HEBREWS 11:2-3   

Verse 2 “For by it the elders obtained a good report…” 

 “For by it (faith/trust in God’s Word and promises) the elders obtained a good report…” (Faith is the standard of their worthiness set by God)….why are the elders of the Old Testament being brought out? Because they had obtained God’s favor. Overcoming Faith in the Old Testament consists of the same spiritual element as it does in the New Testament. And is now to be illustrated to the Hebrew Christians as the rekindling reminder to their waning faith and hope, that once was firmly set upon the Gospel Covenant reward of great recompense, at the return of Christ. And that they should not lose faith, fainting or giving up and turning back (“But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?” Galatians 4:9) where they then will forfeit all the glorious promises of the future heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ.   

And as a boost to their decreasing faith and hope, these examples to follow of God– approved men with like passions and circumstances are freshly set before them. These men and women now all passed into the afterlife having been approved to inherit the promises of God by the one differentiating factor from all others that lived at the same time they did: FAITH AND PATIENCE.  

Paul had previously mentioned an example in passing on to God’s Oath in Hebrews 6:11“And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself, 

Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 

And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.)  

Verse 3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” 

“Through faith (“faith” being an internal feeling; a firm trusting in the Word of God) we understand (we are told by someone {in Scripture} who was told by God, things only that can be known by God, since no man was present at creation or recreation, and then perceive through intuition and thought that it is truth. Romans 12:3) that the worlds (all the matter wherein we exist) were framed by the word of God (called into existence through His inherent power… not by “faith” construed to be a tangible substance released through His mouth, did He Create, as some have foolishly and recklessly reckoned to promote by twisting the Word to say, “We understand it was by faith that God framed the worlds.”… this is a non–Scriptural modern day ideology that “faith” is a tangible substance, released by the mouth. And the line of error goes like this: Since we are created in His image, we also have this substance faith with the power of creation; or to bring things into existence as we “….calleth those things which be not as though they were.” And when you roll that string out to its conclusion, it is faith in your own faith, a subtle means by which the enemy moves the focus of faith in an all powerful God to a “faith” power resident in Self, released by the mouth; from faith in the One with the power to fulfill His promises to faith in oneself’s faith. And that by believing and confessing “faith–filled words” based upon selected Scriptures that they have determined to be the promises of God for Believers in this life, in order to manifest/bring into existence, as God did in Creating, things that will enrich their misguided lives.  

Let us note; light was; not because God spoke, but because it was God that spoke. God need not speak to Create or bring to pass. God Speaking is an expression of God’s will, thoughts, and actions in communication and explanation that He uses in order that His Created beings with intelligence may comprehend His marvelous ways and means (Job 38:7 Read chapters 38-41; a very brief explanation of Creation). Did God speak in order that He might release His “faith” in each and every detail that He might bring all things into existence? Or is the account in Genesis only a summary by way of explanation, that man may trust that he and all that his eyes can see are Created by Him? God is not limited to speaking to create; Man himself was not “spoke” into existence, but formed out of the dirt and breathed into, whereby he became a living soul.  

“Death and life is in the power of the tongue.” [Proverbs 18:21] This is not because of some inherent power in man, but because what he says and does is a reflection of his heart condition; the means by which he is judged. “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by they words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:35-37, James 3:6) 

…and then to finish verse 3… so that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (thus to establish the principle of faith: belief in God’s Word, in that no man can know what only God knows; that is the foundational belief being the all-powerful majestic sovereignty of the Creator “…in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” upon which all other belief stands. The context is Paul going back to the Creation in the establishing of why man’s trust/faith is, and always has been, in trusting what God says and the promises of what He shall do for the faithful, as the means by which we order our lives and find His favor at the Judgment Seat.  

FAITH IS WHAT IS BEING ATTACKED 

The Word of “Faith” with its healing and prosperity teaching and its awful misconstruing of Scripture in the whole is mixed with seemingly orthodox views such as the acceptance of the sacrificial Atonement in faith in Jesus: “Jesus died for our sins” and “Jesus is Lord” and the power of the Holy Spirit, but confusingly then focuses on the here and now blessing of the Old Testament as opposed to the hereafter heavenly kingdom blessing of the New Testament.  

It is very common to hear them take Paul’s explanation of who we are in Jesus Christ, by way of Jesus being Abraham’s Seed of promise. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and…” and then twisting the context of Galatians chapter 3, that of Paul’s explanation of the new man’s freedom from the law’s condemnation by faith in the Gospel Covenant— to “…heirs according to the promise…” to mean that is we who are the rightful recipients of the “promised” great prosperity of Abraham, quoting as proof texts: “And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.” Genesis 13:2  And “…thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” [Deuteronomy 8:18]  

Besides the missing of the import of Paul’s rebuke to the Galatians, there is also the present misguided understanding of attempting to mix Covenants, as many unlearned do; an attempt of appropriation of inferior earthly promises of blessing of the Old Testament/ Covenant, that were, in Christ, suspended and superseded by the greater and higher calling of an inheritance in the heavenly places to reign with Him as His faithful Bride by following Him in His sufferings as we dutifully and lovingly lay our lives down by crucifying the selfish carnal part of our soul, and this to the glory of God. (Mark 8:34 Romans 8:16–17) 

The power of the Holy Spirit (in discipleship to Christ) is to lay down the things of this life unto the will of God, but the Word of Faith represents the Holy Spirit as being augmentative in their attaining things they perceive as promises of God pertaining to this life. Truly very little is said or thought about in the experiences related in the Scriptures to the after life. To be “successful” here is the validation of having found favor with God…and if here then there.    

Our giving up in loving faith in this life is the assurance of inheritance in the next. (Luke 10:28-30) This forsaking of this world and its goods is the means to spiritual prosperity. Obedience to Jesus Christ and putting on of His Nature and the laying down of what we have for Him and others answers to “the just (righteous) by faith shall live.” This God– approved faith is energized by love. Galatians 5:6… “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; (as these are Old Covenant types of the New Testament realities) but faith (with circumcision of the heart) which worketh by love.” See also 1st Corinthians 13:1-3… “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” 

The confusion is removed if we think from the enemy’s viewpoint in strategy, justifying faith aside; living by faith in God’s promises is the essential component whereby we are approved for the heavenly kingdom inheritance. If once we have received justifying faith in Christ, then the issue of Whose we are is settled, now the battle-ground has changed from the “field” to “in God’s camp”. The stakes have changed; it is not about eternal life but about eternal inheritance and quality of eternal life in His glory. And it is not really about eternal inheritance to the enemy, as it is: effective witnesses of Christ’s in the earth. In that true “faith” filled Gospel Covenant, self-sacrificing witnesses are far more effective against spiritual forces, in that the shield of faith is no shield at all when faith becomes miss-directed to the earthly. Faith in one’s faith is no Faith at all.   

What was imputed to Abraham was righteousness by faith. First justifying faith in that he was persuaded to come over the river into the land and follow God. Then Abraham’s faith was tested some 10 times, and although he had not received the promise of the son yet, he continued to believe God’s promise. Turning to Romans 4, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (and turning to Hebrews 11:17) “By faith Abraham, when he (his trust in the promise of God) was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him a figure.” Now going back to Romans 4:17-5:10, verse 21 of chapter 4 says, “And being FULLY persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”  With Hebrews 6:11-20, “And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” It was Abraham’s faith/trusting in the promises of God, in the most contradicting circumstances that he was persuaded, and by his faith being tested, He became fully persuaded that, what God had promised, he was able to perform. (Peter describes the trial of our faith in 1st Peter 1:3-21.) 

There being much to say, this is a nowhere near exhaustive commentary on the subject…But leaving this topic, at least for the moment, we quote Paul’s exhortation that surely will put light on the subject… “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…” [1st Timothy 6:3-12]