Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 11:6

But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

6. that he is ] The object of Faith is both the existence and the Divine government of God. “We trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe” (1Ti 4:10).

and that he is a rewarder ] Rather, “and that he becomes (i.e. shews or proves Himself to be) a rewarder.”

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

But without faith it is impossible to please him – Without confidence in God – in his fidelity, his truth, his wisdom, his promises. And this is as true in other things as in religion. It is impossible for a child to please his father unless he has confidence in him. It is impossible for a wife to please her husband, or a husband a wife, unless they have confidence in each other. If there is distrust and jealousy on either part, there is discord and misery. We cannot be pleased with a professed friend unless he has such confidence in us as to believe our declarations and promises. The same thing is true of God. He cannot be pleased with the man who has no confidence in him; who doubts the truth of his declarations and promises; who does not believe that his ways are right, or that he is qualified for universal empire. The requirement of faith or confidence in God is not arbitrary; it is just what we require of our children, and partners in life, and friends, as the indispensable condition of our being pleased with them.

For he that cometh to God – In any way – as a worshipper. This is alike required in public worship, in the family, and in secret devotion.

Must believe that he is – That God exists. This is the first thing required in worship. Evidently we cannot come to him in an acceptable manner if we doubt his existence. We do not see him, but we must believe that he is; we cannot form in our mind a correct image of God, but this should not prevent a conviction that there is such a Being. But the declaration here implies more than that there should be a general persuasion of the truth that there is a God. It is necessary that we have this belief in lively exercise in the act of drawing near to him, and that we should realize that we are actually in the presence of the all-seeing Jehovah.

And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him – This is equally necessary as the belief that he exists. If we could not believe that God would hear and answer our prayers, there could be no encouragement to call upon him. It is not meant here that the desire of the reward is to be the motive for seeking God – for the apostle makes no affirmation on that point; but that it is impossible to make an acceptable approach to him unless we have this belief.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Heb 11:6

Without faith it is impossible to please Him

The nature and importance of faith

I.

THIS NATURE OF FAITH IN GENERAL. NOW the term, faith, expresses a confidence or persuasion of the truth of anything not self-evident, received upon the testimony of another. To have faith in the subjects of human testimony, requires a certain comprehension of the nature of the subjects, and a confidence in the credibility of the testimony under which those subjects are presented to our knowledge. Precisely the same circumstances appear to take place in reference to Divine testimony. We are satisfied as to the credibility of the testimony–that it comes from God. But the objects presented to us upon that testimony will become the actual objects of our faith, exactly to the extent and no further in which we understand them. Our comprehension of the object will always be the limit of our faith; and this faith will diminish or augment in the very degree in which our perception is clear or confused. But it is needful here to remark that the Divine testimony, though depending upon precisely the same process of mind as to its existence, and growth, and contraction, is far more difficult of acquirement and of retention than faith in human testimony. Is it inquired wherefore? The answer is that sin has crippled our power of judgment–that sin has deadened the spiritual sensibility which is absolutely essential to the perception of Divine truth. Supposing, therefore, the powers of understanding and of imagination to be equal in any two persons, he will comprehend the Christian revelation the most clearly who has the purest affections, who is in the highest degree detached from human objects, and who is the most conversant with the objects of the heavenly world. The purity of God; the evil of sin; the love of Christ; the manifestation of that Jove to the human soul; the hidden and holy intercourse of the heart with God; the necessity for atonement; the freeness of Divine grace; the renovation of the heart by the power and compassion of the great Comforter; the value of prayer; the fervour of gratitude; the desire to be with Christ; the secret calm of confidence in His eternal love–these, and many other subjects embodied in the testimonies of God, aresubjects with which an unholy, earthly heart cannot come into full contact. There may be a distant perception, indeed, even of these; but the affections that are low and sensual cannot perceive them so as to taste their value. And such is essential to their perception. The value which the Scriptures attach to faith, is hence no ground of surprise to him who has felt Christianity to be dear and healing to his heart. It has been by a Divine influence that he has come into contact with the spiritual meaning of Christianity; and his faith in that spiritual meaning has been the medium through which he came into such contact. He is therefore aware that no language can do justice to the worth of faith. It will thus appear that to faith belong all the essential blessings of Christianity. We come into intercourse with God; we rest under the shelter of the atonement; we are renewed in our tastes and inclinations; we acquire a home, a refuge; we regard the future as serene and bright; these blessings we acquire by faith, and by faith only. Nor is there any other conceivable way of embracing all the great and consoling realities of the gospel. Faith is, hence, the confidence of the penitent, and devout, and affectionate heart, as it reposes its weary sensations amidst the gracious assurances of God! It is farther evident from these statements, that faith will be often progressive, and often retrograde. Let the true Christian become unduly eager about earthly emoluments; let him diminish voluntarily the time he passes in secret converse with God; let him call away his thoughts from the character and friendship of his Saviour; let him thwart the precious influences of the Holy Spirit–and his faith will necessarily contract its operations; the finer and more ethereal parts of Christianity will begin to grow indistinct; his affections will be disordered; he will believe less, in reference to God and eternity, than he did before; his faith will shrink, or will vacillate as to real good and evil. On the other hand, let him grow more familiar with the lofty thoughts and aspirations of the gospel; let him discover more of the glory of Christ; let him derive from Him larger accessions of holy peace and joy; let the earth remove farther from his interior fellowship–and heaven, with all its bright anticipations, come into closer union with his understanding and his affections; and he will necessarily believe more of Christianity than he did before–he will know more of its hidden worth, as the increased purity of his affections is throwing down more of the barrier which sin had interposed between his soul and God; or, which is the same thing, between him and the richer parts of Christianity.

II. THE MORE LIMITED SENSE OF THE TERM FAITH, in the passage of Scripture before us. Faith in this chapter has special reference to those tenets of Christianity which unveil the future world–the triumph and the rest of the righteous; and in the text it seems to refer more specially to the confidence of the soul as to Gods intentions to render it eternally happy. The man who thus confides believes that God is, not simply that He exists, but that He exists as a kind, compassionate, generous God, to the soul that seeks Him.

III. THE INFLUENCE OF THIS FAITH UPON OUR HABITUALLY PLEASING GOD. NO one can read the Scriptures with attention without being struck by the intense anxiety of God to produce and perpetuate confidence in His mercy and grace. The whole of Gods intercourse with man is to excite his gratitude and attachment; to prove to him that Gods thoughts, in reference to generosity and Compassion, are far higher than the thoughts of men; and to rectify the fatal mistake that happiness lies in external objects, and in the emoluments of earth. Christianity is the exhibition of the Divine character. Its chief feature is holy mercy. Hence faith is essential to our intercourse with God. He who doubts Gods goodness, he who voluntarily severs himself from Gods care, and casts himself as an orphan upon his own resources, thus forces back the hand which is lifted up in his defence, and rejects the succours of omnipotence. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Is it then presumption to believe Gods assurances, and to rest the full burden of our hopes upon His promises? Shall we still cling to the deceptive assurances of the world, and rest upon the poor broken reeds of earth? Earthly blessings, moderately enjoyed and gratefully received, may embellish and smooth in part the rugged journey of life; but they cannot build up a final dwelling-place; they cannot occupy the place of God in the heart; they cannot fill up the deep void which sin has left in the human soul. They can have no fellowship with all its inner necessities. They can carry no balm to the wounds of conscience; they can draw out no sting from death; they can achieve no victory over the grave. This is the work of God; this is the victory of Jesus Christ! Thrice happy those whom God has made willing to confide in His power. Their defence is the munition of rocks. The outward walls may crumble to decay; but nought can touch their citadel of peace in Jesuss blood. (G. T. Noel, M. A.)

Of the nature of faith in general

I. WE WILL CONSIDER THE CAUSE OF FAITH, OR THE ARGUMENT WHEREBY IT IS WROUGHT.

1. Sense; hence it is commonly said that seeing is believing, that is, one of the best arguments to persuade us of anything. That faith may be wrought by this argument appears both from the nature of the thing, nothing being more apt to persuade us of anything than our senses, and from several expressions in Scripture. I will instance in one for all (Joh 20:8).

2. Experience, which, though it may be sensible, and then it is the same argument with sense, yet sometimes it is not, and then it is an argument distinct from it. As for example, a man may by experience be persuaded or induced to believe this proposition–that his will is free, that he can do this, or not do it; which is a better argument than a demonstration to the contrary, if there could be one.

3. Reasons drawn from the thing; which may either be necessary and concluding, or else only probable and plausible.

4. The authority and testimony of some credible person. Now two things give authority and credit to the relation, or testimony, or assertion of a person concerning anything; ability and integrity.

II. The second thing to be considered is THE DEGREES OF FAITH, AND THE DIFFERENCE OF THEM. NOW the capacity or incapacity of persons are infinitely various, and not to be reduced to theory; but supposing a competent capacity in the person, then the degrees of faith or persuasion take their difference from the arguments, or motives, or inducements which are used to persuade. Where sense is the argument, there is the firmest degree of faith, or persuasion. Next to that is experience, which is beyond any argument or reason from the thing. The faith or persuasion which is wrought in us by reasons from the thing, the degrees of it are as the reasons are: if they be necessary and concluding, it is firm and certain in its kind; if only probable, according to the degrees of probability, it hath more or less of doubting mixed with it. Lastly, the faith which is wrought in us by testimony or authority of a person takes its degrees from the credit of a person, that is, his ability and integrity. Now because all men are liars, that is, either may deceive, or be deceived, their testimony partakes of their infirmity, and so doth the degree of persuasion wrought by it; but God being both infallible and true His testimony begets the firmest persuasion, and the highest degree of faith in its kind. But then it is to be considered, that there not being a revelation of a revelation in infinitum, that this is a Divine testimony and revelation we can only have rational assurance; and the degree of the faith or persuasion which is wrought by a Divine testimony will be according to the strength of the arguments which we have to persuade us that such a testimony is Divine.

III. For the efficacy or operation of faith we are to consider, THAT THE THINGS WE MAY BELIEVE OR BE PERSUADED OF ARE OF TWO SORTS. Either,

1. They are such as do not concern me; and then the mind rests in a simple belief of them, and a faith or persuasion of such things has no effect upon me; but is apt to have, if ever it happen that the matter do concern me: or else,

2. The thing I believe or am persuaded of doth concern me; and then it hath several effects according to the nature of the thing I am persuaded of, or the degree of the persuasion, or the capacity of the person that believes or is persuaded. If the thing believed be of great moment the effect of the faith is proportionable, and so according to the degree of the persuasion; but if the person be indisposed to the proper effects of such a persuasion by the power of contrary habits, as it often happens, the effect will be obtained with more difficulty, and may possibly be totally defeated by casting off the persuasion; for while it remains it will operate, and endeavour and strive to work its proper effect.

IV. FOR THE KINDS OF FAITH, THEY ARE SEVERAL, ACCORDING TO THE VARIETY OF OBJECTS OF THINGS BELIEVED. I shall reduce them all under these two general heads.

1. Faith is either civil or human, under which I comprehend the persuasion of things moral, and natural, and political, and the like; or,

2. Divine and religious; that is, a persuasion of things that concern religion. I know not whether these terms be proper, nor am I very solicitous, because I know none fitter, and tell you what I mean by them. (Abp. Tillotson.)

Of a religious and divine faith:

I. A PERSUASION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURAL RELIGION, such as the light of nature could discover; such are the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and a future state.

1. Whether it may truly and properly be called faith or not? If the general notion of faith which I have fixed before, viz., that it is a persuasion of the mind concerning anything, be a true notion of faith, then there is no doubt but this may as properly be called faith, as anything can be; because a man may be persuaded in his mind concerning these things that there is a God, that our souls are immortal, that there is another state after this life. But besides this, if the Scripture speaks properly, as we have reason to believe it does, especially when it treats professedly of anything as the apostle here does, then this question is fully decided; for it is evident to any one that will but read this verse that the apostle doth here in this place speak of this kind of faith; that is, a belief or persuasion of the principles of natural religion.

2. What are the arguments whereby this faith, or the persuasion of these principles of natural religion, is wrought? They are such reasons as may be drawn from things themselves to persuade us hereof; as either from the notion and idea which we have of a God, that He is a being that hath all perfections, whereof necessary existence is one, and consequently that He must be; or else from the universal consent of all nations, and the generality of persons agreeing in this apprehension, which cannot be attributed reasonably to any other cause than to impressions stamped upon our understandings by God Himself; or (which is most plain of all) from this visible frame of the world, which we cannot, without great violence to our understandings, impute to any other cause than a Being endowed with infinite goodness, and power, and wisdom, which is that we call God. As for the other two principles of natural religion, the immortality of the soul, and a future state, after we believe a God we may be persuaded of these from Divine revelation; and that doth give us the highest and firmest assurance of them in the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

3. Whether this faith or persuasion of the principles of natural religion admit degrees or not? And what differences are observable in them? That it does admit degrees, that is that a man may be more or less persuaded of the truth of those principles, is evident from the heathens, some of whom did yield a more firm and unshaken assent to them; others entertained them with a more faint persuasion of them, especially of the immortality of the soul and a future state, about which most of them had many qualms and doubts. Of all the heathens Socrates seems to have had the truest and firmest persuasion of these things; which he did not only testify in words, but by the constancy, and calmness, and sedate courage which he manifested at his death. So that this faith and persuasion admits of degrees the difference whereof is to be resolved partly into the capacity of the persons who believe, and partly into the strength, or at least appearance of strength, in the arguments whereby it is wrought.

4. What are the proper and genuine effects of this faith or persuasion? Now that, in a word, is natural religion which consists in apprehensions of God suitable to His nature, and affections towards Him suitable to these apprehensions, and actions suitable to both.

5. In what sense this faith or persuasion of the principles of natural religion may be said to be Divine? In these two respects:

(1) In respect of the object of it, or matters to be believed, which are Divine, and do immediately concern religion, in opposition to that which I call a civil and human faith, which is of such things as do not immediately concern God and religion.

(2) In respect of the Divine effect of it, which are to make men religious, and like God.

II. The second sort of faith, which I call A PERSUASION OF THINGS SUPERNATURALLY REVEALED, OF THINGS WHICH ARE NOT KNOWN BY NATURAL LIGHT, BUT BY SOME MORE IMMEDIATE MANIFESTATION AND DISCOVERY FROM GOD. Thus we find our Saviour (Mat 16:15-17), opposeth Divine revelation to the discovery of natural reason and light.

1. Whether this may truly and properly be called faith? And that it may is evident, because the general definition of faith agrees to it; for a man may be persuaded in his mind concerning things supernaturally revealed; and the Scripture everywhere calls a persuasion of these matters by the name of faith. Bat besides this, it seems this is the adequate and only notion of faith as it hath been fixed by the schools, and is become a term of art. For the definition that the schools give of faith is this, that it is an assent to a thing credible, as credible. Now, say they, that is credible which relies upon the testimony of a credible person; and consequently a human faith is that which relies upon human testimony; and a Divine faith that which relies upon the testimony or authority of God.

2. What is the argument whereby this faith or persuasion of things supernaturally revealed is wrought in us? And this, by the general consent of all, is the testimony or authority of God some way or other revealing these things to us; whose infallible and unerring knowledge, together with His goodness and authority, gives us the highest assurance that He neither can be deceived Himself, nor will deceive us in anything that He reveals to us.

3. As to the degrees of this faith. Supposing men sufficiently satisfied that the Scriptures are the Word of God, that is, a Divine revelation; then all those who are sufficiently satisfied of this do equally believe the things contained in the Scriptures. Supposing any man be unsatisfied, and do make any doubt whether these books called Holy Scriptures, or any of them, be the Word of God, that is a Divine revelation; proportionably to the degree of his doubting concerning the Divine authority of the Scriptures, there will be an abatement of his faith as to the things contained in them. And upon this account I think it is that the Scripture speaks of degrees of faith; of growing and increasing in faith; of a strong faith; and of a weak faith, that is such a faith as had a great mixture of doubting; by which we are not to understand that they doubted of the truth of anything of which they were satisfied by a Divine revelation; but that they doubted whether such things were Divine revelations or not.

4. What are the proper and genuine effects of this faith? The proper and genuine effects of the belief of the Scriptures in general is the conformity of our hearts and lives to what we believe; that is, to be such persons and to live such lives as it becomes those who do heartily believe, and are really persuaded of the truth of the Scriptures. And if this be a constant and abiding persuasion it will produce this effect; but with more or less difficulty according to the disposition of the subject, and the weakness or strength of contrary habits and inclinations. More particularly the effects of this faith are according to the nature of the matter believed. If it be a history or relation of things past, or prophecy of things to come, it hath an effect upon men so far as the history or prophecy doth concern them. If it be a doctrine, it hath the effect which the particular nature and tendency of such a doctrine requires.

5. In what sense this faith of things supernaturally revealed may be said to be a Divine faith? blot only in respect of the matter and object of it, which are Divine things, such as concern God and religion and in respect of the Divine effects it hath upon those who believe these things (for in these two respects a persuasion of the principles of natural religion may be said to be a Divine faith); but likewise in respect of the argument whereby it is wrought, which is a Divine testimony. (Abp. Tillotson.)

Of the faith or persuasion of a Divine revelation

I. WHAT WE ARE TO UNDERSTAND BY A DIVINE REVELATION. A supernatural discovery or manifestation of things to us. I say supernatural because it may either be immediately by God, or by the mediation of angels; as most if not all the revelations of the Old Testament were; a supernatural discovery or manifestation, either immediately to our minds and inward faculties, or else mediately to our understandings, by the mediation of our outward senses; as by an external appearance to our bodily eyes, or by a voice and sound to the sense of hearing.

II. WHETHER A PERSUASION OF A DIVINE REVELATION MAY PROPERLY RE CALLED FAITH? To this I answer, that according to the narrow notion of faith which the schools have fixed, which is an assent to anything grounded upon the testimony and authority of God revealing it, a persuasion of a Divine revelation cannot properly be called faith, because it is irrational to expect that a man should have another Divine revelation to assure him that this is a Divine revelation; for then, for the same reason, I must expect another Divine revelation to assure me of that, and so without end. But according to the true and general notion of faith, which is a persuasion of the mind concerning anything, a persuasion of the mind concerning a Divine revelation may as properly be called faith as anything else, if men will but grant that a man may be so satisfied concerning a Divine revelation, as verily to believe and be persuaded that it is so.

III. How WE MAY COME TO BE PERSUADED OF A DIVINE REVELATION THAT IT IS SUCH; or by what arguments this persuasion is wrought in us?

1. As to those persons to whom the revelation is immediately made, the question is by what arguments or means they may come to be assured that any revelation which they have is really and truly such, and not a delusion or imposture.

(1) God can work in the mind of man a firm persuasion of a thing by giving him a clear and vigorous perception of it; and if so, then God can accompany His own revelations with such a clear and overpowering light as shall discover to us the divinity of them, and satisfy us thereof beyond all doubt and scruple.

(2) God never persuades a man of anything that contradicts the natural and essential notions of his mind and understanding. For this would be to destroy His own workmanship, and to impose that upon the understanding of a man which, whilst it retains its own nature and remains what it is, it cannot possibly admit.

(3) Supposing the thing revealed do not contradict the essential notions of our minds, no good and holy man hath reason to doubt of anything, whether it be revelation from God or not, of which he hath a clear and vigorous perception, and full satisfaction in his own mind that it is such.

(4) A good and holy man reflecting upon this assurance and persuasion that he hath may be able to give himself a reasonable account of it, and satisfy himself that it is not a stubborn belief and an obstinate conceit of things without any ground or reason.

2. What assurance can other persons, who have not the revelation immediately made to them, have of a Divine revelation? To this I shall answer by these propositions:

(1) That there are some means whereby a man may be assured of anothers revelation that it is Divine.

(a) Otherwise it would signify nothing, but only to the person that immediately had it; which would make void the chief end of most revelations, which are seldom made to particular persons for their own sakes only, but, for the most part, on purpose that they may be made known to others, which could not effectually be done unless there be some means whereby men may be assured of revelations made to another.

(b) None could be guilty of unbelief but those who had immediate revelation made to them. For no man is guilty of unbelief that is not obliged to believe; but no man can be under any obligation to believe anything, who hath not sufficient means whereby he may be assured that such a thing is true.

(2) The private assurance and satisfaction of another concerning a revelation made to him can signify nothing at all to me, to assure me of it. For what satisfaction is it to me that another may say he hath a revelation, unless I have some means to be assured that what he saith is true? For if I must believe every spirit, that is every man that says he is inspired, I lie open to all possible impostures and delusions, and must believe every one that either foolishly conceits or falsely pretends that he hath a revelation.

(3) That miracles wrought for the confirmation of any Divine testimony or revelation made to another are a sufficient means whereby those who have not the Divine revelation immediately made to them may be assured that it is Divine; I say these are sufficient means of assurance in this case. But here we must distinguish between doubtful and unquestionable miracles.

IV. WHETHER THIS FAITH CONCERNING A DIVINE REVELATION MADE TO OTHERS NO ADMIT OF DEGREES? That it doth is evident from these expressions which the Scripture useth, of increasing faith, of growing in it, of a weak and strong faith, all which plainly supposeth degrees. And here it will be proper to inquire what is the highest degree of assurance which we can have concerning a Divine revelation made to another, that it is such; whether it be an infallible assurance, or only an undoubted certainty.

1. That infallibility is not essential to Divine faith, and necessarily included in the notion of it; which I prove thus. Divine faith admits of degrees, as I have showed before; but there can be no degree of infallibility. Infallibility is an impossibility of being deceived; but there are no degrees of impossibility, one thing is not more impossible than another; but all things that are impossible are equally so.

2. That the assurance which we have of the miracles wrought for the confirmation of the gospel is not an infallible assurance.

3. That an undoubted assurance of a Divine revelation that it is such, is as much as in reason can be expected. No man pretends to a Divine revelation that there is a God; but only to have rational satisfaction of it, such as leaves no just or reasonable cause to doubt of it. And why then should any desire greater assurance of a Divine revelation than he hath of a God?

4. An undoubted assurance is sufficient to constitute a Divine faith. Do not men venture their estates in traffic to places they never saw, because they have it from credible persons that there are such places, and they have no reason to doubt their testimony; and why should not the same assurance serve in greater matters if an undoubted assurance of a lesser benefit and advantage will make men venture as much? Why should any man desire greater assurance of anything than to have no just reason to doubt it; why more than so much as the thing is capable of? I shall only add this: that nothing hath been more pernicious to Christian religion than the vain pretences of men to greater assurance concerning things relating to it than they can make good; the mischief of which is this–that when discerning and inquisitive men find that men pretend to greater matters than they can prove, this makes them doubt of all they say, and to call in question Christianity itself. Whereas if men would be contented to speak justly of things, and pretend to no greater assurance than they can bring evidence for, considerate men would be apt to believe them.

V. WHAT IS THE PROPER AND GENUINE EFFECT OF THIS FAITH OF A DIVINE REVELATION? I answer, a compliance with the design and intention of it.

VI. IN WHAT RESPECT THIS MAY BE CALLED A DIVINE FAITH. TO this I answer, not only in respect of the object of it, and the argument whereby it is wrought, and the effect of it; but, likewise, in respect of the author and efficient of it, which is the Divine Spirit. (Abp. Tillotson.)

Of the testimony of the Spirit to the truth of the gospel

I. IN RESPECT OF THE OUTWARD EVIDENCE WHICH THE SPIRIT OF GOD GIVES US TO PERSUADE US TO BELIEVE. And if this be not that which divines mean by the testimony of the Spirit in this matter, yet I think it is that which may most properly be so called. Now the Spirit of God did outwardly testify concerning Jesus, that He was the Messias, and came from God; and that the doctrine which He taught was Divine.

1. In the voice from heaven, which accompanied the descending of the Spirit upon Him (Mat 3:17).

2. In those miracles which Christ Himself wrought by the Spirit of God, which were so eminent a testimony of the Spirit of God, that the resisting of the evidence of those miracles, and the attributing of them to the devil, is by our Saviour called a blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.

3. In the great miracle of His resurrection from the dead.

4. In the effusion of the Spirit upon the apostles, who were to preach Christ and His doctrine to the world; and that it might carry its evidence along with it.

II. FAITH IS IN A PECULIAR MANNER ATTRIBUTED TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IN RESPECT OF THE INWARD EFFICACY AND OPERATION OF THE DIVINE SPIRIT UPON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THOSE WHO SINCERELY AND EFFECTUALLY BELIEVE AND ENTERTAIN THE GOSPEL.

1. By strengthening the faculty, that is, raising and enabling our understanding to yield assent to the gospel. God is said, in Scripture, to enlighten the eyes of our understandings, which we may, if we please, understand in this sense; although that may be done by propounding such truths to us as we were ignorant of before, and could not have discovered, unless they had been revealed.

2. By enlightening and discovering the object, or thing to be believed. In the case we are speaking of, the object or thing to be believed is the gospel: now we may imagine the Spirit of God may work a faith or persuasion of this in us, by revealing or discovering to us this proposition, that the gospel is true.

3. By propounding and offering to us such arguments and evidence as are apt to persuade us of the truth of the gospel. And this, the Spirit of God, which inspired the writers of the Scripture, doth mediately by the Scriptures, and those characters of Divinity which are in the doctrines contained in them; and by those miracles which are there credibly related to be wrought by the Spirit of God, for the confirmation of that doctrine. And besides this, the Spirit of God may, when He pleaseth, and probably often doth, immediately suggest those arguments to our minds, and bring them to our remembrance.

4. By holding our minds intent upon this evidence, till it hath wrought its effect upon us.

5. By removing the impediments which hinder our effectual assent to the gospel. And in this and the last particular I conceive the work of the Spirit of God, in the producing of faith, principally to consist.

6. By furthering and helping forward the efficacy of this persuasion upon our hearts and lives, in the first work of conversion and regeneration, and in the progressive work of sanctification afterward, both which the Scripture doth everywhere attribute to the Spirit of God, as the author and efficient cause.

Lessons:

1. We may learn from hence to attribute all the good that is in us, or that we do in any kind, to God.

III. THOUGH FAITH BE THE GIFT OF GOD, YET THOSE THAT BELIEVE NOT ARE FAULTY UPON THIS ACCOUNT, THAT THEY QUENCH AND RESIST THE BLESSED MOTIONS OF GODS SPIRIT, and the influence and operation of the Spirit of God, which accompany the truth of the gospel to the minds of men, and produce their effect wherever they are not opposed and rejected by the prejudice and perverseness of men.

IV. Let us depend upon God for every good gift, and EARNESTLY BEG THE ASSISTANCE AND INFLUENCE OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT, WHICH IS SO NECESSARY TO US TO BEGET FAITH IN US, AND TO PRESERVE AND MAKE IT EFFECTUAL UPON OUR HEARTS AND LIVES. Bread is not more necessary to the support of our natural life, than the Holy Spirit of God to our spiritual life. For our encouragement to ask this gift of Gods Holy Spirit, our Saviour hath told us that God is very ready to bestow it upon us (Luk 11:11-13). (Abp. Tillotson.)

The efficacy, usefulness, and reasonableness, of Divine faith

I. WITHOUT FAITH THERE CAN BE NO RELIGION. And this will appear by inquiring into the nature of all human actions, whether civil or religious; and this is common to both of them, that they suppose some kind of faith or persuasion. For example, husbandry, or merchandise; no man will apply himself to these, but upon some belief or persuasion of the possibility and necessity, or at least usefulness and convenience, of these to the ends of life. So it is in Divine and religious things; nothing is done without faith. No man will worship God unless he believe there is a God; unless he be persuaded there is such a being, which, by reason of his excellency and perfection, may challenge our veneration; and unless he believe the goodness of this God, that He will reward those that diligently serve Him. So likewise no man can entertain Christ as the Messias and Saviour of the world, and yield obedience to His laws, unless he believes that He was sent of God, and ordained by Him to be a Prince and a Saviour. So that you see the necessity of faith to religion.

II. THE INFLUENCE THAT A DIVINE FAITH HATH UPON MEN TO MAKE THEM RELIGIOUS.

1. A true Divine faith supposeth a man satisfied and persuaded of the reasonableness of religion. He that verily believes there is a God, believes there is a being that hath all excellency and perfection, that is infinitely good, and wise, and just, and powerful, that made and preserves all things. Now he that believes such a Being as this, cannot but think it reasonable that He should be esteemed and adored by all those creatures that are sensible and apprehensive of these excellences; not only by constant praise of Him, but by a universal obedience to His will, and a cheerful submission to His pleasure. For what more reasonable than gratitude? And seeing He is truth itself, and hath been pleased to reveal His will to us, what can be more reasonable than to believe all those discoveries and revelations which God, who cannot lie, hath made to us, and to comply with the intention of them? And seeing He is the original pattern of all excellency and perfection, what can be more reasonable than to imitate the perfections of the Divine nature, and to endeavour to be as like God as we can? And these are the sum of all religion.

2. A true Divine faith supposeth a man satisfied and persuaded of the necessity of religion; that is, that it is necessary to every mans interest to be religious; that it will be highly for our advantage to be so, and eminently to our prejudice to be otherwise; that if we be so we shall be happy, if we be not we shall be miserable and undone for ever.

(1) From the nature and reason of the thing. Every man that believes a God, must believe Him to be the supreme good; and the greatest happiness to consist in the enjoyment of Him; and a separation from Him to be the greatest misery. Now God is not to be enjoyed but in a way of religion. Holiness makes us like to God, and likeness will make us love Him; and love will make us happy in the enjoyment of Him; and without this it is impossible to be happy.

(2) Every man who believes the revelations which God hath made, cannot but be satisfied how much religion is his interest from the promises and threatenings of Gods Word. APPLICATION:

1. This shows why there is so little of true religion in the world; it is for want of faith, without which it is impossible for men to be religious. If men were verily persuaded that the great, and holy, and just God looks continually upon them, and that it is impossible to hide from Him anything that we do, they would not dare to commit any sin in His sight, and under the eye of Him who is their Father and Master, their Sovereign and their Judge, their Friend and Benefactor; who is invested with all these titles, and stands to us in all these relations, which may challenge reverence and respect. Did men believe that they shall live for ever, and that after this short life is ended they must enter upon eternity; did men believe this, would they not with all possible care and diligence endeavour to attain the one and avoid the other? Did men believe the Scripture to be the Word of God, and to contain matters of the highest importance to our everlasting happiness, would they neglect it and lay it aside, and study it no more than a man would do an almanac out of date.

2. If faith have so great an influence upon religion, then the next use shall be to persuade men to believe. No man can be religious that doth not believe these two things:

(1) The principles of natural religion–that there is a God; that His soul is immortal; and that there are future rewards.

(2) That the Scriptures are the Word of God; or, which comes all to one, that the doctrine contained in them is a Divine revelation. Therefore whoever would persuade men to be religious, he must begin here; and whoever would improve men in religion and holiness, he must labour to strengthen this principle of faith. (Abp. Tillotson.)

Faith

The old Assemblys Catechism asks, What is the chief end of man? and its answer is, To glorify God, and to enjoy Him for ever. The answer is exceedingly correct; but it might have been equally truthful if it had been shorter. The chief end of man is to please God; for in so doing he will please himself. He that pleases God is, through Divine grace, journeying onward to the ultimate reward of all those that love and fear God; but he who is ill-pleasing to God must, for Scripture has declared it, be banished from the presence of God, and consequently from the enjoyment of happiness. If then, we be right in saying that to please God is to be happy, the one important question is, how can I please God? And there is something very solemn in the utterance of our text: Without faith it is impossible to please God. That is to say, do what you may, strive as earnestly as you can, live as excellently as you please, make what sacrifices you choose, be as eminent as you can for everything that is lovely and of good repute, yet none of these things can be pleasing to God unless they be mixed with faith.

I. First, for the EXPOSITION. What is faith?

1. The first thing in faith is knowledge. Search the Scriptures, then, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of Christ; and by reading cometh knowledge, and by knowledge cometh faith, and through faith cometh salvation.

2. But a man may know a thing, and yet not have faith. I may know a thing, and yet not believe it. Therefore assent must go with faith; that is to say, what we know we must all agree unto, as being most certainly the verity of God.

3. But a man may have all this, and yet not possess true faith; for the chief part of faith lies in the last head, namely, in an affiance to the truth; not the believing it merely, but the taking hold of it as being ours, and in the resting on it for salvation. Recumbency on the truth was the word which the old preachers used. You will understand that word. Leaning on it; saying, This is truth, I trust my salvation on it. Now, true faith, in its very essence rests in this–a leaning upon Christ. It will not save me to know that Christ is a Saviour; but it will save me to trust Him to be my Saviour.

II. And now we come to the ARGUMENT–why, without faith, we cannot be saved.

1. Without faith it is impossible to please God. And I gather it from the fact that there never has been the case of a man recorded in Scripture who did please God without faith.

2. But the next argument is, faith is the stooping grace, and nothing can make man stoop without faith. Now, unless man does stoop, his sacrifice cannot he accepted. The angels know this. When they praise God, they do it veiling their faces with their wings. The redeemed know it. When they praise God, they cast their crowns before His feet.

3. Faith is necessary to salvation, because we are told in Scripture that works cannot save. To tell a very familiar story, and even the poorest may not misunderstand what I say: a minister was one day going to preach. He climbed a hill on his road. Beneath him lay the villages, sleeping in their beauty, with the cornfields motionless in the sunshine; but he did not look at them, for his attention was arrested by a woman standing at her door, and who, upon seeing him, came up to him with the greatest anxiety, and said, Oh, sir, have you any keys about you? I have broken the key of my drawers, and there are some things that I must get directly. Said he, I have no keys. She was disappointed, expecting that every one would have some keys. But suppose, he said, I had some keys, they might not fit your lock, and therefore you could not get the articles you want. But do not distress yourself, wait till some one else comes up. But, said he, wishing to improve the occasion, have you ever heard of the key of heaven? Ah! yes, she said, I have lived long enough, and I have gone to church long enough, to know that if we work hard and get our bread by the sweat of our brow, and act well towards our neighbours, and behave, as the catechism says, lowly and reverently to all our betters, and if we do our duty in that station of life in which it has pleased God to place us, and say our prayers regularly, we shall be saved. Ah! said he, my good woman, that is a broken key, for you have broken the commandments, you have not fulfilled all your duties. It is a good key, but you have broken it. Pray, sir, said she, believing that he understood the matter, and looking frightened, What have I left out? Why, said he, the all-important thing, the blood of Jesus Christ. Dont you know it is said, the key of heaven is at His girdle; He openeth, and no man shutteth; He shutteth, and no man openeth? And explaining it more fully to her, he said, It is Christ, and Christ alone, that can open heaven to you, and not your good works. What, minister, said she, are our good works useless, then? No, said he, not after faith. If you believe first, you may have as many good works as you please; but if you believe, you will never trust in them, for if you trust in them you have spoilt them, and they are not good works any longer. Have as many good works as you please, still put your trust wholly in the Lord Jesus Christ, for if you do not, your key will never unlock heavens gate.

4. Again: without faith it is impossible to be saved, and to please God, because without faith there is no union to Christ. Now, union to Christ is indispensable to our salvation. If I come before Gods throne with my prayers, I shall never get them answered, unless I bring Christ with me.

5. Without faith it is impossible to please God, because it is impossible to persevere in holiness without faith.

III. And now in conclusion, THE QUESTION, the vital question. Have you faith?

1. He that has faith has renounced his own righteousness.

2. True faith begets a great esteem for the person of Christ.

3. He that has true faith will have true obedience. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Faith essential to pleasing God

I. THE APOSTLE ASSERTS THAT FAITH IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO THE PLEASING OF GOD.

1. For, first, without faith there is no capacity for communion with God at all. The things of God are spiritual and invisible; without faith we cannot recognise such things, but must be dead to them.

2. Without faith the man himself is not pleasing to God. Faith in Christ makes a total change in our position towards God–we who were enemies are reconciled; and from this comes towards God a distinct change in the nature of all our actions: imperfect though they be, they spring from a loyal heart, and they are pleasing to God.

3. Remember that, in human associations, want of confidence would prevent a mans being well-pleasing to another. When the creature dares to doubt his Creator, how can the Creator be pleased?

4. Unbelief takes away the common ground upon which God and man can meet. According to the well-worn fable, two persons who are totally different in their pursuits cannot well live together: the fuller and the charcoal-burner were obliged to part; for whatever the fuller had made white, the collier blackened with his finger. If differing pursuits divide, much more will differing feelings upon a vital point. It is Jesus whom Jehovah delights to honour; and if you will not even trust Jesus with your souls salvation, you grieve the heart of God, and He can have no pleasure in you.

5. Want of faith destroys all prospect of love.

6. Want of faith will create positive variance on many points.

7. By what means can we hope to please God, apart from faith in Him? By keeping all the commandments? Alas! you have not done so. If you do not believe in Him you are not obedient to Him. We are bound to obey with the mind by believing, as well as with the hand by acting. Remember the impossibility of pleasing the Lord without faith, and do not dash your ship upon this iron-bound coast.

II. THE APOSTLE MENTIONS TWO ESSENTIAL POINTS OF FAITH. He begins by saying, He that cometh to God must believe that He is. Note the key-word must: it is an immovable, insatiable necessity. Before we can walk with God, it is clear that we must come to God. Naturally, we are at a distance from Him, and we must end that distance by coming to Him, or else we cannot walk with Him, nor be pleasing to Him. Believe that God is as truly as you are; and let Him be real to you. Believe that He is to be approached, to be realised, to be, in fact, the great practical factor of your life. Hold this as the primary truth, that God is most influential upon you; and then believe that it is your business to come to Him. But there is only one way of coming to Him, and you must have faith to use that way. Yet all this would be nothing without the second point of belief. We must believe that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. We seek Him, first, when we begin by prayer, by trusting to Jesus, and by.calling upon the sacred name, to seek salvation. Afterwards we seek God by aiming at His glory, by making Him the great object for which we live.

III. WE WILL NOW GATHER A FEW LESSONS FROM WHAT THE APOSTLE HAS TAUGHT US.

1. First, then, the apostle teaches us here by implication that God is pleased with those who have faith The negative is often the plainest way of suggesting the positive.

2. Learn, next, that those who have faith make it the great object of their life to please God.

3. Next, note, the apostle teaches us here that they who have faith in God are always coming to God; for He speaks of the believer as He that cometh to God. You not only come to Him, and go away from Him, as in acts of prayer and praise; but you are always coming; your life is a march towards Him.

4. God will see that those who practise faith in Him shall have a reward. God Himself is enough for the believer.

5. Those who have no faith are in a fearful case. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Trust gratifies

The Cottager and Artisan gives the following anecdote of the late Lord Shaftesbury:–I was one day, he said, about to cross the street in one of the great thoroughfares of London. It was very crowded, and a little girl all alone was much puzzled as to how she was to get over. I watched her walking up and down, and scanning the faces of those who passed to see if there were any whom she could trust, but for a long time she seemed to scan in vain. At last she came to me, and looking timidly up in my face, whispered, Please, sir, will you lift me over? And, Lord Shaftesbury adds, that little childs trust was the greatest compliment I ever had in my life.

Value of faith

A New-Years wish of Romaine for his people and for himself was: God grant that this may be a year famous for believing. That is a wish that the most advanced century will never outgrow. Such a year will be famous indeed. Mighty works and mighty men are found where there is famous faith. The measure of the possibility of a year great in believing is the measure of the Infinite God Himself. (Sword and Trowel.)

He that cometh to God

Access to God:

It is a wonderful idea, the idea of the infinite, almighty, eternal Being, as to be approached and communicated with by man. If we might allow ourselves in such an imagination, as that the selected portion of all humanity, the very best and wisest persons on earth, were combined into a permanent assembly, and invested with a sovereign authority–the highest wisdom, virtue, science, and power thus united–would not a perfectly free access for the humblest, poorest, most distressed, and otherwise friendless, to such an assemblage, with a certainty of their most kind and sedulous attention being given–of their constant will to render aid–of their wisdom and power being promptly exercised–would not this be deemed an inestimable privilege to all within the compass of such an empire? But take a higher position, and suppose that there were such an economy that the most illustrious of the departed saints held the office of being practically, though unseen, patrons, protectors, assistants, guides, to men on earth; that the spirits of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, could be drawn, by those who desired it, to a direct personal attention, and to an exercise of their benignity and interference–would not this appear a resource of incalculable value? But there is another far loftier ascension. We are informed of a glorious order of intelligences that have never dwelt in flesh; many of whom may have enjoyed their existence from a remoteness of time surpassing what we can conceive of eternity; with an immense expansion of being and powers; with a perpetual augmentation of the goodness inspired by their Creator; and exercising their virtues and unknown powers in appointed offices of beneficence throughout the system of unnumbered worlds. Would it not seem a pre-eminent privilege, if the children of the dust might obtain a direct communication with them; might invoke them, accost them, draw them to a fixed attention, and with a sensible evidence of their indulgent patience and celestial benignity? Would not this seem an exaltation of felicity, throwing into shade everything that could be imagined to be derived to us from the benevolence and power of mortal or glorified humanity? Now, here we are at the summit of created existence; and up to this sublime elevation we have none of these supposed privileges. What, then, to do next? Next, our spirits have to raise their thoughts to an awful elevation above all subordinate existence in earth and heaven, in order to approach a presence where they may implore a beneficent attention, and enter into a communication with Him who is uncreated and infinite; a transition compared to which the distance from the inferior to the nobler, and then to the noblest of created beings, is reduced to nothing; as one lofty eminence on an elevated mountain–and a higher–and the highest–but thence to the starry heavens! But think, who is it that is thus to come to God? Man! little, feeble, mortal, fallen, sinful man! He is, if we may speak in such language, to venture an act expressly to arrest the attention of that stupendous Being. The purpose is to speak to Him in a personal manner; to detain Him in communication. The approaching petitioner is to utter thoughts, for God to admit them into His thoughts! He seeks to cause his words to be listened to by Him whose own words may be, at the very time, commanding new creations into existence. But reflect, also, that it is an act to call the special attention of Him whose purity has a perfect perception of all that is evil in the creature that approaches Him; of Him whom the applicant is conscious he has not, to the utmost of his faculties, adored or loved: alas! the very contrary! What an amazing view is thus presented of the situation the unworthy mortal is placed in, the position which he presumes to take, in coming to God. A sinful being immediately under the burning rays of Omnipotent Holiness! The idea is so fearful, that one might think it should be the most earnest desire of the human soul that there should be some intervention to save it from the fatal predicament. No wonder, then, that the most devout men of every age of the Christian dispensation have welcomed with gratitude the doctrine of a Mediator, manifested in the person of the Son of God, by whom the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man are, as it were, kept asunder; and a happy communication can take place through the medium of One who stands before the Divine Majesty of Justice, in mans behalf, with a propitiation and a perfect righteousness. Thus far, and too long, we have dwelt on the wonderfulness of the fact and the greatness of the privilege of coming to God. We have to consider, a little, with what faith this is to be done. Must believe that He is. Must have a most absolute conviction that there is one Being infinitely unlike and superior to all others; the sole Self-existent, All-comprehending, and All-powerful; a reality in such a sense that all other things are but precarious modes of being, subsisting simply in virtue of His will;–must pass through and beyond the sphere of sense, to have a spiritual sight of Him that is invisible; and, more than merely a principle held in the understanding, must verify the solemn reality in a vitally pervading sentiment of the soul. And what a glory of intellect and faith thus to possess a truth which is the sun in our mental sphere, and whence radiate all the illuminations and felicities that can bless the rational creation! And what a spectacle of debasement and desolation is presented to us, when we behold the frightful phenomenon of a rational creature disbelieving a God! But how easily it may be said, We have that faith; we never denied or doubted that there is such a Being. Well; but reflect, and ascertain in what degree the general tenor of your feelings, and your habits of life, have been different from what they might have been if you had disbelieved or doubted. The effectual faith in the Divine existence always looks to consequences. In acknowledging each glorious attribute, it regards the aspect which it bears on the worshipper, inferring what will therefore be because that is. It is not a valid faith in the Divinity, as regarded in any of His attributes, till it excite the solicitous thought, And what then? He is, as supreme in goodness; and what then? Then, how precious is every assurance from Himself that He is accessible to us. Then, is it not the truest insanity in the creation to be careless of His favour? Then, happy they who obtain that favour, by devoting themselves to seek it. Then, let us instantly and ardently proceed to act on the conviction that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. This faith is required in consideration of the intention (might we presume to say, reverently, the sincerity of the heavenly Father in calling men to come to Him. I have not said, Seek ye Me in vain. To what purpose are they thus required to make His favour the object of their eternal aspiration; to forego all things rather than this. Why thus summoned, and trained, and exercised, to a lofty ambition far above the world? Not to frustrate all this labour, not to disappoint them of the felicity to which they continually aspire! They must believe that He is a rewarder; that He is not thus calling them up a long, laborious ascent, only that they may behold His glorious throne, come near to His blissful paradise, do Him homage at its gate, and then be shut out. Consider again: it is because there is a Mediator, that sinful men are authorised to approach to God, seeking that–no more than that–which the mysterious appointment was made, in Divine justice and mercy, for the purpose of conferring on them. Then they must believe that this glorious office cannot but be availing to their success. What has been appointed, in the last resort, in substitution and in remedy of an antecedent economy, because that has failed, must be, by eminence, of a nature not itself to fail. They that come to God in confidence on this new Divine constitution, will find that He, in justice to His appointment of a Mediator, will grant what is promised and sought in virtue of it; in other words, will be a rewarder for Christs sake. And what is that in which it will be verified to them that He is a rewarder? For what will they have to adore and bless Him as such? For the grandest benefits which even He can impart in doing full justice to the infinite merits of the appointed Redeemer. But the important admonition, to be repeated here in concluding, is, that all this is for them that diligently seek; so habitually, importunately, perseveringly, that it shall in good faith be made the primary concern of our life; so that, while wishes and impulses to obtain are incessantly springing from the busy soul in divers directions, there shall still be one predominant impulse directed towards heaven. And, if such representations as we have been looking at be true, think what might be obtained by all of us, who have them at this hour soliciting our attention, on the supposition that we all should henceforward be earnest applicants to the Sovereign Rewarder. Think of the mighty amount of good, in time and eternity, as our collective wealth; and of the value of every individual share. (John Foster.)

Postulates of prayer

He that cometh to God–this is a special characterisation of prayer. It seems to localise the omnipresent God. To come to Him is to be vividly conscious of Him, and to realise His goodness and grace; to touch Him, and speak to Him.

I. The first postulate of prayer is BELIEF IN THE PERSONALITY OF GOD. If I think of God as a universal ether, as a highly-sublimated steam which pervades and works the machine of the universe, I can no more pray to Him than I could pray to the steam of the locomotive to put me down at such and such a station. If I think of God as an unconscious something, idea, or what else, which is necessarily and unconsciously developing itself into the universe, I can no more pray to that than I can to the principle of evolution. If God be not a person, if He be a mere force, as pray to that I might as well say to gravitation, which has broken my head, Heal me, or to time, which has left me behind, Wait for me.

II. We must not only believe that God is, but also that He is the rewarder of them that seek after Him, which involves as a second postulate of prayer that GOD HAS POWER TO HEAR AND ANSWER PRAYER. Prayer, it is said, has a great reflex action. It certainly has. Going over and giving thanks for Gods mercies excites my gratitude, even though there be no God to receive my thanks. But I would not so befool myself as to give thanks, if I did not believe God is to reward my thanks by receiving them. A celebrated scientific lecturer, while insisting on the operation of law, once said: The united voice Of this assembly could not persuade me that I have not at this moment the power to lift my arm if I wished to do so. And if, in spite of gravitation, man has this power, surely we cannot deny a corresponding power to God. In answer to my childs prayer I can lift my arm, though gravitation operates to keep it down. And in answer to my prayer, God my Father, being no less personal than I, can do what is analogous to my lifting my arm. He can subordinate, combine His laws according to His mighty power and wisdom, so that, without dishonouring, but rather honouring them in using them, He brings about the result, which is the reward of my prayer.

III. But to reward, there must be something more than the power; there must be the grace. We note, then, as the third postulate of prayer, GODS WILLINGNESS TO REWARD. Some, learning that this earth is but a small part of the solar system, and the solar system but a mote in the sunbeam of the universe, say, with more than the psalmists meaning: Well, what is man that God should be mindful of him, or the son of man that God should visit him? Why should God answer the prayers of one so insignificant? The question would have force if man were nothing more than matter. But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of God hath given him understanding; we are His offspring. A solar system, therefore, might expire, but it would touch God less than the cry of one of His children. Insignificant man is materially, but not spiritually. He has a quality transcending all matter; he has a life which shall flourish with immortal energy when the fires of the sun are sunk into cold ashes. God will hear His child, though the child be small. Ah, but we are sinful, and He is holy; will He suffer us to come near Him? Verily, God is willing that the sinful, being penitent, should draw near to Him. Why, has He not drawn near to them in every inviting word and gracious deed of prophet and saint? Has He not drawn near to them in Christ Jesus? Yea, does He not draw near to us sinful now? What is that loathing of sin which sometimes comes upon the sinner? What is that sense of shame and feeling of disgust which sometimes fills him? What is that longing for good, that wistful looking back to the days when the heart was pure? What are these but God coming to the sinner? What are our hungerings for righteousness, our longings for truth, our aspirations for goodness, but God in us, working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure? To meet, then, such operations is to fulfil His own desires; to reward such feelings is to satisfy Himself. If God has come thus to us, how can we doubt that He will reward us coming to Him? How can He deny our prayer, when to fulfil it is to fulfil His own will? (A. Goodrich, D. D.)

The existence of God

1. First, the belief in His existence is universal, and what is a universal belief has the force of a law of nature. This belief we see alike in the savage and the highly civilised. The soul has it sunk into itself that it is an uncompounded spiritual substance. But this impersonalness in the soul implies a personalness in Him who made it.

2. Our moral nature attests the same thing. Conscience in every man says: Thou shalt and thou shalt not. We are conscious of responsibility, and this implies a personal being to whom we are responsible. This is the testimony of the moral nature. Besides, there is an instinct of the infinite in every mind. This, indeed, is the highest part of our nature. Unless there is an answering reality in God, that part is an enigma–eyes without light, lungs without air.

3. We see, thirdly, a progress in history. It is absurd to suppose that all the tangled elements of early European history–Greek, Phoenician, Roman, Scythian–of themselves made Europes present civilisation, as to suppose that a combat of Arctic and Tropic winds could have made the Yale College of now.

4. We see, fourthly, the Scriptures coming to assert a God, not proving Him, but bringing Him to light; affording an explanation of all things in Him, and it is in a sense a proof.

5. We have, fifthly, evidence that God is of the highest purity and holiness. We must have that answering fact in Him, for it is in us. This leads us to ask how we may find Him? Discern Him? It is the greatest of questions, for all of our highest living depends on it.

(1) We cannot find Him by the senses. We cannot see gravitation steady the mountains; we cannot hear light drop on the world, with its vivifying power. We can see the jewel, but not the crystallising power. Life shows itself in the flushing cheek, the beaming eye, the bounding step, but we cannot see it. We could not see it go if it should fly away from our dearest one. It eludes us, and so does God.

(2) We cannot find Him by physical analysis. In Shakespeares brain, the knife finds no Othello; in Raphaels, no mother and child; in Angelos, no high poised dome; in Napoleons, no moving armies, as if they were but fingers. That scientists cannot find God thus must grieve them, till they can pull out genius with a pair of forceps, or showy character and probe.

(3) We cannot find Him by metaphysical analysis. We are to find Him rather through our highest part; through that in us which accords with Him. Love finds love. The pure in heart shall see God. We see now why scientists do not find God. They do not use the right instruments. We cannot find love with a microscope, nor sweep up music with a broom. We see why the failures of scientists to find God do not discourage believers. It matters not to him who has seen them that a man pronounce Naples a dream of the fancy; Venice, that dream in stone, reposing ever in blessed stillness on its lagoons, a myth; Merit Blanc, as seen from Geneva, gleaming like the very throne of God on earth, a speculation. We see what a magnificent democracy God has set up on earth to come to this sublimest knowledge in the universe. No university lore, and no grand diploma are essentials. The poorest, the humblest, may have it. We see the sphere of the Church. The objective point is to bring to the world the capability of so seeing God, and then by all good ordinances and methods to develop this seeing of Him and growth toward Him. (R. S. Storrs, D. D.)

On coming to God

I. IT IS THE NATURE OF FAITH TO MAKE A MAN COME TOWARDS GOD, AND TO GET COMMUNION WITH HIM THROUGH CHRIST.

1. What it is to come to God. Coming to God notes three things, for it is a duty always in progress.

(1) The first address of faith. To come to God is to desire to be in His favour and covenant–to be partakers of His blessings in this life, and of salvation in the life to come (Heb 7:25).

(2) Our constant communion with Him in holy duties. In all exercises of religion we renew our access to Christ, and by Christ to God; in hearing, as a teacher; in prayer, as an advocate for necessary help and supply; in the Lords Supper, as the Master of the feast (Pro 9:2).

(3) Our entrance into glory (Mat 25:34).

2. There is no coming to God but by Christ (Joh 10:9), I am the door; there is no entrance but through Him (Joh 14:6).

(1) By His merit. As paradise was kept by a flaming sword, so all access to God is closed by His justice; there was no pressing in till Christ opened the way, God became man, drawing near to us by the veil of His flesh Heb 10:19-20).

(2) By His grace.

II. THAT THE FIRST POINT OF FAITH, IF WE WOULD HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GOD, IS TO RELIEVE THAT THERE IS A GOD. This is the primitive and supreme truth, therefore let me discuss it a little; the argument is not needless.

1. Partly because the most universal and incurable disease of the world is atheism; it is disguised under several shapes, but it lies at the root, and destroys all practice and good conscience.

2. Because supreme truths should he laid up with the greatest certainty and assurance. Christians are mistaken very much, if they think all the difficulty of religion lies in affiance, and taking out their own comfort, and in clearing up their own particular interest. Oh, no; a great deal of it lies in assent; there is a privy atheism at the root, and therefore doth the work of God go on so untowardly with us–therefore have we such doubtings and so many deformities of life and conversation.

3. I would handle this argument, that there is a God, because it is good to detain the heart a little in the view of this truth, and to revive it in our souls.

(1) That there is a God may be proved by conscience, which is as a thousand witnesses.

(2) As conscience shows it, so the consent of all nations. There are none so barbarous, but they worship some God.

(3) It may be evident also by the book of the creatures. Surely there is a God, because these things are made in such exactness and order.

(4) Providence also discovers a God. (T. Manton, D. D.)

How to seek God

1. Only: Aut Caesar, aut nullus–Him only shalt thou serve. We must not with Ahaziah seek to Beelzebub, the god of Ekron: but to Jehovah, the God of Israel.

2. We must seek Him diligently, as Saul did his fathers asses, the woman her lost groat: there must be no stone unrolled, as the Ninevites, who cried with all their might.

3. At all times. In health, in wealth, in honour (Hos 5:1-15.). In their affliction they will seek Me diligently: in health as well as in sickness. We will seek to a man so long as we need him: we need God at all times, therefore at all times let us seek unto Him.

4. In time, not as the five foolish virgins, who sought too late, and could have no admittance into the marriage feast. (W. Jones, D. D.)

Believe that He is

Faith in God:

The apostle commences this chapter by defining the nature of faith; and then proceeds to adduce, from the narratives of the Old Testament, a variety of instances wherein this grace had been prominently exhibited. But he pauses in his enumeration, that he may indicate, in the words of the text, that, apart from the possession of this qualification, it can be to no purpose that men use the language of prayer. And yet, when immediately afterwards he comes to explain what the measure of that faith is, without which we cannot acceptably betake ourselves to the footstool of our Maker; it seems certainly, at first sight, as though exceedingly small demands were made upon us in this direction. The first requisite, in coming to God, is stated to be, that we are to believe that He is. Now, might it not have been supposed that the specifying of such a condition as this would have been altogether superfluous? You will notice, however, that the thing demanded was not that there should be belief in the existence of some Supreme Intelligence, who presides over the affairs and movements of the universe; but that the Deity Himself was to be the object of faith. Now, you cannot believe that God is, without bringing your conceptions of His character into accordance with the delineations of it given in the Inspired Volume. And, when this is borne in mind, can it be affirmed with certainty that Christians, in the present day, stand in need of no caution in relation to this very point? One man, for instance, lets his mind be wholly occupied with impressions Of the love of God. He cannot think that the Being who has stored the universe with such abundant demonstrations of His benevolence, will eventually, on the score of transgressions unrepented of, consign any to the abode of the fire and of the worm. Now, is it not evident that the man fails to recognise the Deity of the Scriptures, in the Being concerning whose future proceedings he thus conjectures?–and that, so long as he confines himself to this one-sided view he cannot come to God, since he that cometh to God must believe that He is,–must recognise Him in all the comprehensiveness of His revealed character,–must beware of the substitution of an idol of the fancy, for the Lord of heaven and earth. But another man is thoroughly persuaded that he is walking along the road which will conduct him to eternal life: and this, simply, because he bears a fair character for morality, and is not chargeable with any flagrant crime. He may devote little or no attention to those religious exercises, public and private, which can with safety be neglected by none; but still it seems not to occur to him that he is endangering the interests of his soul. Now, remembering that they that worship God, must worship Him in spirit and in truth; and that there is none other name given among men, whereby we can be saved, but the name of Jesus; you will perceive that the individual who unhappily abandons himself to spiritual indifference, must be necessarily, meanwhile, far from the kingdom of heaven. And if he believes not, therefore, in the God of the Bible, in what terms shall we address him, and what course shall we mark out for his guidance? Oh! the man must indeed be directed to come to God; but nothing beyond what is essential will be uttered, when, at the same time, he is informed that before he can come to God, he must believe that God is. And how frequently is it the case, that the most solemn words of prayer are repeated by the lips, and yet quite unfelt by the heart! Now, is it not so manifest as scarcely to require to be dwelt upon, that if God have connected a large amount of efficacy with earnest prayer, then they who, notwithstanding the proclamation, persist in disbelieving, either wholly or in part, the fact, do not recognise, in the object of their nominal adoration, the prayer-hearing Lord of all power and might; that imagination has created an unfaithful representation of Him; that thus the Divine reality is kept out of view; and that, accordingly, before they can come to God, they must, in the first place, believe that He is. Such, as you will perceive, is the doctrine of our text; wherein the apostle, who had, in the preceding verses, given two instances of the happy results of faith, remarks parenthetically, ere continuing his list, that, if destitute of this gift, man cannot possibly find acceptance; since, in order to his doing so, he must recognise the Deity–recognise Him, of course, as described in His holy Word; and must thus approach Him as a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. (H. B. Moffat, M. A.)

Two things presupposed in coming to God:

He that cometh to God–and that is religion; he that is perpetually approaching God, as aworshipper, as an applicant, as one who would live with Him and walk with Him, and that continually; must believe–must (the phrase is) have believed, first of all and once for all–that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. There are two parts, then, in this primary, this preliminary belief. First the existence of God. A man cannot come to a phantom, to an idea, to a non-entity. It is self-evident. The very phrase here used for religion implies the reality of the Object. He that cometh to God–and that is religion–must know and feel that he comes to some one. He that would walk with God–and that is religion–must know and feel that that desired Companion exists. The other part of the belief is less obvious, but no less instructive. It is the certainty of blessing for the seeker. That He is a rewarder, a recompenser, to them that diligently seek Him. It is no humility, it is an irreverence, to doubt Gods will to bless. It is one thing to be conscious of a want of diligence in seeking–it is another thing, altogether, to mistrust the willingness of God to be found. To suppose Him reluctant to bless, is to paint Him in a repulsive form; is to make Him less gracious, less merciful, less bountiful, than any very ungracious, unmerciful, ungenerous, and churlish man; is to deny to Him one of those attributes which make Him God. (Dean Vaughan.)

Faith in God

What an odd conceit was that of the Cretians, to paint their Jupiter without either eyes or ears I And what an uncertainty was she at that prayed, O God, whoever thou art, for whether thou art, or who thou art I know not (Medea). This uncertainty attending idolatry caused the heathens to close up their petitions with that general Hear, all ye gods and goddesses! And those mariners (Jon 1:5), every man to call upon his god; and lest they might all mistake the true God, they awaken Jonah to call upon his God. (J. Trapp.)

Faith in Gods personality

A certain famous German, at a certain stage of his spiritual life, though he was at the time a critical writer on the side of Christianity, said to one of us, Oh that I could say Thou to my God, as you do! (C. Stanford, D. D.)

Faith and prayer

Prayer is the voice of faith. (J. Home.)

Belief in God and prayer

It is worthy of note that the very day after M. Renan wrote that the God of Victor Hugo was a God to whom it may be useless to pray, Victor Hugo himself, with one stroke of his pen, from the shadow of the grave, overturned this laboured and subtle rhetoric. I ask, he wrote, for prayers from all souls. I believe in God.

God and atheism

Gods character, as portrayed in the Bible, is the most beautiful and perfect conceivable. He is there represented as at once righteous and merciful, a just God and a Saviour. I admire this character as one worthy of the Creator of the world; so much so, that if, when in another state I were assured that the God of the Bible was nowhere to be found, I should ask, with amazement, Who, then, is God? If, instead, there were pointed out to me any other, such as Heathen, Mohammedan, or Papist gods, I should not find it possible, in my nature, to render the homage required, even at the peril of my life. The atheist is so foolish and blind, that he can no more than a mole discern the eternal power and Godhead in the wonderful structure of his own frame, in the curious formation of leaf and flower, or in the marvellous glory of all created things; therefore he comes to the conclusion that there is no God. So may the mole, who has never seen them, make sure there is neither king nor palace. Thou atheistic mole, who hast never travelled nor inquired enough to decide there is no God, all thou canst say is, that thou hast not yet seen Him, and hast no desire to see. How knowest thou that His existence is not so manifest beyond the river of death, and throughout the whole realm of eternity, that denial or even doubt is impossible. The mole may, of course, maintain that there is no Grand Lama in Thibet, because he has never been so far in his travels; but his testimony would have no sort of value. So the atheistic worm must have been through all the regions of death, misery and destruction, and explored all the realms of happiness through the Heaven of heavens, embracing in the circuit of his travels the whole of time and eternity, and able also to comprehend all the modes and forms in which it is possible for Deity to exist, before he can successfully deny the existence of a God. (Christmas Evans.)

Believing prayer:

Is it not a sad thing that we should think it wonderful for God to hear prayer? Much better faith was that of a little boy in one of the schools in Edinburgh, who had attended a prayer-meeting, and at last said to his teacher who conducted it, Teacher, I wish my sister could be got to read the Bible; she never reads it. Why, Johnny, should your sister read the Bible? Because if she should once read it, I am sure it would do her good, and she would be converted and be saved. Do you think so, Johnny? Yes,! do, sir, and I wish the next time theres a prayer-meeting, you would ask the people to pray for my sister that she may begin to read the Bible. Well, well, it shall be done, John. So the teacher gave out that a little boy was very anxious that prayer should be offered that his sister might begin to read the Bible. John was observed to get up and go out. The teacher thought it very rude of the boy to disturb the people in a crowded room, and so the next day when the lad came, he said, John, I thought it was very rude of you to get up in the prayer-meeting and go out. You ought not to have done so. Oh, sir, said the boy, I did not mean to be rude; but I thought I should just like to go home and see my sister reading her Bible for the first time. Thus we ought to believe, and watch with expectation for answers to our prayer. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Faith in prayer:

Prayer is the bow, the promise is the arrow: faith is the hand which draws the bow, and sends the hearts message to heaven. The bow without the arrow is of no use; and the arrow without the bow is of little worth; and both, without the strength of the hand, to no purpose. Neither the promise without prayer, nor prayer without the promise, nor both without faith, avail the Christian anything. What was said of the Israelites, They could not enter in, because of unbelief; the same may be said of many of our prayers: they cannot enter heaven, because they are not put up in faith. (H. G. Salter.)

God answers prayer:

Canon Wilberforce, referring to the struggle preceding the abolition of the slave trade, said he was in a position to state that the leaders in that great movement never took a single step in it without earnest and constant communion with their Lord. On the very night when the leader went down to the House of Commons to plead with silver voice and tender eloquence for the abolition of the evil, on that very night in a little chamber there was gathered a band of praying men; and that night was the night of victory in the House of Commons. (Proctors Gems.)

Confidence in prayer

A negro slave in Virginia, whose name we will call Jack, was remarkable for his good sense, knowledge of the leading truths of the gospel, and especially for his freedom from all gloomy fears in regard to his future eternal happiness. A professing Christian, a white man, who was of a very different temperament, once said to him, Jack, you seem to be always comfortable in the hope of the gospel. I wish you would tell me how you manage to keep steadily in this blessed frame of mind. Why, massa, replied Jack, I just fall fiat on the promise, and I pray right up. We recommend Jacks method to all desponding Christians, as containing, in substance, all that can be properly said on the subject. Take ground on the promises of God, and plead them in the prayer of faith–pray right up. (K. Arvine.)

A Rewarder

God a rewarder:

This God taketh upon Him.

1. That every one might have a reward. No creature can be too great to be rewarded of Him, and the greatest needs His reward. On the other side,

God is so gracious, as He accounteth none too mean to be rewarded of 1Sa 2:8; Luk 16:21-22).

2. That believers might be sure of their reward. For God is faithful Heb 10:23; Eph 6:8).

3. That the reward might be worth the having. For God in His rewards con-sidereth what is meet for His Excellency to give, and accordingly proportions His reward. (W. Gouge.)

Rewards in religion

The Christian religion holds out rewards to encourage our obedience. Now how far should rewards and punishments be motives of action? The man of reason immediately informs us, that goodness derived from such motives is no goodness at all–that it is merely the desire of happiness, and the fear of misery. He will add perhaps, as the devil said formerly with regard to Job, that the Christian does not serve God for nought: but that proper rewards are judiciously set before him, to keep his disinterested virtue from swerving. Had the rewards, which the Christian religion places before its worshippers, been such as the Arabian impostor promised–sensual pleasure in all its full-bloom delights–the objection might have weight. The expectation of such rewards iscalculated certainly to debase the mind. But if the reward be holy, the expectation of it, or, if you please, the making it a motive of action, must be virtuous likewise. Now it is the excellence of the object that elevates the pursuit. We put youth on the acquirement of learning, and have no conception that the attainment of knowledge, which is the reward annexed, can debase his mind. It has a contrary effect. In the same manner, with regard to the rewards of another world, the very pursuit of them is health to the soul; as the attainment of them is its perfection. They are pursued through the exercise of these great principles of faith and trust in God. These virtues, which have nothing earthly about them, tend to purify the mind in a high degree. They abstract it from earthly things, and fix it on heavenly. It might also be shown that the fear of future punishment is a just motive of action. To the wicked, indeed, it is the natural dread of those consequences which attend guilt; and serves merely to rouse them to a sense of their wickedness. But when it acts upon a well-disposed mind, it consists in the fear of displeasing God. A just, rational, and religious motive of action. (W. Cilpin, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 6. He that cometh to God] The man who professes that it is his duty to worship God, must, if he act rationally, do it on the conviction that there is such a Being infinite, eternal, unoriginated, and self-existent; the cause of all other being; on whom all being depends; and by whose energy, bounty, and providence, all other beings exist, live, and are supplied with the means of continued existence and life. He must believe, also, that he rewards them that diligently seek him; that he is not indifferent about his own worship; that he requires adoration and religious service from men; and that he blesses, and especially protects and saves, those who in simplicity and uprightness of heart seek and serve him. This requires faith, such a faith as is mentioned above; a faith by which we can please God; and now that we have an abundant revelation, a faith according to that revelation; a faith in God through Christ the great sin-offering, without which a man can no more please him, or be accepted of him, than Cain was. As the knowledge of the being of God is of infinite importance in religion, I shall introduce at the end of this chapter a series of propositions, tending to prove the being of God, 1st, a priori; and 2dly, a posteriori; omitting the proofs that are generally produced on those points, for which my readers may refer to works in general circulation on this subject: and 3dly, I shall lay down some phenomena relative to the heavenly bodies, which it will be difficult to account for without acknowledging the infinite skill, power, and continual energy of God.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The Spirit here proveth that Enoch pleased God by faith, though it was not expressly written in his text by Moses, because of the impossibility of pleasing God without faith.

But without faith it is impossible to please him; but without faith upon God in Christ, whom Enoch pleased, it is absolutely impossible to do any thing acceptable to God, so as to be justified by him; for infidelity, or want of faith, makes God a liar, 1Jo 5:10, Christ a vanity, Joh 5:40, and Gods will a deceit, which peremptorily saith, there is no pleasing of him but by faith in Christ, Joh 14:6. The effect cannot exist without its cause, as is proved in the next words.

For he that cometh to God: for whoever he be, every particular soul, that cometh off from sin to God, so as to be under his conduct and influence; makes out by spiritual motions of his mind, will, affections, and members, in thoughts, desires, resolutions, and operations, to enjoy God, so as to be accepted with, justified by, and blessed of him; and at present makes his access to him with liberty and boldness in prayer, or any other duty, through Christ.

Must believe that he is; he must really, fully, and supernaturally receive all that which God revealeth in his word is pleasing to him, especially concerning himself; as, that he is the primitive, perfect Being, and the Cause of all; that he is three in relations and one in essence, most excellent in all his attributes, infinitely wise, powerful, just, good, and eternal, &c., the supreme Creator and Governor of, and Lawgiver to, all.

And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; and that he will recompense all men according to their works, but will eminently and freely give himself to be the reward of his, and whatever he can be to or do for them for their good, Gen 15:1; but to those only, who with an intent heart and spirit pursue him by faith, love, and longing after him as their supremest good, Isa 45:22; Rom 2:6,12; Rev 22:12.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

6. withoutGreek,“apart from faith”: if one be destitute of faith(compare Ro 14:23).

to pleaseTranslate, asALFORD does, the Greekaorist, “It is impossible to please God at all” (Ro8:8). Natural amiabilities and “works done before the graceof Christ are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring not offaith in Jesus Christ; yea, rather, for that they are not done as Godhath willed them to be done, we doubt not but they have the nature ofsin” [Article XIII, Book of Common Prayer]. Works notrooted in God are splendid sins [AUGUSTINE].

he that cometh to Godasa worshipper (Heb 7:19).

must believeoncefor all: Greek aorist tense.

that God isis the trueself-existing Jehovah (as contrasted with all so-called gods, notgods, Ga 4:8), the source of allbeing, though he sees Him not (Heb11:1) as being “invisible” (Heb11:27). So Enoch; this passage implies that he had not beenfavored with visible appearances of God, yet he believedin God’s being, and in God’s moral government, as theRewarder of His diligent worshippers, in opposition to antediluvianskepticism. Also Moses was not so favored before he left Egypt thefirst time (Heb 11:27); stillhe believed.

and . . . isadifferent Greek verb from the former “is.”Translate, “is eventually”; proves to be; literally,”becomes.”

rewarderrenderer ofreward [ALFORD]. So Godproved to be to Enoch. The reward is God Himself diligently”sought” and “walked with” in partial communionhere, and to be fully enjoyed hereafter. Compare Ge15:1, “I am thy exceeding great reward.”

of themand them only.

diligently seekGreek,“seek out” God. Compare “seek early,” Pr8:17. Not only “ask” and “seek,” but “knock,”Mt 7:7; compare Heb 11:12;Luk 13:24, “Strive” asin an agony of contest.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But without faith it is impossible to please him,…. Or do things well pleasing in his sight; or any of the duties of religion, in an acceptable way; as prayer, praise, attendance on the word and ordinances, or any good works whatever; because such are without Christ, and without his Spirit; and have neither right principles, nor right ends: for this is not to be understood of the persons of God’s elect, as considered in Christ; in whom they are well pleasing to him before faith; being loved by him with an everlasting love; and chosen in Christ, before the foundation of the world;

[See comments on Ro 8:8].

for he that cometh to God; to the throne of, his grace, to pray unto him, to implore his grace and mercy, help and assistance; to the house of God, to worship, and serve him, and in order to enjoy his presence, and have communion with him; which coming ought to be spiritual and with the heart; and supposes spiritual life; and must be through Christ, and by faith: wherefore such a comer to God,

must believe that he is; or exists, as the Arabic version; and he must not barely believe his existence, but that, as it is revealed in the word: he must believe in the three Persons in the Godhead; that the first Person is the Father of Christ; that the second Person is both the Son of God, and Mediator; and that the third Person is the Spirit of them both, and the applier of all grace; for God the Father is to be approached unto, through Christ the Mediator, by the guidance and assistance of the Spirit: and he must believe in the perfections of God; that he is omniscient, and knows his person and wants; is omnipotent, and can do for him, beyond his thoughts and petitions; is all sufficient, and that his grace is sufficient for him; that he is immutable, in his purposes and covenant; that he is true and faithful to his promises; and is the God of grace, love, and mercy: and he must believe in him, not only as the God of nature and providence, but as his covenant God and Father in Christ:

and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; who are such, as are first sought out by him; and who seek him in Christ, where he is only to be found; and that with their whole hearts, and above all things else: and, of such, God is a rewarder, in a way of grace; with himself, who is their exceeding great reward; and with his Son, and all things with him; with more grace; and, at last, with eternal glory, the reward of the inheritance.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Impossible (). Strong word as in Heb 6:4; Heb 6:18. See Ro 8:8 for same idea with (, Ga 1:10).

Must believe ( ). Moral necessity to have faith (trust, ). This is true in business also (banks, for instance).

That he is ( ). The very existence of God is a matter of intelligent faith (Ro 1:19ff.) So that men are left without excuse.

He is a rewarder ( ). Rather, “becomes a rewarder” (present middle indicative of , not of ). Only N.T. example of , late and rare double compound (one papyrus example, from (reward) and (to pay back) like (Heb 10:35; Heb 11:26).

Seek after (). That seek out God.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

1) “But without faith,” (choris de pisteos) “But apart from (aside from or without) faith,” apart from the continuing Spiritual gift of faith, (1Co 13:13) first of the three abiding spiritual gifts. Without a sinner’s acceptance of this gift of faith and placing it in Jesus Christ, no one can ever be saved, Eph 2:8-9; Joh 1:11; Joh 1:13; Joh 8:24; Gal 5:6.

2) “It is impossible to please him,” (adunaton evarestesai) “It is impossible to be well pleasing (as a being) toward God,” Rom 8:8; Rom 10:17 states that this faith, by which one is saved and empowered to serve, comes by hearing the Word of God. This is why it is so needful for one to hear the Word, Luk 14:35; Luk 15:1; Rev 2:29.

3) “For he that cometh to God must believe that he is,” (gar dei ton proserchomenon to theo pisteusai) “For the one approaching, coming toward (coming to) God must believe (he exists); that he is God of the universe, God over all, 1Co 8:6; Joh 5:24; Joh 8:24, Joh 3:18; Men must turn from sin to the living God, the true God if they ever find salvation, Act 14:15; 1Th 1:9; 1Ti 4:10.

4) “And that he is a rewarder,” (kai misthspodotes ginetai) “And that he is (becomes or exists as) a rewarder; He responds to those who come to him, call upon him with a broken and contrite spirit of heart, Psa 34:18; Psa 51:17; Isa 57:15; Isa 62:2. This response is to meet the needs of both the saved and unsaved who call upon him in faith, Rom 10:13; Psa 145:18.

5) “Of them that diligently seek him,” (kai tois ekzetousin auton) “Even to those seeking him out,” earnestly, honestly, with determination, seeking him with all their heart, with integrity of purpose, to be or become right with him, Jer 29:13; 2Ch 7:14; Isa 55:6-8.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

6. But without faith, etc. What is said here belongs to all the examples which the Apostle records in this chapter; but as there is in the passage some measure of obscurity, it is necessary to examine its meaning more closely.

But there is no better interpreter than the Apostle himself. The proof, then, which he immediately subjoins, may serve as an explanation. The reason he assigns why no one can please God without faith, is this, — because no one will ever come to God, except he believes that God is, and is also convinced that he is a remunerator to all who seek him. If access then to God is not opened, but by faith, it follows, that all who are without it, are the objects of God’s displeasure. Hence the Apostle shows how faith obtains favor for us, even because faith is our teacher as to the true worship of God, and makes us certain as to his goodwill, so that we may not think that we seek him in vain. These two clauses ought not to be slightly passed over, — that we must believe that God is, and that we ought to feel assured that he is not sought in vain. (212)

It does not indeed seem a great matter, when the Apostle requires us to believe that God is; but when you more closely consider it, you will find that there is here a rich, profound, and sublime truth; for though almost all admit without disputing that God is, yet it is evident, that except the Lord retains us in the true and certain knowledge of himself, various doubts will ever creep in, and obliterate every thought of a Divine Being. To this vanity the disposition of man is no doubt prone, so that to forget God becomes an easy thing. At the same time the Apostle does not mean, that men ought to feel assured that there is some God, for he speaks only of the true God; nay, it will not be sufficient for you to form a notion of any God you please; but you must understand what sort of Being the true God is; for what will it profit us to devise and form an idol, and to ascribe to it the glory due to God?

We now then perceive what the Apostle means in the first clause; he denies that we can have an access to God, except we have the truth, that God is deeply fixed in our hearts, so as not to be led here and there by various opinions.

It is hence evident, that men in vain weary themselves in serving God, except they observe the right way, and that all religions are not only vain, but also pernicious, with which the true and certain knowledge of God is not connected; for all are prohibited from having any access to God, who do not distinguish and separate him from all idols; in short, there is no religion except where this truth reigns dominant. But if the true knowledge of God has its seat in our hearts it will not fail to lead us to honor and fear him; for God, without his majesty is not really known. Hence arises the desire to serve him, hence it comes that the whole life is so formed, that he is regarded as the end in all things

The second clause is that we ought to be fully persuaded that God is not sought in vain; and this persuasion includes the hope of salvation and eternal life, for no one will be in a suitable state of heart to seek God except a sense of the divine goodness be deeply felt, so as to look for salvation from him. We indeed flee from God, or wholly disregard him, when there is no hope of salvation. But let us bear in mind, that this is what must be really believed, and not held merely as a matter of opinions; for even the ungodly may sometimes entertain such a notion, and yet they do not come to God; and for this reason, because they have not a firm and fixed faith. (213) This then is the other part of faith by which we obtain favor with God, even when we feel assured that salvation is laid up for us in him.

But many shamefully pervert this clause; for they hence elicit the merits of works, and the conceit about deserving. And they reason thus: “We please God by faith, because we believe him to be a rewarder; then faith has respect to the merits of works.” This error cannot be better exposed, than by considering how God is to be sought; while any one is wandering from the right way of seeking him, (214) he cannot be said to be engaged in the work. Now Scripture assigns this as the right way, — that a man, prostrate in himself, and smitten with the conviction that he deserves eternal death, and in self­despair, is to flee to Christ as the only asylum for salvation. Nowhere certainly can we find that we are to bring to God any merits of works to put us in a state of favor with him. Then he who understands that this is the only right way of seeking God, will be freed from every difficulty on the subject; for reward refers not to the worthiness or value of works but to faith.

Thus, these frigid glosses of the Sophists, such as, “by faith we please God, for we deserve when we intend to please,” fall wholly to the ground. The Apostle’s object was to carry us much higher, even that conscience might feel assured that it is not a vain thing to seek God; and this certainty or assurance far exceeds what we can of ourselves attain, especially when any one considers his own self. For it is not to be laid down as an abstract principle, that God is a rewarder to those who seek him; but every one of us ought individually to apply this doctrine to himself, so that we may know that we are regarded by God, that he has such a care for our salvation as never to be wanting to us, that our prayers are heard by him, that he will be to us a perpetual deliverer. But as none of these things come to us except through Christ, our faith must ever regard him and cleave to him alone.

From these two clauses, we may learn how, and why it is impossible for man to please God without faith; God justly regards us all as objects of his displeasure, as we are all by nature under his curse; and we have no remedy in our own power. It is hence necessary that God should anticipate us by his grace; and hence it comes, that we are brought to know that God is, and in such a way that no corrupt superstition can seduce us, and also that we become assured of a certain salvation from him.

Were any one to desire a fuller view of this subject, he should make his commencement here, — that we in vain attempt to try anything, except we look to God; for the only true end of life is to promote his glory; but this can never be done, unless there be first the true knowledge of him. Yet this is still but the half of faith, and will profit us but little, except confidence be added. Hence faith will only then be complete and secure us God’s favor, when we shall feel a confidence that we shall not seek him in vain, and thus entertain the certainty of obtaining salvation from him. But no one, except he be blinded by presumption, and fascinated by self­love, can feel assured that God will be a rewarder of his merits. Hence this confidence of which we speak recumbs not on works, nor on man’s own worthiness, but on the grace of God alone; and as grace is nowhere found but in Christ, it is on him alone that faith ought to be fixed.

(212) To “come to God,” is very expressive, and is literally the word. To “approach to” by Doddridge, and “to worship,” by Macknight, are no improvements, but otherwise. God is represented as sitting on the throne of grace; hence the idea of coming to him. Enoch walked with God, as though God was a friend and a companion; hence to come to him is the appropriate expression. Stuart says, that it is a metaphor derived from the practice of coming to the temple to worship, God being represented as there present. — Ed.

(213) “Certainly there is no true faith in the doctrine of salvation, unless it be attended with this magnetic force, by which it draws the soul to God.” — Archb. Leighton

(214) Calvin does not connect “diligently” with seeking, as in our version. Merely to seek, is what the verb means. It is rendered in Act 15:17, “to seek after,” and so in Rom 3:11, and carefully is added to it on Heb 12:17. It is found often in the Sept. in the sense of seeking, and stands for a verb in Hebrew, which means simply to seek. See Deu 4:29; Psa 14:2; Jer 29:13. Stuart’s version is, “Who seek him?” and so is Beza’s — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(6) But without faith.Better, and apart from faith it is impossible to be well pleasing (unto Him); for he that draweth near (Heb. 7:25; Heb. 10:1; Heb. 10:22) to God must believe . . . Thus the very statement that Enoch pleased God is an assertion that in him faith was found. No one can be the habitual worshipper of God (this is what the phrase implies) if his faith does not grasp these two truths. Is a rewarderliterally, becometh a recompenser (Heb. 2:2; Heb. 10:35); the future recompense is present to the eye of faith.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

6. But This testimony could not have been given to Enoch without faith.

For universal reason, alike for Enoch and for us.

Impossible For without faith on our part there can be no mutual communion with God. In order to “walk with God” a man must have sympathy, love, and faith towards God.

Cometh to God To worship, as the Israelites came into his presence in the sanctuary. Compare Heb 7:25; Heb 10:1.

He is An atheist cannot adore God. God’s admitted existence is the first condition of possible worship. And faith in the existence of the true God is necessary to true worship. He may be, indeed, imperfectly apprehended; the conception may be limited and finite. Nevertheless, he must be held by faith to be a supreme Being, who is on the side of truth and righteousness. He is felt to be the personal “power without us,” and above us, “that makes for righteousness.” As such this holy line of witnesses, running adown the pages of sacred history, realized God in their “faith.” And this realization of a holy Supreme it was that distinguishes them from idolaters of all lands and ages, and from atheists. By this faith they aspired to communion with and likeness to a righteous God, and God accepted their faith, however imperfect, “for righteousness.” He granted them his favour, communed with them by his Spirit, revealed himself by a whole series of supernatural manifestations, and prepared their race for the bringing forth of his Son in due time.

A rewarder They believed that inestimable blessings would descend from the friendship of the Holy God.

Diligently seek him The expressive Greek verb, , is, seek him out from; that is, from all idolatries, atheisms, and wickednesses. God has his witness in every human heart; yet through that witness must He be sought out.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing to him; for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek after him.’

The introduction to the chapter and these examples bring out that without such faith we cannot please God. The one who comes to God must believe that He exists and is interested in those who are His, and must believe that He responds graciously to those who seek Him, because He has revealed it to be so. They must believe in God’s interest and goodness towards them, and in His final reward. They must look to Him personally. It is these things that will keep them firm. Thus those who would please him do so by responsive faith, and those who draw back, in whom He has no pleasure, do but reveal that their faith is not genuine.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Heb 11:6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: This verse is added by the apostle, to complete his reasoning in that which precedes. He had there said, that God translated Enoch without dying, on accountof his faith. The proof alleged in that verse was only this, that Moses says He pleased God: still it remained to be proved that his pleasing God was an evidence that he had faith. To prove this, the apostle here adds, that it is impossible to please him without faith. The argument now is still and convincing, and stands thus: “The scripture says, that Enoch pleased God, and that on this account God translated him: but this his pleasing God is a demonstration of his faith, since without faith he could not have pleased him; consequently, he was translated upon account of his faith.” The apostle adds the next clause, For he that cometh, to prove his first position in this verse; and the strength of the argument is very obvious. The word rendered cometh, , according to Raphelius, signifies, the coming to God by prayer; and it is used in ch. Heb 10:1; Heb 10:22 Heb 12:22-23 for approaching to God in any act of divine worship: he therefore justly observes, that it may here be taken in a larger sense, and refer to that steady course of piety and holiness, which is implied in pleasing God, or walking with him. We may just observe further, that what the apostle says in this verse illustrates the account that he gave of faith, Heb 11:1. The believing that God is, is a faith of something unseen, and invisible; Rom 1:20 and the believing that he will, in another world, be the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, is a faith of something hoped for, which is yet at a distance.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

DISCOURSE: 2320
THE NECESSITY OF FAITH

Heb 11:6. Without faith it is impossible to please [God.]

THIS whole chapter is one continued commendation of faith: which is marked, throughout, as the one source of every good action, and as the certain prelude to everlasting felicity. But, in what is spoken of Enoch, there seems, to a superficial observer, to be no connexion with faith: for his translation was a mere act of Gods favour: and, though it is said that he pleased God, it may be supposed that it was by his works that he approved himself to God, and not by any actings of faith. But, in my text, the Apostle proves that faith was in Enoch the leading principle from which his works proceeded, and the true object of Gods peculiar approbation. His argument may be thus stated in a few words: Without faith it is impossible to please God. But Enoch did please God: therefore it is clear that Enoch believed; and that his works, whatever they were, were the fruits of faith. Now, in confirmation of this momentous truth, I will shew,

I.

What is that faith, without which we cannot please God

Let the Apostle himself be heard in the words following my text. Three things he points out, as the objects of true and saving faith. It has respect to God,

1.

As having an independent and immutable existence

[The believer does not conceive of God as resembling the gods of the heathen, or as having a derived existence; but as existing necessarily from everlasting; and as immutable in every one of his perfections; the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.]

2.

As being the Moral Governor of the universe

[This is implied in the regard he manifests to those who seek him. For, if he were not observant of the ways of men, and if he did not inspect the most secret motions of their hearts, he could not reward men according to their works.]

3.

As fulfilling, for our good, all his covenant engagements

[This is very particularly intended in our text. For how could he reward men, if they were not first accepted in his beloved Son? Men are sinners; and, as sinners, condemned; and utterly incapable of removing their guilt and condemnation by any thing which they themselves can do. It is through the atonement which Christ has offered for them, that they obtain reconciliation with God; and through Christ alone can any work of theirs come up with acceptance before God. But the mediation of Christ was agreed upon between the Father and Son from all eternity; Christ engaging to make his soul an offering for sin; and the Father engaging, for his sake, to accept the person and services of all that should believe in him [Note: Isa 53:10.]. This, therefore, is essential to saving faith: and, in order to please God, we must unite these three things: a belief in Gods eternal and immutable existence; a belief in him as the Moral Governor of the universe; and a belief in him as fulfilling to us all his covenant engagements.]

Now, without such faith, we are told, it is impossible to please God. Let me then proceed to shew you,

II.

Why it is so indispensable for that end

1.

Without such faith, we cannot have any right dispositions towards God

[What can we possess of love to an unknown being? or what of fear, towards one who neither regards, nor will ever take cognizance of, our actions? What can we feel of gratitude towards one, to whom we can trace no obligations? or of affiance in one, of whose agency in the affairs of men we are altogether ignorant? It is obvious, that, so far as respects religious feelings, we are no better than Atheists in the world [Note: Eph 2:12. the Greek.]. How, then, can God be pleased with such wretches as these? ]

2.

Without such faith we cannot render unto God any acceptable service

[Any service, in order to be accepted of God, must be such as he himself has required: it must have respect to his authority, as commanding it; to his word, as the rule to which it is to be conformed; and to his glory, as the end for which it is to be done. But, if we possess not faith in God, how can we have respect to his authority? or how can we conform to his word? or how can we desire to advance his glory? Any pretence of this kind must be downright hypocrisy or delusion: and, whatever the service be, it can be no better, in Gods estimation, than the cutting off a dogs neck for sacrifice, and the offering of swines blood [Note: Isa 66:3.].]

Application

Inquire, then, I pray you,

1.

Into the nature and reality of your faith

[Men, if they inquire into their state at all, are apt to confine their attention to their works. But here we see how necessary it is to inquire into our faith; since, if that be not sound and scriptural, nothing else can be right before God. Inquire, whether you have any deep conviction even of the existence of God; and still more, of his moral government, and of his inspecting every thing in order to judge the world in righteousness at the last day. Inquire still further, what views you have of God, as covenanting with his Son to expiate our guilt, to renovate our souls, and to present our services to him perfumed with the incense of his own merits, and rendered acceptable through his prevailing intercession. Indeed, my brethren, these should be subjects of our most anxious inquiry from day to day. St. Paul says, Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith [Note: 2Co 13:5.]. And I also would say the same: for, if without a true faith it is impossible to please God, you cannot but feel the indispensable importance of having this matter clearly ascertained, and distinctly determined.]

2.

Into the fruits and effects of your faith

[It is here taken for granted, that the believer comes to God: and it is certain that true faith will bring us to God, in deeply penitential sorrow, and in earnest cries for mercy. If we really believe in God, we shall diligently seek him in the use of all his appointed ordinances, and in the name of his only dear Son. Yes, and we shall have our expectations of mercy greatly enlarged. We shall delight to view God, not merely as a Sovereign, but as a Rewarder, who is at all times waiting for opportunities to express the utmost possible love towards his obedient people. Say now, brethren, whether such be your views, your contemplations, your joys? Of what value is your faith, if it be not productive of these fruits? If it operate not in this way, it is no better than the faith of devils [Note: Jam 2:19.]. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak [Note: Heb 6:9.]. But we desire that every one of you make these things a subject of most earnest inquiry; that so, after a diligent and candid examination, ye may discern your real state before God; and may be brought to a full assurance of hope that ye are really pleasing God in this world, and shall be rewarded by him in the world to come [Note: Heb 6:11.].]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

XXVI

THE HEROES OF FAITH (CONTINUED)

Heb 11:6-40 .

We commence this chapter by glancing back to the witness borne to Enoch, with the broad affirmation: “Without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing unto God, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.”

This affirmation not only condemns atheists who say there is no God, and deists, who, while admitting his existence, deny his revelation in the Bible, and all who deny from any cause his providence and supernatural intervention by miracle and answer to prayer, but it also condemns all hypocrisy, ritualism, formalism, or other perfunctory obedience and worship on the part of those who, however orthodox in profession, yet in heart and life deny him. Its teaching is on a line with a previous exhortation that as our High Priest is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, having been in all points tempted as we are: “Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in every time of need.” That is no religion at all, whatever its guise, which does not avow and practice the doctrine that there is a throne of grace and mercy, approachable directly, at any time or anywhere, by any member of the human race in this life and free from the unpardonable sin, and that God hears and answers prayer according to a supernatural, spiritual law, which is above what is called the course of nature as defined by human science.

At the beginning of a great meeting in Waco I preached a series of sermons on “He that cometh to God must believe that he is and a rewarder of them that seek him,” and applied it particularly to the Holy Spirit, pressing the questions: Do you believe there is a personal Holy Spirit? Do you believe he is present? Do you believe he is a prayer hearing God?

Noah. “By faith, Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became the heir of the righteousness, which is according to faith” (Heb 11:7 ). The order of events here are:

1. God, by special revelation, warns Noah of the destruction of the world by a flood.

2. He commands him to prepare an ark according to a given plan for the preservation of his house and such animals as were necessary to repopulate the earth after the subsidence of the flood.

3. Noah believed God’s revelation and obeyed him in every particular.

4. The flood came according to the warning, and Noah and all with him in the ark, human and other animal life, were saved and did repopulate the earth. See Gen 6:13 ; Gen 9:19 ; and compare 1Pe 3:19-21 ; 1Pe 4:6 , and 2Pe 3:1-15 , and Mat 24:37-39 .

This stupendous achievement of faith is remarkable from at least three considerations:

1. The event predicted was unseen and unforeseeable by human wisdom.

2. It was contrary to all antecedent human experience, and contrary to the established order of nature.

3. It was on a scale of magnitude to stagger credulity.

4. Its alleged reasons were on moral and not natural grounds.

5. It called for great and long-continued labor and great expense. The ark approximated the Great Eastern in size and tonnage. The various supplies to sustain its occupants for a year added enormously to cost and labor.

6. The one matter of isolating from their fellows and assembling in the ark at a particular date the required pairs and sevens of animals was wholly beyond unaided human power.

7. The jeers and scorn of an unbelieving world added greatly to the difficulty of obedience.

This book declares:

1. That in all this course, Noah was led by faith

2. That by this faith he became an heir of righteousness

3. That by it he condemned the unbelieving world

4. That believing God, he was moved by fear.

Men are influenced by motives. The hope of reward and the fear of punishment influence all men. In my youth I read the great sermon on Noah by Andrew Fuller, of England, It brought out the greatness of the faith of Noah as did no other sermon I ever read. It made a profound and lasting impression on my mind. This is the Andrew Fuller whose exposition of Genesis I commend. The case of Noah was a worthy background for the exhortation of this letter.

Abraham and Sarah. This case is every way worthy of note, because Abraham is called “The father of the faithful,” and his faith declared to be the model faith for all the future, fixing the standard to’ which even the faith of our day must conform. All of us are required to “walk in the steps of his faith.” A faith that will not take steps, moving out and forward “from faith to faith,” “from grace to grace,” “from strength to strength,” “from glory to glory,” is no faith at all in a gospel, saving sense.

It is not denied, but claimed, that the faith by which we are justified is one definite act, at a given moment of time. But it is also claimed that the justified one shall live by his faith. Justification is instantaneous, but sanctification is progressive, and we are sanctified by faith as well as justified. So that while it will always be true that one act of faith justifies us all at once and once for all, yet that faith does not then and there go out of business, but lives, moves, steps out unto every development of sanctification. There are no degrees of faith laying hold of justification, but it is in the realm of sanctification that faith is little or great, swift or slow, hesitating or unstaggering, commendable or censurable. It is in this light we examine the model faith of Abraham, citing four distinct events in his history:

1. His call while in Ur of the Chaldees. Two scriptures need to be connected with this text: the words of Stephen (Act 7:2 ; Gen 12:1 ). The common version correctly renders Gen 12:1 : “Now Jehovah had said.” As there is no pluperfect tense in the Hebrew, we translate the Hebrew past tense into the English pluperfect when the context demands it The revision makes his call originate in Haran, and nullifies a half-dozen scriptures, including the preceding context. This was a call to a promised place, not only yet unseen, but one he would never see in this life. By faith he obeyed God, not knowing whither he went. This first vision of God turned him from idolatry and put him on a pilgrimage. It answers to that part of our experience expressed by contrition and repentance, but has not yet found peace in acceptance of a Saviour. So Bunyan makes his contrite pilgrim leave the city of Destruction and set out to find a heavenly country, but yet burdened with unpardoned sin for a part of the way, until he comes to the cross. So far there is indeed faith, but faith in a what and not in a whom.

2. This faith did not rest on the land of Palestine; that would be only swapping Ur for Syria. He dwelt in tents in that land, moving continually as a sojourner, not possessing a foot of ground there as a home, because he looked for the celestial city. So, in our experience we are dissatisfied with this world and long for a heaven of rest, even before we are converted.

3. But now we come to the great definite transaction of his life one famous starlight night. The circumstances were these: He had just returned to Hebron from his victory over the five kings and from his tithe-paying to Melchizedek, priest of the most high God. His mind was greatly troubled on three points:

(1) His maintenance, seeing he had refused to accept even a shoe latchet of the spoils or compensation from the rescued king of Sodom.

(2) He was full of the reaction of fear after his triumph. He was only a stranger in the land with only 300 men shifting pasturage from time to time by sufferance of the Canaanite nations, who might at any time turn against him and spoil him of his wealth and by his intermeddling had incurred the hostility of powerful kingdoms.

(3) He was old, his wife was barren, and his slave was his heir. Suddenly an unearthly visitor enters his tent. And here the record (Gen 15:1-6 ) introduces a number of new words and phrases occurring for the first time in the Bible:

(1) “The Word of the Lord,” or “The Logos” Why need John go to Philo for his Logos, when he could so easily find it in Gen 15 ? (2) “Shield,” (3) “believe,” (4) “imputed for righteousness.” We know this “Word of Jehovah” was a person, and the “Logos,” for he was visible. “He came in a vision,” not in a sound, as a common word would do. He was visible, audible, palpable. “He brought him forth.” This was a person. Abraham saw him, and hence after the Logos was incarnate, he said, “Before Abraham was I am . . . Abraham saw my day he saw it and was glad.”

Let us note this remarkable interview between Abraham and his Saviour: “Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield.” In other words, “be not afraid of the enmity of the five kings of Mesopotamia, nor of the uprising of Canaanite nations, nor of Egypt, nor of Philistia. I, as a shield, am between you and all foes.” In Ephesians we are commanded to take with us the shield of faith, not faith as a shield, but God, the shield, which faith grasps and interposes to catch all the fiery darts of Apollyon. “I am thy reward,” “Blessing, I will bless thee.” God insured to him basket, store, and cattle, and safeguarded them from the spoiler. “Thy servant shall not be thine heir,” but potency shall come on thy impotency and on the barrenness of thy wife. By supernatural power a son of promise shall be born of thee. From him shall come the Messiah. Then the Logos took him by the hand and led him out of the tent to look upon the star-spangled sky of an Oriental night, saying to him, “More than the stars of heaven, more than the sand-grains on a world-circumference of ocean beach more than all these shall be thy seed.” Then Abraham, looking not on children of the flesh, but on the countless multitude of spiritual children “saw Christ’s day he saw it and was glad.” The record says, “He believed on Jehovah, and it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Then and there was Abraham justified. He now believed on a person and not a proposition. “I know whom I have believed,” says Paul. But this justifying faith that entered his heart that night once for all, also becomes the living principle of his life “My justified one shall live by faith.”

(4) So we come to the great trial of that faith in his later life the one unique experience, unshared in some features by any other man. He is commanded to take Isaac, the child of promise, his only and well-beloved son by his wife, and offer him up as a sin offering. This commandment seemed to be squarely against the promise: “In Isaac shall thy seed be” “sacrifice Isaac.” The great events of the trial are these:’ The case of Moses. This case is very remarkable on many command and promise, but argued: Both are true and right and in harmony. God will fulfil the promise by raising Isaac from the dead.

2. Abraham alone, of all men, was made to experience, in some degree, the feelings of the Father in giving up Jesus to die for men.

3. Isaac alone, of all men, was to share somewhat the experience of our Lord in submitting voluntarily to a vicarious death as a sin offering at the hands of the Father.

Isaac blessing Jacob and Esau. It is evident that Isaac personally preferred to bestow the blessing of primogeniture on Esau, but against nature and by faith he bestowed it on Jacob.

Jacob blessing Ephraim and Manasseh. Joseph brought his boys to Jacob for a blessing, so placing them that Jacob’s right hand would rest on Manasseh, the elder, and so bestow the greater blessing. But Jacob, too dim-eyed for earthly sight, yet seeing by faith, crossed his hands and put the greater blessing on the head of Ephraim, the younger.

Joseph. “By faith he gave commandment concerning hi bones.” The elements of his faith were:

1. He believed the word spoken to Abraham, that his people would be enslaved for a long time in Egypt, though ib was then against human probability.

2. He believed that after a long servitude God would deliver his people and take them to Canaan, the Promised Land, and so commanded that his bones be taken with them.

3. He believed in the resurrection of the dead, else why be concerned about his body? Mere animals care nothing for the dead body of their kind. Birds care nothing for the shells out of which they were hatched, nor snakes for the skins they shed. The reader should read Melville’s great sermon on “The Bones of Joseph.”

The case of Moses. This case is very remarkable on many accounts.

1. The faith of his parents.

(1) Pharaoh’s law required all male children to be cast into the Nile when born. Their faith saw in the child a great future, so they hid him three months.

(2) When hiding was no longer possible they were not afraid of the king’s command, but by a faith which used means they put him in a water-proof vessel, and placed him in the rushes in the brink of the Nile.

(3) They stationed his sister to watch the outcome, and so engineered it that his own mother should nurse him for Pharaoh’s daughter.

(4) In the time they kept him, they instructed him in the revelations and promises of their religion and so safeguarded him when he entered the palace. So Lois and Eunice safeguarded Timothy, in that from a child he was instructed in the Holy Scriptures. Thus all Christian parents should bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of God.

2. The faith of Moses himself. At a great turning point in his life, his faith enabled him to make a wise, decisive choice. “And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians; and he was mighty in his words and works. But when he was well nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, smiting the Egyptian and he supposed that his brethren understood that God by his hand was giving them deliverance, but they understood not” (Act 7:22-25 ). “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked unto the recompense of reward” (Heb 11:24-26 ) On these passages note:

1. That a revelation from God came to Moses. This we infer from “it coming into his heart to visit his people,” and their deliverer. There is no record in his history prior to this time that he was appointed deliverer. Nothing but a revelation from God can account for the tremendous and instantaneous change in him.

2. It has been said that religion is only for children and weak-minded women.

But here is a mature man, the best educated of his age, “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,” a man of affairs, mighty in words and works, occupying the highest social position, even a prince of the greatest nation then on earth. All pleasures bidding for his enjoyment of them, uncounted riches at his disposal, who, not on an impulse, but on mature reflection, carefully weighing the moral qualities of human action and pushing his investigations to the eternal outcome, deliberately refuses all earthly honor, pleasures, and treasures, and casts in his lot with a generation of despised slaves.

Such unnatural conduct, reversing every worldly maxim and motive indeed such a revolution calls for an adequate explanation. We desire to know the principle guiding his choice, and the ulterior motive prompting his action. The text says, “by faith he refused” one set of things; “by faith choosing rather” the opposite set of things; “by faith accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” Faith, then, was the principle by which he chose. The text then lays bare his motive, the consideration influencing his life, to wit: “for he looked unto the recompense of the reward.” He had come to the forks of the road of life. On one way were earthly learning, pleasures, treasures, palaces, and power, with a royal sepulcher in the Pyramid of Cheops. On the other was social and literary downfall, ill-treatment, reproach, the desert, poverty, weariness, toil, and an unknown grave on which mortal eye would never rest. But over that flower-bordered way was written: “The way of sin” and over all its horrors was also written: “Only for a season,” and at the end of the way loomed up the dark and eternal recompense of the reward. That way was like Niagara very insidious in its ever-increasing suction, and the boom of fall Just ahead.

Over every foot of the unpleasant way was written: “The way of righteousness and the company of the people of God,” and over all its horrors was also written: “Only for a season,” and at the end of the way was the glorious, eternal recompense of the reward. Faith, then, in making this choice, was the exercise of the highest reason. Other great men, like Washington, Gladstone, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson, have exercised this highest expression of reason. Here was no weakness of puerility, no mere sentimentality, no gullibility, no fanatical superstition. Moses, having chosen the reproach of Christ, and cast in his lot with the people of God, is now a Christian a justified man. So far, his faith appears as the principle of choice. But

3. “By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.” This refers to his flight into Midian and desert life of preparation for forty years more.

4. “By faith kept the passover,” looking beyond the symbol and memorial to “Christ our Passover Lamb to be sacrificed for us.”

5. “By faith he passed through the Red Sea as by dryland.” So the end of his life, the faith which justified him once for all, lived and conquered over every opposing obstacle.

We may here pause to inquire, after the lapse of thousands of years, if the results, now apparent, justify the wisdom of the choice of Moses.

Where now are the pleasures, and treasures, and glory, and learning of ancient Egypt? All forever gone. Her Pyramids are empty, her Sphynx is dumb, her oracles are dead, the wood of her palaces is wasted, and the stones have crumbled, and a nation of degenerate slaves crouches amid her ruins, or wanders over her deserts. But look at the monuments of Moses. His Pentateuch talks in all languages, and underlies all the legal codes of the highest civilizations. His Psa 90 echoes at all funerals, and his song of deliverance at the Red Sea is one of the hymns of heaven (Rev 15:3 ).

We content ourselves in this discussion with the elaboration of the great cases of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses, covering the rest of the examples cited with questions that follow.

QUESTIONS

1. What does the affirmation in Heb 11:6 condemn?

2. What is an essential characteristic of any religion, without which it is no religion at all?

3. What is the order of historical events in the case of Noah?

4. What facts constitute Noah’s faith a stupendous achievement?

5. What are the resultant declarations of the text concerning Noah?

6. Who preached one of the world’s greatest sermons on the faith of Noah, and what other great work did he write?

7. Why is the case of Abraham specially noteworthy?

8. Distinguish between (1) Some belief before saving faith, (2) saving faith, (3) sanctifying faith.

9. What four events of Abraham’s life are selected for illustration?

10. Illustrate Nos. 1 and 2 of these events by Bunyan’s pilgrim.

11. In what chapter of Genesis do we find the account of Abraham’s Justification, how do you prove it, and what the new words in that chapter?

12. Where does John get his Logos in the first chapter of his Gospel?

13. State the circumstances of the visit of the Logos to Abraham, and what three senses attested his presence.

14. Is faith itself a shield? If not, what, and what then faith’s relation to the shield?

15. What is the great trial of Abraham’s faith, and show how command and promises were in apparent conflict.

16. What are the three great events of this trial?

17. How is it evident that Isaac blessed Jacob with the right of primogeniture by faith?

18. How is Jacob’s faith evident in blessing Ephraim and Manasseh?

19. What are the elements of Joseph’s faith?

20. Who preached a great sermon on Joseph giving commandment concerning his bones?

21. Why the difference between men and brutes in caring for the dead body?

22. State the elements of the faith of the parents of Moses.

23. What is the first great element in the faith of Moses, and what the scriptures giving an account of it?

24. What noteworthy things in these passages?

25. What the principle by which Moses made his choice, and what the consideration or motive?

26. Show from this case of Moses that faith was highest reason in rejecting one way and choosing the other.

27. Cite other great men of history who have found faith and the highest exercise of reason.

28. How do you prove that Moses, at this time, was justified?

29. What exploits of his faith after justification are cited?

30. Judging from the viewpoint of today, what the evidences of the wisdom of the choice of Moses?

31. What exploits of faith are cited from the period of Joshua?

32. Who preached a great sermon on Rahab’s faith, and what his text? Ans.: Spurgeon. Text, “The Scarlet Thread.”

33. Who of the judges are cited as heroes of faith?

34. Consider the list of achievements in Heb 11:33-38 , and prove that Samuel “wrought righteousness.”

35. Prove that David “subdued kingdoms and obtained promises,” “escaped the edge of the sword,” “waxed valiant in fight,” “wander- ing in deserts and mountains and caves and holes of the earth,”

36. In whose case was “stopped the mouths of lions”?

37. In whose “was quenched the violence of fire”?

38. What woman “received her dead raised to life”?

39. Recite the case from the Maccabees of the martyred mother and her children.

40. What noted prophet was “imprisoned”?

41. Who was “stoned”?

42. Who “sawn asunder”?

43. Who “went about in sheepskins”?

44. On Heb 11:39-40 answer: (1) What is meant by “not receiving the promises?” (2) What is meant by “some better things concerning us”? (3) When will they and we be made perfect together?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him : for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Ver. 6. But without faith ] That is, without Christ, in whom the Father is well pleased, Joh 14:6 .

For he that cometh to God ] sc. Forma pauperis, that cometh a begging to him in the sense of his own utter indigence, as Jacob’s sons came to Joseph, and as the Egyptians hard bestead came to him, saying, “We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent,” &c., Gen 47:18

Must believe that he is ] Zaleucus, lawgiver of the Locrians, speaketh thus in the poem to his laws, Hoc inculcatum sit, esse Deos, let this he well settled in men’s minds that there is a Deity, and that this Deity will reward the devout. But what an odd conceit was that of the Cretians, to paint their Jupiter without either eyes or ears! And what an uncertainty was she at that prayed, O Deus quisquis es vel in coelo, vel in terra, O God, whoever thou art, for whether thou art, and who thou art, I know not. (Medea.) This uncertainty attending idolatry caused the heathens to close up their petitions with that general Diique Deaeque omnes, Hear, all ye gods and goddesses. (Servius in Geor. lib. 1.) And those mariners, Joh 1:5 , every man to call upon his god; and lest they might all mistake the true God, they awaken Jonah to call upon his God. Christian petitioners must settle this, that their God is Optimus, Maximus, such in himself, and such toward them, as he stands described in his holy word.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

6 .] but apart from faith it is impossible (it is a general axiom, not a mere assertion regarding Enoch; if it were, we should expect ( ) ) to please (Him, as is evident) at all (this sense of doing a single act well pleasing to God, is given by the aorist: cf. Rom 8:8 , . The aor. expresses simply the verbal idea without reference to time; and therefore when in a negative sentence gives the exclusive meaning ‘at any time,’ ‘at all’): for it behoves him that cometh to God (Luther, al. render, “him that will come:” but it is much more probable that is the habitual, official present ‘the comer to God.’ For the expression, see reff. It is that approach which is elsewhere designated ., ch. Heb 7:19 , for the purposes of worship or of communion, or of trust, or service generally) to believe (aor., not , because it is not here the state in which the comer is at his coming, but the state which has originated his coming, of which that coming is the fruit, which is insisted on) that He is (exists: his faith being to him thus a ), and becomes (is eventually: ‘evadit’) a renderer of reward (ch. Heb 2:2 ) to them that seek Him out ( , more than , as ‘exoro’ than ‘oro.’ Thus his faith is also to him an : God’s existence is realized to him by it, and by it his future reward assured).

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Hebrews

SEEKING GOD

Heb 11:6

THE writer has been pointing to the patriarch Enoch as the second of these examples of the power of faith in the Old Covenant; and it occurs to him that there is nothing said in Genesis about Enoch’s faith, so he set about showing that he must have had faith, because he ‘walked with God,’ and pleased Him, and no man could thus walk with God, and please Him, unless he had come to Him, and no man could come to a God in whom he did not believe, and whom he did not believe to be waiting to help and bless him, when he did come. So the facts of Enoch’s life show that there must have been in him an underlying faith. That is all that I need to say about the context of the words before us. I am not going to speak of the writer’s argument, but only of this one aspect of the divine character which is brought out here. ‘He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.’ I. Now a word about the seeking. Seek?’ Do we need to seek? Not in the way in which people go in quest of a thing that they have lost and do not know where to find. We do not need to search; we do not need to seek. The beginning of all our seeking is that God has sought us in Jesus Christ, and so we have done for ever with: ‘Oh! that I knew where I might find Him.’ We have done for ever with ‘feeling after Him, if haply we might find Him.’ That is all past. We have to seek, but let us never forget that we must have been found of Him, before we seek Him. That is to say, He must have revealed Himself to us in the fulness and reality and solid certainty of His existence and character, before there can be kindled in any heart or mind the desire to possess Him. He must have flashed His light upon the eye before the eye beholds; and He must have stimulated the desire by the revelation of Himself which comes before all desires, ere any of us will stir ourselves up to lay hold upon God. Ours, then, is not to be a doubtful search, hut a certain seeking, that goes straight to the place whore it knows that its treasure is, just as a migratory bird will set out from the foggy and ice-bound shores of the north, and go straight through the mists and the night, over continents and oceans, to a place where it never was before, but to which it is led – God only knows how – by some deep instinct, too deep to be an error, and too persistent not to find its resting-place. That is how we are to seek. We are to seek as the flower turns its opening petals to the sunshine, making no mistake as to the quarter of the heaven in which the radiance is lodged. We have to seek, as the rootlet goes straight to the river, knowing where the water is, from which life and sap will come. Thus we have to seek where and what we know. Our quest is no doubtful and miserable hunting about for a possible good, but an earnest desire for a certain and a solid blessing. That is the seeking. Let us put it into two or three plain words. The prime requisite of the Christian’s seeking after God is as the writer here says, faith, I need not dwell upon that. ‘Must believe that He is’ – yes; of course. We do not seek after negations or hypotheses; we seek after a living Being. ‘And that He is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him’ – yes; if we were not cure that we should find what we wanted, we should never go to look for it. But, beyond all that, let me put three things as included in, and necessary to, the Christian seeking – desire, effort, prayer. We seek what we desire. But too many of us do not wish God, and would not know what to do with Him if we had Him, and would be very much embarrassed if it were possible for the full blessings which come along with Him, to be entrusted to our slack hands and unloving .hearts. Brethren, we call ourselves Christians; let us be honest with ourselves, and rigid in the investigation of the thoughts of our own hearts. Is there a wish for God there? Is there an aching void in His absence, or do we shovel cartloads of earthly rubbish into our hearts, and thus dull desires that can be satisfied only with Him? These are not questions to which any one has a right to expect an answer from another; they are not questions that any Christian man can safely shirk answering to himself and to God. The measure of our seeking is actually settled by the measure of our desire. Then effort, of course, follows desire as surely as the shadow comes after the substance, because the only purpose of our desires, in the constitution of our nature, is to supply the driving power for effort. They are the steam in the boiler intended to whirl round the wheels. And so for a man to desire a thing that he can do nothing whatever to bring about, is misery and folly. But for a man to desire, and not to. work towards fulfilling his desire, is greater misery and greater stupidity. One cannot believe in the genuineness of those devout aspirations that one hears in people’s prayers, who get up and wipe the dust off their knees, and go out into the world, and do nothing to bring about the fulfilment of their prayers. There is a great deal of that sort of desire amongst professing Christians in all churches, conventional utterances which are backed up and verified by no corresponding conduct. If we are seeking after God, we shall not let all the seeking effervesce in pious aspirations; it will get consolidated into corresponding action, and operate to keep thought and love directed towards Him, even amidst the trivialities, and legitimate duties, and great things of life. There will be effort to bring Him into connection with all our work; effort to keep by Him as we go about our daily tasks, if we are truly seeking after God. And then, desire and effort being pre-supposed, there will come honest prayers, genuine prayers. ‘Seek ye the Lord while He may be found,’ says the prophet, and immediately goes on to exhort us to ‘call upon Him while He is near,’ as one and the chief way of seeking Him. He is always near, closer to us than friends and lovers, closer to us than our eyes and hands, near in His Son and the Spirit, near to hear and to bless, near and desiring to be nearer, yea to be blended with our being and to dwell in us and we in Him. We have not only to desire His gift, and to work towards it, but to ask for it. Then, if we exercise these three activities of desire, effort, petition, we may truly say: ‘When Thou saidst, “Seek ye My face,” my heart said unto Thee, “Thy face, Lord! will I seek,”‘ and may go on, as the psalmist did, to offer the consequent prayer: ‘Hide not Thy face from me,’ in full assurance that He is found by every seeking soul So much for the seeking. II. Now a word about the diligence in seeking. The writer uses a very strong expression, one word in the original, which is here adequately rendered, ‘them that diligently seek Him.’ Half-hearted seeking finds nothing. You sometimes say to your children, when you have set them to look for anything, and they come back and say they have not been able to find it, ‘You do not know how to seek.’ And that is true about a great many of us. Half and half desire, so that one eye is turned on earth, and the other lifted up now and then to heaven, does not bring us much. It will bring a little, but not the fulness of blessing which follows on whole- hearted, continuous, persevering seeking. If you hold a cup below a tap, in an unsteady hand, sometimes it is under the whole rush of the water, and sometimes is on one side, and it will be a long time before you get it filled. There will be much of the water spilled. God pours Himself upon us, and we hold our vessels with unsteady hands, and twitch them away sometimes, and the bright blessing falls on the ground and cannot be gathered up, and our cup is empty, and our lips parched. Interrupted seeking will find little; perfunctory seeking will find less. Conventional religion brings very little blessing, very little consciousness of the presence of God; and that is why so many who call themselves Christians, and are so, in a measure and in a sense, know so little of the joy of being found of God. They have sought but not sought diligently. Now let us take the rebuke to ourselves, if we need it, and we all need it more or less. It is a very threadbare piece of Christian counsel, to be earnest in our seeking after God, but it is none the less needed because it is threadbare, and it would not be threadbare if it had not been so much needed. ‘They that search diligently’ – which is the real meaning of the words in the Book of Proverbs rendered, ‘they that seek Me early’ -’shall find Me.’ III. So this brings me to the last thing here, the Rewarder and the reward. ‘He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.’ The best reward of seeking is to find the thing that you are looking for. So the best reward that God, the Rewarder, gives is when He gives Himself. There are a great many other good things that come to the diligently seeking Christian soul, but the best thing is that God draws near. Enoch sought God, came to God, and so he walked with God. The reward of his coming was continuous, calm communion, which gave him a companion in solitude, and one to walk at his side all through the darkness and the roughnesses, as well as the joys and the smoothnesses, of daily life. Ah, brethren! there is no reward comparable to the felt presence in our own quiet hearts of the God who has found us, and whom we have found. And if we have that, then He becomes, here and now, the reward of the diligent search, and the reward of it to, day carries in itself the assurance of the perfect reward of the coming time. ‘He walked with God, and… God took him.’ That will be true of all of us. There is only one seeking in life that is sure to result in the finding of what we seek. All other search – the quest after the chief good – if it runs in any other direction, is resultless and barren. But there is one course, and one only, in which the result is solid and certain. ‘I have never said to any of the seed of Jacob, seek ye My face in vain.’ If we seek He will be found of us, and so be our Rewarder and our reward.

Fuente: Expositions Of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren

without. Greek. choris. See Heb 4:15.

believe. Greek. pisteuo. App-150.

is. Greek. esti. The verb substantive.

is. Greek. ginomai, to become.

rewarder. Greek. misthapodotes. Only here. Compare Heb 11:26, and Heb 10:35.

diligently seek. Greek. ekzeteo. See Act 15:17.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

6.] but apart from faith it is impossible (it is a general axiom, not a mere assertion regarding Enoch; if it were, we should expect () ) to please (Him, as is evident) at all (this sense of doing a single act well pleasing to God, is given by the aorist: cf. Rom 8:8, . The aor. expresses simply the verbal idea without reference to time; and therefore when in a negative sentence gives the exclusive meaning at any time, at all): for it behoves him that cometh to God (Luther, al. render, him that will come: but it is much more probable that is the habitual, official present-the comer to God. For the expression, see reff. It is that approach which is elsewhere designated ., ch. Heb 7:19,-for the purposes of worship or of communion, or of trust, or service generally) to believe (aor., not , because it is not here the state in which the comer is at his coming, but the state which has originated his coming, of which that coming is the fruit, which is insisted on) that He is (exists: his faith being to him thus a ), and becomes (is eventually: evadit) a renderer of reward (ch. Heb 2:2) to them that seek Him out (, more than , as exoro than oro. Thus his faith is also to him an : Gods existence is realized to him by it, and by it his future reward assured).

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Heb 11:6. , without) He proves by the event the faith of Enoch.-) to please, to show ones self pleasing to. The parallel presently occurs, , to come to GOD, to walk with God. Therefore the apostle, with skilful design, joins the Hebrew and Greek text.-, believe) Enoch had been favoured with no divine appearance, as we may gather from this passage; so neither had Moses before he left Egypt, Heb 11:27. The position (thesis), that he is, etc., was strongly felt by Enoch, and is asserted from the faith of Enoch. The faith of Enoch, which is described in a manner so singular, seems to have had not very many perspicuous Data. Otherwise his faith would not be, as it is, reduced in Pauls description exclusively to this point.-, must) The inference which is found in this passage, is intended to be necessary and strong.- , to GOD) inasmuch as He is invisible, Heb 11:27.- ) that He is. Hence is used absolutely, Wis 13:1; comp. , of things, note, Heb 11:1. He who walks with God, acknowledges Him to be God. This is opposed to antediluvian atheism.-) This word also depends on .-) of them, not of others.-, who earnestly seek) without seeing Him. A grand compound [seek out].-, rewarder) for example, of Enoch, whom He translated.-, that He will be) The future bestowing of the reward is intended. The reward is He himself, who is earnestly sought [sought out]. WITH GOD, says Moses, and signifies thereby communion (with God: Enoch walked with God).

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

There being no direct mention made of faith in the testimony given unto Enoch, but only that by walking with God he pleased him, the apostle in this verse proves from thence that it was by faith that he so pleased God, and consequently that thereby he obtained his translation.

Heb 11:6. , .

. is not in the original, but is in all the old translations, and is to be supplied. We add him, as contained in the word, and not as a supplement.

Heb 11:6. But without faith [it is] impossible to please him. For it behoveth him that cometh to God, to believe that he is [a God to him, or his God], and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The assertion of the apostle whereon he builds his exhortation is, that Enoch was translated by faith. The proof of this assertion he expresseth in the way of a syllogistical argument. The proposition he lays down in the verse foregoing, Enoch had a divine testimony that he pleased God. The assumption consists in this sacred maxim, Without faith it is impossible to please God: whence the conclusion follows, by the interposition of another argument of the same kind, namely, that whereby Enoch pleased God, by that he was translated; for his translation was the consequent and effect of his pleasing God. And, thirdly, he gives an illustration and confirmation of his assumption, For he that cometh to God, etc.

The adversative particle , but, constitutes this form of argument, He pleased God; but without faith it is impossible, etc.

1. In the proposition itself, the form and matter of it may be considered.

(1.) As unto the form, there is a positive affirmation included in the negative: Without faith it is impossible to please God; that is, faith is the only way and means whereby any one may please God. So is frequently used to intimate the affirmation of the contrary unto what is denied. Joh 1:3, , Without him nothing was made; that is, Every thing was made by him.Joh 15:5, , Without me ye can do nothing; that is, By me, or my strength, ye must do all things.Rom 10:14, How shall they hear ; without a preacher? that is, All hearing is by a preacher.See Heb 7:20; Heb 9:7; Heb 9:18. Wherefore, Without faith it is impossible to please God, is the same with, All pleasing of God is, and must be, by faith, it being impossible it should be otherwise.And this sense of the words is necessary unto the argument of the apostle, which is to prove the power and efficacy of faith with respect unto our acceptation with God.

(2.) As unto the matter of the proposition, that which is denied without faith, or that which is enclosed unto the sole agency of faith, is , to please, placere, beneplacere. The verb is used only in this epistle, in these two verses, and Heb 13:16, in the passive voice, God is well-pleased; promeretur Deus, Vulg. Lat., without any signification. The adjective, , is used frequently, and constantly applied unto persons or things that are accepted with God, Rom 12:1-2, 2Co 5:9; Eph 5:10; Php 4:18; Col 3:20. Three things are here included in it:

[1.] That the person be accepted with God, that God be well-pleased with him.

[2.] That his duties do please God, that he is well-pleased with them, as he was with the gifts of Abel and the obedience of Enoch. So Heb 13:16.

[3.] That such a person have testimony that he is righteous, just or justified, as Abel and Enoch had, and as all true believers have in the Scripture.

This is that pleasing, of God which is enclosed unto faith alone. Otherwise there may be many acts and duties which may be materially such as God is pleased with, and which he will reward in this world, without faith: such was the destruction of the house of Ahab by Jehu. But the pleasing of God under consideration includes the acceptance with God of the person and his duties, or his justification before him. And this regulates the sense of the last clause of the verse. Our coming unto God, and believing in him, must be interpreted with respect unto this well-pleasing of him.

This is so by faith, as that without it is impossible. Many in all ages have attempted thus to please God without faith, and yet continue so to do. Cain began it. His design in his offering was to please God; but he did it not in faith, and failed in his design. And this is the great difference always in the visible church. All in their divine worship profess a desire to please God, and hope that so they shall do, to what purpose else was it to serve him? but, as our apostle speaks, many of them seek it not by faith, but by their own works and duties which they do and perform, Rom 9:32. Those alone attain their end who seek it by faith. And therefore God frequently rejects the greatest multiplication of duties, where faith is wanting, Isa 1:11-15, Psalms 40.

2. Wherefore, saith the apostle, this is a fundamental maxim of religion, namely, It is impossible to please God any other way but by faith.Let men desire, design, and aim at it whilst they please, they shall never attain unto it. And it is so impossible,

(1.) From divine constitution. Hereunto the Scripture bears testimony from first to last, namely, that none can, that none shall, ever please God but by faith, as our apostle pleads at large, Rom 3:5.

(2.) From the nature of the thing itself, faith being the first regular motion of the soul towards God, as we shall see immediately.

Howbeit the contrary apprehension, namely, that men by their works and duties may please God without faith, as well as by faith, or in the same manner as with faith, is so deeply fixed in the minds of men, as that it hath produced various evil consequences. For,

(1.) Some have disputed with God himself, as if he dealt not equally and justly with them, when he was not well pleased with their duties, nor accepted themselves. Cain was so, being thereon not more wrathful with his brother than with God himself, as is plain in the rebuke given unto him, Gen 4:5-7. So did the Jews frequently: Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not? Isa 58:3. And so it is with all hypocrites unto this day: should they at any time be convinced that God is not pleased either with their persons or their duties, especially the duties of religious worship which they perform unto him, which they judge to be every whit as good as theirs who are accepted, they are angry in their hearts with God himself, and judge that he deals not well with them at all.

(2.) This is that which keeps up hatred, feuds, and persecutions, in the visible church. The greatest part generally are contented with the outward performance of duties, not doubting but that by them they shall please God. But when they find others professing that the sincerity of saving faith, and that working, in serious repentance, and universal obedience unto God, are necessary unto this pleasing of God, whereby their duties are condemned, their countenances fall, and they are full of wrath, and are ready even to slay their brethren. There is the same difference, the same grounds and reasons of it, between true believers and persecuting hypocrites still, as was between Abel and Cain. All profess a design to please God, as they both did; all perform the same outward duties, the one commonly more attending unto the rule of them than the other, as they did: but the one sort plead a secret interest in divine favor and acceptation by faith, that is invisible; the other trust unto their outward works; whence an endless difference doth arise between them.

(3.) This hath been the foundation of all superstition in divine worship. For a secret apprehension that God was to be pleased with outward works and duties, as Cain thought, was the reason of the multiplication of innumerable rites and ceremonies in divine service; of all the masses, purgatories, pilgrimages, vows, disciplines, idolatries, that constitute the Roman church. They were all found out in answer unto the inquiry made, Mic 6:6-7, Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Hence one pretended duty, that shall have something to commend it, as its charge, its difficulty, or its beauty as it is adorned, must be added unto another; all to please God without faith.

(4.) This hath stirred up and maintained innumerable controversies in the church in all ages. Some openly contend that this pleasing of God is the fruit of the merit of our own works, and is not attained by faith. And others endlessly contend to bring our works and duties into the same order and causality, as unto our acceptance before God, with faith itself; and think it as true. as unto the end of the apostles discourse, namely, our pleasing of God and being accepted with him, that without our works it is impossible to please God, as it is that without faith it is impossible to please him: which is to overthrow both his argument and design.

Wherefore, unless we hold fast this truth, namely, that whatever be the necessity of other graces and duties, yet it is faith alone whereby we please God, and obtain acceptance with him, we condemn the generation of the righteous in their cause from the foundation of the world, take part with Cain against Abel, and forego our testimony unto the righteousness of God in Christ. And,

Obs. 1. Where God hath put an impossibility upon any thing, it is in vain for men to attempt it. From the days of Cain multitudes have been designing to please God without faith, all in vain; like them that would have built a tower whose top should reach to heaven. And,

Obs. 2. It is of the highest importance to examine well into the sincerity of our faith, whether it be of the true kind or no, seeing thereon depends the acceptance of our persons and all our duties. None ever thought that God was to be pleased without any faith at all; the very design of pleasing him avows some kind of faith: but that especial kind of faith whereby we may be justified, they regard not. Of these things I have treated fully in my book of[6] Justification.

[6] See miscellaneous works, volume 5. ED.

3. Of this assertion the apostle gives a further confirmation or illustration, by showing the necessity of faith unto acceptance with God. And this he doth by declaring the duty of every one that would be so accepted: For it behoveth him that cometh unto God to believe, etc. Wherein we have,

(1.) The assertion of the duty prescribed; It behoveth him, or he must.

(2.) The subject spoken of; which is, he that cometh unto God.

(3.) the duty prescribed; which is, to believe.

[1.] That God is;

[2.] That he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

That he gives a reason and proof of what he had before asserted is declared in the illative conjunction, for: This makes the truth herein manifest.

(1.) He makes application of his assertion to every one concerned in particular in a way of duty. Whoever he be that hath this design to come to God, and to be accepted with him, he ought, he must do so. This is his duty, from which no one living shall have an exemption.

(2.) The subject spoken of is, He that cometh unto God. in general signifies any access, or coming to any person or thing; nor is it used in a sacred sense anywhere in the New Testament but only in this epistle, and 1Pe 2:4. But the simple verb, , is frequently so used. And this coming unto God signifies in particular an access or approach unto him in sacred worship. See Heb 10:1, with the exposition. But in general, as in this place, and 1Pe 2:4, it denotes an access of the person into the favor of God, including the particular addresses unto him with his duties. We must therefore inquire what it is thus to come to God, and what is required thereunto; that we may understand what it is that the apostle makes believing so necessary unto, and whereby he proves that without faith it is impossible to please God. And,

[1.] There is required thereunto a previous sense of a wanting, lost condition in ourselves, by a distance from God. No man designs to come to God but it is for relief, satisfaction, and rest. It must be out of an apprehension that he is yet at such a distance from God as not to be capable of relief or rest from him; and that in this distance he is in a condition indigent and miserable; as also that there is relief and rest for him in God.

Without these apprehensions no man will ever engage in a design to come unto God, as having no reason for it nor end in it. And this can be wrought in none sincerely but by faith. All other powers and faculties in the souls of men, without faith, do incline and direct them to look for rest and satisfaction in themselves. This was the highest notion of those philosophers who raised human wisdom into an admiration, namely, the Stoics, That every one was to seek for all rest and satisfaction in himself, and in nothing else; and so they came at length expressly to make every man a god to himself. Faith alone is the gracious power which takes us off from all confidence in ourselves, and directs us to look for all in another; that is, in God himself. And therefore it must see that in God which is suited to give relief in this condition. And this is contained in the object of it as here proposed, as we shall see. [2.] There must antecedently hereunto be some encouragement given unto him that will come to God, and that from God himself. A discovery of our wants, indigence, and misery, makes it necessary that we should do so; but it gives no encouragement so to do, for it is accompanied with a discovery of our unworthiness so to do, and be accepted in doing it. Nor can any encouragement be taken from the consideration of the being of God, and his glorious excellencies absolutely; nor is that anywhere in the Scripture absolutely and in the first place proposed for our encouragement. This, therefore, can be nothing but his free, gracious promise to receive them that come unto him in a due manner; that is, by Christ, as the whole Scripture testifieth. For what some pretend concerning coining unto God by encouragements taken from general notions of his nature, and his works of creation and providence, without any promise, is an empty speculation; nor can they give any single instance of any one person that ever came to God, and found acceptance with him, without the encouragement of divine revelation, which hath in it the nature of a promise. Faith, therefore, is necessary unto this coming to God, because thereby alone we receive, lay hold of, embrace the promises, and are made partakers of them; which the apostle not only expressly affirmeth, but makes it his design to prove in a great part of the chapter, as we shall see. There is nothing, therefore, more fond, more foreign to the apostles intention, than what is here ignorantly and weakly by some pretended; namely, that faith here is nothing but an assent unto the truth of the being of God, and his distribution of rewards and punishments, without any respect unto the promise, that is, unto Christ and his mediation, as will yet further appear. Wherefore,

[3.] To come to God, is to have an access into his favor, to please God, as did Enoch; so to come as to be accepted with him. There may be a coming to God with our duties and services, as did Cain, when we are not accepted; but the apostle treats in this place only of an access with acceptance into his grace and favor, as is manifest from his instance, his design, and argument.

(3.) For those that have this design, it is their duty to believe. This is the only way and means of attaining that end. Whence believing itself is often called coming to God, or coming to Christ, Isa 55:1; Isa 55:3; Joh 6:37; Joh 6:44; Joh 7:37. And it is by faith alone that we have an access into this grace, Rom 5:2; that is, whereby we thus come to God.

(4.) The object of this faith, or what in this case we ought to believe, is twofold:

[1.] The being of God; Believe that he is.

[2.] His office; in that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

The Syriac translation seems to make but one entire object of faith in the words, namely, that God is a rewarder, referring both the verb , and , unto : as if it were said, must believe that God is, and will be, the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, namely, in this world and hereafter also. But I shall follow the usual distinction of the words.

[1.] The first thing to be believed is, that God is. The expression seems to be imperfect, and something more is intended than the divine being absolutely, as, his God.

The schoolmen, and sundry expositors on the place, as Catharinus, Salmeron, Tena, etc., dispute earnestly how the being of God, which is the object of natural science, seeing it may be known by the light of reason, can be proposed as the object of faith, which respects only things unseen, inevident, supernatural, made known by revelation only. And many distinctions they apply unto the solution of this difficulty. For my part, I no way doubt but the same thing or verity may on diverse respects be the object of reason and faith also. So is it when that which is consistent with reason, and in general discoverable by it, as the creation of the world, is more distinctly and clearly proposed unto faith by divine revelation; which doth not destroy the former assent on principles of reason, but confirms the mind in the persuasion of the same truth by a new evidence given unto it. But the apostle speaks not here of any such assent unto the truth of the being and existence of God as may be attained by reason or the light of nature; but that which is the pure object of faith, which the light of reason can no way reach unto. For that he treats of such things only, is evident from the description which he premiseth of the nature of faith, namely, that it is the evidence of things not seen. And it is such a believing of the being of God as gives encouragement to come unto him, that we who are sinners may find favor and acceptance with him. And that apprehension which men may have of the being of God by the light of nature, yea, and of his being a rewarder, Cain had, as we have showed; and yet he had no share in that faith which the apostle here requires. Wherefore it is evident, from the context, the circumstances of the subject-matter treated on, and the design of the apostle, that the being or existence of God proposed as the object of our faith, to be believed in a way of duty, is the divine nature with its glorious properties or perfections, as engaged and acting themselves in a way of giving rest, satisfaction, and blessedness, unto them that come unto him.

When we are obliged to believe that he is, it is what he proposeth when he declareth himself by that name, I AM, Exo 3:14; whereby he did not only signify his existence absolutely, but that he so was, as that he would actually give existence and accomplishment unto all his promises unto the church. So when he revealed himself unto Abraham by the name of Almighty God, Gen 17:1, he was not obliged to believe only his eternal power and Godhead, which are intelligible by the light of nature, Rom 1:20, but also that he would be so unto him, in exerting his almighty power on his behalf; whereon he requires of him that he should walk before him and be perfect. Wherefore the believing that God is, I AM, the Almighty God, is to believe him as our God in covenant, exercising the holy properties of his nature, his power, wisdom, goodness, grace, and the like, in a way of giving rest and blessedness unto our souls. For all this he required Abraham to believe, as the ground of the covenant on his part; whereon he requires universal obedience from him.

To suppose that the apostle intends by that faith whereby we may come to God, and find acceptance with him, nothing but an assent unto the being of God absolutely considered, which is altogether fruitless in the generality of mankind, is a vain notion, unsuited unto his design. Wherefore,

Obs. 3. God himself, in his self-sufficiency and his all-sufficiency, meet to act towards poor sinners in a way of bounty, is the first motive or encouragement unto, and the last object of faith. See Isa 50:10; 1Pe 1:21.

[2.] The second thing which, in order unto the same end of acceptance with God, we are required to believe, is, that he is, or will be, a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; that is, he will act in all things towards them suitably unto the proposal which he makes of himself unto faith when he says, I AM, and I am God Almighty, or the like.

Two things may be considered in this object of faith:

1st. The assertion of the truth itself; God is a rewarder.

2dly. The limitation of the exercise of that property as unto its object; unto them that diligently seek him.

And this limitation wholly excludes the general notion, of believing in rewards and punishments from God, present and future, from being here intended; for it is confined only unto the goodness and bounty of God towards believers, those that seek him. His dealing with them is not exactly according unto distributive justice with respect unto themselves, but in a way of mercy, grace, and bounty. For the reward is of grace, and not of works.

1st. That which these words of the apostle have respect unto, and which is the ground of the faith here required, is contained in the revelation that God made of himself unto Abraham, Gen 15:1, Fear not, Abram; I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. God is so a rewarder unto them that seek him, as that he himself is their reward; which eternally excludes all thoughts of merit in them that are so rewarded. Who can merit God to be his reward? Rewarding in God, especially where he himself is the reward, is an act of infinite grace and bounty. And this gives us full direction unto the object of faith here intended, namely, God in Christ, as revealed in the promise of him, giving himself unto believers as a reward (to be their God), in a way of infinite goodness and bounty. The proposal hereof is that alone which gives encouragement to come unto him, which the apostle designs to declare.

2dly. This further appears from the limitation of the object, or of those unto whom he is thus a rewarder; namely, such as diligently seek him. , to seek the Lord, is used in general for any inquiry after him, from the light of nature or otherwise, Act 17:27. But , the word here used by the apostle, argues a peculiar manner of seeking, whence we render it diligently seek him. But this duty of seeking God is so frequently enjoined in the Scripture, and so declared to consist in faith acting itself in prayer, patience, and diligent attendance unto the ways of Gods manifestation of himself in his ordinances of worship, that I shall not here insist upon it. Only I shall observe some things that are necessary unto the interpretation of the place.

(1st.) To seek God, is to do so according to some rule, guiding us both what way we are to go, and what we are to expect with him and from him. Those that sought him without such a rule, as the apostle tells them, did but strive , to feel after him, as men feel after a thing in the dark, when they know neither what it is nor how to come at it, Act 17:27.

(2dly.) This rule neither is, nor ever was, nor can be, any other but the rule of Gods covenant with us, and the revelation made of himself therein. In the state of original righteousness, man was bound to seek God (for this is eternally indispensable to all creatures, until we come to the full fruition of him) according to the tenor of the covenant of works. His seeking of God consisted in the faith and works of obedience required in that covenant. And there is now no way to seek God but according to the revelation that he hath made of himself in the covenant of grace, and the terms of obedience required therein. All other seeking of God is vain, and not prescribed unto us in a way of duty. All those who do attempt it do wax vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts are darkened. When once we have the knowledge of this rule, when God hath revealed his covenant unto us, and the confirmation of it in Christ, all things are plain and clear, both how we may find God, and what we shall find in him.

(3dly.) This seeking of God is progressive, and hath various degrees. For there is,

[1st.] Antecedent unto it, Gods finding of us in a way of sovereign grace and mercy. So he is found of them that sought him not,

Isa 65:1. And if he had not so sought us, we should never have sought after him; for herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us first.

[2dly.] In itself, it takes in our first conversion unto God. To seek God, is to seek his grace and favor in Christ Jesus, to seek his kingdom and righteousness, to turn and adhere unto him in faith and love unfeigned.

[3dly.] A diligent attendance unto all the ways of duty and obedience which he hath prescribed unto us. Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD, Isa 51:1.

[4thly.] A patient waiting for the accomplishment of the promises, which the apostle so celebrates in Abraham. Wherefore,

(4thly.) This diligent seeking of God, in them unto whom God will be a rewarder in a way of goodness and bounty, is an access unto him by faith, initial and progressive, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace in Christ Jesus, that we may find favor and acceptance with him. So did Abel seek God, when he offered a bloody sacrifice, in faith of the future propitiation by the Seed of the woman. So did Enoch seek God, when he walked before him in covenant-obedience. Neither will God be such a rewarder as is here intended, he will not give himself as a reward unto any but those that seek him after this way.

Obs. 4. Those who seek God only according to the light of nature, do but feel after him in the dark, and they shall never find him as a rewarder, namely, such as is here described, though they may have pregnant notions of his justice, and of rewards and punishments according unto it.

Obs. 5. Those who seek him according to the law of works, and by the best of their obedience thereunto, shall never find him as a rewarder, nor attain that which they seek after; as the apostle expressly declares, Rom 9:31-32.

I have insisted the longer on the exposition of this verse, both on the account of the important truths contained in it, as also because some of late have endeavored to wrest this text, as they do other scriptures, as though it should teach that no other faith was required unto the justification of them of old but only an assent unto the being of God, and his wisdom, righteousness, and power, in governing the world with rewards and punishments; so to exclude all consideration of the promise of the Lord Christ and his mediation from their faith. So is the place expounded by Crellius, and Grotius who followeth him, with his admirers, and others that borrow falsehoods from them. But as that assent is supposed and included herein, as necessary unto all religion, so that it is what, and all that is here proposed and required, is consistent neither with the scope of the place, the design of the apostle, nor any expression in the text rightly understood. Observe,

Obs. 6. It is the most proper act of faith, to come and cleave unto God as a rewarder in the way of grace and bounty, as proposing himself for our reward. Obs. 7. That faith is vain which doth not put men on a diligent inquiry after God.

Obs. 8. The whole issue of our finding of God when we seek him, depends on the way and rule which we take and use in our so doing.

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

Faith – Three Practical Questions

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Heb 11:6

How can I obtain faith?

There are many who vainly imagine that faith is a hereditary gift, that if ones parents were believers, or if he was raised in a believing home, then he is automatically a believer. Others imagine that faith comes to the children of believing parents by means of the parents faith, the ceremony of sprinkling (or pouring) water on the baby, catechizing the child, and raising it to be a believer. Many who reject both these heretical teachings imagine that faith can be communicated to children by the will of others, suggesting that if we pray earnestly enough for someone to be saved they will be saved. Still others have the idea that faith can be secured by religious education.

Joh 1:11-13 specifically repudiates all such teaching about faith in Christ and Gods great gift of grace in salvation. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Faith in Christ cannot be obtained or communicated to anyone by heredity, education, human reason, or religious ceremony. Faith in Christ is the free gift of Gods sovereign grace.

Any sinner who obtains faith in Christ gets it by Gods appointed means, through the preaching of the gospel (Rom 10:13-17). Faith comes by divine revelation, by Christ being revealed in us (Mat 16:16; Gal 1:15). Faith is the gift of God the Holy Spirit, the result of the operation of his grace in regeneration (Joh 6:63; Eph 1:18-20).

Do I have true, saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Is it possible for men and women to know whether or not they have faith in Christ? Indeed, it is. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1Jn 5:13).

If a person is born of God, if God has given the gift of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to a person, he renounces all personal righteousness, acknowledging that Christ alone is his righteousness before God (Jer 23:6; 1Co 1:30; Php 3:3-11). It is impossible to look to Christ alone for righteousness while going about to establish your own righteousness (Rom 9:31 to Rom 10:4). The believer looks to Christ alone for his acceptance with God. We trust his blood alone for atonement and satisfaction. We look to his obedience alone for righteousness (Rom 5:18-19).

Trusting Christ alone as our solitary Redeemer and Savior, all who are born of God, all to whom God the Holy Spirit has given the gift of faith, bow to Christ as their Lord. Faith, in its essence, involves surrender to Christ as Lord (Luk 14:25-33). Christs lordship is not a theological point about which believers argue. All who are taught of God know that he is Lord over all. The believer wants him to be Lord over all. He rejoices in the fact that he is. And he voluntarily surrenders the rule of his life to his Lord. Faith is the giving up of my life to Christ, willingly.

This surrender to Christ is not a once for all thing. It is not something done at the time of conversion, never to be experienced again. Oh, no. As we must daily say no to all confidence in the flesh, daily look to Christ for grace, so we must daily take up our cross and follow him, daily surrendering our will to his will, our way to his way, and our lives to his dominion.

All who have faith in Christ love him and love one another. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him (1Jn 5:1). We do not and cannot love Christ or one another as we ought, any more than we can trust our Savior as we ought; but all who are granted faith in Christ love him and his people.

Where is the assurance of faith to be found?

Without question, faith is accompanied by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). All believers renounce all personal righteousness before God, bow to Christ as their Lord, and walk in love. Yet, our assurance is not found in the degree to which we renounce our own righteousness, the degree of our sureender, or the degree of our love for him and one another. The assurance of faith is found in the Word of God alone.

It is written, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mar 16:16). He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1Jn 5:10-13).

Feelings come and feelings go, And feelings are deceiving.

I trust the Word of God alone. Naught else is worth believing.

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

without: Heb 3:12, Heb 3:18, Heb 3:19, Heb 4:2, Heb 4:6, Num 14:11, Num 20:12, Psa 78:22, Psa 78:32, Psa 106:21, Psa 106:22, Psa 106:24, Isa 7:9, Mar 16:17, Joh 3:18, Joh 3:19, Joh 8:24, Gal 5:6, Rev 21:8

he that: Heb 7:25, Job 21:14, Psa 73:28, Isa 55:3, Jer 2:31, Joh 14:6

must: Rom 10:14

a rewarder: Heb 11:26, Gen 15:1, Rth 2:12, Psa 58:11, Pro 11:18, Mat 5:12, Mat 6:1, Mat 6:2, Mat 6:5, Mat 6:16, Mat 10:41, Mat 10:42, Luk 6:35

diligently: 1Ch 28:9, Psa 105:3, Psa 105:4, Psa 119:10, Pro 8:17, Son 3:1-4, Jer 29:13, Jer 29:14, Mat 6:33, Luk 12:31, 2Pe 1:5, 2Pe 1:10, 2Pe 3:14

Reciprocal: Gen 5:22 – General Gen 5:24 – for Deu 32:20 – children 2Ch 20:20 – Believe in the Lord Psa 14:2 – seek Psa 19:11 – keeping Psa 27:4 – seek Jer 31:16 – for Mat 7:7 – seek Mar 9:23 – If Luk 6:23 – your Luk 11:9 – seek Act 26:18 – faith Rom 1:17 – The just Rom 8:8 – please Rom 14:23 – whatsoever Col 3:24 – ye shall 1Th 4:1 – to please 1Ti 1:5 – faith Heb 2:2 – recompense Heb 6:1 – faith Heb 11:5 – that he Jam 1:6 – let Jam 2:18 – Thou

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Heb 11:6

It was exactly when these Hebrews were most sorely tempted that they were so carefully reminded that it was by faith, and faith alone, that the elders obtained a good report. And in this eleventh chapter of the Epistle we have a long list brought before us of heroes who lived in the times of old, of men who were not stronger than we are, but were of the same nature as ourselves, and yet were able to fight the battles of God and to overcome the world, because they were so sure and certain that God was with them, and they endured as seeing Him Who is invisible.

I. In this way, or some way like it, God is teaching every soul of man who lives upon the earth.All men have to travel by the same path, all men are called upon to turn away their eyes from the things which are seen and temporal, and to fix the eye of their spirit upon those things which are not seen and eternal. And it is through much tribulation that they enter into the kingdom of God.

II. When the earth is calm, and when for a while wars have ceased in all the world, then we begin to fancy that things can go on of themselves. But when we hear of wars and rumours of wars, when nation rises against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and violence and confusion seem to fill the world; when our own land is full of contention and party spirit, and men have words of peace upon their lips and yet are backbiting and devouring one another, and when we think of these things, does it not sometimes seem to us as if God had nothing to do with it, as if these tumults and commotions upon earth were outside the range of Gods government altogether? But it is not so. The one sense of safety in all trouble is in the grasping of the fact that the Lord reigneth.

III. Yet once more. Our faith may not be shaken by the wars and confusions of the worldnor by the strife of jarring opinions and sects. But there is another temptation which is a thousand times stronger, because it is so much closer to our own selves. The confusions and the discord of the outer world may enter into us. The mire and dirt which our own hearts cast up may hide God from our eyes. Or what is still worse, the coldness and indifference of the world may enter into us, and we may not care for anything except the things which we see around us. Nay, brethren, the coldness and indifference of the world does enter into us, and it is the root of all our unbelief. It is only now and then that men care to know anything about God. It is only now and then that they think of Him, and they fancy that it is only now and then that He thinks of them. Brethren, is it not so with you? Do you dare to say that you are diligently seeking Him?

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

Heb 11:6. The apostle interrupts his line of special instances to state the general principle of faith. Regardless of whatever apparent good there might be in one’s actions, it will not be pleasing to God unless he has authorized it. Believe that He is means to believe in the existence of God. Furthermore, unless a man believes that God will reward a diligent seeker, lie will not make any effort to come to Him.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Without faith, that is, without justifying faith, without faith in the Messiah, for that is the faith here spoken of, there is no possibility of pleasing God, and if so, then no possibility of being saved without faith. This appears partly from the divine constitution, God has so appointed it, partly from the nature of the thing itself; faith being the first regular motion of the soul towards God, no works, no duties, no performances whatsoever can please God without faith. He that cometh to God, that is, hath any access or approach to him in a way of worship, or any access or acceptance into his grace and favour, he must believe:

1. God’s being.

2. God’s bounty: That he is: And that he is a rewarder of such as diligently seek him.

Learn hence, 1. That the first point of faith, if we would have anything to do with God, is firmly to believe that there is a God: He that cometh to God, must believe that he is.

Learn, 2. That the fountain of all obedience and service to God, is a firm belief of his being a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him.

Learn, 3. That the whole issue of our finding God when we seek him, depends upon our diligently seeking of him; he is a rewarder of them, of all and only them, that diligently seek him.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a {d} rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

(d) This reward is not referred to our merits, but to the free promise, as Paul teaches in Abraham the father of all the faithful, Rom 4:4 .

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Walking by faith involves not only believing that God exists but also believing that he will reward the faithful. The original readers faced temptation to abandon that hope, as we do. Note that those He will reward are those who "are seeking after Him" (present tense in Greek), not believers who have stopped seeking after Him. Ultimately we know God’s will by faith.

In almost all of the following exemplars of faith that the writer cited, there is a clear and direct relationship between faith and reward. [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 339.]

"The best way to grow in faith is to walk with the faithful." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:318.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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