Faith Alone Is What Pleases God

We looked at Cain and Abel last time. We now pick up a mysterious person about whom we know very, very little. His name is Enoch. His name means dedicated one. Indeed he was. Jude tells us that he was the seventh from Adam and proclaimed the Lord's coming to judge unbelievers.

It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, —Jude 1:14 ESV

Jude does not record his source of this information. Jewish commentators have much to say about this righteous man who was supposed to have gathered a large congregation of disciples. Some even called him their king. Under his wisdom, peace was said to have reigned on earth. But all this appears to be speculation. As far as Scriptures are concerned we only know what Hebrews says.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.—Hebrews 11:5-6 ESV

The sentence about pleasing God is critical, for so many of us want to please God without faith, particularly without the kind of personal trust in Him and His promises. Such faith is a gift, completely unearned. It is a gift of God's Holy Spirit given, sustained and strengthened by God's Word, as the Apostle Paul teaches.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

And again,

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. - 1Cor 1:18-24 ESV 

If you, my reader, have a friend or family member for whom you are praying, please remember this important fact. You cannot give him or her faith. You cannot convince him to seek Christ by shouting at him about the terrors of hell. You cannot argue that Christ is real and thus bring about faith. Faith is God's gift given through God's Word. Your task then is to invite and encourage him or her to read and study God's Word. And then pray and wait. God's Spirit will do the good work.

In turn, do you tell yourself that you have no need to hear, meditate upon and ponder God's Word? Beware, for this is a grave temptation of the devil. He would love to choke out the Word with the worries and temptations of this world. Remember that your heart is ever too willing to cooperate with that dark angel. Listen to the Apostle Peter and get back into the Word.

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. - 1Pet 2:1-5 ESV

Long, long ago Enoch gave himself to that Word. His life was filled with the peace that comes from trusting in that Word. In His unlimited wisdom the LORD took Enoch with Him to heaven. We have not that immediate promise. We each have our earthly journey to complete. However, we are assured that when we put our faith in the LORD's mercy and forgiveness revealed in Christ we will indeed join Enoch and all the saints in the glory of that world to come.