“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). We cannot please God without faith on our part. But what is involved in faith that pleases God? Hebrews 11 answers. Consider just Noah in verse 7.
Hears God
Faith requires hearing God. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned….” Noah listened to God. Faith that pleases God requires hearing God, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Believes God
Faith that pleases God not only believes that He is but that He fulfills His promises. Saving faith believes His word is truth and cannot be broken, even when what God has spoken is difficult to imagine. Noah was warned of “things not yet seen,” but he believed God in spite of that. Belief does not require human experience in the things spoken by God. Noah demonstrated great trust in God.
Fears God
Faith that pleases God fears God. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear….” God means what He says! “For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods” (Psalm 96:4).
Obeys God
Pleasing faith is faith that obeys God. “By faith Noah…prepared an ark for the saving of his household….” Preparing an ark was not Noah’s idea; it was God’s command. Obedience was necessary to please God and to save himself and his household.
We cannot claim to have faith in God and not hear Him. We will not hear Him by “communing with nature” or just thinking about Him; we will hear Him by opening the Bible and reading and understanding His word. Are you doing that on your own? If not, how can you have faith?
We cannot claim to have a faith that pleases God if we take God’s word and subject it to human wisdom, human experience, or human tradition before accepting it. Do you accept what God said simply because He said it? That’s saving faith.
We cannot claim to have a pleasing faith if we have no fear of God. We must have a fear of God and His word that transcends any fear of or desire of favor from men. Do you tremble at His word? “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2b).
We cannot claim to have a faith that pleases God if we do not obey God’s commands. Are you concerned with knowing what His commands are for you today, and not only knowing them, but diligently executing them?
Do you have a faith that pleases God – a faith like Noah’s faith?
-Larry Jones