Justified and Enjoyable

Abel and Enoch beautifully illustrate two aspects of God's work in his children: justification and approval. In Hebrews chapter 11 these two patriarchs appear heading the gallery of the heroes of faith.

Abel is the first of whom it is said that he was justified by faith. And he was justified not by his conduct-good, no doubt-but by his offering. His faith provoked a fact centered not on himself, but on that with which he presented himself before God. To present ourselves before God, we must not let his gaze rest on us directly, but on our offering, so as not to be consumed.

Abel's offering is Christ himself, who, as the Lamb, was slain, and by whose blood we stand clean before the presence of God. Abel died early at the hands of his ungodly brother; therefore, his example is the example of early things, of early faith, of saving faith.

It is different with Enoch. He had a long walk-though doubtless a brief one compared to that of his father and son-in which he enjoyed intimacy with God. And in this, Enoch represents the path that follows justification, that is, what we do after we are justified by faith. In two passages, Genesis says: "And Enoch walked with God" (5:22, 24).

What could not be shown to us in Abel because of his short existence, is shown to us in Enoch, in his exemplary way of living close to God. Having walked with God, he bore witness to having pleased God. Abel attained righteousness in his single act of faith; Enoch obtained the pleasure of God by his long journey with him. Oh, how different is being justified from pleasing God! The former embraces a second; the latter, a lifetime.

If we could peek into that intimacy of Enoch with God, how many practical lessons we would see. What was there, however, is not described to us. A veil of mystery covers that sublime friendship of God with a mortal.

But God has not been left without testimony, nor has he deprived us of the necessary lights so that we do not stray from the path. Perhaps the key is in the very phrase: "He walked with God". Not God with Enoch, but Enoch with God; that is, not in man's way, but in God's way.

There are so many ideas, presuppositions and methods that the human heart contains, that it would be enough to empty ourselves of them to take from God the guidelines of how to walk with him. Emptying ourselves of so much humanity, and filling ourselves with divinity through his Word, through his Spirit, through his life; dedicating ourselves to listening to him and believing him, instead of doing so many things in our own way; remaining still, to see how God saves us every day.

Abel and Enoch are two names, two lives, but one reality in the believer. Two examples to be lived in every life.

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