In the grand gallery of the Bible, Hebrews 11 stands as a “Hall of Faith,” showcasing the lives of those who dared to believe in the impossible. Yet, tucked within these epic narratives is a single, sharp sentence that serves as the governing law for every spiritual journey: “And without faith it is impossible to please Yahuwah, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
This is not a mere suggestion; it is a spiritual axiom. It tells us that faith is the only currency recognized in the kingdom of heaven. Without it, our rituals are hollow, and our efforts are but a “whitewashed” substitute for the real thing. To understand this verse is to understand the heartbeat of a relationship with the Creator.
The Absolute Prerequisite: “Without Faith It Is Impossible”
The author of Hebrews uses a definitive Greek word for “impossible”—adunatos—which signifies an utter inability or powerlessness. It’s a sobering thought: no amount of moral excellence, religious activity, or charitable giving can bridge the gap to Yahuwah’s heart if faith is absent.
Think of faith as the atmosphere in which the believer’s life is lived. Just as a bird cannot fly without air, the human spirit cannot soar toward Yahuwah without trust. Why? Because faith honors Yahuwah’s character. It is the ultimate “yes” to His truthfulness. When we refuse to believe Him, we essentially call Him a liar, and it is impossible to be in a pleasing relationship with someone you do not trust.
The First Pillar: Believing “That He Is”
The verse breaks faith down into two non-negotiable pillars. The first is the belief that Yahuwah exists—or more literally from the Greek, “that He is”.
At first glance, this seems elementary. Even the demons believe Yahuwah exists, and they tremble (James 2:19). But the faith described here is deeper than intellectual assent. It is an echo of the divine name revealed to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). To believe “that He is” means acknowledging Him as the sovereign, self-existent Ruler of the universe who is present and involved in every fiber of our lives.
It is the kind of faith that looks at the invisible and treats it as more real than the visible. It is the conviction that even when the world is chaotic, there is a “Great I Am” who is steady, unchanging, and ultimately in control.
The Second Pillar: The Rewarder of the Seekers
The second pillar is often the one we struggle with most: believing that Yahuwah is a rewarder. Some fear that seeking a reward somehow cheapens their faith, making it transactional. But Hebrews 11:6 makes this belief a requirement of faith.
Yahuwah is not a reluctant deity who must be coerced into being good. It is His nature to give. The Greek word for rewarder, misthapodotes, refers to one who pays wages—a “perfect paymaster” who ensures that no effort to find Him is ever wasted.
What is the reward? While Yahuwah provides for our needs, the ultimate reward is Himself. To find Yahuwah is to find the source of all peace, joy, and eternal life. He rewards the “diligent” seeker—those who ekzeteo, or “seek Him out” with their whole hearts, rather than those who merely offer a casual glance in His direction.
Faith in Action: The Examples of the Elders
To illustrate this, Hebrews 11 points to real people who lived out this “impossible” pleasing life:
Enoch: He is the immediate context for verse 6. Enoch walked with Yahuwah so closely that he was “translated” to a place of safety to escape death from enemies. His secret? He was commended for pleasing Yahuwah.
Noah: He spent decades building a massive ship on dry land for a flood he couldn’t see, based solely on a word he had heard. His faith was the “evidence” of things not yet seen.
Abraham: He left his homeland for an unknown destination, driven only by a promise from a Yahuwah he couldn’t see.
These heroes weren’t perfect; they were sinners who chose to rely on the character of Yahuwah rather than their own circumstances.
How to Cultivate a Yahuwah-Pleasing Faith Today
If faith is the key, how do we get more of it? Here are practical steps to strengthen your walk:
- Saturate Yourself in the Word: Romans 10:17 tells us faith comes by hearing the Word of Yahuwah. You cannot trust someone you do not know, and you cannot know Yahuwah apart from His self-revelation in Scripture.
- Make a Full Surrender: Faith and hidden sin cannot easily coexist. When we harbor rebellion, our hearts condemn us, and our confidence toward Yahuwah withers. Repentance is often the first step toward a renewed faith.
- Use the Faith You Have: Yahushua said even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. You don’t need “great” faith to start; you need faith in a Great Yahuwah. Take the small step He is asking you to take today.
- Pray for Increase: Like the disciples, we can simply ask: “Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). Because faith is a gift of the Spirit, we can go to the Throne of Grace to find help in our unbelief.
The Ultimate Promise
Living by faith is like “walking to the beat of a different drum”. It may look foolish to a world that demands to “see it to believe it”. But for those who dare to believe that Yahuwah is and that He responds, the rewards are beyond measure.
Whether you are facing a “Red Sea” moment or simply the quiet struggles of a Tuesday afternoon, remember that your trust brings a smile to the face of Yahuwah. He is not hiding from you; He is waiting for you to seek Him out, ready to prove that He is exactly who He said He is.
At first I used to ‘just believe’ that He is.
Lately, not only that, I know that He is.
Because when I recapitulate my steps, I notice where as a human I normally wouldn’t move an inch towards doing good, someone enlivened my body and through me to rescue another soul in distress. When I look at all logical explanations and solutions that failed until He moved through me with my limitations, I can’t help to know that HE IS because it is with Him that everything good is possible.
Dear Charlie,
It is beautiful to see your faith move from a quiet belief into an undeniable, lived experience of His presence. There is no greater proof of the Divine than those moments where He breathes through our limitations to accomplish what we could never do on our own.
In His love,
galal.
HE IS NO LONGER INVISIBLE!!!
HE DOES APPEARS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THAT YOU CANNOT DENIE HIM.
AMEN!
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