Obedience: The Face Of Faith - Hebrews 11:8

 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. - Hebrews 11:8

    We have seen faith defined - “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” - Hebrews 11:1. And we know what faith does - “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” - Romans 3:28. But if it is evidence of things not seen and we are saved “sola fide” (by faith alone) then what does faith look like? What is the true face of faith?  How can we possibly recognize true saving faith?
    “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” - Genesis 5:24. We see from some of the earliest books of the Bible that God favors those who walk in His ways. Enoch was one of the first to illustrate saving faith. But examples of such true saving faith are numerous throughout holy scripture. “But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” - Luke 5:5. Simon Peter, having spent his entire night fishing with no result went back out onto the water at Christ’s behest and at His command . . . at His word, Peter again let down his nets. This time the reward was manifest in a net so full of fish it could hardly be hoisted into the boat. That is another prime snapshot of faith.
    So in just a few examples of three great men of faith we see a pattern developing. These three men all did something which helped to illustrate their faith in God. Abraham “went out”; Enoch “walked” with God; Peter “let down the net.” They all obeyed God.
    Obedience isn’t simply something we add to our faith; it is the very picture of faith . . . according to Jesus Christ! “But He said, ‘More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’” - Luke 11:28. Obedience isn’t merely a command of Christ; it goes to the very heart of our faith. No, we aren’t saved by our works but our faith is exemplified by our obedience. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” - 1 John 2:6. Here John is calling us all out in plain language to “walk the walk.” Obedience is the very face of faith!
    While many still argue that Paul and James differed on what it took to be saved: faith alone or works. The fact is, both agreed that it was by faith alone, but a faith the bore the fruit of righteous works: obedience. “ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' And he was called the friend of God.” - James 2: 20-23.  Our Blessed Lord Himself illustrated the importance of walking the walk and not merely talking the talk - “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” - Matthew 7:17. Not some, Christ said, “every good tree . . .”. The great Prince of Preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon once said that “the first fruit of faith is obedience.” Obedience is the face of faith.
    And what were the compelling words of Jesus regarding those who fail to walk the walk?  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” - Matthew 7:21-23. Mind you, ours is not to sit back and judge the obedience of others. Once again, I quote Spurgeon - “It is not so much our business to be weeding other people’s gardens as to keep our own vineyard.”
    Holy scripture makes it abundently clear that faith is recognizable. Faith does indeed have a face. This is not to say that walking in “the way” is an easy walk. So may we all pray to the Holy Spirit for the strength to help us get up when we have fallen; the strength that will assist us in our endeavor to “walk the walk;” the strength to put on the face of true saving faith - obedience.