6a But without faith it is impossible to please him.
Let us consider what faith is all about. Faith needs to have the knowledge concerning God. In other words, one needs to take heed to what God has revealed about Himself and His will. Only by hearing the Word of God can one come to know God, His plan of salvation, His commandments, promises, etc.
However, a man’s mere knowledge of the Scriptures does not necessarily prove that he has faith. A man may know some Scriptural doctrine and yet not have faith. Granted, knowledge of God’s Word can lead to mental assent or agreement to all it says. Still, a man may not have true faith. He must receive it wholeheartedly for himself as the truth whereby he can be saved, and must willingly submit to live by its truths.
So, genuine faith is relying or leaning on the truth, saying, “I will trust God and His Word. I will trust the Gospel of Jesus Christ that it declares unto me. I will trust it for my salvation and take it as my guide all the days of my life.” Such a faith will be accompanied by repentance from sins and submission to obey God’s Word.
We read that “without faith it is impossible to please God”. No man has ever pleased God without faith. If a man is without faith, he will remain a sinner alienated from God. Faith is necessary to salvation because we are told in Scripture that works cannot save.
Without faith, no one will consent to God’s truth and declare it. When a man is without faith, he will reject the truth of God and promote falsehood by what he says and what he does. It is most displeasing to God that a man would embrace falsehood against the truth of His Word.
If a man is without faith, he will reject God’s warning about his sins and unbelief and continue in his unholy ways, which are displeasing to God. Faith makes one to submit oneself to God’s will and please Him.
Faith causes us to examine our life and see whether we live in a manner pleasing to God. Faith aims at God’s glory. Of Abraham, it is recorded that he “was strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20). How essential it is then that each of us examine himself diligently and make sure that he has faith. See to it that your life is conducted in faith lest you displease the Lord and incur His wrath.