Live By Faith

Last week, we learned one of the reasons faith is so important – our faith activates God’s promises. But there is another reason, our faith brings God pleasure. Let’s read Hebrews 11:6 again, “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.” We simply cannot please God apart from faith.

 The Bible offers numerous examples of those who grieved God because they had no faith. In Mark 6, Jesus and the disciples went to Him hometown. When Jesus preached in the synagogue, the people took offense and refused to believe. The result, “…because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief” (Mark 6:5-6 NLT).

 On the other hand, there are also examples of those who pleased God because they lived out their faith. In Matthew 8, Jesus enters Capernaum, where he is accosted by a centurion who asks says, “Lord…my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus asks the man if He should come and heal his servant, but the centurion replies, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” Jesus was amazed by the centurion’s faith and said, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” and the servant was “healed in that moment.”    

Our God’s love in unconditional, but we are responsible for how pleased He is with us according to our faith. The author of Hebrews reminds us in chapter 10 verses 38-39, “And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.” May we be the “righteous ones who live by faith…the faithful ones” who bring God pleasure.