“By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, ‘and he was not found, because God had taken him.’ Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever comes to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” — Hebrews 11:5–6
After introducing Abel, the writer of Hebrews moves to another man whose story occupies only a few verses in Genesis.
Enoch appears briefly, says almost nothing, performs no recorded miracles, writes no books of the Bible, and yet he finds a place in the Hall of Faith.
Why?
Because his life illustrates something beautifully simple. It is about walking with God.
It is about walking with God.
A Man Who Walked With God
Genesis tells us something remarkable about Enoch.
“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.” (Genesis 5:24)
That short sentence is almost everything we know about him.
Hebrews fills in one important detail.
Enoch walked with God by faith.
That means his relationship with God wasn’t driven by fear, ritual, or mere religious duty.
He trusted God.
Every step of his life reflected confidence in the God he could not see.
“He Pleased God”
Hebrews says that before Enoch was taken,
“he was commended as having pleased God.”
At first glance, that statement can make some Christians uncomfortable.
Does pleasing God depend on our performance?
Verse 6 immediately answers the question.
The writer does not say:
“Without perfect obedience it is impossible to please God.”
Nor does he say:
“Without impressive achievements it is impossible to please God.”
He says:
“Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”
The issue is not the size of Enoch’s accomplishments.
The issue is the posture of his heart. Faith pleased God because faith trusted Him.
Why Is Faith So Important?
This verse is often quoted by itself.
But within Hebrews, it has a very specific purpose.
The writer is explaining why every person in chapter 11 pleased God.
The answer is the same every time.
Not because they were flawless, or because they never struggled. Not because they never failed.
They pleased God because they trusted Him.
Faith is the opposite of self-reliance.
It says,
“God, I believe You.”
That is why faith matters so much.
It honors the character of God.
Two Things Faith Believes
Verse 6 tells us that faith includes two foundational convictions.
1. Faith Believes That God Is
The writer says,
“Whoever comes to God must believe that He exists.”
At first, that sounds almost too obvious.
Surely everyone who approaches God believes He exists.
But the point goes deeper than acknowledging that God is real.
The Greek text simply says that we must believe ὅτι ἔστιν (hoti estin)—”that He is.”
Throughout Scripture, God is not merely the God who exists.
He is the God who is.
The self-existent One.
The faithful One.
The unchanging One.
Faith approaches God believing He truly is who He has revealed Himself to be.
2. Faith Believes God’s Character
The verse continues:
“…and that He rewards those who seek Him.”
The Greek word translated “rewards” is μισθαποδότης (misthapodotēs).
It means one who gives what is due, a rewarder, or one who responds generously.
The emphasis is not on earning God’s favor. The emphasis is on God’s character. Faith believes that God is worth pursuing because He is good.
Imagine trying to build a friendship with someone while secretly believing they dislike you.
That relationship would never flourish.
The same is true spiritually.
Faith approaches God convinced that He welcomes those who seek Him.
Does This Mean God Rewards Good Behavior?
This is where Hebrews must be read carefully.
The entire letter has argued that our acceptance before God rests on Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice.
Hebrews 10 has just declared that believers have confidence to enter God’s presence because of Jesus.
So what reward is Hebrews 11:6 talking about?
Certainly God does reward faithfulness in various ways throughout Scripture.
But the greatest reward is not something God gives apart from Himself.
The greatest reward is God Himself.
Enoch’s story illustrates that perfectly.
His greatest treasure was not escaping death.
His greatest treasure was walking with God.
Faith seeks God because it has discovered that knowing Him is life’s greatest reward.
Enoch Lived Before There Was a Bible
One detail often goes unnoticed. Enoch lived long before Moses. Long before the Law, the prophets. Long before the New Testament.
He did not own a Bible.
He had no church.
No synagogue.
No completed canon of Scripture.
Yet he walked faithfully with God.
Why?
Because faith has never depended primarily on possessing information.
It has always depended on responding to the revelation God has given.
Every generation is responsible for trusting the light God has received.
Walking by Faith Today
Enoch’s life quietly reminds us that the Christian life is not built on occasional spiritual highs.
Most of life consists of ordinary days.
Going to work.
Raising children.
Serving others.
Making decisions.
Loving people.
Trusting God when life feels routine.
Walking with God is rarely dramatic.
But over years, ordinary faithfulness becomes an extraordinary testimony.
Enoch’s life occupied only a few verses in Genesis.
Yet thousands of years later, Hebrews still remembers him.
Not because he built something remarkable.
Not because he achieved worldly greatness.
But because he trusted God enough to keep walking.
That is the invitation of Hebrews 11.
Faith is not reserved for extraordinary people.
It is the daily confidence that the God who has revealed Himself in Christ is exactly who He says He is.
And there is no greater reward than continuing to walk with Him.
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