Topical Bible: Faith: Impossible to Please God Without

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Faith is a central tenet of Christian doctrine, serving as the foundation for a believer's relationship with God. The Bible emphasizes the indispensable nature of faith in pleasing God, underscoring its significance in the life of a Christian. Hebrews 11:6 states, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." This verse highlights two essential components of faith: belief in God's existence and trust in His benevolence towards those who seek Him.

The necessity of faith is further illustrated in the lives of biblical figures who exemplified unwavering trust in God. Hebrews 11, often referred to as the "Faith Chapter," provides a comprehensive list of individuals who demonstrated faith, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Each of these figures acted in obedience to God's commands, despite not seeing the fulfillment of His promises in their lifetimes. Their faith was credited to them as righteousness, as seen in the case of Abraham: "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Romans 4:3).

Faith is not merely intellectual assent but involves a deep-seated trust and reliance on God. James 2:17 asserts, "So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead." This indicates that genuine faith manifests in actions that align with God's will. The Epistle of James emphasizes that faith and works are intertwined, with works serving as evidence of living faith.

The New Testament further elaborates on the role of faith in salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 declares, "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." This passage underscores that salvation is a gift from God, accessed through faith, and not earned by human effort. Faith is the means by which believers receive God's grace and enter into a covenant relationship with Him.

In the Gospels, Jesus frequently commends individuals for their faith, often linking it to healing and forgiveness. For instance, in Matthew 9:22 , Jesus tells the woman who touched His cloak, "Take courage, daughter, your faith has healed you." Such instances illustrate that faith is not only crucial for spiritual well-being but also for experiencing God's power and intervention in one's life.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistles, repeatedly emphasizes the transformative power of faith. In Galatians 2:20 , he writes, "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Here, faith is depicted as the means by which believers identify with Christ's death and resurrection, leading to a new life empowered by His presence.

Faith is also portrayed as a shield in the spiritual armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:16 : "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." This metaphor illustrates faith's protective role in spiritual warfare, enabling believers to withstand the challenges and temptations they face.

In summary, faith is an essential element of the Christian life, without which it is impossible to please God. It involves a confident trust in God's character and promises, resulting in obedience and action. Through faith, believers receive salvation, experience God's power, and live transformed lives in Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hebrews 11:6
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.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether Charity Can be Without Faith and Hope?
... On the contrary, The Apostle says (Heb.11:6): "Without faith it is impossible to
please God"; and this evidently belongs most to charity, according to Prov.8:17 ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether charity can be without 2.htm

The Necessity of Faith for Justification
... The character of justifying faith is still more plainly evident from Heb.
XI, 6: "Without faith it is impossible to please God. ...
/.../pohle/grace actual and habitual/section 1 the necessity of 2.htm

Faith
... 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 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/faith.htm

On Faith
... "Without faith it is impossible to please God." But it is impossible he should have
any faith at all; " any conviction of any invisible world; for he ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 106 on faith.htm

Faith
... Without faith it is impossible to please God.' Hebrews 11:1. If we do not
please him by believing, he will not please us in saving. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 faith.htm

Live by Faith.
... live. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and of course the life
that pleases God is the only life that is perfect. We ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/how to live a holy life/live by faith.htm

Did God Promise the Good Works of the Nations and not their Faith ...
... for "the righteous lives of faith," [3490] and, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin,"
[3491] and, "Without faith it is impossible to please" [3492] ), it ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 20 did god promise the.htm

"So Then they that are in the Flesh Cannot Please God. "
... in which he would have the good pleasure of sinners meeting with his good pleasure,
and therefore, without faith it is impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6 ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxii so then they.htm

Article xviii: of Free Will.
... Therefore they are godless. For neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit,
Matt.7, 18. And without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb.11, 6. ...
/.../melanchthon/the apology of the augsburg confession/part 23 article xviii of.htm

Faith is not an Effect of Election, but is a Necessary Requisite ...
... of God, he cannot be saved without faith." Through the will of God it has been revealed
to us, without faith it is impossible for any man to please God, or to ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/article iv faith is not.htm