THE WORD ‘FAITH’ is used twenty-four times in Hebrews Ch. 11. It begins with, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Heb. 11:1) Twenty-three times it is used in reference to a singular biblical figure, each labeled as a “hero of the faith.” (cf. Heb. 11:1-40) Once it is used as an all-inclusive commendation of multitudes of the unknown who lived and/or died in their exercise of faith up to that point in time, roughly the second half of the first century A.D. They were ever-much as worthy of inclusion and praise as those whose exploits were known and could be celebrated. One strong theme emerges; developed intentionally throughout this discussion is the subject and cost of martyrdom.
God’s chosen have very often been at odds with surrounding cultures, and frequently died at their hands; it was true of O.T. times as well as here in the N.T. We may wonder at the lack of mention of the death of Steven in the Hebrews account, the first known martyr of the new covenant. The reason is that it is most probable that Hebrews was written before the Book of Acts. But while Steven was the first, he was not the last, for in the two thousand years that have followed, God’s chosen have suffered increasingly greater numbers of deaths as well as many other forms of persecution. The twentieth century just past was the bloodiest of all, with our current twenty-first century showing every sign of keeping up the trend.
What would you or I die for? What do we so strongly believe that we would willingly give up our life as a result? Many mothers and fathers would willingly, even gladly, die in place of their child. Heroic stories of war tell of those who died so their comrades-in-arms might live. But the scriptures, prophetically and historically, point to one self-sacrificing death that was unlike any other. Paul says, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:6-8)
World history abundantly testifies to the vast number of people who believed, and who believe right now, the theological and transformational truth of Paul’s words. There are 2.3 billion people, 29% of the world’s total present population, who believe this today; there were billions more, from Steven’s time until now, a staggering number of whom have been martyred and are also part of the “heroes of the faith.” (cf. Heb. 11:1-40) Like most of those before them, those who are becoming them now, and those who will follow, they remain largely unknown. But they are heroes, and “the world is/was not worthy of them.” (Heb. 11:38)
Faith is an extremely powerful motivating force. But it is the belief that underlies faith that drives the selfless acts of which we speak. It is belief that gives faith the source from which it can act. The faith that Jesus Christ evidenced in his unflinching life-long march to the cross testifies to his selflessness. His sacrificial act began and was the result of his pre-incarnate belief in his Abba Father—extending throughout his life and ministry, included in human history and future promises—and by it, he redeemed the world, and was a ransom for all who believe in him. And we are invited into the human stream of those whose beliefs are buoyed up on the swelling current that flows out of heaven, and which flows through our lives. Scripture tells us, “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
What would or should we give in response to such a life-changing gift? What demand might the Father place on us, expect from us in response? Many, in the comfortable surroundings of our homes and churches, not pressured by any urgency of life-threatening circumstances, might nod our heads in appreciative affirmation and say, perhaps with Peter, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” (Matt. 26:35)
How would we respond if, as they did with Peter, the circumstances immediately made the threat real and palpable? How would our rash vow hold up in a suddenly shifted swirling and chaotic string of moments that brought us face-to-face with an ugly and dangerous reality? Christians in first-world countries will probably not face this kind of a test in their lifetime, but it is all-too-real in ascending proportion to a movement past second-world and down into third-world countries right now, today. And from those countries, almost daily, come the stories of people who have given their life for their belief and faith in their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
We breathe a sigh of relief and thank the Lord when we who enjoy the liberties and advantages of a first-world life remember that we dwell in such remarkable safety. We send our money to support missionaries who work in those areas to which we don’t have to go. We are grateful that we are unlikely to be called to die for Jesus. But gnawing at our conscience is a vague sense of dis-ease, and perhaps we begin to reflect upon the authenticity and validity of our faith. And in this contemplative state, a thought begins to form. It may, if we allow ourselves to step out of our comfort zone, take the shape and substance of an honest query, something a little deeper than perhaps we’ve struggled with in a long time. Yes, we think, it is doubtful that we will be called to die for Jesus. The next thought might become, “But, are we actually living for him?” This is a dangerous thought, fraught with the uncomfortable possibilities of change.
But it also quickens something deep within us, and we recognize that something is calling us out and upward from a complacent Christianity to a dangerous walk with Jesus. We have a decision to make. We don’t know where it will lead us, we only know the first possible step. And we know that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
Q. Am I willing to not have to know where faith will take me next?
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