[but set an example for the believers] … in faith…
Summary: Paul’s instruction to set an example moves from things we can observe into a realm that is both less obvious and more substantial. Faith is both invisible and very personal. For the believer, it is the foundation of our relationship with God.
It is one thing to set an example in speech and conduct: we can see that. It is another to set an example in love (agapē): we can feel that. But when we get to faith, we are talking about a different kind of thing. We can’t see or feel someone’s faith in God. All we can do is observe them over time and try to discern with our minds why they do what they do.
The Bible provides some startlingly clear information about faith. The writer of Hebrews says:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Some might say this sounds like circular reasoning, but in the broader context of Hebrews, it makes sense. Hebrews continues with:
“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” (Hebrews 11:3)
Strong’s Lexicon describes the Greek word for faith, “pistis,” as a “moral conviction of religious truth.”*
To have a “moral conviction,” one needs to have a moral compass that points to the truth. This is not the same thing as saying we have the ability to know all truth, but that we at least have the ability to recognize truth when it presents itself.
Do all people have this ability?
Sadly, no.
The Bible addresses this topic in several ways. Perhaps the best-known story is the “Parable of the Wheat and the Tares” (Matthew 13:24-30, KJV).
I like the King James version of this parable because it is specific about the exact kind of weed that was planted in the wheat field. A tare looks like wheat, but it does not produce anything of value. Instead, it just takes up space and saps the soil of nutrients.
This is what makes having faith a challenge. We humans are social creatures. We want to fit in and be accepted by those around us. When we “see” something others do not see, we are met with a conundrum: Do we pretend we don’t see it so we can continue to fit in with the group, or do we speak and act according to what we have seen?
It is often assumed that the Bible is speaking to two groups of people — believers and non-believers. In reality, there are three groups, according to Jesus. It is the wheat that the Bible speaks to. The tares, apparently, will never be part of God’s kingdom. The problem is that the wheat is divided between those who have faith and act on it, and those who have faith but hide it because they still want to fit in with the tares.
The challenge we are left with is simple: Are we willing to set an example for believers in faith?
Application: Exercise your faith every day.
Food for Thought: How does one “set an example” in faith?
*”G4102 – pistis – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (NIV).” Blue Letter Bible. Web. 29 May, 2026. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4102/niv/mgnt/0-1/>.
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