必不可少的信心
希伯來書十一章1至6節
1信就是所望之事的實底，是未見之事的確據。
2古人在這信上得了美好的證據。
3我們因著信，就知道諸世界是藉神話造成的；這樣，所看見的，並不是從顯然之物造出來的。
4亞伯因著信，獻祭與神，比該隱所獻的更美，因此便得了稱義的見證，就是神指他禮物作的見證。他雖然死了，卻因這信，仍舊說話。
5以諾因著信，被接去，不至於見死，人也找不著他，因為神已經把他接去了；只是他被接去以先，已經得了神喜悅他的明證。
6人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅；因為到神面前來的人必須信有神，且信他賞賜那尋求他的人。
信息分享
基督教的福音與其他宗教系統的主要分別，正在於前者要求人用信心去相信。我們若要親近神，就不可缺少信心。為此緣故，信心可以是藉著基督進到神面前的大門，但同時亦可以是阻礙人進到神面前的絆腳石。
聖經由最初的創世記，至最後的啟示錄，無不教導人要有信心。希伯來書十一章6節正是一針見血地指出這個真理。作者在十章38節引用的一節經文，被譽為「最鏗鏘有力的一節聖經」，它亦是指出：「義人必因信得生」。
人必須信有神，才會蒙神的接納。也許，更準確地說，一個因相信耶穌基督而蒙神接納的人，必須繼續憑信心生活。第十一章的整章經文，正是列出一個接一個的例子來說明這個真理。
舊約的眾先知和先賢，都是憑藉信人來經歷人生的一切。我們今天正需要這種信心。
當你的信心遭到考驗，當你覺得神彷彿不聽你的禱告，當祂領你走上一條艱難和不知目的地的路，那就是你要運用和活出信心的時刻。
在那一刻，我們應該回想神過往給我們的一切幫助，應該重溫聖經的應許。「信心」就是相信神的話語真實，因此便遵照而行。神所要求人的，就是要人有信心。祂在你裡面看見信心沒有？
禱告：
主啊，求你加添我的信心。
THE NECESSITY OF FAITH
Hebrews 11:1-6
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 testimony.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 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 those who diligently seek Him.
Message
The moment you come in contact with the Christian gospel and the Bible, you are faced with the need of exercising faith.
Faith is one of the characteristics of the Christian gospel which sets it apart from all the other religious systems. Faith is an absolute necessity if we are to approach God. Because this is true, faith is either a door which opens the way through Christ to God or it is a stumbling block which prevents our entering in.
The Bible everywhere teaches the necessity of faith, right through from Genesis to Revelation. The plain statement of verse 6 in our reading is very challenging. In the previous chapter (10:38) there is a quotation which someone has called 'the mightiest sentence in the Bible'. It is the words 'the just shall live by faith'.
To be accepted by God, a man must have faith in God. Perhaps more plainly it could be said that a man who has been accepted by God because of his faith in Christ, must continue to live by faith in God. The whole of this 11th chapter of Hebrews gives illustration after illustration of this fact.
It was faith which enabled Old Testament prophets and other men and women to go through all kinds of experiences. It is that kind of faith we need today.
When your faith is tested, when it looks as if God is not answering prayer, when he is leading you by an unknown and difficult road, that is the time to remember to trust him. That is faith in daily living.
In a time like that, look back over the past. Remember what God has done before. Remember the promises of his Book. Faith is accepting what God has said and acting accordingly. Faith is what God is looking for. How does he see yours today?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord increase my faith.