Hebrews 11:13-14 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them… I. WHAT IS IT TO DIE IN FAITH? It is a great question, a man's all depends upon it. To die mistaken in this is to die mistaken for ever. 1. It is not to die barely in a profession of faith. To die owning Christ and His cause, bearing witness to the truth, exhorting our Christian friends " that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord ",. this is sweet dying. It is not what a man believes of Christ that saves, but his believing in Him, yielding up himself only and wholly to Him. To die in an outward barren profession of faith, is not to die in faith. 2. Nor is it necessary always that there be a transporting joy arising from a sense of interest in Christ in order to a believer's dying in faith. A man may die in faith when he doth not die in feeling. There may be no assuring sense of God's love, and yet a strong and firm dependence on His promise. The strength of faith is most where there is least of sight; every believer finds the path of life (Psalm 16:11), but every one does not see it as he walks through Jordan. 3. To "die in faith," is to die trusting Christ, and commending our souls to him by faith. All faith includes trust, though it is not necessarily connected with joy. II. WHAT IS THE GREAT SUPPORT OF A BELIEVER, CONSIDER HIM EITHER AS LIVING OR DYING? The text says, the promises are so, though the blessings contained in them are not received. Two things faith sees in the promises which support and comfort the soul though the promised blessings are not received. 1. Faith sees God's Christ and salvation in the promise, therefore in the absence of promised good it supports the soul. 2. Faith sees God's heart in the promise. What is a promise but an expression of the love of God's heart in word (2 Samuel 7:21). That is the secret in all God's promises, and none but a believer can spell it out. III. HOW, IN PARTICULAR, FAITH ACTS TOWARDS THE PROMISES IN A BELIEVER'S SUPPORT, LIVING OR DYING? 1. Faith sees the promises afar off. It does not require the presence of the thing, but only the promise of it. Christ was not manifest in the flesh till many hundred years after; but faith beheld these things as present in God's counsel, His covenant, His word of promise, and fixed and centred in them. Is anything too hard for God? Did His promise ever fall to the ground? Is He not truth itself? Are not all His paths judgment? This is the reasoning of faith. 2. It is persuaded of these things. They are realities, though invisible to every one but the man who has the eyes of his understanding enlightened. (1) This persuasion relates to the things themselves. Gospel-principles, gospel-doctrines, privileges, duties, they are inlaid in the soul as well as gospel-promises. (2) This persuasion refers to the sense which a believer may have of his interest in them: This is not common to saints as such; it is but at special times and seasons, given and taken away by God, for wise and gracious ends. 3. "It embraces them"; the word signifies "to salute," a metaphor taken from the manner of parting between two intimate friends. Two things are implied in it. (1) Intimate acquaintance. The saints of old were very chary of God's promises, they were searching into them to know " what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, did signify" (1 Peter 1:11). (2) But principally is meant endearing affection. The will chooses them, cleaves to them, and if any delight a believer has it is in them. Use 1. Did all these "die in faith"? Have you this faith? It is sad to have faith to seek when you need it to use. If thou art a stranger to Christ, thou art a stranger to faith. Hath thou given up thy soul to Him now? Then thou mayest trust Him with body and soul both another day. Use 2. How little just ground is there for a believer in Christ to fear death? The love of God, the covenant of grace, the care of Christ, the being and stability of the promise, the life and faith, all last till death. Use 3. What a slight character do most of this world leave behind them; though thou diest rich, honourable, esteemed, easy, what is this to dying in faith! Use 4. What need have believers of the help of the blessed Spirit in life and at death? The spiritual eye is His gift, and all spiritual persuasion is His work: Scripture arguments will be of no avail if the Spirit of God does not make the application. Use 5. Think more of home, and live more above life: if you profess to be heirs of God's promise, live above the crosses and comforts of life too. (John Hill.) Parallel Verses KJV: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. |
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