A provisional thought on Hebrews 11.6

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.

I wonder if the older English translations of the passage are better, saying that one must believe that God “is” rather than God “exists.” I think the former may mean that he is here with us or for us. It is a statement of God’s presence rather than a philosophical claim about his existence.

I think it is right and good to affirm that God exists. But the Bible seems to take this for granted rather than to argue the point. The one exception seems to be Hebrews 11.6. Faith, rather than being trust in God’s character and power and promises, becomes a confidence that God exists.

But if faith is a confidence that God exists, then what is that faith based on? This seems problematic. Faith becomes a form of knowledge acquisition that is distinguished from other processes (“reason”). But why even call such a thing “faith,” “trust,” or “belief,” when it is not related to personal trust?

It seems to me that the author of Hebrews could easily be alluding to God’s covenant name (Exodus 3.13, 14). The point God was making to Moses was that “I am” or “I will be” with you. That promises is explicitly made when God gives his name as YHWH. So here the author of Hebrew God must say that those who approach God must believe that he is available to them, with them, for them. The point is not the intellectual question, “Does God exist?” but rather, “Can we trust God?”

Making faith the key to the first question is confusing and requires us to redefine “faith” as a way of knowing. But the second question makes faith simply what it is: trust in the character and ability of the true God.

4 thoughts on “A provisional thought on Hebrews 11.6

  1. Alicia

    “Making faith the key to the first question is confusing and requires us to redefine “faith” as a way of knowing. But the second question makes faith simply what it is: trust in the character and ability of the true God.”

    Why can’t it be both?

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  2. Mark

    Well, I guess I find problematic the way “faith and reason” are treated as two different avenues for coming to beliefs about the truth. If faith is what it takes to believe God exists, then what is that faith in? I think God’s existence is an immediate belief (via Plantinga, like other minds or matter) and that faith is personal trust in God as righteous and faithful.

    When a person says they wish they had faith so that they could believe in God’s existence, I think they are making a category mistake.

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  3. Alicia

    Ok, I agree with all that. I just think it’s also true that faith is a way of knowing, and no one knows truly until he has faith. We believe that we may understand, also Lewis’ risen sun metaphor, knowledge is personal, etc. (Maybe that’s nothing to do with what you’re talking about, though.)

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  4. Lizenby

    Thomas Manton agrees with you in his Sermon XXXII on Hebrews 11 in BY FAITH, SERMONS ON HEBREWS 11, Banner of Truth, 2000, pg. 312.:
    “Though we cannot conceive what he is, yet we must be sure to fix our hearts in this, that he is. This is the great principle and ground-work of all, and it must be laid as a foundation of our worship and approaches to God. The work of faith is to give us a sight of him that is invisible. When Moses asked God’s name, God answereth him – “I am,”, Exod. 3:14…. Certainly acts of worship would be managed with more awe and reverence, if this principle were firmly laid up in the heart, that God is. Reason shows that he is, though we know not what he is; faith can only show what he is to us.”

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