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OW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good report. 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. (Hebrews 11:1-3)
Today’s text is taken from the lectionary for the day and presents some profound principles ensconced in very concise terms.
Some have claimed that faith cannot be based on outward evidence – that it is a thing unseen and inexplicable in physical observation. I disagree. I believe many aspects of faith are evidenced in the world around us – evidence that may go unobserved by the common eye. It is not necessary to see a thing with your physical eye in order to know of its reality. For example, if you are not a democrat, there is sufficient evidence to prove that you have a brain; yet, you have never seen your brain. But it is certain that you have one stowed away in your cranial cavity. Likewise the great truths of God as Creator. We see the wonders of His works and cannot doubt the supreme Mind that is evidenced by the intricate plan of His work. As Confucius (Kong Fu Tzu) asked centuries ago, “Do you need proof of God? Does one light a candle to see the sun?”
Tucked neatly away in the latter portion of the 3rd verse above is an amazing scientific fact: “that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Consider the element we call GOLD. It is element number 79 on the Periodic Table of elements, and its symbol is ‘Au.’ Gold has been viewed and admired by millions across the centuries. It has been used as a valuable medium of exchange, a metal from which weddings rings have been made, and it has even been worshipped in the ancient days – and, by some, today! If I were to hand you a twenty-dollar gold piece, refined to 99.9 percent purity, you would immediately recognize its metallic properties as gold; but have you ever seen an atom of GOLD? Before you answer, think the possibilities through to their logical conclusion.
Well, you have indeed seen an atom of GOLD; in fact, you have seen millions of them for that is the composition of all GOLD. You may not be able to see a single atom of GOLD, but you have certainly seen millions of them combined to form an object of GOLD. To reverse the old saying, “If you have seen one, you have seen them all” to read, “If you have seen them all, you have seen one.” "things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
Faith, too, is not based on simple emotion. It is based upon informed knowledge and wisdom of the evidence of God in all that we see about us. There is such a thing as unreasonable faith. We may believe that we can fly, but if we jump from the Empire State Building, that faith will result in splatter of stupidity at the base. But if our faith is based on the certainty of God as Creator and Redeemer, we need not know the intricate details of all His plans until He deems it appropriate to reveal them to us.
Among many other properties, Faith is a Shield and an Anchor for the soul. The ancient Roman soldier carried his shield into battle trusting its ability to fend off the blows of the enemy. In the same way, the Christian bears his Shield of Faith in every venue of life to shield against the blows of the Adversary of his soul. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Ephesians 6:16. But long before engaging the enemy we face daily, there must be an inward strength that enables us to march forth to the forward edge of the battle line. Just as a mighty Ok Tree must gain its nutrients and strength from the mineral-rich soil by way of its root system, so must the Christian garner daily strength to carry his Shield of Faith forth to the battle. The root system of the Christian is his Faith. Faith conveys hope of ultimate victory based on the faith in the God of Battles Himself – our Lord Jesus Christ. “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.” (Hebrews 6:19)
The Oak cannot move from its anchor in the root – neither can the Christian move from his Anchor of the Soul.
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