Thoughts on Life and Godliness

“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.” — xi. 5.

WHEN we think of Enoch, we think of a man eminent for his holiness. Very little is said about him; but how much is comprehended in that one short sentence, he walked with God.’* How many are the thoughts suggested by these words!

I. A Way. — Not an entrance merely, not a door through which we have to enter, but a road. Not a point to which we have to come, but a line along which we are to travel. Salvation is a way. Salvation is all the way — a path leading right up to glory. So David said not only, “Thou hast brouglt me up out of the horribls pit, and set my feet upon a rock,” but “Thou hast established my goings ‘* (Ps. xl. 2). Here, then, we have not a footing only, but a way. “Enoch walked with God.” Another thought suggested by the words is

II. Progress. — The Scriptures frequently put this truth before us. Is the believer compared to a tree? Then he is to grow — in the root, in the branches. Is the Church compared to a building? Then we read that ‘* all the building, fitly framed together, groweth “(Eph. ii. 21). Or to a body? Then that the whole body, fitly joined together and compacted, “maketh increase’* tSKal&ing h)tt|) &oti, 3

(Eph. iv. 16). So here we have the thought of progress — advancement.

But let us mark the manner of the progress. It is walking. Not limping, or crawling, or moving along like one who is lame. Many things hinder our walking, and these hindrances are illustrated in the miracles wrought by Christ. There was a man brought to our Lord who could not walk — he was sick of the palsy. The first word our Lord spake to him was “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” But those who stood by thought nothing of this. It was when Jesus had said, “Arise, take up thy bed, and walk” and the man obeying, that the people were amazed, and glorified God, and said, “We never saw it on this fashion.” So let us remember, if we have pardon, the world cannot see the forgiveness of our sins. But let us obey Christ’s command. Arise and walk, and then they will not only be astonished, they will glorify our Father who is in heaven. Look at another example (Luke

xiii. ii) — the woman with a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and who was bowed together, and could in nowise lift up herself. Walking implies an upright, erect attitude; but here was one who was bent down. Are there not many Christians who, though they are in the right road, are not in a true attitude? Jesus saw her, called her, spoke to her, and laid His hands on her, and she was made straight and glorified God. So if we are really walking with God we shall lift up our face unto Him (Job. xxii. 26).

But there are others again who are hindered walking, because, like Lazarus, they are bound. They have heard the voice of Jesus saying “Come forth,” but they need the words “Loose him, and let him go.” They have life, but they need liberty. Here, then, are some of the hindrances to our progress — to our walking with God. Some are sick, some are bowed down, some are bound with grave-clothes: and then there are those whose limbs are out of joint. The Apostle prayed

for the Hebrew converts, The God of peace, make you perfect “— put you into joint —” in every good work to do His will.” So long as the limb is dislocated progress will be a hard and painful process; and so, many Christians tell us it is. But walking is an easy healthy f and pleasant exercise. It should not be toil, but liberty. “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This is true in experience only when the will and the affections are in harmony with God; if the machinery is out of gear how can it work smoothly?

“Enoch walked with God.”’ He that is not with Me is against Me.*’ Here we have

III. Friendship. — “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” They may walk in the same road — one following a long way after the other, as Peter followed Jesus afar off; but they cannot walk together. What does it mean? Identity of desires, of feelings, of objects; the same joys, the same aims. This leads to

IV. Communion. — “With Goi” — inter-V&atkins M^ 6titi.

course between the soul and God. God speaks to us, through His word. We speak to Him, in prayer. To walk with God does not mean walking to the light, but in the light, and abiding in it. And lastly there is

V. Fellowship. — This is morethan Friendship, or Intercourse, or Communion. It is Partnership with God. It is more-r-it is Participation of God. “Partakers of the Divine Nature.” To have, not only His Favour — but His Life. Not merely the life that He gives, but the life that He lives. The life of God in the soul. It is to this we are called — unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord “(i Cor., 9). When you received Christ, you received Him in whom “all fulness dwells.” God has called you to a participation of that fulness.

Let us look at a prayer and a promise bearing on this wonderful subject of “Walking with God” —

Ps. lvi. 13: For Thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not Thou deliver my

feet from fallings that I may walk before God in the light of the living?” Observe the ground we are privileged to occupy as believers in the Lord Jesus. We can say, “Thou hast delivered my soul from death.” Salvation, so far as justification and acceptance are concerned, is a completed thing. We have been saved from death — we are passed from death unto life Qohn v. 24). And. moreover, Christ in glory is our standing; as He is, so are we in this world, in God the Father’s sight. With what confidence then may we pray, Deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk,’^ We have received the greatest blessing {soul from death may we not confidently expect the lesser mercy (feet from falling — sliding back)? And for our encouragement He has given us a promise — John viii. 12: “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” When Jesus says, “I a/w,” we must think not so much of His gifts as of Himself Is it light

we need on our way? Then He says, “I am the light” And what does He promise? Freedom from darkness. To be living in any known sin i to be in darkness. To be walking in uncertainty as to our acceptance with God, or as to whether we please Him, is to be in darkness. To be spending our days in gloom and sadness is to be in darkness. But ‘Jesus says I shall not walk in darkness. If then to-day I am in darkness, there must be something wrong somewhere; not in His Word, His precious promise, but in me, in my experience. And what is the cause? This blessing is conditional. “He that/oZloweth Me.” It is not enough that I have ‘’come’’ to Him; I must ‘’follow“*! must ‘’abide’’ in Him. If I am really following Him — walking with God — I shall not abide in darkness. I shall find the truth of these words in Proverbs iv. 18, in my own experience: “The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” There are various

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