Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
The first person God used as an example of true faith was Abel. Abel was not the first person born into the world. However, Abel was the first person born into this world that accepted the true God by faith. What we learn in the Bible is that our approach to God’s Word makes all the difference. If a person approaches God’s Word as mythology, they will rob themselves of many blessings, the greater of which is salvation. If a person approaches the Bible as a text book they too will miss out on great blessings. The amazing fact about the Bible is that it is the Word of God and thus it is a very powerful book. It can penetrate the heart of the person who claims God’s Word is mythology and It can show that person that the Bible is true. The same holds for the person who takes the Bible as a text book. There have been people who have set out to prove the Bible wrong, who have instead been proven wrong and some have even been saved!
Abel was one who was drawn by God to believe God as the true God. He took what was given to him from his father and mother and accepted that as truth and he chose to take that truth as his truth. He demonstrated his true faith in God by bringing a sacrifice to God that was in agreement with God’s demand. He accepted the truth by faith. As we see, his faith was not primarily in his parents. His faith was in God. That is the case for all of us. Our faith must be in God. His parents told him the truth, and that truth resonated with his soul and spirit. Rather than reject it, he embraced it.
Cain received the same truth that Abel received. However, Cain decided that he was “too intelligent” to accept the truth for himself. He heard his parents’ teaching, but he rejected that as truth. He ultimately rejected God as true. Even when God personally interrupted Cain’s thinking, he determined that he was wiser than God was. Even though he proved God to be true, he still rejected God. That is the danger of pride.
We can see the effects of pride all around us. We see that in our country over the past 2 years in clear and loud ways. The police in Ottawa have demanded that the truckers stop honking their horns. I can understand the opposition to that noise. The foolishness of our leaders over the past 2 years is much louder than all the horn honking of those trucks. The sad thing is that secular society has brain-washed the majority of people so much that they cannot even hear the noise of this foolishness. It seems natural to them.
We see in Cain, that this is not a modern day problem. If a person rejects the truth, the opposite is to accept a lie. Cain used his God given abilities to fight against the very God that made him. He fought against God all the way and even accused God of being unjust. Cain’s rejection of God spilled over into his descendants. They were not illiterate and unintelligent. Rather, they used what God gave them for selfish ends.
We see from verse 4 that even though Abel was murdered by his brother, yet his testimony of faith was still speaking even after his death. Only God can cause that to happen. The power of truth is great. The danger is to distort that power and miss out on the blessings of it. Millions of people have ignored the truth and have followed the destructive ways of Cain. In comparison, a few have followed the testimony of Abel and have benefited from submitting to God’s truth. It is all a matter of having the right faith. We need that faith that has substance. The word translated as “substance” speaks of that which has foundation and is firm. We need that faith that is placed in that which is true and real. That substance is God.
In verse 5 we see another individual who exercised this true faith. Enoch, like Abel, placed his faith in the true God as well. The Bible tells us in Genesis 5:22 that Enoch walked with God. In order to walk with someone you must accept that the person is real. There are some who have their “imaginary” friend. They live in an imaginary world. We need to live in reality. Enoch believed in the true God and he chose to walk with him. He did not walk in opposition to God, but rather he walked with Him. We read in Genesis 5:24 that God rewarded Enoch by taking him home to be with Him. Enoch had children. He lived long enough to show his children the importance of true faith in God. God took him home at a much earlier age than all those around him. Enoch gives us a picture of the rapture. The rapture will take place in an instant of time. It will take those who are saved out of this world in an instance. There will be no forewarning. Those who are lost will carry on with the help of the lies of the anti-christ and they will become hardened in their rejection of God. Some of their children will be saved, however, those who enter into the Tribulation have sealed their doom. They rejected God’s truth and their fate is sealed. We have already noted that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
In verse 6 we are reminded once again of the need to believe in the true God. If a person rejects the reality of the true God as proclaimed in the Bible, it is impossible to please Him. A person does not need to know all there is to know about God. However, you cannot choose a god of your own making and think that will work. The true God is the Creator God and He is revealed in the Bible as three persons in one. There are cults that deny the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. They can never be saved unless they repent toward God and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. They will have to accept that Jesus Christ is the second person of the Godhead.
As verse 6 states, you must believe that God is. He is the ever-present God. He is real now and always. It is also important to believe that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. God is not trying to be difficult to find and know. He wants every person to know Him. A diligent seeking after God could be through reading His Word, seeking to know Him. Those who are truly seeking Him will be led to true church that is teaching the truth. God might also bring a faithful neighbour along your way to help you to know the truth. God is the One Who draws people to Himself. Those that are seeking Him are being drawn by Him. He wants all to be saved.
If you are lost today, but listening to God as He draws you to Himself, He will guide you to a good local church that honours Him. You will not be content until you come to know Him in truth. Many today are seeking a god, but they are not listening to the true God. Don’t be fooled. God is good and He works in the heart of all and He draws people to the truth. The truth is found in His Word, the King James Bible for the English speaking world. If you start to attend a true church, you will see the importance of the sure Word of God. We are praying for souls to be saved in these last days.
Pastor Bartel
