By Faith the Walls Fell
In Heb. 11:30 the Holy Spirit reminds us of how the conquest of ancient Jericho
took place. He says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were
compassed about seven days.” This event, recorded first in Joshua 6, illustrates
that it is only active faith that brings the needed results. The people had to
do more than merely believe in their heads that God would give them the city;
they had to act in obedience on their belief. They had to meet God’s conditions
by marching around the city as He had directed them to do. Still, they all
recognized it was God’s power, not their own, which caused the walls to crumble!
Today, salvation from sin by faith requires God’s power, and again is
conditioned upon our active faith. People were told to repent and be baptized in
Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38). This obedience, though
necessary, does not earn salvation anymore than marching around Jericho merited
the falling down of the walls. It is simply the way people are told to act upon
their faith in God to forgive. God ordained salvation by His grace and He
ordained Israel’s victory by grace. In both cases, He required obedience. Both
victory and salvation are by God’s grace and through His power and accomplished
in His own appointed way.
By Jon W. Quinn
The Front Page
From Expository Files 13.2; February 2006
