Examples of Faith #1—Enoch

God desires our faith in him to grow. Indeed, he expects our faith in him to grow. The principle reason Christ gifted his Church with apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers is so that they could equip the rest of us, his saints, to serve one another so that we would become mature in our faith. Becoming more mature means becoming more like Jesus, who trusted as much of God as he knew of God. For those times when we sense that we are not growing as we should, we can fine tune our faith by considering the outcome of the lives of men and women whom the Scriptures present as good examples of people who trusted God and then imitating them.

By faith Enoch was transformed so that he did not see death, and he was not found because God changed him. For before his transformation he had been commended as having pleased God. Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:5–6

We don’t know much about Enoch. He was born into Seth’s godly line and became the father of Methuselah, who is known for his long life. Enoch did not live that long, but neither did he die. He “walked with God, and he was not, for God transformed him.” We “walk with God” when we agree with God that trusting him is at the core of right living; and when we work closely with him to create conditions in which others can thrive as we extend God’s grace to them. It was not easy for Enoch to trust God to provide for and to guide him. Jude reminds us that Enoch lived in a time when God judged an entire culture of ungodly people for creating conditions that were bad for everyone, including themselves. Despite living among such people, Enoch trusted God consistently and courageously. He showed us that living in a godly way is possible, even in the midst of people who do not. He did not despair or grow cynical. Rather, he loved his neighbors enough to warn them that God would reward their ungodly behavior harshly. His life encourages us that if we go closely with God, we will grow closer to God.

O God, grant that I may walk in the light as you do so that I will, in fellowship with you, live truly, while the blood of Jesus atones for my failures. Amen.