Hall of Faith Part 2

At Trinity Baptist Church, we are doing our summer study entitled "The Hall of Faith: God's Faithfulness in the Lives of Faithful People."  There are several different people teaching throughout the summer.  I had the privilege of teaching three of the first four lessons.   

This is the post about the most recent lesson I taught in this series.

Here is the other post from the other lessons: https://drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2026/06/hall-of-faith-part-1.html

Before getting into Sarah's faith, here is a spiritual discipline/prayer help.  

Pray prayers from the Bible.  There are two different ways to pray prayers from the Bible.  First,  pray what the Psalmists write, pray the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray, and pray the prayers Paul and other epistle writers prayed.  The second way to pray prayers from the Bible is to pray from a Bible-saturated, God-glorifying, people-loving heart.  This is what I was praying for this week.  In studying and thinking about the faith of Sarah, I prayed for couples who haven't been able to have children, for those who have adopted children, and for those who need an extra measure of faith right now because of challenging life circumstances.

 

Now back to this week's lesson on Hebrews 11:11.  "And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise faithful."

The Bible is very open about its heroes' shortcomings and sins.  Sarah, this week's person of faith, is a good example of a not-so-great example, but she appears in this Hall of Faith.  Why is she here?

This week's passage makes it clear.  She is faithful "because she considered [God] faithful who had made the promise faithful."  Sarah knew that the promise-making God was also the promise-keeping God.

Now, before moving on, consider a couple of low points in Sarah and Abraham's faith story.  First of all, because of fear, Abraham gave his wife to other men twice, to Pharaoh in Genesis 12:10 - 20 and to Abimelech in Genesis 20:1 - 18.  In both of these instances, Abraham told his wife to lie, and he gave her to other men because he feared death.  He did this not once, but twice.  Another low-point, lack-of-faith example was Sarah's plan to give Abraham a son.  The plan would result in a son, but it was not the way God intended.  Sarah gave her husband her servant woman, Hagar, so that they would "obtain children through her."  Abraham giving Sarah to foreign rulers for protection and Sarah giving a servant woman to Abraham for children are not great examples of faith.  God's plan done my way doesn't equal God's plan.  Consider this Hudson Taylor quote: "God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply."

Another not-so-great example of Sarah's lack of faith appears in Genesis 18:9-15.  When Sarah heard the LORD say, "Sarah, your wife shall have a son," she laughed to herself, then denied laughing.  God proved himself faithful to His promise, and Sarah recognized this by saying, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."  God did such an amazing thing that people would laugh when they heard the story of the woman who was unable to have a child and then had a baby boy.  

 

God spoke a promise to Sarah and Abraham, and from that promise came life.

Now, let's look at Hebrews 11:3.  "By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."  God created the universe and life by His word.  

God's word is powerful and true.  He is incomparably faithful.  His plans stand firm forever (Psalm 33:11).  In The Blessed and Boundless God, George Swinnock writes the following about God's faithfulness.  

At times, lying arises from forgetfulness; some people break their word because their memories are poor.  But God never forgets.  At times, lying arises from weakness; some people want to keep their promises, but they lack the ability to do so because their circumstances have changed. But God never changes.  At times, lying arises from wickedness; some people are able to keep their word, but they refuse to do so.  But God never breaks a promise.  He cannot be accused of wickedness:  'There is no unrighteousness in him' (Psalm 92:15). 

With all of Sarah's missteps, mistakes, & sins, why is she in Hebrews 11?

Because she had faith in God, who is amazingly always faithful.

Looking back over your life, think about how God and His faithfulness are seen in it.
Seen in amazing, and sometimes hilariously laughable ways.  

As we fix our eyes on Jesus and continue on in this life, remember He is faithful no matter what your circumstances are.

Sarah and Abraham were far from perfect. Remember, it is not about the people in Hebrews 11.  It is about our faithful God - his perfection, his promises, his provisions, and more.

Hall of Faith Part 1

TBC's Summer ACE combined study is The Hall of Faith: God's Faithfulness in the Lives of Faithful People.

“Hebrews 11 is a reminder from Old Testament history of how God has enabled his people down the centuries to endure by faith in Him.”  (Faith for Life, Richard Coekin)

In the introduction lesson (May 31), we looked at Hebrews 10:39 - 11:3

But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

For by it the men of old gained approval. 

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 

Children of God, we need to remember that our faith is not optimism, bootstrap positive thinking, a hunch, sentimentality, merely faith in faith, or a feeling.

Our faith is the following... 

According to Hebrews 10:39, faith is soul protection.  It preserves the soul.

According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is filled with "future certitude" and "visual certitude."

It gives us certainty of the things hoped for in Christ - the future. It reminds us that God is always working in, through, and around us even when we cannot see what He is doing - now.

According to Hebrews 11:2, faith is how we are saved.

Faith is not simply one way to please God.  It is the only way to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

Hebrews 11:3 enables us to understand how God created the world.

During the second week of the Hall of Faith class (June 7), we looked at Abel (Hebrews 11:4) and Enoch (Hebrews 11:5).

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.  And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him.  Now, before he was taken, he was commended as having pleased God.

Both of these men were commended by God.  Abel was commended for an acceptable gift, an act of worship.  Enoch was commended for a life of faith.  

ABEL

Abel's story, actually Cain's story in which Abel plays a role, is first found in Genesis 4.  Abel brought an acceptable offering to the LORD, but Cain did not; he became very angry and murdered his brother.  Abel's faithful act of worship resulted in God's approval and his murder by Cain.

ENOCH

Enoch's story is not much of a story.  It is four verses in a genealogy.  Verse 24 has a clear statement, "Enoch walked faithfully with God," and a cryptic result, "then he was no more, because God took him away."  Enoch's faithful life resulted in his being taken away by God.  

REMEMBER

Quote related to Abel - “Let us ensure that our sacrifices are not merely religious bribes but motivated by a personal and loving faith in God.”  Coekin

Quote related to Enoch - “My greatest spiritual challenge is rarely adversity.  Usually it is consistency.”  Lockwood

The Problem of Evil of Suffering

The problem of evil and suffering in the world is a big problem.  So a 50-minute lesson was definitely NOT going to solve this problem.  

My goal in the class was not to provide answers to every specific example of evil and suffering.  It was to help believers strengthen their understanding of who God is and how God works so we can be more compassionate (loving) and truthful (confident) in our responses to questions about pain and suffering.

Ronald Nash, in Faith and Reason, writes, "Every philosopher I know believes the most serious challenge to theism is, was, and will continue to be the problem of evil."

Randy Newman, in Questioning Evangelism, writes, "The so-called problem of evil has always been a difficult question for Christians.  Our critics have called it the Achilles ' heel of our faith."

The difficulty and challenge of the question should not make us avoid wrestling with the issue.  In the same chapter, Newman goes on to write, "The truth is, we don't have an adequate answer for the problem of evil.  No one does. We simply must have the honesty to admit it." (103)

In this post, I hope to clarify why this truth - we don't have an adequate answer for the problem of evil - is so hard and so glorious.  

One of the challenges with this question is that there are two types of conversations people have about the problem of evil.  The first is a logical, philosophical conversation. Laying out facts and points for each of the different arguments.  

The second is so much more personal and experiential.  The person in the midst of suffering and asking questions needs more than a step-by-step thought process.

We are going to look at Job 38 - 41, Romans 11:33-36, and Hebrews 11.

But let's first consider the question 

What are evil and suffering?

The question itself points to the fact that there is a good, intended way life is supposed to be.  How do you know what is evil?  By knowing what is good.  How do you know what suffering is?  By knowing there is a way that would be better than the suffering.   In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis writes, "My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust, but how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust?  A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.  What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?"

Evil and suffering occur because things in this world are broken.  Consider this: the Creator's creation has been corrupted by sin.  

This corruption can be seen at the moral level (sins committed by one person against another), natural level (original sin in all of mankind and suffering caused by natural disasters), and the supernatural level.  

 

What is the problem of evil?

The problem people have with evil and suffering exists because God is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing (omniscient), and all-good (omnibenevolent). 

Here, Alvin Plantinga introduced the theistic set, a set of propositions, to think about the problem of evil.  Here is the set.

1. God exists.
2. God is omnipotent (all-powerful).
3. God is omniscient (all-knowing).
4. God is omnibenevolent (all-good).
5. God created the world.
6. The world contains evil.

Where is the contradiction?

Is it in God's omnipotence, #2? He should be able to deliver his people from evil and suffering.
Is it in God's omniscience, #3? He should know how to deliver his people from evil and suffering.

Is it in God's omnibenevolence, #4? He should want to deliver his people from evil and suffering.

Nash addresses two different forms of the problem.  

Because there is evil in this world, the logical conclusion seems to be that this all-powerful, all-knowing, all-good God doesn't exist.  This is the deductive problem of evil.

Because there is evil in this world, there is rational support for atheism.  Therefore, the existence of God is rationally improbable.

So, how do we address the problem of evil?

What is theodicy?

There are a couple of very similar possible definitions of the word "theodicy."  

One definition is "a justification of the ways of God in his dealings with men."  (TGC). 

Another possible definition is "a defense of God's righteousness in light of the reality that evil exists in the universe He created." (GTY)

Keep both of these definitions in mind as we continue to address the problem of evil.

There are many types of theodicies.  Here is the list with no explanation, but you can read more about these at TGC and GTY.

• Free Will Theodicy
• Natural Law Theodicy
• Soul Making Theodicy
• eschatological Theodicy
• Finite God Theodicy

In studying this question and thinking about theodicy, I was struck by the idea of justifying God's ways and defending God's righteousness.  What does it mean to defend God and His ways?

I am reminded of David in 1st Samuel 17.

Goliath has been coming out and defying God's people.  No one stands up to this giant. In verse 32, David says he "will go and fight [Goliath]."  David's going and fighting rests not in his strength but in God's hand (vv. 34 - 37).  He tells Saul, "The LORD who rescued me... will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine."  He proclaims to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.  This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands."

David's defense of God was not based on God's weakness and need for someone to do something for Him.

David's defense of God was based on God's greatness and David's desire to make that known.  

Apologetics is not finding the right thing to say to someone so they agree with your beliefs about God.  

1 Peter 3:15 apologetics is about making much of our great God, no matter what the circumstances.  It is sharing the hope you have in Christ in a winsome way.

Why is there evil and suffering in this world?

 

"Our response to the problem of evil, then, may take either of two approaches. We may argue that the second premise above is false and seek to demonstrate that it is false by showing God’s reasons for permitting evil – the way of “theodicy.” Or we could argue that the second premise is unproven because unbelievers can’t rule out God’s having a good reason for permitting evil – the way of 'inscrutability.'” (John MacArthur)

Inscrutability

Romans 11

Mystery/Inscrutability/ Submission:

Holds that the reasons for suffering are beyond human comprehension and must be accepted as a mystery of God’s sovereignty.

definition of inscrutability

the quality or state of being inscrutable

not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood : mysterious

 

The Gospel Coalition

"The way of inscrutability argues, more modestly, that no one knows that premise (2) is true because no one can know enough to conclude that God doesn’t have good reason for permitting evil. We just cannot grasp God’s knowledge, the complexity of his plans, or the deep nature of the good he aims at in providence. And there is no proof that God does not have good reasons for allowing evil, but because he is good, we can only assume that he does. 

Here, we don’t have to come up with ‘theodicies’ to defend God against the problem of evil. Rather, the way of inscrutability shows that it is entirely to be expected that creatures like us can’t come up with God’s reasons, given who God is and who we are."

Some verses that show this inscrutability are

God's question-filled answer to Job in Job 38 - 41

Paul's doxology in Romans 11:33-36

The big truth and Godward examples in Hebrews 11.

Church Hurt

 Three questions

1. What is the church?
2. What is church hurt?
3. What do I need to do now?

Before thinking about church hurt, we must think about the question...
what is the church?

The Bible uses images like the body (1 Corinthians 12:12 - 31), the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22 - 24), and the family (1 Timothy 3:15).  Each of these images reference the importance of relationship.  Relationship with God and relationships with other believers. Ephesians 4:11 - 16 builds upon the reality of relationships as Paul writes about building one another up, "until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God," growing up together into Jesus Christ as a body grows. 

The following statement is on tbcgr.org, our church website.

The church was not designed for your entertainment and consumption.  It is meant for the glorification of God (worship of God) and the edification of believers (building one another up).

"A group of Christians who assemble as an earthly embassy of Christ's heavenly kingdom to affirm one another as his citizens through ordinances, to proclaim the good news and commands of Christ, to display God's own holiness, and love through a unified and diverse people in all the world, following the teaching and example of [godly] elders."  Rediscover the Church

Now that we have a better understanding of what the church is, let's look at the next question what is church hurt?  

Church hurt is "pain that happens in the context of spiritual community through pastors, leaders, members, systems, and even theology used and applied wrong."  As it is talked about today, church hurt could be anything from unmet expectations to physical abuse and everything in between.

There are at least two things that make church hurt especially hard.  

1. The church needs to be working glorifying God more and more and church hurt isn't church members glorifying God.
2. Deep personal relationships that are broken cause pain.  "The closer the relationship, the greater the potential not only for joy but also for sorrow."  Donald Miller, What if I've Been Hurt by My Church?

A difficult but important lesson to learn about growth is that it happens in the midst of pain and hurt.  God uses suffering and hard relationships to help us grow spiritually.

Often, but not always, church hurt is rooted in disillusionment. 

Someone begins attending a church to make friends, but it doesn't happen.
A person whom you trusted to do the right thing didn't do the right thing.
The church should be a safe place, and yet you read about, or even have experienced, physical or sexual abuse at a church.
And there are many other examples.

Final what do I need to do to fight against church hurt in my life and in the lives of others.

• Resist the temptation to turn disappointment into opportunities for sin.
• Prepare for inevitable hurt.
• Be sure to fight against bitterness and church hurt in your life.

In Praying with Paul D.A. Carson writes...

"There is no prayer for others more fundamental this:  that God might strengthen their hearts so that they will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father on the last day."

Such A Great Salvation

This post is not meant to be an exhaustive, complete explanation of the gospel. It is a presentation of what was discussed in the Fight for the Faith class I taught on April 26 and May 3 at Trinity Baptist Church.

What is being deconstructed?

Faith.  

In today's world, faith is often more about personal preference.  This is evidence in the use of the phrase "your truth."  
Biblical faith is rooted in facts that are believed and trusted.  It is true no matter what one believes or feels about it.  Your personal faith needs to match the faith in the Bible.

The two topics 

total depravity and election.  

Our discussion on these topics went through several big words before discussing these two terms.  These word are theology (proper), anthropology, aseity, and soteriology.

Theology (proper) answers the question "who is God?"  God is creator, sustainer, and holy.  There is so much more that can be included in this answer, but for our study, we will focus on these three descriptions.  Anthropology answers the question "who is man?"  Man is created, needy from the beginning, a sinner in need of a savior.

There are connections with these words.  Creator and created.  Sustainer and Needy.  Holy and Sinner.  We need to understand that man's identity depends on God.  God's being is independent of us.  This deals with the concept of God's aseity - His self-existence and independence.  This is a key part of aseity, but there is more than independence.  "God is independent because he is the fullness of life" (Samuel Parkinson, 4 Reasons to Love God's Aseity.  Here is a podcast that explains this doctrine a little more - The Forgotten Yet Foundational Doctrine of Aseity

So, God is the one who gives life, and man needs God.

Soteriology answers the question "what is salvation?" Salvation is the decisive work of God through Christ Jesus to bring the sinner from sin and death into a right relationship with God.  HERE is a "Look at the Book" video by John Piper on Ephesians 2:4-7 that explains the decisive work of God in salvation.  This leads us to two important terms that have been debated for centuries.

The first term is total depravity.  Total Depravity is often wrongly thought to mean committing the worst possible sins.  It does not mean men will take every opportunity to commit the worst possible sins.  It does mean man is totally incapable of saving himself in his own strength.  Ephesians 2:8, 9 states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."   Total depravity impacts the will (John 8:34; Romans 7:14-24), the mind (1 Corinthians 1:21), emotions (Genesis 6:3), and behavior (Galatians 5:19-21).

The second term is election.  This doctrine is often broken down into two camps: Calvinists (named after John Calvin) and Arminians (named after Jacobus Arminius).  A basic definition of election I have read but cannot remember the source is that election is the act of God by which, in his sovereign pleasure, for his glory, by no merit of men, men and women are brought into a right relationship with God.  This challenging doctrine is a pride-crushing doctrine.  It shows us that God is the beginning, the end, and the everywhere in between, of the gospel.  Pastor Brett preached a sermon on Romans 8:29-31 that talks about this doctrine and more (Click HERE for the entire Romans series).

While there any many articles and sites that attempt to logically support or refute the doctrine of election, it is important to remember that the driving force of election, and all of life, is doxological - God's Glory.  Here are some verses that remind us of this truth.

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness."  Psalm 115:1   

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 5:16 

"for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God". Romans 3:23  

"So, whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."  1 Corinthians 10:31  

This doctrine is hard to believe because it is at the heart of man's sin problem.  If you remember our class discussion of Genesis 3, the serpent questions whether God is doing what is best for Adam and Eve.  

Here is a good quote to consider: "We must not think that God does a thing because it is good and right.  The thing is good and right because God does it."  (William Perkins). The creator owes nothing to the creature.  See Romans 9:19 - 21.

First Timothy 2:4 states that God "desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth," and is a verse often used to refute the doctrine of election.  However, this verse shows the revealed will of God, who invites and commands every person to repent and believe. There is the hidden will of God that we cannot know - who is saved/elect.  Those who hold to free will belief often say that these two wills of God are not true and cannot be the case.  

Here is something to think about related to the free will debate.  If one is not a universalist (everyone will be saved), then why isn't everyone saved?   
Because there are two wills.  The revealed will of God - the command and the invite, and the will of man to be saved.  

Obviously, this post will not be the end of this debate, but I pray it helps each of us think more and more about God and His glory, specifically as it relates to our salvation. 

Some additional resources:

• Misunderstandings of the Doctrine of Election (excerpt from Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem, pp. 674-79)
• What is the Doctrine of Election?  (John MacArthur)
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