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This is the second in the series on Hebrews chapter 11 covering verses 4-7
Hebrews 11:6 is another of the famous verses in this chapter of famous people.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him
In this verse we see two effects of faith. Two responses to faith. Two things that happen when someone exercises faith.
Faith causes me to draw near to God. Faith causes God to be pleased with me.
Let’s think about both of these.
Faith causes me to draw near to God.
The letter to the Hebrews is a bridge between the Old and New Testament and the author frequently refers to themes from the Old Testament to explain the concepts about which he is writing. He talks often about drawing near to God. (Hebrews 4:16, 7:19,25, 10:1) This was a common theme in the Old Testament. From verses (such as Leviticus 9:5,6; Psalm 27:4-8; 105:4; Isaiah 55:6,7) we can describe Drawing near to God as coming into His presence to learn from Him, talk to Him, and worship Him.
There are two specific things I must believe about God if I am to draw near to God.
I must believe in His existence and in His generosity.
There is a logical sequence to these beliefs, and both of these things must be believed.
There are some today who do not believe that God is present and involved in our world. In their worldview there is no God to draw near to.
Others are practical atheists. They don’t care whether or not God exists. They are happy living life without Him. They make no attempt to draw near to God.
The Devil believes in the existence of God - he has seen God’s throne room - but does not draw near to HIm in intimate conversation or worship. This is because he only believes that God exists. He does not believe that God is a promise keeping, reward giving, good God. What we see as God’s rewards - eternity in God’s presence - the devil sees as painful torture. In his depraved mind, hell without God is better than heaven with God. The demons believe, but tremble in fear and rage and hatred.
Some people today believe that God exists but do not believe that God is good and gracious. They think he is an angry judge who wants to spoil all their fun - who would want to draw near to a God like that?
It is interesting that the Hall of Faith of Hebrews 11 does not begin with Adam and Eve. What did they believe about the generosity of God? They believed the lie of Satan who deceived them into believing that God was not good. He made God out to be a stingy taskmaster and a withholder of good things. If Satan can not convince you that God doesn’t exist, he will try to convince you that God is not good.
Before we have the kind of faith that makes us want to draw near to God, there must be a change in how we view God and a change in what our hearts treasure. There must be a change in where we seek rewards.
We are all treasure seekers. We want goodness, happiness, peace. We all know the common places the world seeks to find reward, or pleasure, or treasure. We also know that in these places we do not find satisfying treasure.
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
Jeremiah 2:13
When God saves us He reveals Himself to us in the person of Jesus, gives us eyes to see his glory and mercy (this is the gift of faith), and changes our hearts (this is regeneration) so that we desire Him as our greatest reward.
How is it that a family can all laugh at an “inside joke” while other people say, “I don’t see what’s so funny”?
They aren’t part of the family.
Some see. Others don’t.
Steve and I once attended a performance of the San Francisco symphony. At the end of the last note, before anyone had begun to clap, a man directly behind us immediately jumped to his feet and yelled, “Bravo!” By the time others had stood to their feet, he was on his chair. “You’ll never ever hear that piece performed better! Bravo!” Because of his musical expertise, he knew how extraordinary the performance was.
He had musical sight that Steve and I did not.
Some see. Others don’t.
Faith sees Christ as the greatest treasure to be sought after.
And this faith makes us want to be near God.
Consider this Illustration: I believe the President of the USA exists. I believe that if I write him a letter, I will get a letter in return with his stamped signature on it. But I haven’t written to him. I believe, but I do not draw near. Why?
I am not interested in having a letter with his stamped signature on it. I do not value it. It would not be a treasure to me.
A person who walks by faith has had a personal encounter
with the living God that causes the nearness and presence of God
to become their greatest treasure in life and in death.
Let’s return to the other effect of faith.
Faith causes God to be pleased with me.
For some people it is hard to think that God is pleased with them or could ever be. Perhaps they grew up with a parent or teacher or some important person in their life that was never pleased with any of their attempts to do right. There are christians who truly believe that God loves them, but are not sure at all that He likes them and even less sure that He is pleased with them.
(If you struggle with this, I recommend Impossible Christianity, by Kevin DeYoung.)
But the truth of scripture is that God is pleased with us. God delights in us.
I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. 1 Chron. 29:17
but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love. Psalm 147:11
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation. Psalm 149:4
I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. Jer. 32:41
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing. Zeph 3:17
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable [pleasing] and perfect. Romans 12:2
. . . . walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; Col 1:10
God is your father. And He finds pleasure in you, his child.
I’m a mom. I know what makes me happy.
When my children call me mom and understand what that means. (Other people can call me “Lois.” Only six kids plus add ons can call me “Mom.” It makes me happy to hear that word.)
When my children appreciate me for what I've done for them.
When my children delight to be with me.
When my children ask me for help believing I can help them.
When my children trust me to keep my promises.
The writer to the Hebrews has already alluded to God’s pleasure of His people when he told us that “people of old” received God’s commendation or approval because of their faith.
Notice the parallels with verse 6 and verse 1.
Believe that He exists (faith is the conviction of things not seen)
Believe that He rewards those who seek him (Faith is the assurance of things hoped for)
God is pleased. (by faith the people of old received their commendation.)
God is pleased when I walk by faith -
when I acknowledge who He is and live in light of the unseen spiritual realities.
when I come to Him as a rewarder and trust Him to keep His promises.
In our passage we have the examples of three Righteous men of faith who drew near to God and with whom God was pleased.
Abel believed that he could please God.
Able believed that God existed. How could he not? His parents had walked with God! He also believed that God would reward him if he sought Him. This he also probably learned from his parents who would have encouraged him not to do as they had done. Don’t you think that they had explained to him how God shed the blood of a lamb to clothe them? He offered an offering acceptable to God. God had “regard” for his offering (Gen 4:3). Abel’s offering was accepted because he was righteous. (1 John 3:11) God was pleased with the offering.
Enoch pleased God by drawing near to Him.
Why did the writer to the Hebrews pull the name of Enoch out of the long list of Adam’s descendants and put him in the hall of faith?
Enoch does stand out in the list of descendants. Have you read through those genealogies? It goes something like this:
“So and so lived. . . . and fathered so and so . . . and he lived some more. . . AND HE DIED.”
But this pattern is interrupted when Enoch is introduced.
Enoch lived. . . . and fathered . . . and WALKED WITH GOD, and lived some more and WALKED WITH GOD, and HE WAS NOT.
Walking with God is a term of intimacy. It pictures one who enjoys being in God’s presence, who orientates his life away from the world and toward God. Enoch both believed that God existed - he experienced the same intimacy that Adam and Eve had: walking with God - and believed that God would reward him for seeking Him - for drawing near to Him. Enoch treasured the presence of God. And what reward did Enouch get? More of God!
(It is interesting to note it may be that Enoch did not start walking with God until the birth of his first child. There is nothing like becoming a parent that pushes us into communion with God!)
Noah believed that God existed and would reward him for seeking Him.
Noah lived in a time of great evil. “ . . .the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and [] every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually . . . .The earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (Gen. 6:5,11)
In the midst of great darkness, Noah believed that God existed.
Now the demons believe and tremble. But Noah believed “in reverent fear” and obeyed.
He not only believed that God existed. He believed that God was good and would do as He had covenanted with him. He was assured of what he hoped for.
Rain was not a category for Noah. (Gen. 2: 4-6) He obeyed a command that didn’t make sense.
Genesis 6:22 “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” (7:5) The conviction of the unseen future God revealed to him was stronger than what his eyes could see in his present circumstances.
He continued to build the ark for 125 years. He must have suffered much from people’s taunting. But throughout these years, Noah walked with God, he drew near to God. He heard the voice of God louder and stronger than the voices of the people. The nearness of God kept him from cowering before the fear of man.
If you have asked me to send you homework pages in the past, I will be sending you homework 3 in the next few days.
Application Questions
In what ways can Christians live like practical atheists?
What causes you to believe the lie of Satan that God is not good or will not keep His promises?
Why is it so hard to believe that God is pleased with us? What can we do to change our perception?
What spiritual practices have you adopted that help you draw near to God?
If you have asked me to send you homework pages in the past, I will be sending you homework 3 in the next few days. I would love to hear from you how this study is encouraging you!