And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises…” vss. 32-33
Hebrews 11:29-40
The writer of Hebrews believed that all the heroes and heroines of Israel had lived by faith, just as had the ancestors of them all, Abraham and Sarah. It was a proud history. Yet even though those people had been commended for their faith, none of them had yet received the perfection of their faith. They too were dependent on Jesus, the one who had been raised up from the dead and who now lived in glory. That provides an answer for the question that many have asked about the nature of salvation: can those who have not known Jesus receive new life in him? The passage makes the answer clear. The new life in Christ is for all people of all times, not just those who believe in Jesus or who have committed their lives to him. That’s hard to comprehend, and some may disagree, but it remains a powerful testimony to the unconditional love of God and the extravagant mercy contained in the gospel. Sometimes things are just too wonderful for our little minds to understand. But if there’s hope for Rahab the prostitute and David the adulterer, there’s obviously hope for us as well.
Thought for the Day: What is my faith leading me to do?
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