Sermons

The author defines faith as two conditions with two results: (1) a heart condition that stands under, supports, and results in hope and (2) a heart condition so convinced of unseen divine reality that it results in actions based on that conviction. The author proceeds with a series of examples from Old Testament saints to show what faith looks like in real life in order to persuade the readers away from apostatizing back to their former Jewish lifestyle of ritual. These examples culminate in Jesus who is the perfect example of faith as well as its perfecter.

Faith is disclosed as a heart condition that stands under, supports, and results in hope. It is a heart condition so convinced of unseen Divine reality that it results in actions based on that conviction. The author proceeds with a series of examples from Old Testament saints to show what faith looks like in real life in order to persuade the readers away from apostatizing back into their former Jewish lifestyle of ritual. These examples culminate in Jesus who is the perfect example of faith as well as its perfecter.

The author began a discourse on the perseverance of faith in the face of persecution in order to persuade the readers away from apostasy; in their case, relapsing into the habits and rituals of their former Jewish lifestyle. He brings faith to the fore by attaching it to earlier discussions about spiritual realities that are shadowed by the physical rituals in the Old Testament. Having called the readers to remain firm in Christ in the face of persecution, he now re∙collects testimony from past disciples of faith.