11; often referred to as the Faith Chapter'. So, how did such an apparent ratbag as Samson find himself included in so illustrious a lineup of the faithful?

The answer to why so many flawed individuals are included among this awesome roll call of faith is because Hebrews 11 follows on from Hebrews 9 and 10. Because, while Hebrews 11 lists the men and women of faith, Hebrews 9 and 10 tell us what it was that they placed their faith in.

Hebrews 9 explains the significance of Jesus Christ's atoning work on our behalf for the atonement of sin, which culminates by quoting the Holy Spirit with these portentous words:

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

"And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." (Hebrew 10:16-17)

You see, the way we can know what people like Abraham, Rahab and David did wrong, is by reading about it in the Old Testament. But by the time we have passed through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we find them removed to a place where God remembers their sins and iniquities no more.

That's how the Apostle Peter could even cite the likes of Abraham's nephew Lot, who got so drunk that his daughters were able to

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