Notes For Hebrews 11:6

a [without faith it is impossible to please him] Here we see the absolute necessity of faith and the secret of pleasing God.

b [must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him]


Four Secrets of Answered Prayer

1. To please God (1Jn. 3:21-22; 5:14-15).

2. To come to God in the right attitude and with the right motives (Mt. 6:5-15; 7:7-11; Php. 4:5-6).

3. To believe that He is (Jn. 16:23).

4. To believe that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. If one can believe this as much as he believes in the existence of God, prayer will be granted. If one believes firmly in His existence and doubts His word, he makes Him a liar and God is under no obligation to answer prayer (Jas. 1:4-8).

The Greek for diligently is ekzeteo (GSN-<G1567>), translated diligently seek (Heb. 11:6); seek after (Acts 15:17; Rom. 3:11); seek carefully (Heb. 12:17); require (Lk. 11:50-51); and enquire (1Pet. 1:10).

It’s impossible to please God without faith, and Romans 8:8 says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God. So, by comparing these scriptures, we see that those who are in the flesh are not in faith.

Our faith in Jesus is what pleases God. And if we have faith in Jesus, then God is pleased with us on the basis of what Jesus has done and not what we do.

Faith is believing that God is, not that He was. And it also has to have the element that when we seek the Lord, we know that He rewards us. Believing that God can do something but not believing that He will do it is not faith.