Importance of Faith
Mission: Impossible … (no, not the movie)
===
Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 (NET)
===
Impossible.
Anytime an absolute statement is made — especially in the Bible — I pay attention.
The importance of faith can’t be understated, in part because the writer of Hebrews makes it clear that pleasing God without faith is …
impossible.
What kind of faith?
Well the writer helps us a bit here too.
Telling us that anyone coming to God must believe He exists … and … that He rewards those who seek Him. This reward is, of course, salvation.
(Other rewards after salvation may apply too, but those are secondary when compared to the gift of eternal life in Christ.)
Other passages in the Bible talk about faith the size of a mustard seed (an extremely tiny seed) that still has the power to move mountains. Or about faith that is given to us by God so that we should not boast in our good works … but we can boast in God’s good works.
Something I should be better about.
Boasting in God’s good works, I mean.
Like these emails. Sure, I’ve put in the effort to write and edit and publish them. But without the Holy Spirit guiding me, how can I have even the tiniest fragment of a hope of helping when it comes to writing about His Word?
So, if you are experiencing any sort of inspiration from these emails … well … that’s God’s good work.
I am merely a vessel.
Without the Spirit’s guidance, helping you would be …
Impossible.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.