TEMPTATION: The First Thing You Should Know

1 Cor. 10:13

1 Cor 10:13, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

THEME: Victory in our Christian Life comes after we FIRST understand and have Defined the Problem of Temptation. Once we clearly understand what the Bible teaches about Temptation, we will be more able to Triumph over the Temptations and Sins that threaten to enslave us.

A Medical Doctor cannot prescribe the correct medicine until he FIRST understands thoroughly what virus or disease the patient has. A Mechanic cannot repair a car until he FIRST completely understands what the problem is.  The same is true with Temptation, we must FIRST labor to understand it and then we can take the correct steps to conquer it. (Stanley)

INTRODUCTION: The term ‘TEMPTATION’ brings to mind different things for each of us.

  1) For some this word conjures up thoughts of a delicious Hot Fudge Sundae with whipped cream and nuts dripping off the side.

  2) For others’ it’s the Man or Woman who has become the focus of Secret Fantasies at the office. 

  3) For the Man Who Works under a great deal of Pressure, it may be the nearest Bar Room or Tavern after work each evening.

  4) For Those that Travel Often, it may be the R or X-rated Cable TV in their Hotel Room.

  5) For the Teenager, the term TEMPTATION may bring to mind a Can of Beer, a Pack of Cigarettes or even a Member of the Opposite Sex who has been declared off limits.

  6) Maybe TEMPTATION has to do with the Magazine Rack at the Local Convenience Store.

  7) Think for a moment.  What flashes into your mind when the word temptation is mentioned?  What pictures and emotions does it conjure up in your thinking?  Whatever it is that comes to mine, that is THE TEMPTATION God want to deal with first in your life.  I want you to focus on getting victory over that one temptation as we go through this series.  Now, let’s ask ourselves two difficult questions. . ..

LESSON:

I.  WHY SHOULD I TRY TO GET VICTORY OVER THE TEMPTATIONS AND HABITS IN MY LIFE?

‘Preacher, I have tried it all before and nothing worked for me.  Why should I bother frustrating myself again?’  Well there are several reasons why we must take up the struggle again: We Must Take Up the Struggle again . . .

     A. BECAUSE A DEFEATING HABIT WILL ROB YOU OF YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THE POWER OF GOD TO GIVE US VICTORY OVER SIN.

A failure to fight against temptation can lead to a great gulf of separation from God. The pattern is evident in countless lives. When we refuse to confront temptation and struggle against it, we begin to cut ourselves off from the spiritual lifeline of God's power in our lives. God loves us still. God remains available to us. But we have turned away from God so that He no longer can work in us and through us to the extent He desires.

The Believer who has been defeated by a nagging sin or relentless temptation will be hesitant to offer Christ as the answer to those who are controlled by sin.  A sinful habit will destroy our incentive to share our faith.  You would feel like a hypocrite!  People might say to you, ‘If God is so powerful, then why can’t He help you with your problem?’  As a result, you are robbed of your confidence in the power of God to deliver and give victory. (Stanley)

The condition, defeat and despair of the Israelite Army before Goliath in the Valley of Elah.  Because of Goliath’s size, the Army of Israel lost their confidence in God’s ability to deliver them out of the hand of the Philistine.  They lost their faith in God’s Power to deliver His people!  (1Sam. 17).  David, on the other hand, had mountains of Confidence in the Power of God because of his past victories over the Bear and the Lion.  (1 Sam. 17: 32-37)

If you refuse to engage in a battle against the temptation to sin and you lose confidence in God's power and presence in your life, you will be hesitant to offer Christ as the answer to others who are controlled by sin. Your witness for Christ will be deeply impacted. One of the immediate results of being set free from a controlling habit is the desire to share with others the power of God that has set you free. Satan loves to keep us in bondage to sin because our potential for the kingdom of God is greatly diminished.

     B.  BECAUSE WE COULD DEVELOP A HARDEN HEART IF WE DON’T APPLY GOD’S TRUTH TO OUR LIVES.

You will feel disheartened and may even come to believe that God does not love you or that He has abandoned you in your struggles in life. At that point, you are in danger of developing what the Bible calls a “hard heart.”

A Hard heart develops when people hear the truth, believe the truth, but refuse to apply the truth.  Developing a hardened heart is a process that takes time.  But each time Christians recognize sin in their lives, feel convicted, and yet do nothing about it, they become less and less sensitive to the prompts of the Holy Spirit.  Finally, they reach the point where they feel no conviction at all over their sin.  At the point where the person feels no conviction at all over a sin, he becomes callous and begins to “quench” the work of the Holy Spirit in his life (see 1 Thess. 5:19). That is a very dangerous position to be in. (MacDonald)

The Heart is now hardened. . ..

Remember the man who was having an incestuous relationship with his step mother in 1 Cor. 5:1-5. No doubt the Holy Spirit dealt with this man and tried to get him to depart from such awful sin, but he apparently ignored the Spirit and as a result his heart was hardened.  He knew truth, understood the truth but refused to obey the truth and thus his heart was hardened.   

The person who develops a hard heart is a person who loses all moral and ethical direction, insofar as the Holy Spirit is concerned. To be adrift, without a moral compass, is a highly unsatisfying way to live. It truly is a life without meaningful reward.

      C.  BECAUSE ONE LITTLE SIN CAN LEAD TO GREATER SIN AND SIN ALWAYS BRING FORTH DEATH.

If you fail to engage in a battle against temptation to commit one type of sin, you likely will find yourself more prone to engage in still other types of sin. We've all heard the phrase, “One sin leads to another.” So often that is the case. Sin is like a cancer in that it spreads. One undealt-with area opens up other areas as well. Once you become accustomed to a sin and it becomes entrenched in your lifestyle, it is only a matter of time until other areas become problems. (Anders)

If you fail to engage in a battle against temptation, you ultimately will experience death of some type.

           1)   One Thing Leads to Another

A once fine Christian man began stopping at a local bar after work to spend time with his buddies.  He never had any desire to drink, but he figured one beer wouldn’t hurt anything.  He even convinced himself that by drinking one beer he would be able to relate to his friends better and maybe get an opportunity to share Christ with them.  Before long one beer became two, then three.  Soon he was going home drunk, and eventually he lost his wife and kids.  As he told his story he felt that every man had his weaknesses or vices, but in his heart, he knew he was wrong.  And now he would give anything to go back and change the past.  But it’s too late, the damage has been done!

A little leaven will leaven the whole lump! (READ 1Cor. 5:6-7)

            2)   Sin Will Bring Forth Death

James 1:14-15, But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  15, Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

ILLUSTRATION:  Temptation + Sin = Death

Example of pharaoh, Moses and the children of Israel.  Pharaoh’s hardened heart lead to the death of his son, the death of Egypt’s political influence, the death of their idol god’s, the death of the elite of the Egyptian military, the death of the firstborn both of man and beast, the death of their fields and crops and even the death of their economy. (Stanley)

APPLICATION: 

    1)   The Husband who is insensitive and emotionally abuses his Wife will destroy any remaining affection she might have for him and that relationship dies essentially.

    2)   If an Employer neglects his Employees, treats them unfairly, shows no sensitivity to their needs and family responsibilities, in time he will destroy their loyalty to him and his company.

    3)   If Parents neglect children, that relationship will gradually disintegrate until it no longer exists.

   

    4)    If a Father continues to brake the traffic speed laws with his children in the car, he will eventually destroy their respect for the law.  By example they are taught, “As long as I don’t get caught, there is nothing wrong with breaking the law.”

Whenever sin manifests itself, some type of death results. Destructive habits take root. The result may be a physical death, over time usually. The sin may bring about a death to a relationship, a death to part of the person's emotional or psychological capacity, a death of reputation, a death of integrity, a death of a career, a death of loyalty or respect. Something is always destroyed when sin is allowed to go unchecked. TEMPTATION PLUS SIN EQUALS DEATH!

II. HOW CAN I EVEN HOPE TO GET VICTORY OVER MY HABITS AND TEMPTATIONS?

If temptation has such deadly consequences, why is it that so many people do not take temptation more seriously?

Let’s think for a moment.  Are your weaknesses slowly sapping the life out your relationship with the ones you love the most?   Do you find it extremely difficult to even imagine having victory over the sin presently in your life?   Have you given up the struggle?   Are you making excuses for your sin?   Are we ready now to allow God to change us?

    A.  WE CAN HAVE VICTORY WHEN WE STOP MAKING EXCESSES FOR OUR SINS

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m just human, and besides, nobody is perfect?”

Moses made excuses when God called him to go back to Egypt to lead the children of Israel out of bondage.  Praise God he stopped making excuses and got on with the mission God had given him!  We must be like Moses and get rid of the excuses and trust God for a great deliverance. (Ex.3)

     B.  WE CAN HAVE VICTORY WHEN WE START REALIZING OUR POTENTIAL TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS.

What people seem to be saying when they make excuses is that they are not perfect internally, so don’t expect perfect behavior externally.   This seems to be the reason behind the excuses.  This kind of thinking has only one thing about it. . ..  This thinking is totally wrong because it fails to acknowledge the POTENTIAL that every believer has to do right.

1 Cor 10:13, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Every time we are tempted to sin we must look for the way of escape.  Ask God to help us identify His escape route every time we are tempted. If we are tempted to lose our temper, look for the escape route.  If we are tempted to eat, drink, or do something that is sinful to us we must look for the WAY OF ESCAPE!  

When JOSEPH was working in Potiphar’s household, the wife of Potiphar began to lust after and proposition Joseph day after day.  But Joseph did not fall in Sin because he Knew the WAY OF ESCAPE!  He Resisted Temptation, He Refused Temptation, Then He Ran from Temptation!   It is always appropriate to run!  Joseph understood his potential to do right and he did it!

     C.  WE CAN HAVE VICTORY WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR STRUGGLES WITH TEMPTATIONS CAN MAKE US STRONGER CHRISTIANS

James 1:2-4, My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4, But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect [Spiritually Mature] and entire, [Complete in every way] wanting nothing.  [Without need]

2 Cor 12:9-10, And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10, Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

ILLUSTRATION: DOWN THE CHATTOOGA RIVER

In the mountains of northern Georgia there is a white-water river called the Chattooga.  People travel from all over the Southeast to paddle down this river.  The last two sections are especially treacherous, and many people have drowned as their canoes broke up on the rocks and they were sucked helplessly under by the powerful current. 

I want you to image a skilled paddler in his kayak making his way through the rocks and hydraulics of the Chattooga River.   As he maneuvers himself along, something is taking place that onlookers may not be aware of.  The potentially destructive force of the river is actually helping the paddler develop his balance, coordination, strength, and concentration.

But imagine that as the paddler approaches the next stretch of rapids, he thinks to himself, I’m tired of paddling.   This is getting old.  My arms hurt.  My legs hurt.  I’m tired of concentrating.  With that he tosses his paddle into the water and lets the river take control.  You can guess what will happen.  But here is the point.  The force that at one point was aiding in the development of his skill and strength has the potential to destroy him once he refuses to struggle against it.

So, it is with the power of sin.  As long as we take a stand against temptation, even if we fall momentarily, God will use the struggle to make us into men and women He wants us to be.  But once we throw in the paddle, once we give up and allow the forces of sin to dictate our behavior, it will only be a matter of time until we are swept away and our lives destroyed. (Stanley)

Conclusion:

Let us not throw in our paddle---let’s get back in our spiritual kayaks and work our way through the rapids of temptation that come our way.  And as we do, it will build our spiritual strength and prepare us for the next occasion.

Let us yield to what God wants to do in our hearts through this message.  Let us also prepare ourselves to experience the power of God at work in our lives.

The first thing that we should know about temptation is, that we are tempted to give up and permit sin to dominate our lives.  Ultimately these sins will destroy us and the people we love the most!

I am calling you to enter the battle of a life time---the victory can be ours if we first understand that we have the potential and power to say no when temptation calls.

 1 Pet 1:7, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Most people I know believe they have a fairly good grasp of what it means to be tempted. They have felt temptation in their lives. They also know in their minds the right response to temptation: Say no! Most people I know want to say no to temptation.

But … most people I know also admit that they frequently give in to temptation, and they bear guilt about doing so. What these people do not know, in part, is the whole of what the Bible has to say about temptation and how to overcome it.

The Bible is not only a book of “do's” and “don'ts,” but a book of “how tos.” It is an extremely practical book with truth that can be applied directly to daily situations and circumstances. The Bible not only tells us to “yield not” to temptation, but it tells us how to avoid yielding and how to avoid tempting circumstances in the first place.

It is also a book of spiritual inspiration. The Bible motivates us, compels us, and encourages us. It gives us the “want to” outlook that we need if we are to overcome temptation. There simply is no better resource book on the temptation to sin and how to overcome temptation than the Holy Bible.

As you begin this study, I encourage you to set aside, to a degree, what you already believe the Bible says about the subject of temptation and inner struggles. As much as possible, approach the Scriptures with fresh spiritual eyes and ears. Let the Word of God speak to you in a new way.

Advancing the Truth

3 John 1:1-8

Theme: Believers and churches are to assist traveling ministers of Jesus Christ because such activities advance the march of the Gospel to the unevangelized.

Introduction:

I can recall a little over two years of pre-field ministry back in the mid-90s as our family raised support to serve in Germany as missionaries to the US Military and their families stationed there. The journey started out slow, but quickly gained momentum as we zipped back and forth across the eastern half of the USA. We were privileged to meet hundreds of churches and thousands of Christians, and most of these experiences were very positive encounters. It was wonderful to see God work through us and provide for us; we also witnessed the power of the Gospel here in the USA in many precious lives. God provided again and again through his people as they followed the biblical guidance John gave in this incredible passage.  

The historical backdrop of this little Letter gives us a vivid glimpse into church life in the latter half of the first century. With just a few concise strokes of the pen the apostle sketches in three characters: Gaius the hospitable and spiritual, Demetrius the commendable, and Diotrephes the self-seeking and unloving. In this study John celebrates the kindness and hospitality of Gaius.

Lecture:

I.                  John’s Greetings to His Friend Gaius (3John 1).

A.    John refers to himself as the elder.

B.     He addresses himself to the well-beloved Gaius, whom he loves in truth. Although we do not know if this is the Gaius mentioned in Romans 16:23 or the one in Acts 20:4, we do learn about him in these few verses. First, we gather that he was a much beloved believer, a man whose whole life commended him to his fellow Christians.

II.              John’s Appreciation for Gaius’ Walk in the Truth and Generosity (3John 2-8).

A.    He desires for Gaius to prosper physically as he has spiritually (vs. 2).

                                                1.      The apostle’s greatest desire was for his friend Gaius’ health.  He knew that his soul was already prospering in the Lord despite his poor health; therefore, he wanted him to be well and healthy also. Clearly sickness is not always a matter of punishment for sin, nor an indication of one’s spiritual condition.

                                                2.      Would we want our physical condition to correspond to our spiritual? Is it not sadly true that we take better care of our bodies than of our souls?

                                                3.      That is why F. B. Meyer wryly remarked: “It would not be desirable to express the wish of verse 2 to all our friends, because if their bodies were to correspond to the condition of their souls, they would suddenly fall into ill-health.” (Source Unknown)

                                                4.      Verse 2 flatly contradicts what is taught by many so-called “faith-healers.” They contend that all sickness is a result of sin in the life, and that if a person isn’t healed, it’s because of a lack of faith. This certainly wasn’t true in Gaius’ case. His spiritual condition was good, but his physical condition was not so good. This shows that one’s spiritual state cannot be argued from the bodily one. –W. MacDonald

B.     He rejoices in Gaius’ steadfast walk in the truth (vs. 3-4).

                                                1.      The apostle rejoiced greatly when certain brethren came and testified of the truth that was in Gaius, and how he walked in the truth (v. 3). It is good to have the truth in us, but it is better to manifest the truth in our lives. We should not only hold the truth but allow the truth to hold us. People would rather see a sermon than hear one. Nothing counts more for God in an age of fact than a holy life.

                                                2.      So important was this to John that he could say, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (v. 4). Perhaps most of us think of soul-winning as the greatest joy of the Christian life, and it is wonderful indeed to see men and women translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. But who can measure the heartache to see those who professed to be saved, returning to their former life; like a sow returning to her wallowing in the mire and a dog to its vomit. On the other hand, what a thrill it is to see one’s spiritual children going on for the Lord, from grace to grace and faith to faith. Again, this emphasizes the importance of follow-up work in all our evangelistic endeavors.

C.    He appreciates Gaius’ reception and care of the preachers he sent (vs. 5-8).

                                                1.      Gaius took a special delight in throwing open his home to those who had gone out preaching the gospel (v. 5). He extended his gracious hospitality not only to those whom he knew, but to strangers as well. John says that he was faithful in this ministry. It appears from the NT that hospitality is very important in God’s sight. If we entertain the Lord’s people, it is the same as if we entertain the Lord Himself (Matt. 25:40). On the other hand, failure to entertain His servants is looked upon as failure to entertain Him (Matt. 25:45). Through entertaining strangers, “some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb. 13:2). Many can testify that through the practice of hospitality, meals have been turned into sacraments (Luke 24:29–35), children have been converted, and families have been drawn closer to the Lord. (MacDonald)

                                                2.      Rewards are involved. Gaius’ kindness was known to all the church (v. 6). But more than that, his name is forever enshrined in God’s Holy Word as one who had an open home and an open heart. And even more, Gaius will yet be rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ, for “he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Matt. 10:41). He will share in the reward of all those faithful preachers he entertained. This is a good point to remember for those who cannot preach: you can receive a preacher’s reward by showing hospitality to preachers in the name of the Lord. God will pay back all good deeds! His kindness will crown the kindness of men.

                                                3.      Now John reminds Gaius that he will do well to send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God. To “bring forward on their journey” means not just a friendly farewell, but adequate supplies. This surely sets a high standard for us as we share our material things with those who preach and teach the Gospel of our Lord.

                                                4.      A special reason is given why Gaius should be helpful to these itinerant evangelists: Because they went forth for His name’s sake taking nothing from the Gentiles (v. 7). These men looked to the Lord alone for the supply of their needs. They would not accept support from the unconverted. To do so would imply that their Master was too poor to provide for them. It might also give the unsaved a false ground of self-righteousness on which to rest. What a rebuke this is to the money-raising methods of Christendom today! And how it should remind us of the special obligation we have toward those genuine servants of the Lord who go out in faith in the living God and who make their needs known only to the Lord. (Weirsbe)

                                                5.      The fact that faithful Christian preachers sought no help from the unsaved meant that Christians were under a special obligation to assist them. By extending the needed help (showing hospitality to such men), Christians such as Gaius could be “fellowhelpers to the truth.”  The thought is of partnership with what the truth accomplishes in people’s hearts and lives. It was a noble objective for Gaius to follow. We therefore ought to receive such servants of Christ, that we may partner with fellow Christians for the advancement of truth (v. 8). To receive them means to do everything possible to help them, for when we do, we help the truth in its onward march.

Yes, the Lord has faithfully worked through His churches and generous believers for two millennia, and He will continue to do so until He comes for us. Some of the grandest blessings my wife and I have experienced exercising our Christian faith have been while assisting those who preach the Gospel of our Lord. Formally, this has been our privilege through our various home churches over the years, and as the Lord laid specific ministries on our hearts. I can honestly say we have been honored to give to meet these servants of Christ needs as they sacrificially advanced the Gospel to the unsaved. Our family shares wonderful memories of housing missionaries and evangelists in our home; my how we all were deeply enriched by the fellowship and time together. Beloved, if I am ever charged with the crime of advancing the Gospel of our Lord by assisting His faithful servants…I want to be found guilty beyond any reasonable doubt! What about you? Are you advancing the truth? If not, then why not?

Walking with God By Faith

Hebrews 11:5–6

Healthy interpersonal relationships provide spiritual, emotional, and physical intimacy. They play a crucial role in our overall human experience since we all, to some degree, desire to belong and to love. God’s design satisfies these needs through our close friendships, family and marriage providing a social network for His children to form and pursue strong emotional attachments. As such vulnerability and trust characterizes healthy intimate relationships.

God also designed us for intimacy with himself through vibrant and interactive faith. Beloved, this has the potential of becoming the closest bond with another Person we will ever experience! Consider what God records about a gentleman who lived before Noah’s flood name Enoch. He was Noah’s great grand daddy!

And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. (Genesis 5:21–24, KJV)

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:5–6, KJV)

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; And what doth the LORD require of thee, But to do justly, and to love mercy, And to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8, KJV)

Hebrews 11:5 and 6, tells how Enoch pleased God because he walked intimately with Him by faith. The original account of Enoch is given to us in Genesis 5, informing us that he walked closely with God and instead of dying like everyone else in Genesis chapter five, Enoch was taken from his earthly life by God without dying. Then in Micah 6:8, we see how God prescribes for every believer to do justly, love mercy, and you guessed it… “walk humbly with thy God.” God designed for life to be an ongoing experience with Him, not independent of Him.

Certainly, living by faith is essential to genuine Christian expression; our lives are not Christ-like without this characteristic. Fundamentally, faith requires that we listen to God’s Word and daily life is a continuous expression of confidence/trust in His prescriptions and instructions. We purpose to obey God and leave all the consequences with Him because such trust honors Him and respects the relationship. The opposite of living by faith is living by sight, fears, mere reason, doubt, uncertainty, self-sufficiency, and independence of God. We know God is wonderfully pleased with us as we live by faith, but what does He expect regarding “walking” by faith and ‘walking with God’?

I think at the core of this concept of living relationally with God is the notion of a mental/emotional bond and communion with the Almighty. Us enjoying Him throughout our lives, and He is enjoying us as well. Through faith in Jesus Christ, a relationship with God is established. Like any other relationship this one must be nurtured through healthy interactions. So, rich conversations, growing trust, insightful considerations, deepening love, thrilling adventures together, sharing real challenges and triumphs, working through setbacks, acknowledging painful failures, and realizing progress towards maturing the relationship are all tenets of walking with God by faith. 

In addition, Enoch sought after God…he hungered to know Him more intimately and comprehensively. He intentionally believed what God revealed to Him and diligently pursued more of God. He even preached messages to others from what God had revealed to him (Jude 14). All of these were elements of Enoch’s warm walk with the Lord in those 300 pre-flood years. Beloved, God regards such behavior as “good” and He invites each of us to likewise “walk humbly with our God.” Such a God-seeker lifestyle is rewarded by God and pleasing to Him because it evidences vibrant faith! Let’s take a closer look at the faith of Enoch.

Enoch, The Faithful Seeker, Walking with God by Faith (Hebrews 11:5-6)

His Promise

How did God invite Enoch to such an excellent experience? Perhaps it was the birth of his son, Methuselah, that inspired a definite decision to live by faith in harmony with God. Clearly, Methuselah’s birth sparked a dedication that marked the rest of Enoch’s life—he began to take matters of faith far more seriously. Maybe he yearned to provide his son a godly model to follow. (See Genesis 5:21–24)

Hebrews 11 suggests that Enoch viewed God as “God” and a “Rewarder” of the diligent seeker. There had to be a basis for him thinking of Jehovah in this way…perhaps God issued a promise of blessing—an invitation to spend life with Him, the Almighty God-Rewarder. It could have been a promise from God that Enoch would go to heaven without dying. I cannot be dogmatic here…. What is clear is that God promised to reward the person who diligently seeks Him as God (Heb. 11:5, 6). This much was powerfully motiving in the heart of Enoch. God promised, and Enoch believed Him. It was the most sane, rational thing that Enoch could do; what is more reasonable than that the creature should believe his Creator? (MacDonald) Remember, intimate relationships are characterized by deepening trust and vibrant God-confidence.

Fundamentally, a walk of faith is motivated and directed by “thus saith the Lord.” Our trust must be in God’s character and statements. It cannot be a matter of demanding our own will according to our own imaginations. Such behavior violates intimacy. Instead it is living in the context of God’s revealed plan that is essential (Rom. 10:17). What specific promise from God inspires you to walk obediently and closely with Him? Remember, faith is always based on something God said, prescribed, or promised; it is never wishful thinking or merely a positive outlook. Beloved, there is inherent promise in the fact that God is a “rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Heb. 11:6). So, who are you pursuing?

His Passage 

Sometime during Enoch’s devoted life, it suddenly happened! He received a passport directly into Heaven! Before that incredible moment, we know that Enoch walked with the invisible God for three hundred years (Gen. 5:21–24)! Again, we must consider this idea of walking with God because it is so crucial.

The word walk implies a steady, progressive relationship and not just a casual acquaintance. To walk with God is the business of a lifetime, and not just the performance of an hour. (MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary)

Enoch possessed a companionship with God that he cherished like no other. He regarded God first and foremost as priority number one. Steadily, progressively, daily, life-long, and sweetly pursuing deepening connection with Jehovah. “Enoch walked with God!” He found his greatest pleasure in God’s company and expressed his most honest thoughts to His Creator. It was not a matter of impressing the watching eyes, it was a matter of exploring and experiencing supreme Reality by faith. This is what gave this dear saint of God purpose, meaning, and significance….

Also bear in mind that up to that time everyone had died—consider the record and you will find that sooner or later everyone else literally died (Gen. 5). The sentence of death was realized with every generation since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Humanity was receiving its fair wages for its sinfulness! There was no record of anyone ever having been taken away without dying. All Enoch had was a promise of blessing and perhaps translation to heaven from God. Yet, this fueled his worship and pursuit of God and the knowledge of the Holy! There was no other occasion Enoch could learn from as a case study. Apparently, what God said to him was enough and he believed God. The promise gave shape to his passage through life.

You see, life was designed to be shared with God. Beloved, we were never intended to figure our life’s challenges all on our own. From the creation, God’s plan involved His interaction with humanity in relationship…intimate relationship. Walking with God is His design for all of us and Jesus Christ is key to making life with God possible. It is Christ who died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day raised from among the dead (1Cor. 15:1-6). He is alive forevermore to save all who will acknowledge their sinfulness and trust him as Savior (Rom. 10:8-17). Without faith in Jesus, the Son of God, we remain under the sentence of death and condemnation in Hell (Rom. 5:12-21). Jesus is the way, the true faith-passage, to God. (See Jn. 14:1-6) Will you trust Him also?

Then perhaps surprisingly, Enoch walked with Jehovah God straight on into heaven. Yes, this was extraordinary, miraculous, and supernatural. Hebrews 11:5 says he was “translated” and refers to this as a “translation”—a change to a different location. Much like words can be transported from one language to another, Enoch was transported to Glory to be with God before Noah’s flood! He escaped the coming wrath and judgment through this God-provided passage! 

Like many others, I also see in the translation of Enoch an intimation of the Rapture of the saints when Jesus Christ returns for us prior to the Tribulation judgments (1 Thes. 4:13–18). Perhaps the Lord wanted to assure these suffering Hebrew believers that they too have this hope of being translated as Enoch was, but in the meantime, we must concentrate on walking daily and closely with God. (Wiersbe) Beloved, what is your passage to God? Is it faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? You may look many places to find love and belonging…. I assure you…you cannot do better than Jesus. God created you for the best! He is that “BEST” for you! Beloved, Jesus is who you need.