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Christians "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7).
And our "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God" (Rom. 10:17). Therefore, Christians make conclusion based
upon God's word through faith rather than faith in the hypothesis
and theories of men.
The Bible gives many illustrations of faith. Paul defines faith
and illustrates it with one of the best examples of faith - creation.
Paul said: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a
good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed
by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made
of things which are visible" (Heb. 11:1-3).
By faith Christians understand that God created the world. We understand
that it is not a result of random chaos. We understand this because
God has said it in His word. Some scientists appeal to their own
hypothesis of creation and reject God's word. But Christians appeal
to God's word rejecting scientific hypothesis which stand in opposition
to God and His word.
Along with many other examples of faith in Hebrews, Paul records
two examples of faith in the destruction of Jericho. The first is
the destruction of the walls. The Bible says: "By faith the
walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days"
(Heb. 11:30). Now what did circling the walls of Jericho for seven
days have to do with the walls falling? Logically, nothing. Rationalists
attempt to explain this event in a way which dismisses the intervention
of God. But we understand that Israel obeyed God in a very simple
thing whereby God gave them victory over Jericho.
The second example of faith, in the destruction of Jericho, is
the salvation of Rahab. The Bible says: "By faith the harlot
Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had
received the spies with peace" (Heb. 11:31). Remember that
the spies told her to bring her relatives into her house, not to
go outside the house during the battle, and to bind a scarlet cord
in the window through which she had let them down to escape (Josh.
2:17-20). Then after the walls fell, Joshua sent in the spies to
rescue Rahab (Josh. 6:20-23). Now what did tying a scarlet cord
in a window and staying in a house have to do with being saved from
the destruction of Jericho? Logically, nothing. And what does faith
have to do with the salvation of Rahab and her household? By faith
she obeyed God; therefore, God saved her. The cord did not save
her - God saved her because of her faith.
Paul writes: "For whatever things were written before were
written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort
of the Scriptures might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). What do we
learn from the Scriptures? We learn obedience through faith - not
through humanistic logic and reason. Faith rises above the carnal
mind of man to obey God whether or not His commands seem reasonable
to the world.
Christians walk by faith. Therefore, they answer questions concerning
morality from God's word. And when science contradicts God's word,
they believe God rather than men. Christians believe that God framed
the worlds by His word. The world is deceived in believing that
the universe was framed from random chaos.
Who do you believe? Why?
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