Earnestly Seek Him

Hebrews 11:1-7

Key Verses 6

“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.”

1. Read verses 1-3. Why does the author focus on faith here by saying, “now”? (10:38-39) How is faith defined? (1) Why did God commend the ancients? (2) How can we understand God’s creation? (3; Jn 1:1-3; Gen 1; Ro 1:19-20)

2. Read verses 4-5. How was Abel’s faith characterized? (4; Gen 4:4-5; 1Jn 3:12) How does Abel’s faith still speak to us today? Who was Enoch? (5; Gen 5:21-24; Jude 14) How did he “please God”?

3. Read verse 6-7. What is necessary in order to please God? Why is it so important to please God? (Gen 1:31; Rm 1:21; Rm 8:8; Eph 5:10) What does it mean that God “exists” and “rewards” (Ex 3:14; Gen 15:1) How was Noah’s faith marked? Why do you think his faith condemned the world?

Earnestly Seek Him

Hebrews 11:1-7

Key Verses 6

“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.”

Introduction

Through our 2015 Summer Bible Conference, we have learned Abraham’s faith. We would like to maintain our faith continually. For the next four weeks, we will study Hebrew 11 and 12:1-3. May the Lord help us to learn from men and women of faith in the old testament who are mentioned in Hebrew. Especially we are not supposed to shrink back in difficult times, but more than conquerors in earnestly seeking to please God by faith.

1. Read verses 1-3. Why does the author focus on faith here by saying, “now”? (10:38-39) How is faith defined? (1) Why did God commend the ancients? (2) How can we understand God’s creation? (3; Jn 1:1-3; Gen 1; Ro 1:19-20)

1-1, Read verses 1-3.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

1-2, Why does the author focus on faith here by saying, “now”? (10:38-39)

And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

• Also the author urged in 10:38, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

• Having received a precious faith in Jesus, we need to learn to live by faith in the real world.

• In brief, let us think about the overview of the book of Hebrew.

• The book of Hebrews was written mainly to the Hebrew believers. The author is anonymous, although either Paul or Barnabas was traditionally accepted as the author.

• It was written approximately 67 A.D. Its purpose was to present the Lord Jesus Christ as perfect and superior in comparison to anything Judaism and the old covenant had to offer.

• The author was writing to a group of Christians who were under intense persecution and some were contemplating a return to Judaism. He admonished them not to turn away from their only hope of salvation.

• In chap. 1-10:18, the author repeatedly demonstrates Jesus Christ as preeminent over the angels, “let all the angels of God worship Him” (1:6); over Moses, “He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses” (3:3); over the Old Testament priesthood, “being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (5:10).

• The writer explains that the New Covenant is greater than the Old Covenant because Jesus was the perfect, permanent sacrifice, rather than the Old Testament sacrifices.

• In chapters 10:19-13, the writer explains that Faith is superior to the work of the Old Covenant.

• Especially 10:22 reads, “let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,”

• He writes, “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1).

• Faith in Jesus Christ is our source of salvation because He is “the author and perfecter of faith” (12:2).

Habakkuk 2:4 reads,

“See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright— but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness

Romans 1:17 reads,

“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.””

Galatians 3:11 reads,

“Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”

1-3, How is faith defined? (1)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for

• Just as our physical eyesight is the sense that gives us evidence of the material world, faith is the "sense" that gives us evidence of the invisible, spiritual world.

• Faith has its reasons; the reasons can't be measured in a laboratory; they have to be understood spiritually.

• Here the word “confidence” also means that which provides the basis for trust and reliance; it is from the Greek word which means “title deed.”

• Title deed means, “a legal deed or document constituting evidence of a right, especially to ownership of property.”

• Likewise this faith is something we possess as our own, though we do not see it. It is not vague, but certain, based on what God has promised.

• So this faith is not a blank check to demand from God what we desire. Rather, it is rooted in hope based on God’s promises.

Faith is also the assurance of what we do not see.

• Here the word “assurance” comes from the Greek “elenchos” (ἔλεγχος), which means “convicting evidence that makes someone fully agree, understand and realize the truth or validity of something.”

• Though we do not see God or spiritual realities with our eyes, we are certain of their existence.

• If you have the substance before you or if you can see it, there is no use for faith. Faith is needed for what we can't see and can't touch.

• God is Spirit; he is unseen. So, without faith, we cannot see God.

• Faith is spiritual eyesight that sees invisible realities.

1 Corinthians 2:13 reads,

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words”

Ephesians 1:18a reads,

“I pray that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened…”

1-4, Why did God commend the ancients? (2)

This is what the ancients were commended for.

• King James Version reads, “For by it the elders obtained a good report.”

• The great examples of godliness all had different circumstances and personalities, but they all had one thing in common - faith.

• These Jewish Christians were now discouraged and thought of giving up their faith on Jesus.

• They needed a good testimony(report), and so they needed these examples of faith to break them out of discouragement.

• Also New American Standard Bible(NASB) reads, “For by it the men of old gained approval.”

• The word “commended” means that God approved of them.

• In the world people approve of those with power, money and social status. But God approves of people who have faith in him.

1-5, How can we understand God’s creation? (3; Jn 1:1-3; Gen 1; Ro 1:19-20)

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (3)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. (Jn 1:1-3)

19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Rm 1:19-20)

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.(Gn 1:1)

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.(Gn 1:3)

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (Gn 1:31)

• Human beings ask fundamental questions, including: “Where did everything come from, including me?” “What is the meaning of my life?”

• When faith in God is planted in our hearts, it informs us that God created the heavens and the earth by the word of his mouth.

• With this faith, we can know for sure that we came from God and go back to God. We can find the meaning and purpose of creation.

• This wonderful understanding comes only by faith.

Psalm 33:6 & 9 reads,

“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.”

Romans 11:36 reads,

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

1. Read verses 4-5. How was Abel’s faith characterized? (4; Gen 4:4-5; 1Jn 3:12) How does Abel’s faith still speak to us today? Who was Enoch? (5; Gen 5:21-24; Jude 14) How did he “please God”?

2-1, Read verses 4-5.

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

2-2, How was Abel’s faith characterized? (4; Gen 4:4-5; 1Jn 3:12)

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead. (4)

And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (Gen 4:4-5)

Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. (1 Jn 3:12)

• Abel lived just after the Fall. His parents had the sweet memory of fellowship with God in the garden, but were now separated due to their sin.

• It was a question whether there was a way back to God. Then Abel and Cain brought offerings to worship God. God accepted Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s.

• God commended Abel as righteous. The acceptance of the offering was evidence that God accepted the person. Cain’s offering was not accepted because he himself was not first accepted.

2-3, How does Abel’s faith still speak to us today?

• In this way God showed us that there is a way to be approved by him; it is by faith. Abel was murdered by Cain. Even though he is dead, by faith he still speaks.

• Right off with his example of Abel, the writer reminds us that faith is not necessarily rewarded on earth.

• But God Himself testifies to the righteousness of the faithful. Abel's blood still speaks to us, reminding us of the value of eternity.

• Again those who are made righteous by faith can never be silenced by death.

• The only thing that can silence those made righteous by faith is if they choose to shrink back and give up their faith.

• This is why we must never shrink even if it means we must endure death. Jesus promised,

Revelation 2:10 reads,

“Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.”

2-4, Who was Enoch? (5; Gen 5:21-24; Jude 14)

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. (5)

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. (Gen 5:21-24)

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones. (Jude 14)

2-5, How did he “please God”?

• Enoch’s life was summarized as “walked with God.”

• Enoch must have boldly prophesied that God was sending the Lord, with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

• We can also imagine when Enoch prophesied, the ungodly spoke harsh words against him, but Enoch didn’t take it personally. He knew they were actually speaking these harsh words against the Lord.

• He took him up to be with him. His family looked for him but he could not be found. God’s reward to Enoch teaches God rewards those who earnestly and persistently seek God.

1. Read verse 6-7. What is necessary in order to please God? Why is it so important to please God? (Gen 1:31; Rm 1:21; Rm 8:8; Eph 5:10) What does it mean that God “exists” and “rewards” (Ex 3:14; Gen 15:1) How was Noah’s faith marked? Why do you think his faith condemned the world?

3-1, Read verse 6-7.

6 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.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

3-2, What is necessary in order to please God?

• The author emphasizes that we can please God only by faith; there is no other way.

• Sometimes we think that by doing some activity faithfully, God will be pleased. But God is not moved by our outer activity; God sees our hearts.

• People see results, but God sees the inner motives of the heart. God is pleased when his people recognize who he truly is and trust him from their hearts.

• According to the author, there are two elements that faith must have in order to please God: that God exists and that God rewards those who earnestly seek him.

3-3, Why is it so important to please God? (Gen 1:31; Rm 1:21; Rm 8:8; Eph 5:10)

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (Gn 1:31)

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Rm 1:21)

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (Rm 8:6-8)

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8-10)

• Although we are one of His creatures, thankfully we are blessed to live a life to please Him from the beginning.

• How can I please the Lord Almighty who is self sufficient?

• It is possible to follow his command by giving my whole heart, soul, and strength.

• In the flow of the context, it seems that this verse has to do with Enoch’s life of faith. So let us revisit the passage about him. (Jude 14-23)

“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”

• How he lived shows a good example for us to follow.

• He received the word of God seriously and denied his flesh desires in order to live in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

• Keeping his most holy faith was the very answer to how to please the Lord Almighty.

3-4, What does it mean that God “exists” and “rewards” (Ex 3:14; Gen 15:1)

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exo 3:14)

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” (Gen 15:1)

• The word “exists” is related to God’s existence as revealed to Moses when God said, “I am who I am.”

• God met Moses personally and showed himself to be living, eternal and almighty.

• This God is concerned about his people and redeems them from miserable bondage.

• This God is holy, loving and good. Moses surrendered to this God and lived as his servant the rest of his days.

• We can believe this God exists when we meet him. When we do, the eyes of faith enable us to penetrate beyond the surface of things to perceive the good purpose of an almighty God at work even in the most difficult times.

• Another aspect of faith that pleases God is that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

• Some people think that to seek a reward from God is dishonorable. But when we do not seek a reward from God, we may seek a reward from people. Moreover, we may suffer from a sense of loss.

• What is God’s reward? God’s reward is eternal life and his kingdom. Furthermore, it is God himself according to Genesis 15.

• To freely come to God and have fellowship with God is a great reward.

• Nothing is more precious reward for our spiritual and physical children that meeting God in person, especially in this confusing and wicked times.

• When heroes of faith believed that God rewards them, they could overcome all kinds of hardships and live a victorious life.

3-5, How was Noah’s faith marked?

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.

• Building an ark is not a small matter. It was huge and required a great investment of time and resources; it required his life’s devotion for 120 years.

• Thank God Noah wasn’t a man of endless/colorful excuses.

• The people of Noah’s time ignored God’s message of judgment and went on eating and drinking as though they would enjoy this world forever.

• Then one day God told Noah: “Go into the ark.” Noah obeyed and took his family and all the animals into the ark. Once in, the Lord shut him in.

• The terrible day God had warned would surely come, had come. No one on the outside of the ark could get in.

• They were screams of terror and desperate pleas to rescue them from the great flood engulfing everything around them.

• Noah was mocked as a foolish old man. But when the judgment came, he was proved as a righteous and wise man.

• His faith might be characterized by his obedience. His faith as well as his actions were well balanced.

James 2:22-24 reads,

“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.”

3-6, Why do you think his faith condemned the world?

By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

• By faith he built an ark to save his family and condemned the world and became the heir of righteousness.

• There is no direction mentioning about how he preached in the book of Genesis.

• However 2 Peter 2:5 reads, “if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others”

• His godly life and his holy fear must have been a powerful influence to the people of the times.

Matthews 24:38 reads,

“For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark;”

Conclusion

“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.” Praise the Lord our Creator God who created us to please Him and find eternal meaning and true happiness. Help us to increase our faith continually so that we may bring many lost souls into Jesus’ sheep pen. Amen.

One word: Earnestly seek Him!

Without faith it is impossible to please God

Hebrews 11:1-7

Key 11:6

“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.

Through our Summer Bible Conference, God taught us the importance of faith in him. When Abraham failed to believe God is God almighty he ended up living a compromised life. But when he fully believed God almighty and trusted him he could offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. So the secret of our spiritual revival is to have faith in God almighty. Through our conference God restored our campus mission. Now the question is how we can keep our faith in God almighty and serve our mission faithfully. So we prepared four special Sunday messages to boost our faith in God almighty from Hebrews chapter 11.

The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish people who believed in Jesus. They were Jewish converts to Christianity. They had challenges, and one of their main challenges was to seek God by faith rather than pleasure and easy going life. The author encouraged his people to seek faith in Jesus despite persecutions and trials in life. In order to boost up their faith in Jesus, the author revealed that Jesus is superior to angels, any prophets including Moses, and any priest like Melchizedek, and Jesus is sufficient for our salvation from chapters 1 through 10.

Now today we will learn the first lesson. Among all the blessings faith can bring, arguably there is the greatest blessing. That is to be commended by God. In today’s passage, Abel, Enoch, and Noah were commended by God. Interestingly, all three of them, did not bear visible fruit. So they were commended by God not because of their fruit but because of their faith. No visible fruit only strengthen their faith and they were commended by God for their faith. So let us how it happened. My message is divided into two parts.

Part I. Now faith is confidence and assurance (v.1-3)

Part II. He rewards those who earnestly seek him (v.4-7)

Part I. Now faith is confidence and assurance (v.1-3)

Now look at verse 1. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I believe this is the only definition of faith in the whole bible. According to this verse, faith is related to hope and invisible things.

First, faith is confidence in what we hope for. Where does our confidence in our hope come from? It comes from God’s faithfulness.

Psalm 18:25 reads, "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless". God "shows" or "proves" Himself faithful to the faithful. But even when we are not faithful, God remains faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13 reads, "If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself." In other words, God Himself because of His absolute faithfulness, gives us confidence in what we hope for!

When we try to put our faith in God and His Word, we find out He is faithful to His promise.  And even if we then become faithless God still remains faithful, proving His Word is True.  And as we grow in our lives of faith, God gives us confidence in the hope He gives us.

When Jesus met a man who had been invalid for 38 years Jesus asked him, “Do you want to get well?” The man already gave up his hope to be healed a long time ago because it never worked for him despite his repeated trials. The man who had been sick for 38 years was just there not because of his hope but because of his despair. But Jesus came and planted hope in him by asking him, “Do you want to get well?” Jesus planted faith in him when he asked, “Do you want to get well?” because faith is confidence in what we hope for.

Our confidence comes from God’s faithfulness. Indeed Jesus healed the man even though the man could not say “Yes. I want to get well” but only complained saying that others did not help him. Truly our confidence comes from God’s faithfulness.

Now faith is also assurance about what we do not see. We know what we can see is not everything. There are so many things that we cannot see with our physical eyes but they exist. The main one is of course God himself. How can we know God exists? It is through faith. Someone told me, “I cannot believe God because I don’t know whether he exits or not.” My answer would be ‘why don’t you first believe and you will see his existence. Through your faith God can show himself to you.” Truly when we have faith we can see what is invisible. That is why we call ‘faith’ as our ‘spiritual eyesight’ or ‘eyeglasses’. God is certainly invisible and we cannot see him. But he surely exists. Atheist may say many things but all their saying still cannot remove God who exists although he is invisible. Indeed faith is assurance about what we cannot see.

Now look at verse 2. ^“This is what the ancients were commended for.” Here the word ‘ancients’ refers people of old days. People who lived before the recipient of the letter. The ancients, the people who lived before them, were commended by God because of their faith. The word ‘commend’ means ‘to praise someone or something in a serious and often public way.” They gained God’s praise through faith. How can a mere mortal man, a sinner, be praised by the eternal God? Is there such a way? Yes, there is such a way, and it is through ‘faith’. God will commend us when we have faith.

Now look at verse 3.

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

Verse 2 says that the ancients were commended for their faith. But in verse 3 suddenly the author talks about ‘we’ which means not the ancients. Why did he suddenly talk about ‘we’ rather than the faith of the ancients? It is because the creation faith is the common faith of all believers. Whether they are ancients or present contemporaries all believers have the same faith in God’s creation. Creation faith is the foundation for all other faith.

Genesis chapter 1 shows how God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning through his command. When he spoke, everything came into being including human beings. Certainly, what is seen, was not made out of what was visible but from what was invisible, the word of God’s command.

No one was there when the universe was formed. But when we have faith we can understand. People may want to understand how the universe was formed or came into being. So several thousands years have passed since scientists have searched the origin of the universe, and they are still searching. Still they do not understand. They still do not know. “Big bang theory’ is one theory and it is not complete answer. But when we have faith in God we can understand how the universe was formed at God’s command.

Surely the word of God is real reality of everything that we see. Every visible things came from the word of God.

Real faith is faith in God's Word.  The Word that has power!  The power to create!  The power to give life!  The power to make something imperishable.  1 Peter 1:23-25.

That is the Word God used to bring about creation.  To bring something out of nothing.  Men are like the grass, going to wither and fall, but by His Word we are made imperishable, this was the same WORD that was preached to each of us!

When we have joint prayer meeting in the morning at 5:30 am I was moved by msn Mari Lopez’s prayer. Her prayer is that she does not want to compromise bible study preparations even though she is very busy. Since what is seen was not made out of what was visible but what was invisible, the word of God, we should pay attention to the power of the word of God all the more.

Jesus taught the word of God in order to save men. We also rely on the word of God in order to lead people to God. If Jesus replies on the power of the word of God how much more should we depend on the power of God’s word in order to lead people to Christ.

Now the creation faith is the foundation of all other faith because it teaches that God is the Almighty Creator God, and everything belongs to him. Since God is Almighty Creator nothing is impossible with him. What is impossible with men is possible with God.

There is huge gap between verse 3 and the rest of the verses. After God created the universe and men at his command, man disobeyed God, and they lost the paradise and their relationship with God was broken. Sin and death came into man’s life and they lost God. When man lost God he also lost mission from God.

So the verses 4 through 7 can describe how God opened the way for men to repent and turn to him by faith. The way was opened only by the grace of God. These verses show how man can approach God, experience his forgiveness, overcome power of death and be delivered from God’s judgment through faith.

Part II. He rewards those who earnestly seek him (v.4-7)

The first way for man to restore his broken relationship with God was coming to God through offerings. Look at verse 4.

“By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.” Abel and Cain were sons of Adam and Eve. But sin has already entered into men, and both of them were born as sinners. The bible did not tell us how Abel and Cain could learn the way to approach God, which is by bringing their offerings. But somehow both of them knew it. God opened a door for man to approach him by bringing offerings.

One old man told a pastor that he became sleepy whenever he heard about Jesus’ death for his sins. Then the pastor told him that he could understand Jesus better if he thinks about Jesus as a gift to God. The old man could understand the meaning of Jesus better when he thought Jesus as a gift to God. He could understand better when he thought about the reason why he brought some gifts to someone from whom he wanted to find favor. For example, he really wanted to have favor from his grandchildren. So he always tried to bring some gifts for them. When he understood Jesus was the best gift that he could bring to God to earn God’s favor he was not sleepy anymore whenever he heard about Jesus’ death for his sins.

Even though Adam and Eve sinned, God opened the door for man to come to him but it was through the way of offering. Therefore ultimately the offering refers to Jesus Christ who became our eternal offering to God.

Both Abel and Cain brought their offerings to God but God only favored Abel and his offerings. Why? Was it because Abel’s offering was more expensive? No, it was because Abel brought his offering by faith. But Cain did not bring his offering by faith. In our church we also make financial offerings. When we offer our gifts to God we need to offer it by faith, and God knows the difference between when we offer it by faith or when we offer it without faith.

Abel was commended as righteous when God spoke well of his offerings. Based on his faith God forgave Abel’s sins and the relationship between God and Abel was restored. But the relationship between God and Cain was not restored because he did not bring his offerings by faith although he brought offerings to God.

“And by faith Abel still speaks even though he is dead.” What is it that Abel speaks to us today?  He says when I gave my very best to God, He is pleased with me and I do not die.  This is my faith in God!  I believed that God is worthy of my best!  And it's true!

God speaks well of my offering.  He is pleased with my offering, because I give it out of my faith in Him!

Now the restoration of the broken relationship through forgiveness of sin is one thing. There was still another that man needs to overcome. It is the matter of death.

Look at verse 5. “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”

Because of Adam’s sin all men were born under sin and therefore they all died because wages of sin is death. But Enoch made an exception. He did not experience death. “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death. He could not be found because God had taken him away.” Although he was under the curse of sin and death by faith he was delivered from the power of death. He did not need to experience the pain of death. Why did God take him away exempting him from the sting of death? It is because he pleased God, and God rewarded him with the exemption of death.

“Before he was taken he was commanded as one who pleased God.” Genesis 5:22-24 “After he became the father of Melthuselah Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

What did Enoch do for 300 years?  He was a prophet.  And the message he gave is in Jude 14-15. ¹⁴ Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones ¹⁵ to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 

For 300 solid years Enoch preached repentance, but ABSOLUTELY NO ONE, NOT ONE PERSON, listened to him. We know this because no one, but Noah and his family were saved in the flood (God's judgment). Can you imagine having Bible study for 300 long years and not even having 1 Bible student repent and turn to God!?

And yet, Enoch did not stop serving God's mission for his life despite setting absolutely no fruit or response in his mission field.  Enoch walked with God faithfully, which means, he worked faithfully in his mission field and he did not taste death even though God told Adam, "You will surely die!"  Because Enoch pleased God by his faithfulness (which means, faith), God decided to make his life, that looked like such a human failure, not to taste any death at all.  Meaning, his life was not a failure AT ALL! 

A life that looks like a human failure, but that walked faithfully with God is not a failure AT ALL, it is a life that will never taste death!

Now look at verse 6. “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.”

The author emphasizes the importance of faith as the essential way to please God by using ‘double’ negatives – ‘without’ and ‘impossible’. Instead of saying, “If we have faith we can please God”, he said, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” “Without faith it is impossible to please God” means ‘faith’ must be present in order to please God. Even if everything is there except faith, we cannot please God. Surely without faith it is impossible to please God. Enoch pleased God by believing God’s existence and his reward although his life of mission for 300 years was tough. It was far more challenging than for us to go to campuses and invite students to bible study and help them to grow as disciples of Jesus despite repeated failure. But Enoch endured hardships by faith. He believed God would surely reward him if he earnestly sought him. For 300 years of preaching did not bear any fruit. Not even one person was changed. Many of us even did not preach for 30 years. Enoch preached 300 with no visible fruit at all. But God rewarded him. He did not taste death. Although his life of mission was hard, no power of death could influence him. Surely God rewarded him as he earnestly sought God in his mission field.

What about us? Do we seek God earnestly? We may seek God in a lukewarm way or in our deep heart we may seek pleasure. We may deceive ourselves thinking that we may seek God but in reality we may seek pleasure. How can we know if we seek God or not? We can know it when temptation comes. When we are tempted to take life easy and seek pleasure we will know whether we seek God or our pleasure. When we are tempted it will reveal how much we seek God.

But there is God’s reward for those who earnestly seek him. For example, I remember one shepherdess committed to go to international summer bible conference when she was very poor. Then miraculously she got a raise in her two jobs and she was able to pay airfare, the conference fee, and her common life expense. We may not know what is going on in our hearts. But God who is living knows what we are seeking in our deep heart and he surely rewards those who earnestly seek him.

I know another man. Whenever he was short of money he increased the amount of his financial offerings to God against common sense. God knew how earnestly he was seeking God and eventually God made it very clear that his family was blessed by God financially because he provides their financial needs whenever they need. They did not have savings but God became their savings. Surely God rewards those who earnestly seek him.

I have been sick since last Friday. I did not have any reason to be sick. I slept enough. I took even nap. But my sickness did not go away. I could not come to Friday’s discipleship group bible study and 8 pm prayer meeting. I took Tylenol and took rest on Friday night. But when I came to Saturday prayer meeting among overseers I found that I was still sick. So I took another nap in my house yesterday after breakfast. But mysteriously my sickness did not go away. I didn’t have any reason to be sick and I had a lot of work for my message which I am delivering now.

Finally it dawned on me that my sickness could be Satan’s deception. It is the first week after the conference, and its attack can come to me in disguise. I could see the devil wanted to deceive me that I was sick and therefore I could not prepare my Sunday message properly.

When this realization came to my mind I decided to work on my message ignoring my sickness. It is my way of seeking God, believing that God would heal me and help my message preparation.

Surely 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.

Now what happened when people kept on sinning persistently despite Enoch’s preaching? There was God’s judgment. But at the time of God’s judgment there was one man of faith through whom God saved human race.

Look at verse 7. “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”

It was hard for Noah to build the ark because it was a huge project and took lots of time and energy. When everyone else was enjoying their lives and their free time, building up their careers and investing in this life and world, Noah on the other hand still had to feed and provide for his family, but in his "free" time he used it to build the ark.

It was hard for Noah to build the ark because he had to build it out in the open.  It must have been able to be seen for miles around.  Everyone, and I mean everyone must have laughed at him.  He was not ashamed of God or His judgment to come or to pronounce it on his generation, even though it didn't happen immediately. It didn't happen until his act of faith was completed.  God was not ashamed of him.  And God saved not only him, but his family.  This is a shadow of the everlasting covenant.  God did not just save Noah. But He became the God of his descendants after him! 

By faith Noah condemned his generation, the world, and became heir of righteousness that is in keeping with faith!  He lived a life that pleased God. 

When Noah was warned about things not yet seen in holy fear he built an ark to save his family. People may not take God’s warning seriously. Jesus warned people that he will come again when people expect him the least. So when we become most complacent and when we take our life easy Jesus will come. It is his warning. It is warning against our complacent life style.

Look at Luke 17:26-35

²⁶ “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man.²⁷ People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

²⁸ “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. ²⁹ But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

³⁰ “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. ³¹ On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. ³² Remember Lot’s wife! ³³ Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. ³⁴ I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. ³⁵ Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.” 

We have to be serious when we are warned by God. We need to examine our hearts, whether our hearts are in eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, buying and selling, planting and building. Of course, we need to eat and drink, buy and sell, marry and being given in marriage, plant and build. But the question is “where is our hearts?” Where is our commitment? For what purpose are we doing all these things? What are we seeking in our deep hearts?

Are we seeking God or are we seeking our pleasure and comfortable life through financial security? Do we seek God earnestly? What is our treasure and where is our treasure? Eating and drinking? Marrying and being given in marriage? Buying and selling? Planting and building?

Do we seek God by engaging in spiritual battles to preach Christ’s second coming through the word of God like Enoch? What do we seek? And how much earnestly do we seek? That is the question we need to answer each day. But remember! God will surely reward those who earnestly seek him like Enoch who preached the word of God denying his sinful desires by faith, and he did not taste death in his life!

The righteousness Noah earned is given to us when we believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection for us. And we will be delivered from God’s judgment through faith.

Now we live in the fallen world where sin and death entered into our lives. We live in the world where men lost mission from God and live for themselves. How can we restore our relationship with God and restore our mission from God? It is through faith.

By faith we can understand that the universe including ourselves were formed at God’s command. By faith we can bring our offerings and can be commended as righteous. By faith we can walk with God for 70 or 80 years and can be taken away from this life without experiencing death. By faith we can believe God’s existence and his reward for those who earnestly seek him. Surely by faith we can become heir of the righteousness together with Noah and be exempted in God’s future judgment. Surely by faith we can preach the second coming of Jesus denying our sinful desires. Most of all by faith we can be commended by God.

Today we learned that Abel, Enoch, and Noah were commended by God. But there is interesting common factor for three of them. It is they did not have visible fruit. They were commended not because of their visible fruit but because of their faith. No fruit only strengthen their faith. Their faith was their fruit, and they were commended by God through their faith.

One word: By faith we can be commended by God.