Galatians 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

II Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

II Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

MEMORY VERSE: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and has professed a good profession before many witnesses. —I Timothy 6:12

CENTRAL THOUGHT: From the beginning, God’s people have been people of faith— faith in an unseen God and what He could do for them. They are justified and sanctified through faith in Jesus’ blood; they walk by faith, fight a fight of faith, are joined to one another by the same spirit of faith, and endure unto the end by a strong faith that works by love, is anchored by hope, sees the eternal, and grasps the promises.

WORD DEFINITIONS

Hebrews 10:38 “The just shall live by faith”: a quotation from Habakkuk 2:4 which states, “The just shall live by his faith [faithfulness].”

Hebrews 10:39 “We are not of them who draw back”: shrink back; slink away and hide through fear. “We are not the cowards but the courageous” (Clarke’s Commentary). “Perdition”: eternal destruction; ruin; loss.

Hebrews 11:1 “Substance”: a setting under; literally, a substructure; foundation; something concrete and substantial. Figuratively, confidence; assurance. “Evidence”: persuasion; proof. “That by which a thing is proved and tested” (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).

II Corinthians 5:7 “Sight”: visible form, shape or appearance.

II Corinthians 4:13 “The same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed…”: a quotation from Psalm 116:10

II Corinthians 4:16 “Faint”: lose heart; be weak and weary.

LESSON BACKGROUND

Both the fourth chapter of Romans and the third chapter of Galatians speak of the faith of Abraham, calling him the “father” of those who now believe in Christ, and us his “seed,” or children. In an interesting connecting thought especially for women, the chaste, godly, believing woman is said to be a “daughter” of Sarah, Abraham’s wife (I Peter 3:1-8). The ancient holy women who trusted in God, it says, adorned themselves with a meek and quiet spirit, being in subjection to their own husbands. This was a vital part of their faith! In the context, the list of related characteristics includes modesty, reverence, benevolence, courage, compassion, brotherly love, pity on the needy and humility.

The tenth chapter of Hebrews speaks of the blessedness of God putting His laws within the hearts and minds of His people and includes a stern warning not to forsake assembling with the saints, sin wilfully, or be spiteful to the Spirit of grace. Rather, he says, they were to remember their beginning persecutions and sufferings and not cast away their confidence or draw back in unbelief.

In the next chapter he describes the ingredient that was of utmost importance—faith. This is what we see time and time again—they were convinced of the reality and existence of God, and when they called diligently on Him, He would answer and deliver. They backed up their profession of faith by trustful obedience.

In II Corinthians we see the theme of faith again. This “spirit of faith” that the saints of old possessed caused them to endure because they “saw” something and made a courageous confession. We also “see” the invisible, and that vision gives us the strength and courage to go through our trials.

Consider how this quality of faith that believes and endures through the strength of the unseen is directly connected with the pilgrim-and-stranger mindset. A person who very much belongs to this world is unable to see the eternal realities or be a true person of faith.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

DISCUSSION:

1. Which two passages explain how believers in Christ are Abraham’s children?
2. When the Hebrews writer says, “The just shall live by faith,” where is the source of his quote?
3. What does “draw back” mean?
4. Explain how being a pilgrim and a stranger is linked to being a person of faith.
5. How may saints today have the same “spirit of faith” as those in Bible times?

COMMENTS AND APPLICATION

I love the composite picture of a faith-filled saint that comes to light through the different scriptures in our lesson. It is truly the first mark of a true saint of God that he or she is a person who has faith in the shed blood of Christ alone for salvation, and not in religious rituals, creeds or good works. We see how the pilgrim of Jesus who does not fit in with the world is the visionary who sees eternal things. We see how the patient sufferer, who for the inheritance he receives by faith, endures affliction without fainting, seeks God diligently and does not shrink through fear nor lag behind through slothfulness.

Let us be encouraged to be that son of Abraham, who is strong in faith and does not stagger at the promises of God. Let us be that daughter of Sarah, who through faith is meekly quiet and submissive to her husband, not adorning herself with worldly adornments but is chaste, reverent and courageous.

Let us live and walk by faith in God alone for our salvation, our sanctification, our healing, and our daily strength. May we ever fight the good fight of faith when we are in persecution, affliction or temptation.

—Sis. Angela Gellenbeck

Mary Lounds
August 4, 1924 — October 8 1982

When Mary Lounds was a child, as she was playing, she was accidently hit on the side of the head with a ball. That area grew extensively over the next forty-plus years into a growth comparable in size to that of her head. Although she was afflicted her entire adult life, she possessed a sweet and caring disposition, a mild manner, and a strong faith in God.

As a child and young adult, I traveled with her to various camp meetings and marveled at her faith, tenacity, and cheerfulness. I don’t ever remember her complaining about her lot in life or feeling sorry for herself; rather, she was quite productive and always helping others. Aunt Mary (my father’s sister) had many talents but two stood out to me: singing and sewing. Considering that she had no musical training and was deaf in one ear, she had a beautiful voice that she used to honor and glorify God. She led congregational singing and often sang solos. When I visited her home she was either singing or listening to gospel hymns. Her other unique talent was being a master seamstress. She was well known for her talent of fitting garments and excellent detail work. Her skills were in much demand by family, saints and friends.

Since Aunt Mary’s affliction was with her 24/7, it affected all facets of her life. Every time she ventured out of the house, she received stares from both children and adults alike. At night she was only able to rest in one position, and during the day she suffered undue pressure on her neck and back, especially while sewing. However, the unwanted attention, the constant strain on the neck and back, the deafness in one ear, and other limitations never diminished Aunt Mary’s love and faith in God.

She believed in God’s love, promises, faithfulness, and the power of prayer. As a result God’s mercy sustained her until she was able to claim the promise given in Revelation 2:10, “…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Aunt Mary kept the faith and got the crown.

—Sis. Gertrude Lounds