Hebrews 11:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

NASB: By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.

CSB: By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

NLT: By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

KJV: Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

NKJV: 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.

This verse continues to define faith in a way harmonized with the theme of this entire letter. The point made here helps to explain faith by combining our sense of the past, present, and future. Earlier verses described faith looking forward, to "things hoped for…not seen." The context of this idea is that what we have seen and experienced of God ought to inspire trusting confidence in the future (Hebrews 11:1–2). Here, that same idea is used to show faith looking backwards, to the past.

As with earlier verses, it is easy to take these words out of context and misunderstand them. The writer is not suggesting that belief in God as Creator is a matter of wishful thinking, or of gullible self-deception. The entire letter of Hebrews, so far, has been a combination of evidence and logic pointing to a certain conclusion. Other parts of the Bible extoll the value and need for evidence (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:18–20; Luke 1:1–4). The point being made here is not about inventing beliefs, but about putting our trust in God, based on what we can see, in order to rely on Him in areas where we cannot see.

This perspective is especially important when reading upcoming verses about biblical figures. In each case, their faith is demonstrated by obedience to God, despite a lack of complete knowledge. Abraham is held up as the highest example of trusting faith for that reason: his actions show that he was willing to trust God, though he himself could not see how God's plan was going to be worked out. Spiritually, as well as physically, God takes what is "unseen" to us, and makes things which, later on, we can see.

Hebrews 11:1–3 defines faith using words which are frequently quoted, and also frequently misunderstood. As with the rest of the book of Hebrews, context is critical. In this passage, the writer demonstrates that godly faith is really ''trust.'' What we have seen of God's nature and character should lead us to trust Him, and trust naturally leads to obedience. This is not an endorsement of ''blind faith,'' especially since it comes after a lengthy discourse full of evidence and logic. Instead, the writer presents the idea of ''faith'' as a confident look to the future, based on reliance on God's promises. The next two sections of Hebrews will present God's acceptance of faith and actions which prove it.

True, godly faith is defined as trust, relying on God when looking to the future, and obeying even when we don't fully understand all details. The great figures of the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, all lived according to this type of faith. Ultimately, that means trusting God's intent to make good on His promises from an eternal perspective. The model of faith presented by those people, in light of the struggles they faced, ought to inspire Christians towards a more confident, purposeful faith.

Up to this point, the book of Hebrews has given extensive evidence proving that Jesus Christ, and the new covenant He brought about, is God's ultimate plan for mankind's salvation. Chapter 10 provided an additional warning about the danger of falling away from this truth. Chapter 11 begins by clarifying the meaning of the word ''faith,'' primarily by listing examples of Old Testament figures who exemplify it. The ultimate application of this knowledge should be a motivation to ''hold fast'' to the gospel, despite hardships. That encouragement is a major theme of chapter 12.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.