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Seeking God Without Fear: The Hope of Faith (Hebrews 11:6)
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“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6 NRSVue
Reflection
Hebrews 11 is sometimes called the Hall of Faith. The passage lists many of the greats of Old Testament faith, from Abel and Enoch before the flood, to Noah, then to Abraham and Moses after the flood, and many more. This verse and this chapter are part of a much larger argument about the centrality of faith.
This verse starts with the important claim that it is impossible to please God without faith. Honestly, when I read this passage in preparing this reflection, it seemed much less profound than it has in the past.
Often, faith seems like a mystical power, the key to unlocking holiness and the ability to magically move mountains. But what is faith? Hebrews 11:1 gives a pretty simple definition. Faith is the assurance of the reality of what is hoped for and the conviction of that which we cannot see. Another way of saying it might be that faith is a deep-seated belief in the reality of God, even though we cannot see Him. Even more simply, faith is a deep conviction or belief.
It is pretty simple. This also makes the first part of Hebrews 11:6 seem obvious rather than profound. It is essentially saying it is impossible for us to please God if we don’t even think He is real.
I’ve seen articles and heard sermons that say the one thing that pleases God is faith. This passage is used as proof. But I think that misses the point. Faith isn’t the pinnacle of pleasing God. It is the basic requirement. If we desire to draw near to God, we must actually think that He is real. Further, if we are to draw near to God, we must believe there is a reward rather than a punishment.
God is viewed by some as a mean, angry old man in the sky. Many people who attend church see God that way. I know of people who attend church or “come to faith” as a means of avoiding Hell.
Maybe part of the point of this passage is to underscore that this approach is not pleasing to God. Remember, part of faith is hope, “the assurance of things hoped for.” Maybe that hope is less about streets of gold and more about a hope for, a faith in, a God who is gentle and loving rather than mean.
Maybe it is impossible to please God if we do not see or believe in Him as a loving God with whom we can be in a rewarding relationship by drawing near to Him. This would be true if what He really desires from us is a healthy relationship with true intimacy rather than fearful obedience.
