SO we come the close of this great chapter of faith and have it applied to our hearts and lives. The chapter commenced with the definition of faith as the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. All the hero's of faith brought to our notice have been illustrating this to us. These last verses continue to do so in a much more general way.

We have been brought, by God's mercy, to faith in Jesus Christ as the one who has borne our sins in his body on the cross, and won for us free forgiveness of all our sins. Through his work for us we believe that we are counted righteous in God's sight and are adopted into the family of God, and so become heirs of God's eternal kingdom. This is our faith, but although we have concrete evidence of this salvation, outwardly in the fact that Jesus died and rose again, and inwardly by the testimony of the Spirit to our newborn souls, we still see by faith what is still invisible to us. So by faith we know that when this life is ended we shall depart and be with Christ in paradise; and we know that the fullness of our redemption will take place when Jesus comes again to judge the world, and at that time we shall receive our resurrection body, and be brought into the glorious liberty of the children of God, in the new heaven and earth which will be created by God for his redeemed people. This is still invisible to us in this life except through faith, but the gift of faith gives substance to this hope and makes it sure.

This is the faith these Old Testament saints had, and it caused them to be able to renounce the world, and suffer terrible things because of the promise of the Saviour to come. They exercised this faith without receiving the promise (v39). Although they received temporal promises on the way (v33), the great object of faith, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, they did not see before they died, but they believed and were saved.

We have received something better because we have been privileged to live after Christ came, and we have the historical evidence that he died for us, and most surely rose again, victorious over Satan, sin, death and hell. But we and the saints of old had the same faith, that we are blessed with eternal blessings through Jesus our Saviour and Lord, and in him we are and will be made perfect (v39).

The names of people of faith in these verses can be found recorded in the book of judges from chapter 4 onwards. Their history is well worth reading. We can thank God that we have not had to face such terrors and privations that are recorded in these verses, but our conflict is the same, and if we are true believers we know something of the suffering which comes to the disciples of Christ. What we can never escape is the spiritual conflict.

It is by faith we conquer kingdoms (v33). In the spiritual realm we conquer the kingdom of Satan by the gift of faith in Jesus that we have been given. Christ overcame Satan by his death and resurrection. He fought the 'strong man' Satan on our behalf and disarmed him, and so hiding by faith in Christ we have the victory, and we are able to stand firm in the evil day, and having done all to stand. We have victory over temptation, and when we fall into sin the victory is still ours, because our Saviour's obedience to blood hides all our transgressions from view. Satan can't have dominion over us, because in Christ we have been translated into the kingdom of God, and Christ our king will not allow Satan, or any other power, to pluck us from his hands.

So by faith our weakness is turned to strength (v34). We have not strength of ourselves to help ourselves. Our strength and sufficiency is in Christ. We are strong in Christ by faith. In our weakness we lean on him, we hide in him, we run to him like chicks to their mother hen. Hiding in him we find strength.

So we become powerful in the spiritual battle (v34). By faith we are able to put on the whole armour of God, and are able to stand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. All the fiery darts of the evil one we are able to turn away by faith. Having given us this testimony to faith, the apostle calls us to apply the message. We are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses. The Scriptures surround us with them. Their faith challenges us. We can see them looking on. In heaven which by faith they have reached, they are a cloud of witnesses to spur us on in the spiritual battle, and urge us not to falter in faith.

So in the spiritual battle, where so much in the world would hinder us, by faith we must throws these off. In the spiritual battle where we are so easily entangled by sin, by faith we resist and deny sin and repent when we fall. In all the difficulties and the sufferings of the Christian life by faith we persevere, seeing that which is invisible.

What is the secret of faith? It is to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the author of our faith because he has won salvation in which we believe and trust him for. He is the perfecter of our faith because by faith in him we are under his care and protection, so that he brings us to his heavenly kingdom.

We fix our eyes on Jesus and all he did for us, because it is in his example and in his work for us that we are strong in faith. How can we not believe and persevere when we look on his perseverance to bring us this salvation. How can we not stand firm in faith when we see and appreciate the suffering he went through.

Then what was the joy that caused Jesus to persevere to the end? It was the joy of bringing many children to glory. For us, therefore, he endured the shame and suffered the cross, and won the victory and now reigns in glory.