Luke 9:41

“Untrustworthy, unfaithful, unreliable, disloyal; substantively, an unbeliever” are just a few of the words used to define the Greek word “Apistos” (translated “unbelieving” in the above verse) in the New Testament Lexical Aids of the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible. To state that our faith is of importance to God would be a gross understatement at best! In the “Hall of Faith” chapter eleven of Hebrews, we are given this following truth:5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Heb 11:5-6 (NIV) Re-read verse six. It is impossible to please God without faith. In fact, Jesus added the word perverse to His description of that generation meaning “deliberately or stubbornly departing from what is reasonable or required; persistent in error and wayward” – and my particular favorite, “against the weight of evidence”. Poor choices indeed! Let’s take a minute and reflect back on the life that chose so well he never experienced death – Enoch. Perhaps we can glean some truths that we can appropriate into our own lives as well. The description of his life is briefly given in Genesis chapter five: 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. Gen 5:21-24 (NIV)
Interestingly, like Noah in Genesis 6:9, the Bible tells us that Enoch “walked with God” indicating his gracious conduct and his true religion. The word “walk: is a biblical expression which expresses fellowship and obedience resulting in Divine favor. It was a choice both Enoch and Noah made which was reminiscent of the Garden of Eden where God Himself walked with Adam and Eve prior to the fall. Even during periods of religious apostasy permeating each of their generations, they both steadfastly clung to the God of their salvation. This call is for us all. Matthew Henry states: “To walk with God is to set God always before us, and to act as those who are always under His eye. It is to live a life of communion with God both in ordinances and providences. It is to make God’s word our rule and His glory our end in all our actions. It is to comply with His will, to concur with His purposes, and to be workers together with Him.” A very high calling indeed! Because Enoch did not live like the rest, he did not die like the rest. God took him away. He had walked with God for so long that he was probably closer to God’s house than his own and God may have just told him to walk on up! Again Matthew Henry tells us: “Those whose conduct in the world is truly holy shall find their departure from it truly happy.” The Bible gives us a clear definition of faith again in Hebrews chapter 11: 1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. Heb 11:1-2 (NIV)
In its essence, faith is being sure and certain regarding unseen hopes and realities. This is the honorable and right path as the ancients who walked in this way were commended for it. Faith is the full attention of our souls toward an Object – the gaze of the soul. We must be certain our attention in on the Right Object! That is probably why Hebrews chapter 12 begins with these verses: 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb 12:1-3 (NIV)
Jesus is our supreme Model for our faith. He is the focus of our faith. He went before us showing us the path of faith we are called to follow and He perfected it since He reached its end successfully. This is why we are to fix our eyes on Him to keep us from growing weary and losing heart – an easy thing to do in this time of His-story. May we all like Paul be able to state with boldness:6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. 2 Cor 5:6-10 (NIV)