Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 11:6

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 rewarded of them that diligently seek him.

a. NLT: And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

b. NIV: And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

c. YLT: And apart from faith it is impossible to please well, for it behoveth him who is coming to God to believe that He is, and to those seeking Him He becometh a rewarder.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out].

1. ”But without faith it is impossible to please him…’

a. But [Strong: 1161 de deh a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. without [Strong: 5565 choris kho-rece' adverb from 5561; at a space, i.e. separately or apart from (often as preposition):--beside, by itself, without.]

c. [it is] impossible [Strong: 102 adunatos ad-oo'-nat-os from 1 (as a negative particle) and 1415; unable, i.e. weak (literally or figuratively); passively, impossible:--could not do, impossible, impotent, not possible, weak.] [Zodhiates: adunatos; a-negative; dunatos-powerful; weak, impossible, impotent, not to be done.]

d. [to] please [him] [Strong: 2100 euaresteo yoo-ar-es-teh'-o from 2101; to gratify entirely:--please (well).] [Zodhiates: To gratify, entirely, to please, to take pleasure in, to be pleased with.]

1). This phrase does not say that faith pleases God, it is saying that it’s impossible to please him without it. Two people can do the same scriptural command. Both do it, one does it in faith, the other does it also, but not in faith. Only one has pleased God.

a). Romans 9:30-32 “What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, have not attained to the law of righteousness.

9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.  For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

b). Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

2). Works please God when they are done in faith.

a). I Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

2. “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is…”

a. for [Strong: 1063 gar gar a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. [he that] cometh [Strong: 4334   proserchomai pros-er'-khom-ahee from 4314 and 2064 (including its alternate); to approach, i.e. (literally) come near, visit, or (figuratively) worship, assent to:--(as soon as he) come (unto), come thereunto, consent, draw near, go (near, to, unto).]

c. [to] God [Strong: 2316 theos theh'-os of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

d. must [Strong: 1163 dei die 3d person singular active present of 1210; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is (was, etc.) necessary (as binding):--behoved, be meet, must (needs), (be) need(-ful), ought, should.]

e. believe [Strong: 4100 pisteuo pist-yoo'-o from 4102; to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one's spiritual well-being to Christ):--believe(-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with.]

f. that [Strong: 3754 hoti hot'-ee neuter of 3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:--as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

g. he is [Strong: 2076 esti es-tee' third person singular present indicative of 1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

1). Believing in God is critical in this equation, but it can’t be by itself. Most people believe in God, but they are not going to heaven. Indeed, the devil believes in God.

a). James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils believe and tremble.

3. “…and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. that he is [Strong: 1096 ginomai ghin'-om-ahee a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

c. [a] rewarder [Strong: 3406 misthapodotes mis-thap-od-ot'-ace from 3409 and 591;  a renumerator:--rewarder.] [misthapodotes; misthoo-to hire for wages; apodidomi-to give away.]

d. [of] them that  [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

e. diligently seek [Strong: 1567 ekzeteo ek-zay-teh'-o from 1537 and 2212; to search out, i.e. (figuratively)investigate, crave, demand, (by Hebraism) worship:--en- (re-)quire, seek after (carefully, diligently).]

1). Rick Renner:  The phrase “diligently seek” in Hebrews 11:6 is taken from the Greek word ekzeteo, and it carries an entire range of power-packed meanings. It means to zealously seek for something with all of one’s heart, strength, and might. It presents the picture of one who seeks something so passionately and determinedly that he literally exhausts all his power in his search.

f. him [Strong: 846  autos ow-tos' from the particle au (perhaps akin to the base of 109 through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative 1438) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which.]

1). God rewards us with himself.

a). Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

2). Our inheritance in Jesus is spoken of as a reward.

a). Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.