Here at the beginning of this 11th Chapter the Apostle is addressing some issues these Christians were having with their faith.
Paul reminds them that faith is an issue of belonging. Under the pressure and pain of persecution you can lose sight of Who you belong to. In Chapter 10 verses 19 through 23 he reminds them they belong to God and should draw near to Him.
You were made to belong! The need to belong is a powerful human need. Belong to God satisfies that need like nothing else.
Are you longing to belong? Put your faith in Jesus and confess your need to belong to Him.
Faith is a belonging issue and it is also a believing issue.
In 10:23, Paul urges, "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful."
How can you be in relationship with someone unless you believe in them?
One thing you need to believe is that God believes in you!
Faith belongs. Faith believes. Faith behaves.
Faith is a private, personal spiritual decision. It is subjective and it is internal. So, faith must be demonstrated in the behavior of those who claim to believe. For faith to be real the behavior must match the beliefs.
Paul devotes the last twelve verses of Chapter 10 and all of Chapter 11 discussing and demonstrating how faith should behave. Chapter 11 hails the exploits of those who became exemplary models of faith because of how they behaved in obedience to God.
You cannot read through Hebrews Chapter 11 and doubt that they had faith. Their historic and heroic deeds demonstrate their belief!
Faith belongs!
Do you know for sure you belong to Jesus?
Faith believes!
Have you placed you faith in Jesus and confessed Him as your Savior?
Faith behaves!
Do your attitudes, your actions, your associations and your announcements give evidence of your belief in Jesus?
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