Abel and Enoch, Faith 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 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: 1 to 6) 

Seeing is believing. That's how we built our belief. For the unseen, we derive our belief from what we have seen. Yet, for the invisible God, it seems to be a different story as described below. 

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1: 19 to 21) 

So, why are there so many non-believers, even atheists? This is true for Israelites too as described below. 

This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt. (Acts 7: 36 to 39) 

Israelites won’t believe God even though Moses performed numerous miracles for God. They acknowledged God but they didn’t trust Him. To trust God, we need to have faith. To have faith, we need to know who God is. When God called out Moses, He introduced Himself as below. 

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3: 13 14) 

So, we need to know that God is the one and only. Yet, that’s not enough as described below. 

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; (James 2: 19 to 22) 

After acknowledging God is one, our heart needed to be convicted to achieve the assurance to honor Him accordingly. That’s faith. Faith is to honor God not just in mind but also in action. Yet, not through flesh, the deceitful knowledge of good and evil, as illustrated through Abel and Cain. Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. They both made offers to God as described below. 

In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. (Genesis 4: 3 to 5) 

Cain tried to satisfy God's righteousness with his own effort, while Abel tried to satisfy God with the blood of a sacrifice. Abel believed that nothing could satisfy God's righteousness but blood. Because of his faith, even though he was killed by Cain, Abel still could speak about the redemption until Christ Jesus, the final sacrifice, to fulfill the redemption for all sins. 

The same thing happened to Enoch as described below. 

Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. (Genesis 5: 22 to 24) 

To Honor God, Enoch walked with God for 300 years faithfully. Because of his faith God took him without him seeing death. This is also described in the Bible as below. 

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1: 17) 

So, faith can not only assure us the salvation but reward us eternal life too. Emmanuel. 

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