Biblical Faith by Howard Hendricks 12-14-25

Summary

Faith of Our Fathers: Biblical Faith by Howard Hendricks

WDAC Radio Company | December 12, 2025
Park Street Church

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Episode Overview

This episode features the renowned 20th-century teacher and Dallas Theological Seminary professor Howard Hendricks. He explores the nature of biblical faith, using Hebrews 11:7 and the life of Noah as a central text. Hendricks dissects faith into intellectual, emotional, and volitional components, discusses the impact of real faith on the believer’s family, society, and self, and offers memorable illustrations and stories drawn from personal experience and scripture.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Biographical Nature of the Bible (01:53–02:46)

• Hendricks opens by highlighting that Scripture is deeply biographical, filled with stories meant to teach spiritual truths in the context of real lives.
  • “It’s quite obvious to an even casual reader…its pages are pervaded with personality. And there’s a reason for that. The Holy Spirit loves to teach truth in terms of life.” (01:55–02:11)
  • He emphasizes that when God communicated with mankind, He “became flesh and pitched his tent among us” (02:41).

2. Hebrews 11: The Westminster Abbey of the New Testament (03:00–03:53)

• The “by faith” formula is repeated with figures like Abel, Enoch, and Noah.
  • Faith worships (Abel)
  • Faith walks (Enoch)
  • Faith works (Noah)

3. A Peephole into Noah’s Faith (04:19–05:24)

• Hendricks likens Hebrews 11:7 to a peephole offering a concentrated view of Noah’s life—a compact but comprehensive demonstration of faith.

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The Three Essentials of Biblical Faith

A. Intellectual Component (05:37–11:02)

• Christianity is frequently caricatured as “non-thinking,” but biblical faith is profoundly intellectual:
  • “You don’t have to commit intellectual suicide to be a believer…” (06:47–06:50)
  • Faith includes “an intellectual component. The text says by faith, Noah being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet…” (05:37)
• The mind is the “controlling center of human personality,” linked either with God or Satan (07:19–07:55).
• Faith is grounded in fact—“not simply human fact...it also embraces divine fact” (08:13–08:47).
• Cites Martin Luther: “I cannot, for my mind is captured by Scripture and right reason” (08:53–09:17).
• Reason must bow before revelation (09:39–09:48).
  • Analogy of freedom and law: “True, freedom always has fences. You want to jump out that window, be my guest. But once you're outside, you're no longer free…” (10:23–11:02)

Notable Quote:
“God has spoken and he has not stuttered. And my friend, if you want to go to heaven…you’re going to have to go his way.” (09:57–10:13)

B. Emotional Component (15:53–20:26)

• True faith stirs the heart; “Noah was moved with godly fear.” (15:53)
• Hendricks distinguishes between healthy emotion (God-given) and emotionalism (emotion out of control):
  • “No, my friends, you do not deny emotion. Nor do you rely upon emotion.” (16:44–16:54)
  • “Most people think to be spiritual means to be miserable...Jesus Christ said, I am come that they might have life. I mean really live.” (17:25–18:35)
• Godly fear leads to deeper commitment, not running from God:
  • “Godly fear never produces an individual who runs from God. It produces an individual who throws himself into the hands of God.” (18:54–19:06)

Notable Quote:
“When you know who it is that died and what it is that he did and what it is that you deserve, then you sing from your heart, ‘If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now’...” (20:01–20:10)

C. Volitional/Actional Component (20:26–23:05)

• Faith always acts: “The text says he prepared an ark. He did something. Faith…is never passive. It's always active.” (20:26–21:08)
• Illustration: Knowing about a cure for a disease is worthless unless you submit yourself to the treatment. The same is true for faith in Christ. (21:08–22:20)

Notable Quote:
“God’s not asking you simply to believe a set of intellectual facts...He’s asking you to commit your life to that person, to stretch yourself out on Him.” (22:20–23:05)

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The Effects of Genuine Faith

1. Impact on Family (23:32–29:31)

• Noah’s first result: “to the saving of his own household” (wife, sons, and their wives).
  • “You show me a person who has an impact upon his family and I’ll show you a person who has the real disease [of faith].” (24:21–24:48)
• Application to modern Christians: Does your faith make a difference at home?
• Story: Young woman at University of Illinois returns home, her faith transforms her sisters, mother, and (after a family tragedy) her father (25:44–28:45).

Notable Quote:
“I can’t think of anything more tragic than arriving in heaven only to discover that my four children were not there because…they never saw anything different enough in my life to create a hunger and thirst for that reality.” (28:45–29:06)

2. Impact on Society (29:31–31:47)

• Noah “condemned the world” by his consistent life—even if results seem lacking by worldly standards.
  • “God is holding you accountable, my friend, for being a faithful servant, not for being successful. The results are primarily his responsibility.” (30:02–30:11)
• Christians as salt of the earth—are you a “preserving force” in your environment? (30:23–31:18)

3. Impact on Self (31:47–36:19)

• Noah “became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” (31:47–32:09)
  • Only God can provide the righteousness He requires.
  • Invitation to the audience: exchange your sinfulness for Christ’s righteousness (32:09–33:49).
• Story: Dallas Cowboy comes to faith not because of words but “the life of a man”—the example of John Niland (34:20–35:47).

Notable Quote:
“Would anybody watching you up real close say, ‘That’s what I gotta have’? That’s reality. That’s, my friend, the name of the game. That’s what faith is all about. To bring you to Christ and give you his righteousness…so that people all around you…may see Him incarnate in you.” (35:47–36:19)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• Peephole texts and the baseball analogy: (04:19–05:24)
• “You don’t have to commit intellectual suicide…” (06:47–06:50)
• Martin Luther’s stand at the Diet of Worms: (08:47–09:17)
• Freedom and fences analogy from the 12th floor: (10:23–11:20)
• The “cut it out” view of God: (17:25–18:35)
• University of Illinois testimony story: (25:44–28:45)
• Dallas Cowboy story: (34:20–35:47)
• “Would anybody watching you up real close say, ‘That’s what I gotta have’?” (35:47–36:19)

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Conclusion & Tone

Howard Hendricks delivers a thoughtful, personal, and practical exploration of biblical faith. He challenges listeners to move from a merely intellectual understanding to an impactful, lived-out faith that shapes family, influences society, and transforms the individual. The tone is both encouraging and convicting, peppered with warm humor, vivid illustrations, and earnest passion for real spiritual transformation.

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Important Segment Timestamps

• Opening Context and Hebrews 11 Introduction: 00:58–03:47
• Peephole Texts & Faith Components: 04:19–15:00
• Essentials of Faith—Intellectual: 05:37–15:53
• Essentials of Faith—Emotional: 15:53–20:26
• Essentials of Faith—Volitional/Actional: 20:26–23:05
• Effects of Faith: Family: 23:32–29:31
• Effects of Faith: Society: 29:31–31:47
• Effects of Faith: Self: 31:47–36:19
• Closing Prayer: 36:19–38:14

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Summary prepared for listeners seeking in-depth understanding and inspiration from Howard Hendricks’ classic preaching on the reality and outworking of biblical faith.

Transcript

[Howard Hendricks]

Welcome to Faith of Our Fathers. Today's featured preacher is Howard Hendricks. He was born in Philadelphia on April 5, 1924. While pursuing his doctorate at Yale University in 1952, newly hired President of Dallas Theological Seminary, John Walford, did his best to persuade Hendricks to delay his studies and return to Dallas and teach. Hendrix accepted the President's offer and proceeded to teach at Dallas Theological seminary for over 50. Howard Hendricks mentored many Christian leaders, including Chuck Swindoll, Tony Evans and David Jeremiah. Today's message is biblical faith.

How delightful is the privilege accorded me once more of returning to the ministry of the Word here at Park Street Church. It's my privilege to preach the Word of God across America in many pulpits. But I must confess, there is none more magnetic than the pulpit of Park Street Church. Your appreciation and response to the Word of God are most gratifying. In fact, I would come just to hear you sing and for the ministry of music and for your choice, fellowship. Have you ever noticed how much of the Bible is biographical?

It's quite obvious to an even casual.

Reader of this book that its pages are pervaded with personality. And there's a reason for that.

The Holy Spirit loves to teach truth.

In terms of life.

He knows if we do not, that the best way to communicate faith.

Is to incarnate it, to clothe it with flesh and blood.

May I remind you, when God visited.

Our planet, he became flesh.

And pitched his tent among us.

And we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

May I invite you to turn once.

More in the Word which is alive to Hebrews, chapter 11, a very freighted portion of the Word of God. The Westminster Abbey of the New Testament.

Comprises a group of men and women who distinguish themselves for one thing, their faith. After an introduction found in the first three verses, you will discover the repeated by faith formula. For example, in verse 4, by faith Abel, verse 5, by faith Enoch, verse.

7, by faith Noah.

In the life of Enoch, of Abel.

We learn that faith worships.

In the life of Enoch, we discover that faith walks. And in the life of Noah, we.

Comprehend that faith works.

The full story of the life of Noah is detailed in Genesis chapters six through nine, an intensely exciting and highly.

Educated portion of the Word where you.

Find the fine print of this man of distinction. But in chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews and verse 7, his life is telescoped and capsulized by the Spirit of God in one verse. I love to call these verses peephole.

Texts When I was a boy living.

In the city of Philadelphia, we used to go watch the Phillies and the A's play baseball. We'd walk all the way around the park looking for a peephole which we.

Either discovered or made.

It was the smallest of holes, but.

Through it you could see the entire game.

And as I look at verse seven, I find the Spirit of God underscoring.

Two concepts in my mind which are determinative in believing experience.

First of all, the Spirit of God wants to teach us the essentials of faith. What's involved in biblical faith. And secondly, he wants to teach us what are the effects of genuine faith. What does it mean produce. Let's look at the essentials of biblical faith. There are three components. First of all, I want you to note there is an intellectual component. The text says by faith, Noah being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet. Christianity is frequently caricatured as the non thinking man's filter, compelling an individual to embrace something which is intellectually intolerable.

How contrary to the teaching of the Word of God.

You don't have to commit intellectual suicide.

To be a believer. You don't have to put your head in a bucket and fire a.45 in it.

You don't have to understand faith as the little boy defined it, as believing something you know ain't true. Biblical faith always embraces and pervades the mind.

May I suggest a profitable study for you?

Study the mind in the Scriptures and you will invariably discover that it is linked with one of two persons. It's either linked with God or it is linked with Satan. And that's significant because the mind is the controlling center of human personality. It was Satan who blinded the mind.

Of individuals lest they believe the gospel and come to faith.

It was the Apostle Paul who said to us, let this mind be in.

You, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Faith is firmly rooted in fact, but not simply human fact. It also embraces divine fact. It does not repudiate the human intellect or human knowledge, but it interprets human knowledge.

In light of revelation.

You will recall that Martin Luther at.

The diet of worms was asked to.

Recant to repudiate his position. And very perceptively he said, I cannot, for my mind is captured by Scripture and right reason.

Notice the order.

Scripture, the primacy of revelation and right reason. That presupposes that reason may be wrong. That is not the same as to.

Say that reason is wrong.

In the final analysis, reason bows before the bar of revelation.

It doesn't believe too little it believes much more.

God has spoken and he has not stuttered. And my friend, if you want to go to heaven, a place prepared by.

God for you, you're going to have to go his way.

When someone says reason is so, I mean revelation is so restrictive.

On the contrary, it is so liberating.

It's like the laws with which we function successfully and comfortably when we cooperate.

With them in the human scene. We're on the 12th story of a public building and a man says to me, I'm free. I say, certainly, you're free.

But he means, I'm free to do anything I want. No, you're not. True, freedom always has fences. Oh, but I can do what I want.

No, you can't.

You want to jump out that window, be my guest. You're free. But once you're outside, you're no longer free. You are a hopeless slave to a law that's going to dash you in pieces on the concrete floor beneath.

Say, I don't like that law. The law couldn't care less.

You say, but I don't understand that law. That's really quite beside the point. You are going down. To the extent that you cooperate with that law, you enjoy true freedom. To the extent that you violate that law, you are crushed by it. Jesus Christ said, I am the way.

The truth and the life.

No man cometh unto the Father but by me. When Jesus Christ said I am the way, he made every other way a dead end street. When he said I am the truth, he made every other system a lie. When he said I am the life, he made every other path a path of destruction. The apostles knew that. That's why they said, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among.

Men, whereby we must be satisfied. Noah's experience, you will notice the text says he was convinced that what God.

Had said would take place. It involved things that as yet had not been seen. You see, we don't have adequate human data. It's contrary to our experience to this point. And he preached that message for 120 years. And I suppose over and over again he was confronted with the statement, look, it's 119 years and it hasn't happened. But watch that 120th, my friend, when God says it's going to happen. Whether you have empirical data, whether you have seen it in experience before or.

Not, does not change the truth of revelation.

And biblical faith is committed to the proposition that what God says is exactly.

The way it is, whether you can explain it or understand it, or have adequate data to prove it. Lets suppose that I want to buy a car in the city of Dallas and I go down to a Ford dealer and I make what looks like a good deal. And he says, let's fill out the papers. What's your name? Where do you work? Well, I work at the Dallas Theological Seminary. The what? Spell it.

How much do you make?

So much.

Is this a regular salary? Well, I think I should explain to.

You that we have a principle at the seminary by which we operate. And that is if the money comes in, we get paid. If it doesn't come in, we don't get paid.

Run that buy again.

Sure.

It's very simple. The money comes in, we get paid.

If it doesn't come in, we don't get paid. I can see him taking me over to the door and say, hey, you.

See that Chevrolet dealer down the street? I'll bet he can make you a good deal. Ever occurred to you, my friend? And the Scripture teaches it everywhere. I hope you are brainwashed by it. The word of God says the fool has said in his heart, no God.

But faith to the unbelieving is often foolishness. To the believer it's committing yourself to the proposition that what God promised is exactly what he's going to perform.

But I want you to note in the text there's another component. There is an emotional component. The text says that Noah was moved with godly fear. Now we need to blast before we build here, for there's a lot of soft and spongy thinking concerning emotions. In the first place, I think most of us are scared to death. Emotion, despite the fact that God created you in his image. And God is a feeling being. He's touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He remembers our frame, that we are dust. He sent his son into the world to be tested in all points.

Like us, without sin.

No, my friends, you do not deny.

Emotion.

Nor do you rely.

Upon emotion.

The thing that most of us, I think, if we ever surface it in our thinking, are really afraid of, is emotionalism. That is emotions out of control. But when emotions are the product of. Of the Spirit of God, they are always in control. He's always bringing order out of chaos.

That's the pattern of the Spirit's work.

But I think our fear in the realm of emotions is also the product of the fact that we have a distorted view of our God. We picture God as having a great big club and moving up and down the parapets of heaven, looking over, seeing if he can find somebody who's enjoying life. And all of a sudden he says, hey you, are you enjoying life? Yeah, Lord, I am. Cut it out. And it's amazing how deeply entrenched this is. Most people think to be spiritual means to be miserable. And if you look at them, their face makes a good frontispiece to the book of Lamentations. Jesus Christ said, I am come that they might have life. I mean really live. And the man out on the common who's on his way to a Christless eternity is in no position to laugh. The only person who is free to laugh is. Is the person who has been emancipated.

And secure in Jesus Christ.

As I read this text, I discover this man was characterized by a brand.

Of fear we need in our generation. That's godly fear.

That's altogether different from humanist fear fear. Godly fear never produces an individual who runs from God.

It produces an individual who throws himself into the hands of God. That's why the scripture says it's a.

Fearful thing to fall into the hands.

Of the living God.

But my friend, you don't have to do that.

You can fall into the hands of the loving Savior and discover they are punctured hands because God made him sin for you that he might give you the righteousness of God.

This kind of fear does not cause a man to cringe.

It causes him to commit himself to one who loved him with an everlasting love.

You see, when you know who it is that died and what it is that he did and what it is that you deserve.

Then you sing from your heart. If ever I love thee, my Jesus, tis now take my life and let it be consecrated Lord, to thee.

You look again in the text to.

Discover there's a third component. An intellectual, an emotional component.

But there is also a volitional, an actional component. For the text says he prepared an ark. He did something. That's what the 37th Psalm had in mind in that therapy session for a man shot through with anxiety. Trust in the Lord and do good. See, my friends, faith in the word of God is never passive. It's always active. It involves movement toward.

Commitment to. Let's suppose that you were dying of a dreaded disease and you shared this with me after the service to solicit my prayer support. And I said to you, my friend, I've got good news for you. My closest friend is a professor of research at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, and I happen to know he has just effected a cure for your disease. You say Really?

I said, absolutely.

It's proven. I say, do you believe that?

Well, you say, if you say so, I certainly do. And I reach out and grab your hand and pump it warmly and say, congratulations man, you're healed.

You'd look at me and say, look, I thought I had a problem. We got a fantastic psychiatrist here in the community I'd like to recommend for you.

You see, my friends, no amount of information concerning a doctor who has effected.

A cure in terms of your disease.

Will do you any good until you catch a plane and fly to Dallas and submit yourself to that man's therapy and, and involve yourself in his treatment. Well, God wants you to know the same thing is true in the spiritual realm. He's not asking you simply to believe a set of intellectual facts obviously true in the person of Jesus Christ. He's asking you to commit your life to that person, to stretch yourself out on Him. Now mark it well.

There are effects to biblical faith and how desperately needed they are. In our society we are often charged.

With becoming disengaged from our society.

Let's see if this was true of Noah.

I see a threefold effect of this.

Man'S faith for which I hunger in my own experience.

First of all, I want you to note the effect of this man's faith on his family. He said this was to the saving of his own household. Well, how many souls were saved? 7. His wife, his three sons and their wives.

You say for 120 years preaching that's not very impressive. Well, I used to think the same. I no longer do.

I've seen many individuals who can minister very effectively in public.

But who are very ineffectual at home. You show me a person who has an impact upon his family and I will show you a person who has the real disease. Does your Christianity work at home? Does it work in terms of your unsaved parents? Young person, Jesus Christ made any difference and can they know it?

I'm talking all the time to parents who came to know Christ at 35.

Or 40 and their children are pretty.

Well down the line. And it's been a bad scene.

And they say now that I come.

To faith.

What can I do? I say you can show them a distinctive lifestyle as the result of the invasion of the supernatural. I was in Southern California not too long ago. There was a little dinner and I sat down next to a lovely young lady who was a few years before that graduated from the University of Illinois. And I engaged her in conversation and asked her how she came to faith. Well, she said, I came from a religious home, but I didn't know Christ.

When I came to the university.

There were a group of students who came into our dorm and who shared Jesus Christ with me.

In fact, over a period of time, I was so impressed by the quality.

Of their life and their commitment that I finally was born again by the spirit.

She said, I went home for the Christmas vacation and someone had warned me, look, don't go home and cram the.

Gospel down your parents throats. Go home and live this stuff. That's what she did.

And as a result of her ministry.

In that home, her two sisters came to Jesus Christ as savior. Within the next year and a half.

And a little beyond that, she went home for a vacation and her mother.

Got her in the bedroom one day and said, sweetheart, what happened in your life and in the life of your sister?

She said, I always thought I was.

A Christian until I saw you girls in action. And very naturally she shared with her Jesus Christ. And in time she came to faith. But Pop was the holdout, you know, nice for them. They may need it.

Buddy added, pragmatic type of approach. You wait till the crunch comes on, we'll see if it works.

Well, the crunch came on because she got a telegram one day, eight months after she was married from Vietnam. Her husband was shot down flying a helicopter and lost his life.

And as she read that telegram, one.

Verse flashed into her mind. As thy days, so shall thy strength be. Lord, you didn't promise me strength for tomorrow, just for today. And that's what I need, tomorrow. She found the same strength in the day after.

Until her father called her.

Up from his home on the west coast and said, sweetheart, I'm catching the next plane, I want to talk to you. And in that university room, she led her father to Jesus Christ. And later on in that week in the conference, I met the entire family, all of whom had come to Christ because of his invasion in one person's life. I don't know about you, my friends.

But I can't think of anything more.

Tragic than arriving in heaven only to discover that my four children were not there because of my neglect or preoccupation with the salvation of others.

Never showed up because they never saw anything different enough in my life to.

Create a hunger and thirst for that reality.

I think the greatest testimony that has.

Ever been given to Noah is the fact that his family bought his message. How profound an impact can you have?

But the text doesn't stop there. It tells me that he also had an impact upon his society. For we read through which he condemned the world and somebody says, yes, but there were no results by whose standards? See, that's the greatest hang up in the evangelical community that we are primarily concerned about our reputation rather than our responsibility.

God is holding you accountable, my friend, for being a faithful servant, not for being successful.

The results are primarily his responsibility. And there's no one in Noah's generation who will ever have an excuse.

Because of the consistency of that man's faith and the life which issued from it. I wonder if that's true of you. As the salt of the earth making anybody thirsty.

Do you constitute any kind.

Of a preserving force in the little sphere in which you operate down at the office, over at the U, in the shop, in that community where you live? You see, one of the great reasons, and this is in the mind of God and is impossible totally to comprehend.

One of the great reasons why God allows people to live on this planet.

Is to be a faithful and consistent witness to Him.

And through some people will come to faith. And through others, like Noah, they will be condemned and without excuse for they.

Were exposed to people just like you. Not perfect people, but people who came to faith and were growing. But I see a third thing I'd like to share with you.

It's at the end of this statement, and that is I see the effect of this man's faith upon himself. There's not only a familial impact and a societal impact, but there's a personal impact because the text says and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Are you heir to that?

See, my friends, God is holy and he demands righteousness. And he's already turned in his estimate upon yours. It's a pile of filthy rags. And what he undertakes to provide in Jesus Christ is the righteousness which God's righteousness requires him to require.

And he says, I want to give it to you. I want to place it to your account. Or as Paul says, I want to accept you in the beloved. We used to sing a hymn years ago. I unfortunately don't hear it as much as I would like. Near, so very near to God I.

Could not nearer be.

For in the person of His Son I am just as near as He. Is it possible that I am talking to someone here in the room or perhaps out in the radio audience who.

Is really quite fed up with yourself.

And your sin and you would love to exchange it then by faith, my friend, the word of God says, he.

That has the Son has life. And he that has not.

The Son of God does not have life.

And you can accept him today and pass from darkness into his marvelous light and exchange your sinfulness for his righteousness.

And be accepted in the beloved. It was my privilege just the other day to have a man call me on the phone and say, may I make an appointment with you? I said, certainly. He happens to be a member of the Dallas Cowboy organization. If I gave you his name, every one of you would recognize it.

He sat in my office, we talked.

For a while, and then he said, look, I didn't come to talk football. I came to talk faith. I'm hurting so desperately that if I don't get an answer, you will never see me on the football field again. You will never see me in life. And I knew he was desperate. I said, whatever led you to come see me? He said, only one thing. The life of a man. I said, who's the man? He said, you know John Nyland. He's the all Pro guard on the Cowboy offensive line. I said, very well. We spent a lot of time together. He said, I know it and so have I, but I've been watching him like a hawk. And that man has something I've got to have. Let me ask you very honestly, as I ask myself, would anybody watching you up real close say, that's what I gotta have.

That's.

Reality. That's my friend, the name of the game.

That's what faith is all about. To bring you to Christ and give you his righteousness, and then to develop.

You into a Christ like person so.

That people all around you who are blind to the glories of our Christ.

May see him incarnate in you. Our Father, thank you very much for preserving this record of the faithful. As we read through the list, we are impressed that there are harlots and drunkards and failures, people just like us in that list. People who got there not because they did a good work, but because they trusted God to do a good work for them and in them, if we're honest. This morning, as a group of believers, many of us are very weary of the shallow, the superficial plane on which we're satisfied to live. And our hearts cry out. We're spiritually hungry for a faith like Noah's. A faith that makes an impact on our family and upon our society and most of all, on ourselves. Thank you that the God of Noah is very much alive and still working in human experience. We want to trust you to do that today as we respond by faith, for we ask it through Jesus Christ. Our Lord. Amen.

You've been listening to Howard George Hendricks. Listen to Faith of Our Fathers each Sunday to hear more great 20th Sunday century preachers.