BROADCASTS.com

b'The men and women described in Hebrews 11 are used as illustrations for the type of saving faith that actually perseveres. Christians often study this chapter and come to the conclusion that the faith of these men and women has nothing to do with them and their ordinary, everyday lives. This is a seriously misguided and misinformed understanding of what the author of Hebrews is attempting to do at this point in his letter. The author understands what is at stake and he has warned them multiple times of the spiritual dangers of forsaking faith in Christ for faith in the old covenant laws and sacrifices. To fail to endure in the Christian faith is not to travel some less desirable path to God but to travel on a path that does not lead to God at all. The author knows that his readers must press on because the only solid evidence of authentic saving faith is in its pressing on. The examples presented in chapter eleven are therefore given for this very purpose. Each of the individuals presented in the chapter persevered and endured through some period of tribulation in their life. The original readers were being called upon to examine and emulate that type of faith. In the exact same way, modern readers are also called to imitate this type of faith so that they will persevere and walk boldly with Christ through all that that life may throw their way. He begins his chronological march through the Old Testament with three men who lived before the flood: Abel, Enoch, and Noah.'