“Now faith is the confidence of what is hoped for,
Hebrews 11:1
the conviction of things that are not seen.”
Confidence and Conviction. These two form the backbone of our topic for this second week of Advent. The Bible qualifies faith as a mindset of trust in God’s promises that creates such a confidence in the heart of every believer. This kind of God-infused confidence lends itself to actions born out of convictions germinating from faith.
The RZIM Advent Devotional describes faith as “forward-looking trust” in God’s promises. The writer says, “Despite not having a full understanding of the future, these individuals [see Hebrews 11] obeyed God and demonstrated a forward-looking trust in Him. They had seen God’s faithfulness demonstrated –and trusted Him for what they could not see” (p. 28). In revealing Himself, God opens the eyes and hearts of recipients to His word enabling them to place their trust in what He promises them. Most of the Old Testament saints don’t see the fruition of their efforts; they only see small glimpses of God’s plan, and yet they choose to act according to God’s directives in obedience, producing righteousness and being credited with saving faith.
“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”
Hebrews 11:13
As the eleventh chapter ends and the twelfth chapter begins, the writer of Hebrews brings together the people of God from all time into a singular vision of Christ and His cross. The saints from the OT are looking forward to a coming Messiah-Savior; the believers from the NT are looking backward to a Messiah-Savior who came. Both groups are confident in the validity of God’s word; both groups act upon convictions because of God’s word. Both are credited with righteousness by placing their faith in the hope of Christ. Both are made perfect by the Perfecter of faith who is Christ.
Those who are influenced “by faith” leave a lasting impact on their world. They do not go quietly into the night. They run their race with endurance, throwing off the shackles of sin and distraction. The faithful are active participants in society, being salt and light. The RZIM Advent Devotional describes the faithful as those who “challenge all forms of darkness that compromise God’s shalom in the world” (p. 30). Our faith will necessarily lead to action; it cannot do otherwise. May we live with renewed confidence and assured conviction this Advent Season!
Glorify. Train. Engage. 