Reply To: Grace And Faith 2024/2025 Discussion Board 1

[Oziie]

Faith’s Victory Reconfigured in the light of Hebrews 11:39

Ten Pillars of Supernatural Faith
Pillar 10 declares that “faith is potent and brings results,” and therefore concludes in the victory that “faith always gets the victory.” But Hebrews 11:39 seems to set up the opposite: “And these all, having received a good report through faith, received not the promise.” If some of the believers did not receive the promise when dying, how can faith always triumph? The answer is to revisit and redefine what “victory” in religion really is. By shifting our perspective, we can solve this apparent paradox on bases of three fundamental principles: (1) the distinction between God’s promise and man’s expectation, (2) the role of faith in the grand redemptive narrative, and (3) the triumph of faith that endures.

1. God’s Promise vs. Human Expectation
Those individuals mentioned in Hebrews 11, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc., possessed extraordinary faith, yet verse 39 tells us that they themselves did not receive “the promise.” That “promise” is not every promise ever made to them as individuals, but the ultimate Messianic promise. Christ’s coming and the filling up of the New Covenant. From man’s point of view, not being able to see this being filled may amount to failure or loss. But God’s promises have a way of going beyond personal fulfillment to a higher common destiny. Even though they did not get all that was promised to them during their lives, it does not at all mean that their faith was not sufficient but, rather, their faith provided a way for fulfillment.

2. Faith as Participation in God’s Redemptive Story
The individuals listed in Hebrews 11 were not lone wolves. Their faith was not individual epiphanies; it was making God’s redemptive plan complete on behalf of all humanity. Verse 40 of the passage informs us, “God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” It indicates that faith is not so much about individual success but working alongside God in His master plan.
Here, their “victory” was not in being promised something during their lifetime, but in being included as good players in the ongoing salvation history. Faith is victorious not so much when it gets to see the end result, but when it holds out and participates in God’s long-game plan even if the eventual result works out beyond one’s own lifetime.

3. Persevering Faith is the Victory in Itself
Perhaps the greatest victory of faith is faith-fulness itself. To be able to believe, to have faith, and to keep on obeying God when there are no payoffs is a profound victory. Those who were faithful in Hebrews 11 were praised not because they saw everything that they wanted, but because they kept on going and that perseverance was credited as righteousness.
This is evidenced throughout Jesus’ life, who, though crucified, did ultimately reign supreme through resurrection. Equally, the saints’ faith earned them a “good report”, God’s blessing, which is much better than earthly success and the eternal testimony to their faith remains today, showing that steadfast faith makes an eternal impact.
Pillar 10 is to expect results by faith, and therefore it remains but results are not always timely, material, and tangible. Hebrews 11:39 does not abolish the efficacy of faith but explains it. The saints “received not the promise,” but they overcame by faith not because they received what they desired, but because they trusted the One who made the promise. Faith will prevail, at times in this life, at times in the record book of posterity, and forever in eternity.
Reference: Hebrews 11:39–40 (KJV)