One of the hallmarks of modern evangelical Christian faith is how often it speaks of receiving. To be clear, Christianity DOES have a component of receiving. One of the names of God is Jehovah Jireh, which means God our provider. In the biggest moment in our lives, we receive salvation. Jesus even tells us that if we keep asking and we abide, we will receive. So receiving IS part of first-century Christianity, not just the modern version of it.
However, in between those receiving passages, something else is related to faith far more often. It is just not as appetizing to contemplate, and yet it directly affects how we as Christians are supposed to receive. We see it easiest in Hebrews 11, where over and over in the "faith hall of fame" (as Hebrews 11 is often called), we see doers—and we can note an even more hard-core component of faith: trust manifesting as obedience even when "losing".
I've had to contemplate that often in writing songs in this season of my life. It easy to get an emotional "pay off" in worship and song . what I mean is it can be so much the goal that when you have a great series of church worship you can feel fulfilled by that alone. Maybe other religions that's okay but In Christianity Our lord says
"if you love me keep my commandments" and "forsake all"
You really can see the true nature of faith in Hebrews 11 . It starts out with some heavy hitting "receiving" . Its the kinds of things where you would hear a "preachin" hooping and hollering about with a piano playing sudden chords for emphasis.
" Hebrews 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions [can I get an amen!],
Hebrews 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. {Yessir, Hallelujah!!]
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: [Glory to God that's what I am talkin about]
but then? it turns on a dime to a darker place
Hebrew 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mocking's and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: [um none of that sounds particularly nice but okay]
Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; [okay this sound more like a horror movie than a super hero one]
Hebrews 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
What's so instructive to me is
A) the ease in which the passage moves forward. The writer doesn't seem to even be talking about different kinds of faith Everything is just one.
B) there are persons in there receiving great things and having great loss. They ae both hall of faith worthy.
Faith isn't proven from a set result but by the perspective of the heart regardless of result.