All right. Well, it's good to
see everybody tonight. Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11. And I'd like to read
one verse of Scripture. Verse 6. Hebrews 11. Verse 6. The Scriptures say, 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. Let's pray together. Our Father, as we call upon You
this evening, Lord, we thank You for this blessed privilege
to be able to look into Your Word and to hear the gospel of
God's grace preached. Lord, I ask You tonight, would
You bless these scriptures? Would You bless our hearing? Lord, give us understanding.
Oh, may we worship tonight for Christ's sake. Amen. I've entitled this message, What
Must I Believe to Please God? Now, in our last study, the fifth
verse that we looked at last time we were in Hebrews. That
verse ended with this truth set forth concerning Enoch. The Scripture says, for before
his translation, he had this testimony that he pleased God. Now back in Genesis 5.24, the
Scripture concerning that event, that man, A statement. This is what the Old Testament
account said of that patriarch, and Enoch walked with God, and
he was not, for God took him. Now, we know this, that according
to the Scriptures, comparing those two Scriptures, walking
with God and pleasing God is the same thing. To agree with. to have companionship
with, to go in the same direction, walking with God, pleasing God. Now, this blessed Scripture,
verse 6, the one we just read, sets forth that Almighty God
has a people that are able to please Him. But I do know this,
they're going to only please Him one way. They're going to
please Him by faith. And it is in the object of their
faith that they please God. In and of ourselves, we cannot
please God. There is no possible way that
one that is not holy, that is not perfect, can please God. God Almighty will in no wise
clear the guilty. He is not going to look upon
iniquity. But God's people in Christ do please the Lord without
faith. And you remember what we looked
at faith. Faith, the scripture says, is the substance. It's
the confidence of things that are hopeful. We have a hope. We have a hope
of eternal life. We have a hope in Christ. How
do we know that that is so? Faith. Faith is the substance. It's the confidence of things
hoped for. It's the evidence. It's the proof of things that
are not seen. So therefore, without faith,
it is impossible to please Him. I've got two questions tonight.
Number one, how is faith obtained? Now, if I know, and the Scripture
sets forth, it's so, that without faith it's impossible to please
God. How is faith obtained? I know this, according to 2 Thessalonians
3, 2, that all men have not faith. I know that no one is born with
faith. Every man. comes forth from his mother's
womb speaking lies. Every man and every woman born
in Adam is born dead in trespasses and sins. They have no life,
no spiritual life in them. They know nothing of the things
of God. Their mind is alienated from
Almighty God. So faith to believe God. It is not by birth, not by merit. And I know without it, no man
can please God. So how is faith obtained? John 1.12 says this, But as many as received Him,
that is, by faith, to them gave He power. to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on His name. Now let me tell
you what that Scripture did not say. It did not say that those
that receive Him, believe on Him, come to Him by their own
free will, then He gives them power to believe. That's not
what it says. Here's what it says. Those that
receive Him by faith to as many as received Him by faith, to
them He had given power to be the sons of God and to believe
on His name. Faith is the gift of God's sovereign
grace. When Almighty God regenerates
a sinner, He gives them faith. That's when they believe. When
Almighty God calls them out of darkness, faith is imparted. This faith is given by God's
appointment, and it's given by God's means. How was faith obtained? I want you to turn to Romans
10. Romans 10, verse 13. Now, in regeneration, faith is given. When Almighty God calls a man,
calls a woman out of darkness, He gives them life, and that
life is evidenced by believing God. As many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God. Romans 10, verse
13. The Scripture says, For whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then
shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how
shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring
glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed
the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Who hath believed
our report? Or who hath believed our preaching? So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God. How is faith obtained? God gives it. When does God give
it? Well, primarily the answer would
be when it pleases Him. But when does God give faith?
When Almighty God under the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is pleased by His Holy Spirit to call one of His own
out of darkness, spiritual darkness. He imparts life and life imparted
means faith has been imparted. Faith has been given. How is
faith obtained? God gives it by grace. Here's my second question. Do I possess faith? Now, I think that that's a good
question. That's what I ask myself. Do I possess this faith? I know this. Without faith, it's
impossible to please Him. How is it obtained? Under the
preaching of the gospel. The gospel of God's grace. That
gospel that Paul said, I'm not ashamed of. Do I have it? Well, the reason I ask this question
this way is because there are instances that I've read in the
Scriptures that record a people believing. Scripture says they
believed and they weren't converted. James 2.19 says, Thou believest. that there is one God, thou doest
well. The devils also believe and tremble. Acts 8, 13, then Simon himself
believed also. And when he was baptized, he
continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs
which were done. But later Peter, you know, told
Simon, thou hast neither part nor lot. in this matter, that
is of salvation, for thy heart is not right in the sight of
God. Simon said that he believed the
same doctrine as the apostles. Scripture says he was baptized.
But his heart was not right in the sight of God. He didn't possess
faith. He didn't believe God. Abraham
believed God. Remember, I mentioned this last
Sunday. The devils believe that there is a God. The devils believe
that there is a sovereign God. But the devils don't believe
God. They don't believe the righteousness of God that is imputed. to them that believe. They have
no lot, no part, by faith in trusting Almighty God. Nobody, I would dare say, would
say, I don't believe that Almighty God is righteous. I dare say,
if you ask anybody off the street, do you believe that God is holy?
Do you believe that God is righteous? Do you believe that Almighty
God is God? Do you believe that? Oh, I believe
that. Let me ask you this. Is He your righteousness? Have you by faith casting away,
casting aside all confidence in any works of righteousness
that you could do? Have you cast away all hope in
any self-righteous works to merit salvation before God. Do you
believe that salvation is all of grace through faith and that
not of yourself, that it is the gift of God? I believe that. I trust Him alone
for salvation. I have no hope whatsoever in
me walking down the aisle. I have no hope whatsoever in
my church membership, in my self-righteous works. I have no hope whatsoever
that Almighty God is just going to somehow show mercy to me because
I'm not as bad as other men are. I believe that Almighty God has
taught me through the preaching of the gospel That what I am
in myself is nothing more than a self-righteous rebel against
God. And that He has shown mercy to
this sinner totally according to His will and His purpose and
His pleasure. And that when it pleased Him,
He called me out of darkness and gave me faith to believe
the record concerning His Son. I believe I have a hope. Salvation
is by grace. Is it possible to know that you
have faith? True faith. Is it possible? Turn
with me to 1 John 5. What if somebody would say, is
it possible for you to know that you have eternal life? I would say, then, show me that
Scripture. 1 John chapter 5, verse 13. 1 John 5, verse 13, These things
have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son
of God, that ye may know that you have eternal life, and that
you may believe on the name, on the character of the Son of
God. This is the confidence that we
have in Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears
us. And if we know that He hears
us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that
we desire of Him. If any man see his brother sin
a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask. He shall give him
life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I did not say that he pray for
it. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not unto death.
Now here are some things we know right here, these last few verses.
We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not, but he that
is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth
him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world
lieth in wickedness, and we know that the Son of God has come
and has given us an understanding that we may know Him that is
true. And we are in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus
Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life. Little children, keep yourselves
from idols. Keep yourselves from the idols
of thinking that you yourself are the source. That you are
the object. That you're the author of your
salvation. We know. Back in 18, how can
we know? These things are written that
you may know. That you have eternal life. We know that whosoever
is born of God sinneth not. Why? Because Almighty God has
given us a new spirit. That which is born of God sinneth
not. I have an old nature. And my
old nature is still with me, obviously. And the presence of
sin is still there. And it struggles. And I struggle
and strive against it every day. But I know this, there is a new
nature. A nature that is glorious. A nature that is holy. That which
is born of God does not sin. Verse 19, we know that we are
of God. Born of God. born by grace, and
the whole world lieth in wickedness thinking that they have the ability
to reconcile themselves back to God. And we know that the
Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we may
know Him that is true. We know that the Son of God has
come being chosen of the Father as the everlasting surety that
a people was given Him, placed in Him, chosen in Him, and that
He has come made flesh, made like unto His brethren, living
before God Almighty, obeying God's law, every jot, every tittle
of God's law, going to the cross, being made sin for us, he who
knew no sin. that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. Can we know that we have eternal
life? Yes, we can. Yes, we can. There
are some things that we know. And we know that salvation is
all of grace. Those that possess true faith
renounce all of that personal self-righteousness of the flesh. They count all of their works
to be dung in filthy racks. Those who have true faith look
to Christ alone for their righteousness and acceptance with Almighty
God. They trust Him as their sovereign
Redeemer and Savior and surrender, being made willing in the day
of His power to Him who is their Lord. And they count His gospel,
His presence, His guidance, His lordship above everything else. Paul says, for me, to live is
Christ and to die is gain. Daily they take up their cross
and follow Him. They know that He is the God
of all providence. And as He leads and directs and
guides, as my lot is for this day, that is my cross. My cross in following after Him
daily. They surrender to His will, their
way to His way, their lives to His rule, and they love the brethren. By this shall all men know that
you are My disciples. You have love." 1 John 5 says,
"...whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is the anointed,
is the sent one." Concerning everything that I've just said,
concerning God sending Him, sovereignly choosing Him, "...whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." Not that God Almighty
sent the Lord Jesus Christ into this world in order to make salvation
possible. Whosoever that believeth that
Jesus is the Savior, the Anointed, the Son of God, and every one
that loveth Him that begat, loveth Him also that is begotten of
Him. Faith has one object. That is the Lord Jesus Christ,
the revealer of the Father. I said a moment ago, faith is
more than believing that there is a God. Everybody, everybody, there is
a witness in everybody. There is a conscience in everybody. The conscience that is within
every man born in Adam that knows right from wrong believes that
there is a God. People that claim to be atheists,
they are not. They know. Knowing right from
wrong, having a conscience, there is a witness within that there
is a God. One that has been offended. One
that ought to be obeyed. That is what men know. They know
right from wrong. Faith is not believing that there
is a God. Faith believes God. Three times in the Scriptures
this record was given of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is My
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Three times. One time
at His baptism. One time on the Mount of Transfiguration.
And then one time Peter recorded and said, I was there. I saw
Him. Almighty God is pleased with
His Son. Faith in Christ who is our peace. Faith in Christ who is our wisdom,
our righteousness, our sanctification and redemption. Faith in Him
is pleasing to God. Without faith in Christ, It is
impossible to please Him. Trusting. Looking to. Without faith in the One who
has earned the righteousness of the God-man Mediator. Without
faith in Him. Impossible. Impossible. Back in our text, Hebrews 11,
verse 6, "...but without faith it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God..." Faith comes to God by faith. We come to God. "...he that cometh
to God, work of heart, He that cometh to God must believe two
things. He must believe two things. And
they are both recorded right here. That was the title of my
message. What must a man believe to please
God? The Scripture says, He that cometh
to God by faith must Believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him. And I will tell you this, every
believer comes that way. Every believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ comes just like that. They must believe. Without faith, they couldn't
believe. They couldn't please God because
without faith they're without Christ. No faith, no Christ. No Christ, no faith. He that
cometh to God must believe that He is. He that cometh. He that is continually
coming. We're coming right now if you
know Him. If you believe Him, you're coming
right now. You'll believe in God right now.
You're listening right now. You're listening for Christ to
be exalted right now. You know that Christ is the way,
He's the truth, He's the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by Me. How are you coming? Right now.
He that cometh to God. You're coming by Him. who is
our mediator, who is our advocate, who is our priest, He that cometh,
He must believe first that He is. As I said before, that doesn't
mean that He exists. It doesn't mean He that cometh
must believe that God exists. Everybody believes that, I said.
that cometh to God must believe first that He is holy, that He
is just, sovereign, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient. He must
believe that God Almighty is as God says He is, sovereign
in salvation, sovereign in creation, Providence ruling and reigning
over all things, ordering all things in the accomplishment
of His purpose, in the salvation of His people. He that cometh
to God. You must believe that Almighty
God is the Sovereign. You must believe that God Almighty
chose to show mercy. You must believe that Christ
laid down His life for the sheep. You must believe that all that
the Father giveth Him shall come to Him. And He that cometh to
Him, Christ will in no wise cast Him out. Why must you believe
that? Because He who said it is true. He's true. but make salvation
all of grace. And the second thing that you
must believe is that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek
Him. His Word is so. He changes not. Because He changes not, we sons
of Jacob are not consumed. Do you think we'll come to God
in Christ doubting God? Now, I do know that there is
the presence of sin with me. And Lord, I believe and help
Thou mine unbelief. But you remember this one thing.
There is a new nature in a believer. And that new nature sinneth not.
That new nature believes God. That new man trusts God. He must
trust God. He must believe. He must believe
that He is a rewarder. Did He say, He that cometh to
Me, I will in no wise cast out? I must believe that. And He has
given me a heart to believe it. Oh, without faith. Precious,
precious faith. That gift of Almighty God by
which His people believe Him, that is how we believe. Before He called us out of darkness,
we didn't have it. We didn't believe Him. How long
did we sit under the Gospel? Some of you sat a long time. I didn't grow up hearing this
glorious Gospel preached. in false, free-will, self-righteous,
man-honoring religion. Just putrefying lies. But for some of you, you grew
up hearing the glorious Gospel preached as a little child. But do you know when you believed
God, when He called you out of darkness. Up until then, you
heard it, and you knew that there was a God. And you believed that
there was a God. And you could quote all the things
that Brother Scott preached. You knew them in your head. But
one day, when He pleased God, He gave you life. And for the
first time, you came to Him by faith. For the first time in
Christ, you've pleased God. Without faith, it's 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,
diligently in Christ Let us seek Him. May the Lord bless these
words to our heart. For Christ's sake, Amen.