What Hebrews 11:5-6 really means: Faith That Pleases God

Context of Hebrews 11:5-6

This passage fits into a larger message in Hebrews 11, where the writer is showing what real faith looks like through examples from the Old Testament.

The original readers were likely Jewish Christians facing hardship and temptation to give up on their faith. The author wants to encourage them by showing that faithful people throughout history lived by trusting God, not by seeing results right away. Enoch’s story in Genesis 5:21-24 says he 'walked with God, and he was not, for God took him' - a mysterious but powerful testimony of a life so aligned with God that he never experienced death. The author of Hebrews uses this to highlight that Enoch pleased God not through rituals or achievements, but through faith.

This sets up the key truth in verse 6: coming to God requires believing He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him - making faith the foundation of any real relationship with God.

The Deep Meaning of Faith in Enoch's Translation and God's Pleasure

Building on the context of Hebrews 11, the story of Enoch is a theological anchor showing how faith bridges human limitation and divine promise.

The Greek word μετέθηκεν ("was transferred") in verse 5 carries weight. It means God repositioned Enoch from one realm to another, bypassing death entirely, which points forward to the Christian hope of resurrection and glorification without tasting death (like Enoch and Elijah, foreshadowing the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:17). This 'transfer' isn’t earned. It’s a gift granted to one who walked with God, emphasizing that faith is relational, not transactional. The author uses Enoch not because he performed miracles or led armies, but because his life pleased God - highlighting that intimacy with God matters more than visibility or achievement. This counters ancient (and modern) ideas that divine favor comes through status, sacrifice, or knowledge, instead insisting that faithful trust is what aligns us with God’s heart.

Verse 6 makes this explicit: 'without faith it is impossible to please him.' This isn’t saying God is picky or unapproachable, but that faith is the only posture that acknowledges His reality and goodness. To 'believe that he exists' goes beyond intellectual agreement (even demons believe that - James 2:19). It means living as if God is trustworthy. And to believe He 'rewards those who seek him' reshapes our motivation - not out of fear or duty, but hope in a God who gives generously to those who pursue Him. This redefines religion as a personal pursuit of a personal God, not rule-following.

Faith isn't about having all the answers - it's about trusting that God is real, He's good, and He rewards those who seek Him.

This understanding of faith as trust that pleases God runs through the whole chapter, preparing us for Abraham, Moses, and others who acted not because they saw the outcome, but because they trusted the One who promised. Their faith wasn't perfection - it was persistent seeking, even in failure, which makes it real and reachable for us today.

Faith That Pleases God: Enoch's Example for Today's Believer

Enoch’s story is a living example of what it means to walk with God by faith, as the original readers of Hebrews were being called to do.

Back then, many Jewish believers were tempted to abandon their faith under pressure, thinking God had forgotten His promises. But Enoch’s life shows that faith isn’t about perfect circumstances or clear outcomes - it’s about daily trust in a God who is present and faithful.

Faith isn't about having all the answers - it's about trusting that God is real, He's good, and He rewards those who seek Him.

This same faith is still the foundation of our relationship with God today. Hebrews 11:6 makes it clear: we must believe He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him - this isn’t a cold belief, but a living trust that leads us to draw near. As Enoch walked with God and was taken to be with Him, we’re invited into a close, daily walk with God through Jesus, who makes it possible for us to please God not by our perfection, but by our persistent trust. This is the heart of the good news: we don’t have to earn God’s favor - we receive it by seeking Him, as Enoch did.

Enoch in the Biblical Storyline: Connecting Genesis, Luke, and Jude

This brief mention of Enoch in Hebrews connects to key passages across Scripture that confirm his place as part of God’s unfolding plan of faith and redemption.

Genesis 5:24 says, 'Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him,' showing that a life of faithful relationship with God stands out even in a genealogy marked by death. Then in Luke 3:37, Enoch appears in Jesus’ family tree - not because he was Jesus’ biological ancestor, but to show that God includes faithful people in His story across generations. Jude 14 - 15 quotes Enoch as a prophet who spoke of the Lord coming with His holy ones to judge, reminding us that faith isn’t silent - it looks ahead and speaks truth about God’s justice and return.

Together, these references paint Enoch as more than a man who escaped death. He’s a witness to the reality of walking with God, trusting His promises, and speaking His truth - inviting us to live today with the same forward-looking faith.

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