Unprecedented Faith - "Enoch: A Walk Of Faith”

Unprecedented Faith

“Enoch: A Walk of Faith”

Hebrews 11:5

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A pastor asked three people, “What do you want your friends to say about you after you die?”

The first one 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.”

Without hesitation, the third man said, “I want my friends to say, ‘Look, he’s moving!’”

Most of the time, we struggle to understand what’s happening around us, or what truly matters, until we have a divine encounter. Only then do we realize that all the things we were so worried about really aren’t that important. 

Like when a person contracts cancer, a potentially fatal disease, or when someone they love is sick or dying, all those other things that bothered them are no longer the main concern. This is especially true on the spiritual side of the equation when we have an encounter with God.

In the end, it all comes down to one main thing: having a genuine, vibrant, and real relationship with Jesus Christ.

In God’s Hall of Faith, found in Hebrews chapter 11, there is a man named Enoch whose walk with God was so pure, so vibrant, and so honest that it captures the essence of this relationship with Jesus. 

Observe how the Bible describes Enoch’s life. It’s only 13 words, but within these words, we see a faith so strong and so alive 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 records the genealogy from Adam down through Noah and his sons. Although they all lived for a long time, they eventually died. That is, all except Enoch.

And while Enoch is mentioned fewer than a handful of times in the Bible, he was granted one of the most remarkable honors and testimonies ever given—that he walked with God. Then, suddenly, he goes missing because God took him to be with Him. 

Since we are in this series looking at men and women of the Bible with Unprecedented Faith and at the type of faith that pleases God through their lives, Enoch’s faith stands above them all because it reveals that God wanted to be with him so badly that He couldn’t wait any longer. That’s some faith. But what insight can we gain from such a brief account?

The first thing I’d like to do is break down Genesis 5:24, and what we’ll see are three ways Enoch’s faith is demonstrated.

Enoch Demonstrated Faith Through Attitude

“Enoch walked with God.”

Now, this phrase appears twice in the Genesis account (Genesis 5:22, 24), which might explain why I see two aspects of Enoch’s faith in it. The first is that Enoch walked with God, and the key word I’d like us to focus on is “walked.”

The word actually reminds me of a story.

As a high school prom was approaching, a young man asked his father if he could borrow his 1963 Corvette to take his date to the prom. His dad didn’t say no; instead, he set a couple of conditions. He 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 improved all his grades, 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!” And his father just smiled and said, “Yes, and Jesus walked everywhere he went.” 

Now, this isn’t the kind of walk the Holy Spirit had in mind. The word walk is synonymous with a person’s way of life. In other words, how you walk reflects how you live your life. Enoch lived his life in a way that pleased God. 

But what made his walk so special? Well, the answer may be 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 said that to live a life worthy of someone who has entered a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, we need an attitude of humility, gentleness, patience, acceptance, and love. 

But what does that look like?

Humility is an attitude that acknowledges our faults and failures.

Gentleness is described as strength combined with humility and a sincere dependence on God.

Long-suffering here is to patiently accept one another, as he said, “bearing with one another in love,” which means forgiving others as God has forgiven us, and then accepting them as God has so graciously accepted us.