The Meaning of Hebrews 11: Praising the Faith of Imperfect People

By Lauren Rose Correa, May 17, 2025

The Meaning of Hebrews 11: "She Became Mighty in battle" tattoo on arm

I love Hebrews 11 so much that I have a paraphrased line from it tattooed on my arm. “She became mighty in battle.” There is a reason this passage means so much to me. I have read it many times and pondered the meaning of Hebrews 11. If you’re not familiar with this passage, try reading all of Hebrews 11.

Let’s start by reading Hebrews 11:6…

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And without faith it is impossible to please him (God), for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” – Hebrews 11:6 ESV

The Meaning of Hebrews 11: Faith is How We Please God

Faith is when we believe that God is who he says he is and will do what he says he will do. If you’ve ever wondered what will make God pleased with you, faith is the answer. When we believe what he tells us, he is pleased with us. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

In order to get close to God, we have to believe that he is real, first and foremost. But we must also believe that he rewards us. Yes, you heard that right. God has good things in store for us – and it’s important that you believe that. It doesn’t mean this life will be easy and perfect. But he works every trial out to ultimately bring us good.

God Praises the Faith of Imperfect People

When I read Hebrews 11, which is often called the Faith Hall of Fame, I read many names of people throughout biblical history who are credited with having great faith. They are being praised for that faith in the passage. But if you look a little deeper, you’ll notice something. These people were not perfect people!

Abraham believed that God would give him a son in his old age. He also had relations with his servant girl to try and bring the promise to pass, which caused a lot of problems in his marriage and down the road. His wife Sarah is also credited with having faith. When told she would have a child, she found it so unbelievable that she laughed.

Next up is Moses, who is credited with having faith as he led Gods people out of slavery in Egypt and into the promised land. Moses disobeyed God late in his life, and as a result, he died before ever entering the land God promised his people.

David is on this list. Elsewhere in the Bible he is called a man after Gods own heart. But he committed adultery and then killed someone to cover it up.

I could go on and on, but my point is this: the people who are called righteous in this passage are not people who were actually perfect or righteous. They were declared righteous because they had faith that God would keep his promises to them.

The Meaning of Hebrews 11: Do You Have Faith in God’s Promises?

God has made you a promise: if you accept his gift of salvation and believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sin, he will give you eternal life. Do you believe it? He has also promised to work all things together to bring about your ultimate good. Do you believe it? He has promised never to leave you or forsake you, no matter what life brings. Do you believe it?

I often wonder what I can do to make God happy. The answer is faith. When we believe the promises he gives to us, he is so pleased with us and he counts it as righteousness. We don’t need to be holy in our own right. When we confess our sins to Jesus and believe in the forgiveness he offers, he gives us his holiness and righteousness as a gift. It’s that simple!

Do you have faith in the promises of God, or are you wrestling with doubt or unbelief? Ask Jesus to help strengthen your faith. He can help you grow in this area!