Living by Faith in the Wilderness

 

The author of Hebrews teaches God’s people in Christ that although we have been redeemed from sin, death and the devil, we live between promise and fulfillment in the wilderness of this present age. As God’s people we have yet to arrive and receive the full consummation of God’s promises. We are already made a kingdom of priests in Christ and so we are to live by faith as a counter-cultural kingdom people before the world (Rev. 1:5-6). God calls us to live by faith in this present age primarily by keeping our eyes on Jesus, our Great High Priest, who has faithfully gone ahead of us, and has sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high.

 

We learn in Hebrews 11 that saving faith that God gives to his people is characterized in several important ways. Faith’s focus is on Christ as He is draped in all His magnificent glory and perfect righteousness (Heb. 1:1-4; 12:2). We are to travel this arduous road as pilgrims knowing that we have all we need in the Perfect person, completed work, and ongoing intercession of Jesus for us. Faith’s endurance is that God has granted this to us, that all of God’s people will endure to the end (Heb. 10:36, 39, 11:49-12:3). Faith’s sight is that as pilgrims we behold the Triune, Sovereign, Eternal God who is invisible and who lives in unapproachable light, who is self-existent, and who has clearly spoken in creation and in His Word (Heb. 1:1-3; 11:6; 1 Tim. 1:17). Faith’s commendation is that when we walk by faith with right hearts, right worship, right relationship, and right response to His salvation and judgment in Christ, we please God—which brings deep and unimaginable joy (“Joy inexpressible and full of glory”-1 Pet. 1:8!).

 

Faith’s inheritance teaches us that this present age is not our home and we await a Heavenly Home (Heb. 11:13-16). Faith’s confidence is that although we don’t see the promises of God being fulfilled, we know that God is able to do what He has promised to do! Faith’s courage is that we are often persecuted and scoffed at by the world, yet we know that we’re more than overcomers through Jesus who loved us. Faith’s power is that we live by faith humble lives, carrying our cross and displaying the power of God in weakness. Let us live counter-culturally by faith as congregation of priests at KCPC, living joyfully and gratefully as God’s redeemed children!

 

In  Christ,

Pastor Charles