HEBREWS 11:8- 19 Faith as related in the life of Abraham. 

After the flood of Noah, a new contagion of sin set in; idolatry; a religious system formed in the bowels of Babylon, and has continued til today by the forbearance of God, whose destruction is sure and near. (Revelation 17 & 18) Even Abraham was once an idolater. (Joshua 24:14–15… “Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”) 

Understanding the “faith” dynamic of Abraham begins in the Land of Ur, when he was just Abram. God ‘persuaded’ Abram to come out of the Land of Ur and follow Him to a land He would show him and would one day give him. That land declared as being/terra firma at first, as far as he could see from the highlands above Sodom (Genesis 13:14) and later from the Euphrates to the Nile. (Genesis 15:18)  And so he crossed over the river Euphrates (becoming the first Hebrew; meaning crossed over or passed through) and wandered seemingly aimlessly all his life. (Is that sentence correct?) (Hebrews 11:9) But this answers to this man of faith to whom God had revealed the Resurrection that kept him in the state of humble contentment free from the cares of the World (more on this later).  

The spiritual reasoning behind was that Abram’s being persuaded was the faith in God’s Word that drew upon the Grace (power) that God in His mercy had extended towards sinning and fallen Man as the just means by which he might escape His Curse of eternal death due to sin. But this saving faith falls far short of God’s intended purpose for man.  

Generally, a Christian’s perspective of God’s Salvation Plan will be found poignantly  

narrow and shallow. It is mainly limited for them to be removed from the threat of eternal death in Hell/Lake of fire, and receive a home in Heaven. But From God’s perspective, the Salvation Plan is the wise balance of His Holiness and Justice with His Loving-kindness and Mercies in…  

  1.  His realization of the purpose for which He created Man; and that to happen and culminate over a 7000 year restorative period. 
  1. The dealing with satan eternally, who is the author of evil; and all those who align themselves with him, and that being over the same period of time.

Faith has two required applications to accomplish God’s Salvation Plan. 

Both of these are presented to us in Scripture in Abraham’s life. 

Only two things were/are but necessary for the spirit’s rebirth and the eternal life transaction part of God’s Salvation Plan: 1) trusting God’s persuading Word of promise 2) the offering of blood atonement.  

Read Genesis 12:1-4. Scripture doesn’t give a lot of background but its evident that Abram was persuaded and had 1)  faith in God’s Word of promise, in that he departed and crossed over the Euphrates, and it is no less evident; gleaned from all over Scripture, that he must have 2) also made blood atonement as well. In that God had previously established the necessity of blood offering with Abel (and Adam before him) as the means to be accepted before Him. (Genesis 4:4) And therefore it was necessary for Abram to offer the blood of a certain type of animal in order that he might be accepted “saved” / receiving the divine power of the nature of God into his dormant spirit (Hebrews 4:12). This is the readily attainable, merciful, saving faith in God’s Old Testament and New Testament Gospel Word of eternal life, which is simply based upon those two factors. In them, God’s Holiness and Justice are met to a degree and thereby there was a degree of reconciliation, that equates to justifying faith with imputed right standing. This faith Abram had to exhibit first; as man must be made spiritually alive (that which right standing has in view), before he can then hear and in another application of faith,  follow God in the further, much more extensive, and demanding restorative process in holiness unto the reward of obedience; the inheritance in the future “Promised Land.” 

It’s the following part of faith that brings us to the Book of Hebrews 11:1 as the subject matter in context of what kind of “faith” the author is there representing. The subject of this faith chapter, in the context of the verses leading up to it, is clearly not justifying faith; that is to say merely the rebirth of the spirit unto eternal life kind of faith; but that of continuing faith which is the subject of the last part of Hebrews 10 in verses 32-39, (please read) leading to the statement of Hebrews 11:1… “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

It is then continuing faith to be tested and tried, not justifying faith that brings us unto the salvation of the soul.“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe (continue to have faith) to the saving of the soul (its God appointed goal). That exact order of application of faith is reflected in Abraham’s life. 

What many teachers of the Bible have failed to see and confused is the critical difference between: 1) beginning faith and 2) continuing faith (mistakingly thinking that their continuing to believe in the experience of the first faith answers to the second) These two faiths have separate and entirely different goals: Beginning faith’s goal is to take from death to life, eternal life; it is an instant event and relatively carried out without any effort on our part. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  

BUT continuing faith’s goal is accomplished by much trial, testing and effort on our part in cooperation with His Spirit unto the fullness of His Salvation plan. See 1st Peter 1:9… “Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” (Being saved by grace through faith is just the beginning, not the “end” {goal}.) Read 1st Peter 1:3-9…“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end (the goal) of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”  With Romans 1:17… “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” This continuing “faith to faith” also answers to Habakkuk 2:4… “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” And Hebrews 10:38 & 39… “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”  

The eternal and unseen spirit realm into which Abram in “Ur” was invited requires spiritual senses in order to commune and comprehend and follow. This was imparted at the rebirth of his spirit while yet in Ur, from the great limits of one realm; that is to say the carnal fallen nature with its enmity with God, (Romans 8:7) into the spiritual verities of the spirit realm. So then from justifying faith and eternal life assurance, one is immediately called to a living working faith upward into regality; having been also fitted to continuing faith to draw upon grace and mercy, as we are tried and tested.  

The order and certainty is seen again in Abraham’s seed, the Israelites; who before they could journey out of Egypt, they first had to be saved spiritually and that again and always by trusting in the promise of God and offering the propitiating blood of a lamb. (Exodus 12) Afterwards, Redemption being secured, they immediately were called out of Egypt and crossed over the Red Sea, following the Spirit in the direction of the inheritance of the Promised Land. This exactly then is the same spiritual law of Christianity today, that one must first receive the promise of God; that of pardon and release from the curse of eternal death, unto eternal life; that which is realized in the Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ. AND that redemption must come before we are capable to answer the call to follow God in continuing sanctifying faith unto the Promised Land. In our case, as it was in Abraham’s, we being his heavenly seed of promise, through Christ, is the heavenly calling. (Hebrews 3:1 with Hebrews 11:12; Genesis 13:15; 15:5 & 22:17) Abraham’s calling was partly earthly and partly heavenly. And notice how he shunned the immediacy of the one in preference for the greater. Abraham had two wives and two sons presented to us in Galatians 4. Hagar answers to the Law and the promises relative to the Millennial earth whereas we are of that spiritual wife Sarah whose promises ascend unto the heavenly realm above and also (?) unto New Jerusalem thereafter. How so very wrong from God’s perspective it must be for a Christian to seek earth and its inheritance! What is that but a fatal insult; the shunning of the Spiritual Seed and His heavenly calling. (Hebrews 11:17 with Genesis 22) 

To those who have mistakenly thought that Abraham has in any way received the promises of God, in that he is supposed to be in Heaven; against this we answer… That Abraham is in Hades not in Heaven. (Luke 16:23, Acts 2:34) Scripture asserts he has never yet received the promises (Acts 7:5) nor can he, until he be raised out from among the dead. His bones are in Hebron, his spirit has gone back unto God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12, Luke 23:46), and he himself as a living soul is in Hades. It is not until these three parts join that it can be said that Abraham nor his seed be whole and in a position to receive the promises of God. (1st Thessalonians 4:15-17, Revelation 20:4-6) 

It is the continuing unwavering faith that Paul emphasizes in addressing these Hebrew Christians in Hebrews 11:8-10, using Abraham as their perfect example of overcoming faith for the same inheritance of that heavenly kingdom city and that through the salvation of the soul… “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” That City (without Temple) to whom God must have given them a glimpse and clear information in that it became their life long quest. And in due course then, New Jerusalem, shall be their eternal abode, as discovered in Revelation chapter 21. But that only after the destruction of the sin–tainted Universe, and the introduction of a new heaven and earth (seemingly in type the leading of Rebecca to Isaac after Sarah’s death) after the Millennial Kingdom of Abraham’s Seed/seed wherein both seeds shall rule; one from the Tabernacle in the heaven associated with this earth and one on the earth. Abraham and his seed shall first then inherit in both these but temporal realms for a thousand years. They shall join with Christ and rule with Him from His Tabernacles, one on the earth and one from above. “And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not.…” [Deuteronomy 6:10] 

We must be “saved”, that is to say we cannot be dead but must be spiritually alive before we can then follow God as His Salvation purposes require, that we might reach the goal of living faith; unto our complete salvation. (salvation of the soul) This is the exhortation of Abraham to the already justified, who after being justified was called to leave his religion, his country, his business, his politics, his house and home, family and friends, essentially everything that made up his life in Babylon; and follow God where he knew not… in that after being eternally saved, the great challenge is to faithfully follow, to continue and finally satisfy God’s Holy requirements by grace through living faith in the race/pursuit, and to daily press towards the finish line tape, “… unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 3:14) In that faith which rises much higher, that faith without it is impossible to please God, that faith which then has far greater merit than that of the merely receiving the gift of His divine nature within our spirit. This greater faith has the God–promised reward of the First Resurrection regality; that Salvation of the entire being filled with the glory of Jesus Christ; spirit, soul and body upon His Return.  

It is only the saved that can shrink back in fear (Greek Deilos/timidity/cowardice that like 2nd Timothy 1:7) that shrinking back is from the calling of the salvation of the soul, that God says He will take no pleasure in. (Hebrews 10:38 & 11:6) These that would shrink back to save their soul are often in Scripture warned that they shall “lose their soul”. This is the opposite realization of salvation at the time of Christ’s Return; instead of First Resurrection or rapture glory and regality for ever, it is perdition/ruin/destruction/great loss.  

And this is the subject Scripture brings forth; two kinds of Christians; Shirkers and Overcomers. Those like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah who press forward and by faith inherit the promises, and those who shrink back unto ruin and lose the promises. Thus Hebrews 11 begins with the explanation of FAITH as it pertains to the Christian’s pursuit of the salvation of the soul. “Now faith (as it relates to the saving of the soul) is…..” 

Receiving correctly what God has said and promised is key to continuing faith. How can we have continuing faith in Him if we are taught a contrary word of “faith” out of Scripture? What many careless Christians have today is faith in what the Bible teacher says, who himself, either novice or scholar, is lost in a religious denominational maze, having been wrongly and ignorantly indoctrinated, and usually with very little understanding of the Old Testament meaningfulness. Thereby to these, as too the Jewish teachers of the past, Jesus speaks: “For had ye believed Moses ye would believe me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”  [John 5:46–47] So to correctly divide the Word, one must have an appreciation and working knowledge of both the Old and New Testaments. One must be studied in the light of the other, letting all Scripture interpret itself to the removal of ambiguity and seeming contradiction. All flows in perfect harmony from Genesis 1 through Revelation 22.  

Let it be comprehended, that the goal and object of  “faith’s” purpose, and the way in which it is affected and when it is affected, is entirely different dependent upon the state of the hearer. Wherein the Word divides itself into twain; God’s Gospel Word as it relates to the gracious gift of eternal life to the unregenerate and lost, and God’s Word as it relates to those having been saved, of the necessity of drawing on further grace through faith unto the salvation of the soul; that infilling of glory at the Return of Christ dependent upon each person’s level of faithfulness and fruitfulness. 

So it is that these verses from Hebrews 10:35-11:3 become the pivotal point for advancing those Hebrew Christians’ chances of the future realization of the salvation of the soul in being called by God to be “…partakers of the heavenly calling…”  It is this FAITH alone that will drive the promise of God home to the heart. It is through these Old Testament examples of continuing faith that our faith might arise. (It is testified by the Holy Spirit that they have secured the salvation of the soul to be realized in the First Resurrection unto the heavenly calling; Hebrews 11:16. These, who having by faith embraced the promises {Hebrews 11:13}…surely were given enlightenment {John 8:56} and embraced by faith the future all–enabling hope of God’s promised Genesis 3:15’s Victorious Messiah without whom all glory in the heavens would have been lost.) And “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (maturity); not laying again the foundation (that of justifying faith over and over again).” (Hebrews 6:1) Leaving the basic principles, that often keep us babies diapered to besetting sins, we; by embracing the future glorious promises by the eye of overcoming faith shall prevail and be fruitful by drawing upon grace and mercy over our carnal nature and over all our enemies; as we continue in enabling faith, gladly considering ourselves, as they did before us, strangers and pilgrims. And to “reckon that the sufferings of this present period are insignificant in comparison with the glory which shall be revealed with regard to us.” (Romans 8:18, Alford.)