Hebrews 11:6

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH

‘But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.’

Hebrews 11:6

It was exactly when these Hebrews were most sorely tempted that they were so carefully reminded that it was by faith, and faith alone, that ‘the elders obtained a good report.’ And in this eleventh chapter of the Epistle we have a long list brought before us of heroes who lived in the times of old, of men who were not stronger than we are, but were of the same nature as ourselves, and yet were able to fight the battles of God and to overcome the world, because they were so sure and certain that God was with them, and they ‘endured as seeing Him Who is invisible.’

I. In this way, or some way like it, God is teaching every soul of man who lives upon the earth.—All men have to travel by the same path, all men are called upon to turn away their eyes from the things which are seen and temporal, and to fix the eye of their spirit upon those things which are not seen and eternal. And it is through much tribulation that they enter into the kingdom of God.

II. When the earth is calm, and when for a while wars have ceased in all the world, then we begin to fancy that things can go on of themselves. But when we hear of wars and rumours of wars, when nation rises against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and violence and confusion seem to fill the world; when our own land is full of contention and party spirit, and men have words of peace upon their lips and yet are backbiting and devouring one another, and when we think of these things, does it not sometimes seem to us as if God had nothing to do with it, as if these tumults and commotions upon earth were outside the range of God’s government altogether? But it is not so. The one sense of safety in all trouble is in the grasping of the fact that ‘the Lord reigneth.’

III. Yet once more. Our faith may not be shaken by the wars and confusions of the world—nor by the strife of jarring opinions and sects. But there is another temptation which is a thousand times stronger, because it is so much closer to our own selves. The confusions and the discord of the outer world may enter into us. The mire and dirt which our own hearts cast up may hide God from our eyes. Or what is still worse, the coldness and indifference of the world may enter into us, and we may not care for anything except the things which we see around us. Nay, brethren, the coldness and indifference of the world does enter into us, and it is the root of all our unbelief. It is only now and then that men care to know anything about God. It is only now and then that they think of Him, and they fancy that it is only now and then that He thinks of them. Brethren, is it not so with you? Do you dare to say that you are diligently seeking Him?