Faith's Power: Pleasing God Through Belief And Action

Faith is essential to pleasing God. The Bible says, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). This faith must be rooted in a deep-rooted belief in God's existence and a wholehearted devotion to His presence. It is not enough to have faith in oneself or other spiritual entities; true faith is placed solely in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. This faith must also be obedient and enduring, passing through trials and troubles. By having this kind of faith and seeking God diligently, we can please Him and receive His rewards.

Faith in Christ

Faith is a central tenet of Christianity. The Bible says, "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). But what does this mean?

The Nature of Faith

Faith is confidence in God's power, His promises, and His tenderness towards His people, as demonstrated throughout the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, on the cross, and at the resurrection. It is an "assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). It is about "belief, trust, and loyalty" and "expresses an individual's feeling of safety".

The author of Hebrews points out two critical convictions of believers:

• "Anyone who comes to [God] must believe that he exists". This is not just intellectual knowledge but a wholehearted devotion to His presence and participation in every part of one’s life.
• "The Lord’s followers must believe that he rewards those who earnestly seek him". This aspect of faith trusts in the character of God as a good, loving, generous, gracious, and merciful Father.

The Bible teaches that only faith in Jesus Christ will be pleasing to God. John the Baptist said the same even before the crucifixion (John 3:36). And even further back, Abraham had this faith (Romans 4:3, Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:8).

Obedient Faith

The Bible teaches that belief without works is dead (James 2:20). The example of Abraham shows that faith is perfected by works (James 2:21-24, Genesis 22:16-18).

Enduring Faith

A faith that endures through trials is pleasing to God. Disciples of Christ may find their belief tested by troubles, but this is a time to lean on their faith, not question it.

Imitating Faith

Believing in the resurrected Christ leads to salvation, but to please God, this belief must be put into practice through a "pattern of imitation and inheritance". John Piper says that this imitation begins with our relationship with God. We are to imitate the faith of those who have gone before us, like the Old Testament saints, and inherit their promises.

Seeking Faith

God's greatest pleasure is to be believed by us. He has limited us to one supreme way to have a relationship with Him. We must seek Him diligently and obey His invitation to come to Him.

Rewarding Faith

God is pleased when we come to Him because He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. We must have a centrality of focus on the true and living God alone.

Obedient faith

The Nature of Obedient Faith

Examples of Obedient Faith in the Bible

The Bible provides several examples of individuals who demonstrated obedient faith. One notable example is Abraham, who is often referred to as "our father in the faith" (Romans 4:16). When God commanded Abraham to leave his country and go to the land He would show him, Abraham obeyed without hesitation. He left his family and friends behind and set out on a journey to an unknown destination, trusting that God would take care of him.

Another example of obedient faith is Enoch, who "walked with God" (Genesis 5:22,24) and was taken up to heaven without dying because he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5). Enoch's life demonstrates that faith and obedience are intertwined; by faithfully obeying God's word, he was able to draw near to God and experience a deep relationship with Him.

The Results of Obedient Faith

The Importance of Obedient Faith

Faith that passes the test

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. It is the foundation that undergirds our hope. It is not a blind grasping in the dark, but an absolute conviction that comes from experiencing God's love and the faithfulness of His Word.

The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). The faith that pleases God is a belief that comes from God, not from some other source or from within ourselves. It is a faith that endures through trials and troubles.

Faith in Christ

The Bible teaches that only faith in his Son Jesus Christ will be pleasing to God. John the Baptist said the same even before the cross (John 3:36), and further back, Abraham had this faith (Romans 4:3, Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:8).

Obedient Faith

The Bible teaches that belief on its own, without works, is useless. James makes this clear: "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20). The example of Abraham shows that faith is perfected by works (James 2:21-24, Genesis 22:16-18).

Faith in Trials

One popular misconception is that faith makes all troubles go away. This was not true for Job or Paul the apostle. Disciples of Christ may find their belief tested by troubles, but this is a time to lean on their faith, not question it. A faith that endures through trials is pleasing to God.

Faith in God's Reward

The writer of Hebrews says that God is pleased by us when two things about him are reflected in our relation to him: that he is real, and that he is rewarding. God is pleased when his absolute existence is known and embraced. He is also pleased when we come to him as a Rewarder, recognising that he is so full and so completely self-sufficient that he overflows.

Faith Comes from God

Jesus provided a personal revelation of God’s trustworthiness. God didn't expect us to believe in his trustworthiness or His rewards without providing evidence of His character.

Seek God Diligently

It is our joy to seek God diligently if we truly love Him. A.W. Tozer said that the genuinely renewed man will have a new life centre. We must cultivate discipline and not pay lip service to our faith.

Expect Godly Reward from God

Don't buy into the prosperity gospel that says “all you need is faith, and you’ll have everything you want”. The writer of Hebrews mentions stonings, stabbings, and other forms of persecution. Christ’s followers throughout history have died by drowning, freezing to death, starvation, firing squad, and so on. Yet they knew that their reward from Christ is eternal, while any rewards man can offer are perishing.

Faith in God's existence

Firstly, faith in God's existence is fundamental. Those who desire to draw near to God must believe that He is real. This belief is not merely intellectual knowledge but a heartfelt conviction. Without this foundation, an intimate relationship with God is impossible.

Secondly, faith involves trust in God's character. Believers must trust that God is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him, recognising Him as a good, loving, generous, gracious, and merciful Father. This trust is not blind but based on experiencing God's love and the faithfulness of His Word.

Thirdly, faith in God's existence is expressed through obedience. True faith is not passive but leads to action. James 2:20 states that "faith without works is dead". Abraham, for example, had faith, but it was "perfected by works" (James 2:21-24, Genesis 22:16-18).

Lastly, faith in God's existence is tested and strengthened through trials. Troubles do not indicate a lack of faith but provide an opportunity to lean on and grow in faith. A faith that endures through trials is pleasing to God.

In conclusion, faith in God's existence is not just an abstract belief but a transformative force. It involves a deep conviction of God's reality, trust in His character, obedience to His Word, and endurance through trials. This faith, as described in Hebrews 11:6, is what pleases God.

Faith in God's rewards

Faith is a central tenet of Christianity, and the Bible makes it clear that "without faith it is impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6). But what does this mean in practice, and how does faith please God?

The Nature of Faith

Faith is about "belief, trust, and loyalty". It is an individual's feeling of safety, and it says something significant about who we believe God is. Faith is confidence in God's power, His promises, and His tenderness towards His people, as demonstrated throughout the Bible and in Jesus Christ.

The author of Hebrews points out two critical convictions of believers:

• Anyone who comes to God must believe that He exists. This is not mere intellectual knowledge but a wholehearted devotion to His presence and participation in every part of one's life.
• Believers must also trust in God's character as a good, loving, generous, gracious, and merciful Father, and believe that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (James 1:17; Psalm 84:11; Lamentations 3:22–23).

The Source of Faith

Faith comes from God, not from within ourselves or some other source. It is a gift from God, allowing us to lay hold of the invisible realities of His existence and activities in our lives and in the world (Hebrews 11:1).

Faith in Practice

Faith is not just an abstract concept but something that needs to be put into practice. This is done through a "pattern of imitation and inheritance". We are called to imitate the faith of those who have gone before us, like the Old Testament heroes Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah, who lived by faith and obeyed God's Word (Hebrews 11:13–16).

Faith Endures

A faith that endures through trials and troubles is pleasing to God. This does not mean that faith will make all troubles go away, but rather that we should lean on our belief during difficult times.

Faith Requires Action

While faith is essential, it is not enough on its own. The Bible teaches that belief without works is useless. Faith must be complemented by action and obedience to God's Word.

The Reward of Faith

God desires to be believed by us, and He is pleased when we have faith in Him. He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Psalm 46). The reward of faith is the experience of the true and living God in our lives, and the promise of eternal life.

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