What does it really mean to live by faith? Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. But is faith about trying harder to believe, or is it about learning to trust the One who has already proven Himself faithful? This verse reveals that genuine faith goes beyond believing God exists. It means coming to Him, trusting His character, and discovering that our greatest reward is not what He gives us, but knowing Him.
Hebrews 11:6 is one of those verses that looks simple at first, but the deeper you sit with it, the more profound it becomes:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
The verse isn’t primarily giving us a formula for how to get God to reward us; it’s revealing what genuine faith looks like.
“WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD” That is a strong statement.
Why does faith matter so much to God?
Because faith is fundamentally a response to God’s character. To trust God is to say, “I believe You are who You have revealed Yourself to be, and therefore I will entrust myself to You.” Unbelief, on the other hand, doesn’t merely mean having questions or doubts. Scripture’s deeper concern is refusing to trust God’s character and promises.
And this is important: faith isn’t the thing that makes God gracious toward us. God has already demonstrated His grace in Christ. Faith is how we receive and live from what He has provided.
“ANYONE WHO COMES TO HIM…” I think this may be the heart of the verse.
Hebrews doesn’t say, “Anyone who has everything figured out.” It says “comes to Him.”
Faith moves us toward God.
You can have unanswered questions and still come to God. You can be hurting and still come to God. You can even say, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief”(Mark 9:24).
That is remarkably encouraging. Biblical faith isn’t the absence of struggle; it’s choosing to bring the struggle into the presence of God rather than allowing it to drive us away from Him.
“MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS” This goes beyond merely believing that God is real. The idea is believing that God truly is who He has revealed Himself to be.
God is: faithful, good, holy, merciful and trustworthy!
Faith begins to rest in God’s character rather than making our circumstances the final authority.
Sometimes circumstances say, “God has forgotten you.”
Faith says, “I don’t understand what God is doing, but I know who God is.”
That’s a very different kind of faith.
“AND THAT HE REWARDS THOSE WHO EARNESTLY SEEK HIM” This is where I think we can easily misunderstand Hebrews.
It’s important to realize that the reward isn’t necessarily a better life, more money, fewer problems, or getting everything we ask for. Hebrews 11 itself proves that. Some people experience extraordinary deliverance; others suffered terribly and even died without seeing the promise fulfilled.
So what does God ultimately reward?
Ultimately, the person who seeks Him discovers that God Himself is the treasure. That brings us back to something Jesus said:
“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33
So, the deepest reward of faith isn’t simply what God puts into our hands. It’s God Himself.
And there’s another beautiful connection. Hebrews 11 begins with faith looking toward things not yet seen, while Hebrews 12:1-2 immediately turns our eyes toward Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith.”
So the Christian life isn’t ultimately:
“Try harder to have more faith.”
It’s more like:
“Keep your eyes on Jesus, keep coming to God, and learn to trust the One who has already proven Himself faithful,”
That changes the whole meaning of Hebrews 11:6. Faith isn’t something we manufacture so God will love us. Faith is our response to a God who has already loved us, revealed Himself to us, and given Himself for us in Christ.
And perhaps the deepest thought of all is this:
God is pleased when we trust Him- not because our faith is perfect, but because our faith turns our eyes away from ourselves and toward Him.
That, to me, is where Hebrews 11:6 becomes less about “How much faith do I have?” And much more about “ How trustworthy is the God in whom I have placed my faith?”
And Hebrews’ answer is essentially: COMPLETELY.
OUR GOD IS A BIG GOD!
Blessings! Gerry
