Saving Faith

So, what do you make of the following verse:

"But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." Hebrews 10:38

Is this just about "living" eternally with God? I have heard it preached that way. Maybe, just maybe it means something more. Maybe it has more to do with living out your faith once you have made a profession. What if this verse is less like Romans 10:9 ("If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.") and more like Philippians 2:12 ("Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling")?

Within the context of Hebrews 10, it seems pretty clear that 10:38 is about living out your faith. Please don't go too far with this and say that we earn our salvation by what we do to serve God and His Kingdom. There is way too much Scripture to indicate that is not the case, especially Ephesians 2:8-9 ("For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.") But, like James indicates in Chapter 2 of his letter, our true faith, what we truly believe about the Lord, is demonstrated in our actions.

So, how are you doing? Is your life bearing fruit of repentance? Are you living out the gospel? What do your relationships look like? Are they demonstrations of divine reconciliation? What are you living for? Have you offered yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God? Is your life characterized by love for God and people? Are you living out your calling to be an ambassador of Christ?

Look at how one family is living by faith. No, it doesn't mean that everyone has to follow their example. The principles apply, not their specific application. But, they are part of the "cloud of witnesses" and they should be an encouragement to each of us to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1). So, watch this video and let's talk...

Rio Portrait - SBC 2011 from imb connecting on Vimeo.