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Seeing is believing?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “seeing is believing”? Well, don’t believe it. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews begins with this definition of faith.

Hebrews 11:1

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

It goes on to describe famous Biblical people who had faith in God. He made promises to them. It is surprising how many famous people this chapter describes. As we think about sin, we realize that we are not in the position to be making any promises to God. All we are capable of doing is living in faith in a loving and merciful God described to us in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Even this faith is given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 11:13

“All these people were still in their faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance.”

These people did not give up hope all their lives, even when they could not see the promise fulfilled. Abraham was given as an example. He was able to see his children born, but he was not able to see that “his descendents would be as numerous as the stars.”

The Holy Scriptures show us the promises God has made and fulfilled. We have seen the fulfillment of the promise of the Messiah, the Savior of the world. We also know the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit.

In the book of John chapter 20, when Jesus appeared to the disciples after his death and resurrection, the disciple Thomas is not present. Thomas doubted that Jesus was alive because he had not seen it for himself. He thought seeing was believing. When Jesus appeared again and Thomas saw him, Thomas knew it was Jesus and said “My Lord and My God!”

John 20:29

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

We face many hardships and struggles in our lives. We should not give up hope or faith. Reading the Book of Hebrews, Chapter 11, is a great source of comfort to us. We can look to all the ancient people who had hardships and yet held fast to faith.

Hebrews 11:39-40

“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

We believe in the same God with the same promise of a savior. This was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, so that by him through faith in God, we, and the ancient Biblical people, all received the same salvation. Being sure and yet not seeing, is believing!