"For he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb 11:6). Herein we see the way in which God has ordered His dealings with mankind--that we must walk by faith, not by sight.

Faith applies to our apprehension of God Himself. We must believe that He is. The evidence of His divinity is overwhelming: "for since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse" (Rom 1:20). He has created all things in His wisdom, and He governs all things by His power. But although He is so clearly manifested through the created order, He has made Himself invisible to the eyes of men. In so concealing His immediate presence, He exercises the faith of His children and allows the unbelieving to remain hardened in heart; He creates a distinction between those who would bow to Him in sincerity and those who would bow to Him only by compulsion. Exceptions to this rule have applied wherein God has revealed Himself directly to man, even proving Himself by signs and wonders. The most notable of these revelations was in the coming of Jesus Christ. But as in other instances, the exceptions only prove the rule, and we see that men are no more persuaded by sight than they are by faith. Therefore, after recounting Christ's ministry, John says, "But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him" (John 12:37); and Christ Himself said, "if they will not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though someone were to rise from the dead." Think of this! The heart of man is so hardened in sin that no proof will overcome a lack of faith! "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).

Scripture says, "the fool has said in his heart, 'there is no God'" (Psalm 14:1); therefore, believing that God is clearly means believing in His existence. But this is not all that is means. We must believe that He is: that is, we must believe in the existence of the God of scripture. Many believe in a god of their own devising, but does that god exist? Many exchange the glory of God for an image in the form of corruptible man, choosing to make a god in their own image and according to their own likeness. Can that god save? Remember how many children of Israel perished in the wilderness for making the golden calf! --A judgment not for denying the existence of God but for making a false god. If God's own people perished for lack of knowledge, how much more those who do not know Him in truth? Who invent another god from their own desire?

Faith also applies to our apprehension of God's character. We must believe that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. That is, faith not only concerns belief in Him as God; it must also include belief in His benevolence. We must believe that if we seek Him in truth, He will surely reward us. To believe otherwise is to question His character and veracity. God says, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon" (Is 55:7). He is a merciful God! He will not despise those who come to Him. Jesus Himself said, "the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out" (John 6:37). If we, as sinful human beings, are most offended when our character is called into question, how much more will God, the Father of mercies, be displeased when we doubt His kindness and mercy? To deny His character is to deny Him. By faith we must believe that He will receive us when we come to Him in humility. We must be persuaded that the God who has made us and to whom we are accountable gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). We must believe that this God, though holding the keys of death and hell, also has a book of life, in which those who seek Him will find their names written. We must believe those things unseen but revealed in His Word: in heaven, hell, the soul, judgment, salvation, and all else that He has said. But above all, we must believe in Him. We must believe that as the judge of all the earth, he will do what is right. He is faithful, and what he has promised, He will do. Let us, then, act upon what He has promised, entrusting ourselves to Him for every outcome. "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb 11:1).

"Without faith, it is impossible to please Him." Intellectual assent is not sufficient. A man may believe with his intellect but not be converted in his heart. He may be like many of the Jews, who, although they had believed Christ's works, did not obey His words. Why? --Because they lacked faith. Just like Old Testament Israel, "the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it" (Heb 4:2). Even in our day, many honor God with their lips while their heart is far from Him; and men, even in religious acts, can be separated from God. Works are not sufficient. "A man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Rom 3:28). It is impossible that our works could ever merit a righteous standing in the sight of a Holy God. On the day when He examines every thought, every motive, every idle word spoken, every sin of omission and commission, who can stand? Then every mouth will be shut, and the whole world will be guilty before God (Rom 3:19). The thought should drive any sincerely humble person to Jesus Christ for salvation. Yet how many stumble in this point! They offer their corruption as righteousness to a God who is a consuming fire! "For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Rom 10:3-4). This is the heart of faith: to believe that salvation is found, not in ourselves, but in Jesus Christ; it is to turn away from our sin to trust in Him. "For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness" (Rom 4:3-5). What part, then, have works? They are the necessary result and outworking of faith. The faith that saves is demonstrated by good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10). "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him…Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14,17). Sincerity is not sufficient. We may be inclined to think that God will excuse serious error when it is accompanied by sincerity; but a person may be sincerely wrong, and God must sincerely judge. He cannot deny His truth, even for the sake of the sincere. Christ said, "no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6), and the scripture says, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18). Thus the sincere, though perhaps beaten with fewer stripes, receive stripes nonetheless (Luke 12:47-48).

Yes, it must be by faith, for every other way is condemned. How important it is to have faith! Without it, we cannot please Him! But who can say that he has faith in proportion to God's standards? Can anyone say in sincerity, "Lord, my faith is perfected"? No. The best of God's people have groaned in themselves, saying, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). If the imperfections of our faith are so clear to us, how much more are they to Him? But thank God that He takes note of our faith, even when it is little, and by His mercy, He takes the part for the whole. He takes our little faith to be true faith. As a loving Father, He showers His blessing upon us, desiring us to believe in Him even more. With His help, we live a Christian life that begins by faith and continues by faith, as it is written, "The just shall live by faith" (Rom 1:17).