What Connects Us
Have you ever been reading through the Old Testament and wondered if there is anything that connects the born-again believers of today to those of great faith as mentioned in the Old Testament? There are actually two characteristics that connects us. Hebrews 11, offers us the glue that connects the believers described all throughout the Bible to the believers of today.
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.”
Hebrews 11:13-14
The first thing that connects us is our faith. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as, “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” For the believers that are mentioned in the Old Testament, they had faith that there would one day be a Messiah who would come and save them all. They died before the birth of Jesus Christ. Today, we are in the same boat. We have not seen Jesus Christ, and yet we have the faith that He will fulfill the promises made in the Bible.
The believers in the Old and New Testament as well as believers today, received the promises of God. Imagine the faith of Abraham when he offered Isaac his promised son. Imagine the faith of Daniel in the lions den. Imagine the faith of Rahab who only had a soldiers promise that her family would be spared. Imagine the faith of Mary that she would not be rejected by her fiancé. At the time, all of those mentioned were facing situations that seemed unbelievable to those around them. And yet, through their faith that God would fulfill His promises they faced the situations head on. Today we also have the faith that God will hold to His promises. “and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:28 is one such promise. Once we accept God’s free gift of salvation, nothing can separate us from Him.
11`So it is our faith in the promises of God that is one way we are connected to the believers in the Bible. However, Hebrews 11 also shows another way that we are connected. Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we no longer are at home on earth. We are strangers and exiles here. Since we are not at home, we are seeking a place of our own. This is why believers find peace when they meet together. The good news is that there is another promise from God that we can hold to. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.” John 14:3. God is preparing a place for all of His children, those who have accepted His free gift of salvation. It is there that we will truly call home and will not longer be considered strangers and in exile.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex