The Bible is filled to overflowing with teachings on faith, but one chapter in Hebrews focuses especially on this topic—Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 is often called “The Faith Hall of Fame.” In it, the author talks about all the great heroes of the Old Testament who acted on their faith in God.
The Book of Hebrews (also called the Letter to the Hebrews) is a letter written to Jewish converts to Christianity. They were dealing with great persecution, and some naturally wanted to go back to their traditional Jewish faith. However, the book was written to encourage these converts to stay the course and keep their faith.
The author of Hebrews is not known for sure. Some believe it was Paul or one of his contemporaries. We do know that the author was well-educated in Hebrew and Greek, knew the Jewish Old Testament and teachings, and wrote in a manner that resembled Paul’s writing style. Some say the author was Barnabas or Apollos, but we don’t know for sure.
Even so, the book of Hebrews is essential in the Bible. This book and Hall of Fame of Faith teach us that Christ is above all and that we must have faith to please God. Each person listed in this chapter is an example of how to please God, even though these individuals were far from perfect. Their faith, trust in God, and love of God brought them close to Him.
Faith is the Foundation
Faith is the foundation of Christian belief. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV sets this foundation down: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
If you notice the first part of this verse, it starts with a challenging statement, “without faith it is impossible to please God…” This statement can be a little confusing in the beginning. How can it be impossible to please God in the first place? Faith is essential for having a relationship with God. It’s impossible to build this relationship with our Heavenly Father on our own through good works, reading, etc. We must have faith to approach God in the first place. Only through God’s divine gift can we approach Him.
We find this message echoed throughout the New Testament in the following verses:
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44
So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy.
Romans 9:16
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
When we start out on the faith journey, we’re not sure of anything, though we may have had a direct experience of God through the Holy Spirit. This can happen. But once that experience “wears off,” some have trouble believing they experienced God. They may try to translate the experience in another way, such as calling it a hallucination.
Well, we’re human, and God understands this. Even so, in order to draw near to Him, we must have faith that He exists—that He lives—or we can’t have a relationship with Him. How can we have a relationship with someone we don’t believe in—human or God? It’s impossible.
Having faith in God is the only way to please Him and to have a relationship with our Lord. If we diligently seek Him throughout our lives, He will reward our efforts with a deeper relationship.
Belief in God’s Existence
The next part of Hebrews 11:6 says, “...for he who comes to God must believe that He is…” So, faith is a gift from God. Once He’s given us this precious gift, we must believe He exists. How can we believe in a God whom we can’t see? That can be highly challenging for believers, especially those who are new to the faith.
As new believers, we can tend to think more like the world. In other words, we believe what we can experience through our five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch). However, we can’t use these senses to experience God, at least not directly.
Faith in God is more than believing there’s a “higher being” over us. Christian faith is all about believing in a personal God who reveals Himself through the Bible and in other ways. We must also believe that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all that exists—He made everything in the created universe. This great God wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. He knows us better than anyone else in the world and loves us.
Faith in a Skeptical World
To make matters even more challenging, we live in a world that denies the very existence of God. The challenge for new believers is great when our society says God is not real—He doesn’t exist. There is no creator God. What then?
This is precisely where the gift of faith comes into play. God-given faith calls us beyond mere belief. It calls us into a direct relationship with God, where we can freely experience His love, grace, and daily presence.
Earnestly Seeking God
The last of Hebrews 11:6 says, “...that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” This part of the verse shows that our faith is active, not passive. The gift of faith makes us seek God and hunger for Him. It makes us want to pursue God with our whole being—mind, body, and soul. Faith is no casual thing—it’s a deep desire to know the One who loves us.
What does it mean to “diligently seek Him”? According to Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, “diligently” means characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic effort. Here, again, we see faith is active and not passive.
When you earnestly seek God, it means making Him your top priority in life. It means scheduling prayer, Bible study, trusting Him, obeying His guidance, and more. Seeking after God with your whole being is not being religious. It’s not about only practicing religion on Sunday mornings. Instead, it’s all about cultivating a relationship with our Father, seeking His presence in all areas of your life, and asking for His guidance each day.
How Does God Reward Those Who Seek Him?
God may not reward in the way we think He should or expect Him to do. Even so, He will reward our efforts to have faith and trust Him. He will honor those who are faithful. The rewards may be in this life or the life to come.
The rewards God chooses to give us can include:
- Peace and joy
- Guidance and direction
- Protection and provision
- A sense of purpose
- Community and fellowship
- The chance to serve others
- And more
God’s rewards are not always what the world counts as rewards, such as wealth, immaculate health, a great job, etc. Instead, His rewards may not always be tangible or immediate. The greatest gift of faith and earnestly seeking God is a relationship with Him and eternal life through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: Living by Faith
Hebrews 11:6 calls each of us to a life of faith and love. This faith is given by God as a gift. When we accept His gift of faith, we know who God is and learn to trust and rely on Him. We seek Him every day. We’re talking about the kind of faith that changes how we live, deal with challenges, and relate to God. This is an active faith that seeks God with our whole being—body, mind, and soul.
Here’s a question for each of us (including this writer): Are we earnestly seeking God in our daily lives? Do we believe in His existence not only intellectually but experientially? Do we trust God with our whole hearts?
The challenge this week is always to live out our faith, knowing that God is our Father. He invites each of us into a loving relationship with Him. God is faithful and does reward those who diligently seek Him each day.
God bless,
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