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Original Post:
10/22/2002
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Studies Page
Shalom
to you,
Wellsprings of Torah, www.TorahWellsprings.org
Rick Wills - Messianic Elder,
Mishareth@TorahWellsprings.org
Faith
by Rick Wills
Faith... what is
faith? Who has it? What does it look like?
Perhaps is better
understood as a verb, or as an action. Faith, therefore, is observable. In the Book
of Hebrews (Evrim), in the Chadasha (New Testament), it says...
11:1, Now faith is assurance of
things hoped for, proof of things not seen.
The word for
faith is Emunah. It is similar to the word, Emeinoth, which means “believing.”
Both come from the word, Omein (Amen), which we all say when we are closing our
prayers.
Sometimes, when
we hear someone say, “You need to have more faith,” we feel like we should be
able buy it at a grocery store or super market. And you wonder, "What are they
talking about?"
But Omein, the
root form of Emunah (faith), means “I will go with you ... or I agree with you.”
That is how you are closing your prayers. You are telling the Lord you will
“walk as he walks.” And, going with, or walking with, the Lord is an action that
is clearly observable by others...
11:2 For by this, the elders
obtained testimony ... (because their actions were observable.)
11:3 By faith (by Emunah), we understand that the universe has been framed
by the word of God, and that what is seen has not been made out of things
which are visible.
Why? Because our
obvious Emunah demonstrates that our lives are changing at his instruction. So
we understand that the world has developed by Emunah ... to his desires. His
instructions are not apparent to everyone, but our actions are observable ...
11:4 By faith, Hevel (Abel)
offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Kayin (Cain), through which
he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness
with respect to his gifts... and through it he, though being dead, is still
speaking.
That is what is
produced by Emunah. Words that never expire. Actions that are still observable.
Hevel’s agreement with God, though he soon after was murdered, still lives.
11:5 By faith, Chanokh (Enoch)
was taken away, so that he wouldn't see death, and he was not found, because
God translated him. For he has had testimony given to him that before his
translation he had been pleasing to God.
11:6 Without faith it is impossible to be pleasing to him, for he who
comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those
who seek him.
By this we
understand that Emunah (faith) is a labor that even God needs to see before he
can give us what we need. God may want things for us, but Emunah is still a work
that must be active. When God had finished forming the earth and heavens ... he
stopped to discover this Emunah. For it says,
"That in it he ceased all his
labors, with which he was creating as Elohim, for... it's own labors."
The last word,
La-asoth, "for labors" ... those labors are Emunah (faithfulness).
Verses 7 through 40 outline a history of faithful actions by
people of Emunah. None of those things happened by getting something from a
grocery or hardware store. These things happened through the slow process of
faithful souls laboring with Emunah.
But isn’t there
anything in a super market that will demonstrate Emunah? Can’t I buy a shirt?
No. Emunah is tying tzitzith (tassels) on a cornered garment because Torah tells
you to do it.
Isn’t there something at a grocery store that demonstrates
Emunah? Can I buy a lamb? Partly, but Emunah would also be not buying something.
Not buying pork or shrimp, because Torah tells you to not eat those things.
Emunah (faith) is Laboring in agreement with God’s
instructions, and laboring with the belief you will be rewarded because of it.
So Emunah is needed, and it is not simply belief.
Then Emunah is
too hard to do. I can’t live with such restraints to my lifestyle. The truth is
that people are murdered, as Hevel (Abel) was murdered, because of Emunah. Faith
is not something you psych yourself up to have ... its power is in a slow and
constant walk with God.
12:1 Therefore let us also,
seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every
weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us,
12:2 looking to Yeshua, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured (death by) the cross, despising (refusing
its) shame, and has (by it) sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
From reading the
Khadasha (New Testament), I understand that having Emunah (faith) is to know
that you are never alone. And when you do your works with Emunah, God is always
watching ... in order to reward your actions. This is what it means ... “He
neither slumbers, nor sleeps, as he watches Yisroel (Israel).”
Our labors ... not our beliefs ... are Emunah.
Our labors are why God stopped after creation ... in order to
see what we will do.
“He neither slumbers, nor sleeps, as he watches Yisroel
(Israel).”
Baruch Hashem.
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