Enoch: A Walk Of Faith

Enoch: A Walk of Faith

Hebrews 11:5

Three men were at a funeral of a friend, and the pastor asked, “What do you want your friends to say about you when you are laying in a casket?”

• After the service they began thinking about it, and one man said, “I want my friends to say that I was a good person.”

• The second man said, “I want my friends to say I was a giving person.”

• The third man without any hesitation said, “I want my friends to say, ‘Look, he’s moving!’”

Most of the time we have a problem coming to grips with what’s going on around us, or what is most important until there is a divine encounter. Only then do we realize that all the things that we were so worried about really aren’t that important.

Like when a person contracts cancer or some other potentially fatal disease. All those things that bothered them are no longer the main concern.

Therefore, it all boils down to a couple of things, well really just one that really is the most important, and that is a genuine, vibrant, and real relationship with Jesus Christ.

In God’s Hall of Faith found in Hebrews chapter 11 there is a man by the name of Enoch whose walk with God was so pure, so vibrant, and so honest that to God this is what it is all about.

Look at how the Bible describes Enoch’s life. It’s only 13 words, but in these 13 words we find a faith so powerful and so vibrant that God couldn’t wait any longer.

“And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24 NKJV)

In these early chapters of Genesis, especially chapter 5, the Holy Spirit chronicles a record of Adam’s family tree down through Noah and his sons. And while these guys lived for a long time, they all died. That is, all but one, Enoch.

And while Enoch is mentioned less than a handful of times throughout the Bible, he was blessed with one of the most incredible distinctions and testimonies ever given, and that is he walked with God, and then suddenly he goes missing because God took him to be where He is.

Since we are in this series about the forefathers of our faith, and looking at the type of faith that pleases God, Enoch’s faith saw God wanting to be with him. Now that’s some faith. But what insight can we gain from such a brief account?

Enoch Demonstrated Faith Through Attitude

“Enoch walked with God”

As a high school prom was approaching, one young man asked is father if he could borrow his 1963 Corvette to take his date to the prom. His dad said, “If you can improve one letter grade in each of your classes and get your hair cut, then I’ll let you borrow the car.”

A few weeks later the boy managed to pull up all his grades, and so he went back to his father to show him and asked for the keys. The dad said, “Sorry son, but you didn’t get your hair cut.” Indignant the boy replied, “Come on Dad, even Jesus had long hair!” The father smiled and said, “Yes, and Jesus walked everywhere he went.”

Now, this isn’t the kind of walking the Holy Spirit had in mind. The term walk, as used here is synonymous with a person’s way of life. In other words, how you walk is how you live your life. Enoch lived his life in such a way that it was pleasing to God.

But what was it about his walk that made it so special? Well, the clue might be found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesian Church.

“Walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:1-2 NKJV)

Paul was saying that if we want to live a life worthy of someone who has been chosen by God and who has come into a saving relationship with Jesus, we need to have an attitude of humility, gentleness, patience, acceptance, and love.

Humility is an attitude that recognizes our faults and failures. Gentleness is the action associated with humility. Further, we are to patiently accept one another as he said, “bearing with one another in love,” forgiving them as God has forgiven us, and then accepting them as God has so gracious accepted us.

The prophet Micah said, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you. But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 NKJV)

Enoch Demonstrated Faith Through Association

While Enoch walked with God, which demonstrates his faith through his attitude, even more significant was Enoch’s association, which is revealed in the second half of this phrase.