Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 11:6

Dive Deeper

Godfidence- Swipe
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“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Hebrews 11:6

Godfidence- Behind the Scenes
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Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the “Hall of Faith”. This chapter lists out countless men and women of the Bible who exhibited a faith in Christ that earned them their eternal home in the heavenly places.

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The Hall of Faith includes notable Old Testament figures including Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets (Hebrews 11:4-32). Of these faithful followers it is said, “who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Hebrews 11:33-34).

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The men and women listed in the Hall of Faith should be considered inspiring and encouraging to us – not just because they exhibited a strong faith in God, but also because each and every one of them was imperfect – just like me and you.

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Sarah laughed at the promise of God that she would bear a child in her old age; Jacob tricked his brother into giving up his birthright; Rahab was a prostitute; Samson was proud which led to his downfall; David committed adultery and murder; and the list goes on. And yet, despite the struggles and sins faced by these individuals, their names still appear on a list of noteworthy, faithful followers of Christ.

Godfidence- Make it Real
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In our culture today, it is an honor and privilege to be inducted into a “Hall of Fame”. We have recognitions for sports accomplishments, academic achievements, environmental efforts, socioeconomic progression, etc. Oftentimes, it is these individuals whom we strive to emulate. Little boys wake up before dawn for practice to be the next Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan; young women in nursing school strive to be the next Clara Barton; men and women passionate about social justice work hard to inspire like Martin Luther King Jr.

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The efforts and accomplishments of these and many other men and women are recognizable for a reason: they poured their heart and souls into their work and passions, and as such (often) they provide great examples for future generations. However, what is unique about the “Hall of Faith” inductees over the “Hall of Fame” members is the permanency of the reward.

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Yes, those who are added to a Hall of Fame might receive a plaque and have their name etched in gold alongside their accomplished cohorts, but the accolades here on earth are temporary. Not only will the individual not be affected by these accomplishments when they return to dust, but as 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us, “…the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal”. The things of the earth will pass away – earthly accomplishments will mean nothing in light of eternity – but when we seek God and draw near to Him in faith, we will be rewarded with eternal life.

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Today’s verse is nestled right after the author describes Hall of Faith inductee Enoch. “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). The story of Enoch is found in Genesis 5 and is summed up in four verses (Genesis 5:21-24). However, in those four verses, God states twice that Enoch pleased God. And how did Enoch please God? By seeking a relationship with Him. Because of Enoch’s dedication and faith in God, the Lord ascended Enoch to heaven without him ever dying a physical death (“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him”. How special and rewarding it would be to have that kind of relationship with Christ!

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My point for today’s devotional is this: YOU can be added to the Hall of Faith too. YOU can be added to the list beside Enoch, Sarah, Noah, Moses, and David. Those who are in the temporal halls of fame are great individuals to model; however, to achieve an eternal reward you need to be modeling those who have made it into the Hall of Faith. You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to seek the heart of God.

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Sarah laughed at God’s promise, but ultimately she bore a son from whom the lineage of Jesus was established; Jacob tricked his brother, but sought forgiveness and pursued the Lord with his whole heart; Rahab was a prostitute but she aided the Israelites in conquering Jericho in the name of the God; Samson was proud, but in the end he exhibited one final act of strength to show those around him who was the one true Lord; and finally David. He committed adultery and murder, but he also penned 150 psalms describing his unwavering love for and faith in God.

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Are you pursuing temporal or eternal rewards? How can you model your actions today after the men and women in the Hall of Faith? To attain the eternal gift, we must seek God, draw near to Him, and ensure our lives are pursuing His glory.

Godfidence- End in Prayer
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Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the imperfect examples of faithfulness that you highlight in Hebrews 11. Sometimes it feels impossible to put away our sinful lives that we may dwell with You, but through the examples of the men and women listed herein, we can live in confidence that through your death on the cross we are redeemed and may be granted eternal life with You if we acknowledge that You are Lord. May my actions today reflect the faith that I have in you, and may they bring glory and honor to your precious and Holy Name. I love you, Lord. Amen.

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“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” 

Hebrews 11:6

Behind the Scenes

Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the “Hall of Faith”. This chapter lists out countless men and women of the Bible who exhibited a faith in Christ that earned them their eternal home in the heavenly places.  

The Hall of Faith includes notable Old Testament figures including Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets (Hebrews 11:4-32). Of these faithful followers it is said, “who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight” (Hebrews 11:33-34). 

The men and women listed in the Hall of Faith should be considered inspiring and encouraging to us – not just because they exhibited a strong faith in God, but also because each and every one of them was imperfect – just like me and you.  

Sarah laughed at the promise of God that she would bear a child in her old age; Jacob tricked his brother into giving up his birthright; Rahab was a prostitute; Samson was proud which led to his downfall; David committed adultery and murder; and the list goes on. And yet, despite the struggles and sins faced by these individuals, their names still appear on a list of noteworthy, faithful followers of Christ.   

Make it Real

In our culture today, it is an honor and privilege to be inducted into a “Hall of Fame”. We have recognitions for sports accomplishments, academic achievements, environmental efforts, socioeconomic progression, etc. Oftentimes, it is these individuals whom we strive to emulate. Little boys wake up before dawn for practice to be the next Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan; young women in nursing school strive to be the next Clara Barton; men and women passionate about social justice work hard to inspire like Martin Luther King Jr.  

The efforts and accomplishments of these and many other men and women are recognizable for a reason: they poured their heart and souls into their work and passions, and as such (often) they provide great examples for future generations. However, what is unique about the “Hall of Faith” inductees over the “Hall of Fame” members is the permanency of the reward.  

Yes, those who are added to a Hall of Fame might receive a plaque and have their name etched in gold alongside their accomplished cohorts, but the accolades here on earth are temporary. Not only will the individual not be affected by these accomplishments when they return to dust, but as 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us, “…the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal”. The things of the earth will pass away – earthly accomplishments will mean nothing in light of eternity – but when we seek God and draw near to Him in faith, we will be rewarded with eternal life.  

Today’s verse is nestled right after the author describes Hall of Faith inductee Enoch. “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5). The story of Enoch is found in Genesis 5 and is summed up in four verses (Genesis 5:21-24). However, in those four verses, God states twice that Enoch pleased God. And how did Enoch please God? By seeking a relationship with Him. Because of Enoch’s dedication and faith in God, the Lord ascended Enoch to heaven without him ever dying a physical death (“Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him”. How special and rewarding it would be to have that kind of relationship with Christ!  

My point for today’s devotional is this: YOU can be added to the Hall of Faith too. YOU can be added to the list beside Enoch, Sarah, Noah, Moses, and David. Those who are in the temporal halls of fame are great individuals to model; however, to achieve an eternal reward you need to be modeling those who have made it into the Hall of Faith. You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to seek the heart of God.  

Sarah laughed at God’s promise, but ultimately she bore a son from whom the lineage of Jesus was established; Jacob tricked his brother, but sought forgiveness and pursued the Lord with his whole heart; Rahab was a prostitute but she aided the Israelites in conquering Jericho in the name of the God; Samson was proud, but in the end he exhibited one final act of strength to show those around him who was the one true Lord; and finally David. He committed adultery and murder, but he also penned 150 psalms describing his unwavering love for and faith in God.  

Are you pursuing temporal or eternal rewards? How can you model your actions today after the men and women in the Hall of Faith? To attain the eternal gift, we must seek God, draw near to Him, and ensure our lives are pursuing His glory. 

Kristen Krimmel

Kristen Krimmel

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for the imperfect examples of faithfulness that you highlight in Hebrews 11. Sometimes it feels impossible to put away our sinful lives that we may dwell with You, but through the examples of the men and women listed herein, we can live in confidence that through your death on the cross we are redeemed and may be granted eternal life with You if we acknowledge that You are Lord. May my actions today reflect the faith that I have in you, and may they bring glory and honor to your precious and Holy Name. I love you, Lord. Amen.   

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