Faith Enduring

 

"Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment."                                                                         Hebrews 11:35-36

 

In this 11th chapter of Hebrews the Holy Spirit is encouraging us to perseverance. In doing so, he has shown us numerous examples of faith in Christ. He has given us examples of devotion, sacrifice, consecration, and triumph. Here he gives us examples of faith enduring great trials and hardships for the glory of Christ.

 

The Holy Spirit’s object here is to teach us that true faith must and shall be tried and proved by divine providence, tried and proved by enduring hardship, by suffering with Christ and for Christ. —All the evils here enumerated were brought upon these saints of old solely and entirely because of their faith in Christ.

 

Faith’s Portion

It has ever been the portion of faith, the portion of God’ people in this world to be derided, reproached, insulted, and abused for their faith in Christ (1 Peter 4:12; 1 Cor. 10:13; Phil. 1:29; Gal. 4:29; 2 Chron. 36:16; Lam. 3:14). Our Lord declared, “He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.” Faith, true, God given faith, must endure and will endure the trials and sorrows that inevitably accompany it. To all who believe, our Savior’s promise is: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us" (2 Tim 2:12; Rev. 3:5, 12; 21).

 

Count the Cost

It is criminal for any preacher to call men and women to faith in Christ without warning them in advance of the cost involved in following Christ. The fact is, “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). The Lord Jesus tells us plainly that we should, before we make any profession of faith in him, set down first and count the cost (Luke 14:28).

 

Our Savior dealt with this matter openly and plainly. He expressly told all who came after him that following him, being his disciples, living by faith in him, meant daily taking up their cross and following him. Things have not changed. If we would follow Christ, if we would be his disciples, if we live by faith in him, we must daily take up our cross and follow him. The path of faith is sure to take us through waters of adversity, rivers of woe, and the fiery furnace of great sorrow. The Son of God himself endured these things. All the saints of ages past have endured them, and so must we.