As
the writer of Hebrews continued to share about “faith”,
he used the examples of the world being framed, the “faith”
of Abel and the “faith”
of Enoch to demonstrate the way “faith”
was employed. In chapter eleven and verse six of Hebrews the
writer declared “without
faith it is impossible to please” God, where we read:
But
without faith it is impossible to please him: for
he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The
verse begins, “But
without faith it is
impossible to please him:
for he that comes to God must believe that he is,...”.
The writer
began with the word, “But”
which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be
written takes precedence over what was previously stated” “without
faith” or
“separate and apart from the conviction of the truth of anything
and belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether
in God or in Christ which springs from trust in the same” “it
is impossible”
which means “there is no strength, power or ability” “to
please him” or
“to gratify God entirely”: “for
he that comes”
or “the person that approaches, draws near and assents” “to
God” which
refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God
the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “must
believe”
or “it is necessary, behooving, right and proper to think to be
true, be persuaded of, credited and confident” “that
he is” which
means “that God consists and exists”. Having “faith”
that God “exists” is the way to “satisfy or gratify” God
completely and “entirely”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and that
he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”. The
writer continued with the words, “and
that he is” which
means “and that God becomes, exists, happens, appears in history
and comes on the stage as” “a
rewarder”
which means “one who pays wages or a re-numerator” “of
them”
which refers to “the people” “that
diligently seek” or
“search for, investigate, scrutinize, crave, demand and require”
“him”
which refers to “God”. Not only is God “satisfied entirely”
with those who have “faith” that
He “exists”, but He also desires to “pay wages” to those who
“search for and crave” Him “diligently”.
When
we think through these words in Hebrews, we see the exhortation,
benefit and reward for believing in God and His blessings. God
desires for people to have “faith”
that He exists, and He also wants them to believe that He “rewards”
people who search for Him “diligently”.
Jesus Christ came into the world to show us what God is like. He
said, “he that has seen me has seen the Father”
(John 14:9), and when we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as
“Savior and Lord”, we shall not only believe that God “exists”,
but also have a rewarding desire to know Him more. Let us “please
God” by having “faith” that He is and “belief” that
He rewards us for “seeking Him” with all our hearts.
Next
time the writer shares about “Noah's”
“faith”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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