FIRST QUARTER 2022
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #11
MARCH 12, 2022
“JESUS, AUTHOR AND PERFECTER OF OUR FAITH”

 

 

This week’s lesson focuses on Hebrews 10:35-39, Hebrews 11, and Hebrews 12:1-3. Of significance, Romans 1:17 is rightly included in the discussion of Jesus, the Author and Perfector of faith. Our memory text is, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2, NKJV. The marginal reference for author is originator, and the “our” is italicized, signifying that it is likely not in the oldest manuscripts. In fact, Young’s literal translation says, “looking to the author and perfector of faith - Jesus”.

 

We observe that when Paul presents justification by faith, a central aspect is the faith of Jesus. Jesus’ faith is the focus, the emphasis, the means of our salvation, and the faith of men in Christ is the purpose and the response. Two texts, Hebrews 10:37, 38, “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. ³⁸ Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” and Romans 1:16, 17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith,” are based on Habakkuk 2:4. Paul is using the Habakkuk text as the context for what he wants to communicate. Firstly, in first century Judaism Habakkuk 2:4 was already understood as a messianic prophecy which includes the death and resurrection of Jesus. Secondly, “the Just One” or the “Righteous One” was an established epithet for the eschatological deliverer. Here are a few texts that support this concept: Acts 32:14, 7:52, 22:14, 1 Peter 3:18, (echoing Isaiah 53:11), 1 John 2:1. Paul uses the Habakkuk citation to indicate that the Messiah is the Righteous One Who shall live by faith, whose faith becomes the means whereby others may live. Through Christ’s faith and faithfulness, we who are in Christ Jesus have access to God as a result of His victory at the cross. “Let this cup pass from Me”. The struggle is described in this passage from Ellen White: “Three times has He uttered that prayer. Three times has humanity shrunk from the last, crowning sacrifice. But now the history of the human race comes up before the world's Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to themselves, must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rise before Him. He beholds its impending fate, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself.” DA 690.3 The victory by faith is here described: “Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of His Father's acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him Whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission He committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father's favor was withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor.” DA 756.3. Our destiny was carried in the faith of Jesus!

 

It is no small point then, that in Hebrews 10: 37, 38 as Paul is about to introduce us to the hall of faith in Hebrews 11, he uses Habakkuk 2:4. He is speaking of Christ assuring us that He who is coming will come! He will not tarry! And in verse 38, the oldest manuscripts say, “My just one shall live by faith”. So, He is coming and will not tarry and He - the Just One will live by faith. Romans 1:16, 17, applying Habakkuk 2:4 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith”. This text tells us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful, dunamis, dynamite. It is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. Why? Because in it the righteousness of God is revealed, and it is revealed from faith to faith. The righteousness of God cannot be revealed by my faith or any other human faith. But in the text, we are not spectators, since the phrase states “from faith to faith”. If we put I Corinthians 1:18 together with Romans 1:16 we understand the power of this faith: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The gospel of Christ, is the message of the Cross, is the power of God. Richard B. Hays in his book “The Faith of Jesus Christ”, has an expression which has stuck with me for years: “The faith of Jesus is a concentric expression which begins always, from the faith of Christ Himself, but which includes necessarily, the answering faith of believers which claim that faith as their own”. Jesus Christ lived by faith; He was victorious by faith.

 

“The message that was given to the people in these meetings presented in clear lines not alone the commandments of God—a part of the third angel's message—but the faith of Jesus, which comprehends more than is generally supposed. And it will be well for the third angel's message to be proclaimed in all its parts, for the people need every jot and tittle of it. If we proclaim the commandments of God and leave the other half scarcely touched, the message is marred in our hands.” 16MR 227.1

 

“The soul-saving message, the third angel's message, is the message to be given to the world. The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are both important, immensely important, and must be given with equal force and power. The first part of the message has been dwelt upon mostly, the last part casually. The faith of Jesus is not comprehended. We must talk it, we must live it, we must pray it, and educate the people to bring this part of the message into their home life. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). 3SM 184.1

 

“The third angel's message is the proclamation of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ. The commandments of God have been proclaimed, but the faith of Jesus Christ has not been proclaimed by Seventh-day Adventists as of equal importance, the law and the gospel going hand in hand. I cannot find language to express this subject in its fullness. 3SM 172.2

 

“The faith of Jesus.” It is talked of, but not understood. What constitutes the faith of Jesus, that belongs to the third angel's message? Jesus becoming our sin-bearer that He might become our sin-pardoning Saviour. He was treated as we deserve to be treated. He came to our world and took our sins that we might take His righteousness. And faith in the ability of Christ to save us amply and fully and entirely is the faith of Jesus.” 3SM 172.3.

 

Hebrews chapter 11, describes those who have responded to the faith of Jesus claiming that faith as their own.

 

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God…..By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense…..By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him Who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he Who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.”

 

One exemplary Person is left off the list.

 

By faith Jesus Christ of Nazareth, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:6-8. By faith the Author of our salvation, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, “Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God….Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself.” Hebrews 12:2, 3. By faith, Jesus Christ stayed on the cross when tempted, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

 

“Could one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God. “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” Revelation 12:10. DA 761.1

 

Jesus’ faith was our salvation! He is the One Who makes faith possible and He is sitting now at the right hand of God the Father. In many places in Hebrews this wonderful assurance that our Saviour is at the right hand of the throne of God, or the Majesty on high or in the heavens gives us boldness to approach the throne of grace where we find grace and mercy and help in time of our need. Our faith is the response to His faith.

 

But there is a little bit more!

 

Hebrews 11:3 says, “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.” We have always said that He created “Ex Nihilo”. It is the case that God created all that is out of no preexistent matter. However, there is a beautiful concept here. I am not sure that ex-nihilo is present in the Hebrew construct. Hebrews 11:3 says that by faith we understand. We understand that the worlds were made by “the word of God”. The Genesis account says that, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Further, in the first chapter of Genesis we read “then God said”. “Then God said” occurs 8 times by my count. Could it be 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” recorded by Paul in Hebrews 11, speaks more to the idea that when God speaks, though His word is invisible it is creative. It is not nothing, it is powerful, it is creative, it is not nothing. Remember the phrase “When EF Hutton talks people listen”? When God speaks His invisible word, stuff happens. When we analyze Hebrews 11:3 we see a parallel structure. The quarterly provides this in the teacher’s notes and I find it helpful. A.) By faith we understand that the worlds, B.) were framed/prepared, C.) by the word of God, A’) so that what is seen, B’) was made not made of things, C’) which are invisible. A-A’, B-B’, C-C’, giving us:

 

the worlds - what is seen

were framed - were made

by the word of God - which is invisible.

 

How did Noah build an ark without there being any prior rain let alone a flood? What motivated Abraham to go and sacrifice his son? Speaking of Abraham, Romans 4:17 says: “Abraham, who is the father of us all ¹⁷ (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him Whom he believed—God, Who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;” He had not seen a resurrection but He believed the word of God that indeed He does call those things which do not exist as though they did, and  that He would make of him a great nation and that through him all the world would be blessed, that when He speaks you can take His word to the bank. The blessing would come through the Messiah. What motivated all the hall of faithers in Hebrews 11? God’s creative word was powerful for them all and they responded by faith in His creative word.

 

We all love the Chapter, “Creation or Evolution” in the wonderful book, “Lessons on Faith” by Waggoner and Jones. Here are some excerpts from A.T. Jones:

 

Now in Hebrews 11:3 it is recorded that it is through faith that we understand that the worlds were framed — put together, arranged, built — “by the word of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” The earth which we have was not made of rocks; men were not made of monkeys, apes, and “the missing link;” and apes and monkeys and “the missing link;” were not made of tadpoles; and tadpoles were not made of protoplasm originally away back at the beginning. No! “the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” ARSH February 21, 1899, page 116.10

 

Now why is it that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear? — Simply because the things of which these are made did not appear. And the reason those things did not appear is because they were not at all. They did not exist. The worlds were framed by the word of God; and the word of God is of that quality, it has that property about it, which, when the word is spoken, not only causes the thing to be, but causes to exist the material out of which the thing is made, and of which the thing consists. ARSH February 21, 1899, page 116.11

 

You know also the other scripture, that “by the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth; ... for He spake, and it was.” Psalm 33:6-9. Upon this I will ask you a question: How long after He spoke, before the things were? How much time passed, after He spoke, before the thing was? [Voice: “No time.”] Not a week? — No. Not six long periods of time? — No. Evolution, even that which recognizes a Creator, holds that indefinite countless ages, or “six long, indefinite periods of time,” passed in the formation of the things which are seen, after He spoke. But that is evolution, not creation: evolution is by long processes. Creation is by the word spoken. ARSH February 21, 1899, page 116.12

 

When God, by speaking the word, had created the worlds, for this one He said, “Let there be light.” Now how much time passed between the words, “Let there be light,” and the time when the light came? I want you to understand this matter aright, so that you can find out whether you are an evolutionist or a creationist. Let me ask this again. Were there not six long periods of time between the time when the word was spoken and the accomplishment of the fact? You say No. Was it not a week? — No. Not a day? — No. Not an hour? — No. Not a minute? — No. Nor even a second? — No, indeed. There was not a second between the time when God said, “Let there be light,” and the existence of the light. [Voice: “Just as soon as the word was spoken, the light was.”] Yes, that is the way it was. I go over it thus minutely, so as to get it firmly fixed in your mind, for fear you will let it go presently, when I ask you something further. Now is it settled that when God said, “Let there be light,” there was not a second of time between that and the shining of the light? [Voice: “Yes.”] All right.

 

MANY people have been longing and longing for a clean heart. They say: “I believe in the forgiveness of sin and all that, and I would take it all, if I was sure that I could hold out; but there is so much evil in my heart, and so many things to overcome, that I do not have any confidence.” But there stands the word, “Create in me a clean heart.” A clean heart comes by creation, and by no other means; and that creation is wrought by the word of God. ARSH March 7, 1899, page 146.1

 

How shall I be clean?—By the creative energy of that word, “Be ye clean.” Therefore, it is written, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” John 15:3. Are you? Will you from this moment be a creationist? or will you go on being an evolutionist? ARSH March 7, 1899, page 148.4

 

Another thing. The word says, “Be ye clean.” He said, back yonder, “Let there be light; and there was light.” He said to the leper, “Be thou clean;” and “immediately” he was clean. He says now to you, “be ye clean,” and what now? Every one of you — what do you say? [Voice: “It is so.”] Then for your soul’s sake put yourself upon that creative word. Recognize the creative energy in the word of God which comes to you in the Bible; for this word of God in the Bible is the same here to you today that it was when it spoke into space the worlds on high, and brought light out of darkness, and cleansing to the leper. That word spoken to you today, if received, creates you new in Christ Jesus, that word, spoken into the dark waste and void space of your heart, if received, produces there the light of God; that word spoken today to you, afflicted with the leprosy of sin, if received, immediately cleanses you. Let it. Let it. ARSH March 7, 1899, page 148.3

 

Listen: there will never be any good thing in you, of any kind whatever, from now till the world’s end, except it is created there by the Creator himself, by his word, which has in it the creative energy.

 

When He tells you that “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath ordained that we should walk in them,” then recognize the Creator, — recognize only the good works that are created in you, paying no attention whatever to any work that is not created there, because there is nothing good but what is created by the Lord. ARSH March 7, 1899, page 148.10.

 

The word of God has given us many promises in Scripture of His heart, work and attitude toward us. Philippians 1:6, 2 Corinthians 5:17, 18, Ephesians 2:4-10, Titus 2:11, 1 Timothy 4:10, John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and so many more but note carefully the last text.

 

“The faith of Jesus is a concentric expression which begins always, from the faith of Christ Himself, but which includes necessarily, the answering faith of believers which claim that faith as their own”. So, Paul asks us to look to Jesus, “the author/originator and finisher/perfector of faith.

 

May this be our experience

 

~Lyndi Schwartz