By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days.
Hebrews 11:30 NET
What is the relationship between faith and works? Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that salvation is a gift of God received through faith, with works playing no part. But James 2:14-26 tells us that faith without works is dead and useless.
Hebrews 11 provides us with an answer to this question. The author provides us with a definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 & 6 and then gives us some examples of faith. Each of these examples uses the formula “by faith, someone did something.” Faith resulted in action.
In Hebrews 11:30, we find the example of Israel under Joshua. They had just entered the promised land. And the first obstacle they faced was Jericho, a walled and fortified city. They could have encircled the city and starved them out, but that could take a year or better. Or they could have attacked the walls, but that would result in massive casualties.
But God provided them with a third alternative. Quietly march around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day, march around it seven times. Then, at a shout, the walls would fall down, and they could take the city.
What would have happened if the people had believed that God would deliver the city to them but then just sat in camp and waited for the walls to fall down? Nothing would have happened. The walls would not have fallen. The city would have remained an obstacle. Their conquest of the promised land would have ended before it ever started.
But they didn’t remain in camp. They obeyed God’s direction and marched around the city. And on the seventh day, the walls fell, and they took the city.
Faith Is Synonymous With Obedience
In the examples in this chapter, faith is synonymous with obedience. Faith is active; it obeys God. The folks marching around Jericho may have had their doubts. But they obeyed anyway. And, because they obeyed, they saw the walls fall down.
When I read the accounts in this chapter, I have to ask myself, what about me? Do I live “by faith?” Does my faith result in obedience to God? Or is it dead and useless?
In answer to the opening question: I am saved by faith, apart from works. But faith that does not produce works is not saving faith. It is dead and useless. “By faith, the walls of Jericho fell.”
