The Glasses (Part II of "The Heavens Declare the Glory of God...")

The Glasses


I am greatful for friends. As Proverbs 27:11 says"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." (ESV) Discussions with friends spur me to dig into scripture, and so has happened this week. Randy brough the first few verses of Hebrews 11 to my attention Sunday to consider in light of our discussions on apologetics and the evidence of faith.

Hebrews 11:1-3 in the NKJV reads "1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.3 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."

Verse three is a specific application of the second definition of faith in verse one, that faith is the "evidence of things not seen", and "by faith we understand God made the worlds," so that what we see was not made out of things that are visible.

Romans 1:20-21 says that "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."

So the Hebrews 11:3 says we understand the invisible word of God behind creation by faith, and Romans 1:20 says that we understand the invisible attributes of God by seeing the things that are made. Hebrews 11:3 seems to say that the evidence that God made the world is faith. Romans 1:20 seems to say that the evidence that God made the world is the ghings made, that they clearly point to a maker.

This is not a contradiction. In some aspects, faith is the spiritual seeing or percieving of the fingerprints of God on the things he has made. The evidence of a Creator is te creation. But you wont see it as evidence without faith, and thats why those of Romans 1:21 were simply left without excuse and condemned, and they darkened their own foolish hearts.

In some aspects, faith is a spiritual percieving or understanding act. We understand by faith,as verse three says. Most modern translations of Hebrews 11:1 say that "faith is...the conviction of things not seen" (ESV). Understanding by faith also gives us the conviction of faith. Those who do see or percieve have the evidence within themselves.

Men naturally fool themselves and image all sorts of vain things, even that what is made made itself. Men cannot perceive God's creative hand in things without faith, but how is this overcome? If you can't perceive truth without faith, and you can't have faith without perceiving the truth, how does one get faith and be saved? Because Faith is a gift from God, that no one should boast. -Ephesians 2:8 That is also why I don't have bragging rights, that I can see the truth and others not, because what do I have that I have not received?

So in presenting apologetic appeals to the lost it should be in full prayer that God would grant them faith and open their eyes and perceptions to see the truth. Real faith is based on real Truth. Hebrews 11:1 says that "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." By the one we know God's power and wisdom to make us; by the other we know His goodness and grace to save us.