CLOUD OF WITNESSES
The word of God is literally filled with witnesses to God's
gracious provisions for their lives. I think especially of people like Joseph,
Esther and Daniel. It does not take a Bible scholar to understand God's
providence in lives of these people. The book of Hebrews takes note of the
great blessings God had bestowed on his faithful servants who were witnesses to
his goodness. The author of this book affirms: "Wherefore seeing we are
compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every
weight, and the sin that does easily beset us, and let us run with patience the
race that is set before us, 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb.
12:1-2).
Who constituted that "great cloud of witnesses?"
If you listened carefully, you noticed that the author of Hebrews begins his
introduction to this section of his book with the word "therefore."
The "great cloud witnesses" were the people he had discussed in
chapter 11 - the greatest chapter in the Bible on faith. Each of the witnesses
in chapter 11 is introduced with the prepositional phrase, "by faith."
For example, "By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing
of children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones" (Heb.
11:22).
The long list of witnesses in Hebrews 11 was provided so we
could know what constitutes the kind of faith that has God's approval. The
inspired author introduces the list of witnesses by giving us insight into what
faith is. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we
understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things that
are seen were not made by things that do appear" (Heb. 11: 13). I ask you
to take careful notice of what the faith of these witnesses led them to do. Is
it possible to read the accounts of the lives and conduct of these witnesses
and still embrace the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone?
The list of the witnesses begins with the story of Abel.
"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by
which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts;
and by it he being dead yet speaks" (Heb. 11:4). There is not the
slightest doubt Abel's offering was more excellent than that of Cain because it
was offered in harmony with God's specific instructions. Had not God told Cain
and Abel what to offer, their offerings would have been of their own choosing.
But since "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"
(Rom. 10: 17), we know God had told them what to offer.
Can we learn from the lives of Cain and Abel that we must
do exactly what God says in the way he says do it? From a purely human
viewpoint, I cannot understand why Abel's offering was acceptable and Cain's
was not? What makes the "fruit of the ground" inferior to "the
firstlings of the flock and the fat thereof?" God had his reasons for his
demands on Cain and Abel. There was no confusion on their part about God's
requirements. Abel lived by faith in God's word. Cain did that which was right
in his own eyes.
Apparently Enoch, the son of Jared and the father of
Methuselah, was one of the best men who ever lived. The book of Genesis says
concerning him: "Enoch walked with God: and was not; for God took
him" (Gen. 5:24). The author of Hebrews adds: "By faith Enoch was
translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had
translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he
pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he who comes
to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who
diligently seek him" (Heb. 11:5-6).
The sacred text does not tell us what Enoch did to please
God. The book of Ecclesiastes summarizes what it means to walk with God.
"Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12:13). We cannot
doubt Enoch did exactly what God wanted him to do, although the Bible does not
provide the specifics of his life. The Apostle John totally agrees with
Ecclesiastes. "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we
love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep
his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (or burdensome)"
(1 John 5:2-3). Faith demands that we keep God's commandments.
The patriarch Noah lived and labored under extremely
difficult circumstances. "And God saw that the wickedness of man was great
on the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was evil
continually.... But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Gen. 6:5,
8). God's command to Noah to build an ark must have seemed strange. "By
faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear,
prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the
world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb.
11:7).
If one really wants to know the kind of faith that saves,
he cannot overlook the action verbs in the accounts of the lives of men like
Abel, Enoch and Noah. "Abel offered.... Enoch walked with God.... Noah
moved with fear, prepared an ark." We know God would not have accepted
Abel's offering has it not been according to the Lord's instructions. Enoch was
translated because his faith led him to walk with God. How could he walk with
God had he not been in total agreement with God? Would God have saved Noah and
his family had he not "moved with fear" and "prepared the
ark?"
Both testaments speak very highly of Abraham. When I speak
of the grave responsibilities of parenting, I often refer to what God himself
said about Abraham. "And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that
thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation,
and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that
he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep
the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that I may bring upon Abraham
that which he has spoken of him" (Gen. 18:17-19).
The author of Hebrews says concerning this great man:
"By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place that he
should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out not knowing
where he was going" (Heb.11:8). The main clause of that sentence is simple
and powerful. "By faith Abraham ... obeyed." Can you honestly
describe Abraham's faith as of the faith alone variety? God told Abraham to go
and he went.
Some theologians believe the book of Romans teaches
salvation by faith alone. They often quote this verse: "For what says the
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness" (Rom. 4:3). If Paul means Abraham was counted righteous by
faith alone, both Hebrews and James must be revised. Hebrews affirms that Abraham
obeyed (Heb. 11:8). James asks three questions about Abraham. "But will
you know, a vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham
our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the
altar? Do you see how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made
perfect?" Now please notice James' conclusion. "And the scripture was
fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed (or counted)
unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. You see then
how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (Jas.
2:20-24).
We know from the sacred page why Abraham was willing to
leave his home, his wealth, and his family and go where God sent him. "By
faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in
tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for
he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is
God" (Heb. 11:9-10). By faith Abraham looked beyond this world to a heavenly
home. If that were not the case, nothing he did would make sense.
Sarah is the only woman in this cloud of witnesses. The
King James Version reads: "Through faith also Sarah herself received
strength to conceive seed." The Greek says, "By faith Sarah herself
received strength to conceive seed." I suppose the King James translators
simply want to introduce variety. "By faith also Sarah herself received
strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age,
because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even
of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude,
and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith,
not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were
persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers
and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that
they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from
whence they came, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now
they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city" (Heb.
11: 11-16).
When Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees and wandered wherever
God directed him, he had to have had great faith in God's word. But in my
opinion, he had to have even greater faith when God instructed him to offer
Isaac as a sacrifice to God. "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered
up Isaac; and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten
son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall your seed be called: accounting
that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; which whence also he received
him in a figure" (Heb. 11: 17-19).
If I had been in Abraham's shoes, I suspect I would have
found many excuses for not following God's instructions. Molly and I were
blessed with two sons. How could I offer one of our sons? Is it possible this
old man grieved because God's command that he offer the son of promise? If
Abraham had any misgivings about God's command, the sacred record says nothing
about them. If you can find the doctrine of faith only in this incident in the
life of Abraham, I would love to see how you do it.
I shall skip over what Hebrews says about Isaac, Jacob and
Joseph and examine briefly what the book says about Moses. "By faith
Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they
saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king' s commandment.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of
Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of
God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the
recompense of reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the
king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through 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:
which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned" (Heb.11: 23-29).
A simple reading of these verses should prove to any honest
person the absolute necessity of doing what God requires. What if Moses had
failed to choose to suffer affliction with the people of God? What if he and
the other leaders in the nation of Israel had failed to sprinkle blood on the
door posts of their houses? Do you honestly believe they would have been
blessed? For all the faithful children of God I have mentioned, doing the will
of God was not optional. They had to obey the Lord in every detail.
The author of Hebrews would like to have mentioned some of
the other witnesses to God's goodness. He asked: "What shall I say
more?" He then explained: "For time will fail me to tell of Gideon,
and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jepthah; of David also, and Samuel, and of
the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness,
obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant
in fight, turned to flight the armies of aliens. Women received their dead
raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that
they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings
and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they
were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about
in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom
the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in
dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report
through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing
for us; that they without us should not be perfect" (Heb.11:32-40).
What was the Holy Spirit's purpose in recording the
testimony of this "great cloud of witnesses?" The Apostle Paul
explains why the New Testament includes a great amount of historical
information. In his letter to the church of our Lord in Rome, he wrote:
"We then who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not
to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to
edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but as it is written, The
reproaches of them who reproached thee fell on me." Please listen.
"For whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning,
that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope"
(Rom. 15: 1-4). Paul used similar language in 1 Corinthians. After recording
some historical information about the ancient Israelites, Paul told the
Corinthians: "Now these things are our examples, to the intent we should
not lust after evil things, as they also lusted .... Now all these things
happened unto them for examples; and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the end of worlds have come" (1 Cor. 10:6, 11).
What are some of the lessons we should learn from the lives
of men like Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and others? How can we fail to
learn two lessons: We must believe God's word and do what he says? All of the
persons included in the "great cloud of witnesses" lived by faith.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he who comes to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them who diligently seek
him" (Heb. 11:6). Faith in God, in his Son and in his word is the
foundation of our relationship to God.
As absolutely essential as faith is, not one of the
faithful people listed in Hebrews 11 or elsewhere in the scriptures lived by
faith alone. So what does that fact teach about the new covenant? Our faith
must lead us to obey the gospel or else our faith is dead (Jas. 2:17,24). The
book of Romans lays great stress on obedience. Paul uses the expression,
"the obedience of faith," two times (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). In his
outstanding set of books, Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Nashville: Broadman, 1931), Dr. A. T. Robertson, former Professor of
New Testament Interpretation in the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in
Louisville, says the expression, "the obedience of faith," means
"obedience which springs from faith" (volume 4, p. 324). Could we
have true faith if obedience does not spring from it?
Paul asked the Romans: "Do you not know, that to whom
you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servant you are to whom you obey,
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be
thanked that you were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered unto you. Being then made free from sin,
you became the servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:16-18).
The book of Acts provides a number of examples of men's and
women's obedience to the gospel. Is there any doubt in your mind that Saul of
Tarsus who later became the Apostle Paul truly believed in the Lord? Is there
not an abundance of evidence that he repented of the wrongs he had committed?
But his faith and repentance did not save him. God sent Ananias, a faithful
gospel preacher, to tell him: "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your
sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). If you not a
Christian, will you not this very day obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Winford Claiborne
The International Gospel Hour
P.O. Box 118
Fayetteville, TN 37334