The Two Faces of Faith
Hebrews 11:15,16 – “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
Introduction: The purpose of this message is to show that faith does not always take us where we would like to go, but faith will take us where God directs us to go.
Further, there is a false doctrine of faithfulness that teaches that if you follow God faithfully, everything will turn out just “exactly right” (this “exactly right” is always pleasant, healthful, and financially prosperous to us). Everything will turn out exactly right, but the correct exactly right is in the mind of God, not in our minds.
First, see the compelling of following Christ.
All the people in Hebrews 11 were so fixed in their minds about the promises of God; they could not turn back. Follow the examples given in Hebrews 11:1-14.
Faith has so blinded the eyes of those filled with faith their minds cannot be fixed any more on this life. These have heard the voice of God calling them to a better life. They are convinced of the truth of God’s promises, and cannot turn back.
If it were not for faith, they would turn back, but God has filled their minds with heavenly things, which so excites them with anticipation, they cannot but think of the good things of God.
God fixes our minds upon heavenly things, if we will think of those things.
Romans 12:1-3 – Renew our minds so we will transformed in our thinking away from this world toward heaven.
Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
John 6:66-71 – Many of the disciples of Christ went back, but Peter said for all the apostles, they had no place to go.
God will not be ashamed of us. This can be looked at two ways:
Matthew 10:33 – “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
We are not ashamed to call God our God.
Second, see the varying results of faith.
Moses is a good example. He chose suffering rather than the riches of Egypt. Faith sometimes leads us into suffering. Christ was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. We would say that Moses was faithful and received good things in this life because of his faithfulness.
We would say the same thing about all Israel when they observed the Passover for the first time. (Verse 28).
We would repeat this observation concerning the victory over Jericho, and Rahab the harlot. (Verse 30,31) Also see verse 32, whose result of faith is seen in verse 33-35. See all these good things that happened?
Now – see the other side of faith: verse 36-38. Here are terrible things that happened to people with the same kind of faith as those people in verse 33-35. We do not dare say or think we are more faithful than these because these terrible things have not happened to us. It is our lot in life to have comfort and be faithful, while the lot of others is to have misery and be faithful.
Is it easier to see faith in verse 33-35 or in verses 36-38? Is it easier to remain faithful when things are going our way, or when they are not going our way?
The true result is seen in verse 39,40.
All these people received a good report through faith.
But none of these people received the promise. Why? See verse 40. It was not because of them, but because of us. We need to be faithful to God because without us, these of past faithfulness will be perfect, or complete. The word perfect does not mean without sin.