“Make Your Hearts Firm”

“You have need of endurance, in order that, after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise.”—HEBREWS 10:36.
 
OF ALL Bible writers, no one mentioned faith more often than the apostle Paul. And frequently, he spoke of those whose faith had weakened or died. For example, Hymenaeus and Alexander “experienced shipwreck concerning their faith.” (1 Timothy 1:19, 20) Demas abandoned Paul because “he loved the present system of things.” (2 Timothy 4:10) Some, by their unchristian, irresponsible actions “disowned the faith.” Others were deceived by false wisdom and “deviated from the faith.”—1 Timothy 5:8; 6:20, 21.
 
 Why did those anointed Christians lose out in these ways? Well, “faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Hebrews 11:1) We exercise faith in what we cannot see. We do not need it for things that are beheld. It is easier to work for visible wealth than for unseen spiritual riches. (Matthew 19:21, 22) Many visible things—such as “the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes”—strongly appeal to our imperfect flesh and can weaken our faith.—1 John 2:16.
 
 Yet, says Paul, “he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” Moses had faith like that. He “looked intently toward the payment of the reward” and “continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:6, 24, 26, 27) A Christian needs this kind of faith.