by faith...persuaded

" These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Heb 11.13)

Part of belief through faith is because one is "persuaded."

The Lord told the rich man, given his plea for deliverance from torment, "neither will they be persuaded, though One rose from the dead."  (Lk 16.31)

Paul and Barnabas continued preaching to "persuade" others to believe the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 13.43)   Because of the miraculous conversion of the Apostle Paul, the believer, "reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greek. (Acts 18.4)

What is it that gives the spiritual heart the courage to believe of things "not seen?"

What is it that "persuades" the heart to believe?

The great prince of preachers, Bro. C.H. Spurgeon, puts it this way:

"One weeknight, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it.The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment — I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so?  Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God.”

Without going into lengthy discussion and giving verses to back up such discussion, quite simply the Holy Spirit makes alive a darkened, dead, cold sinners heart. You see, a dead man is unable to believe or help himself in any way.  That is the truth of our deadness and separation from a Just, Holy God.  The work of the Holy Spirit is to awaken and enlighten one to the truth in a believers heart.  Since the heart is "desperately wicked," (Jer 17.9) this is, of course the only way.

Hebrews 3.7, 15 and 4.7 instructs, "if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts..."  Is He calling you to believe?  Is He whispering in a "still small voice" (I Kings 19.12)  or "thundering" (Exo 19.18) His Word like He moved on Mt. Sinai?

Isaiah 55.6, 7 tells us to "call on Him while He is near." No one deserves a first chance, let alone a second chance.  However, because "His mercies are new everyday," (Lam 3.22, 23) it is expedient to confess, "yes, Lord, be merciful to me a sinner," and believe. (Lk 18.13)  The end of an unbeliever is death, destruction and eternal torment.  Just like the rich man in Luke 16, dear reader, please don't end up as he did.  A place where "the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched."(Mk 9. 44, 46, 48)

That eternal torment will be your end if you will not be "persuaded."

A side note to this study is interesting to see "persuasion" in the midst of Hebrews 11, the chapter describing those who "died in the faith."  It's almost as if the writer feels the flame and senses the torment that is to come.  I believe, he may even, via a spiritual ear, hear the screams...

Will you be "persuaded?"