Living in Godliness

"Living in Godliness" – Genesis 5:22-24 Piety is a virtue that inspires, for the love of God, tender devotion to holy things and for love of neighbor, acts of love and compassion. Actions driven by the love of God. Actions driven by love for others and compassion.

I. Enoch (Genesis 5:22-24) seventh from Adam in the line of Seth and great-grandfather of Noah.

A. The others behaved virtuously, but this one surpassed them all.

1. He was the brightest star of the patriarchal era.

2. His holy conduct in this world, which is mentioned twice: "Enoch walked with God." (V. 22 and 24).

3. Here we have, in this single sentence, the nature, the objective (what must be enforced) and the tenor (firm and stable order) of his conduct because it indicates: true religion.

4. In fact, what is godliness if not walking with God?

5. The wicked and profane are without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12); they walk in ways contrary to God's. (Isaiah 55:8); but the godly walk with God, which supposes they agree with Him.

6. To walk with God is to always have Him present and to feel always present to Him, acting as those who are under God's constant gaze.

7. It is living a life in fellowship with God both "in His ordinances" and in His providences (anticipatory disposition or lead to the attainment of an end).

8. It is to make His Word our standard and His glory our aim (goal or end, ideal) in all our acts.

9. It is to conform to His will, to conform to His designs, and to be His co-workers.

10. He was entirely dead to the world, for he not only walked after God, as all good people do, "but he walked" "with" God, "as if he were already in heaven."

11. It seems as if Enoch is a priest of the Most High God.

12. Now the Holy Spirit, instead of saying that Enoch lived, says he walked with God, "for the life of a holy man consists in walking with God."

13. This was (A) the work of Enoch's life, (B) the joy and sustenance of his life.

14. Its glorious transfer to a better world.

15. Because he did not live like the rest, neither did he die as the rest (24): He disappeared because God took him; that is, as we are told in Hebrews 11:5, he was transferred so that he would not see death, and he was not found, because God removed him.

16. Before the great event that could be brought directly to God; the reason, to have pleased God.

17. When He wants a godly man to die, "God takes him, takes him out of there, and brings him into His presence."

18. Those whose conduct in the world is "truly holy" will find their translation from the world truly happy.

19. (Genesis 6:9) Noah distinguished from the rest of the world and with a peculiar mark of honor upon him.

20. When God was dissatisfied with the rest of the world, He bestowed His favor on Noah, having a good man, He found him and "smiled" on him.

21. So, he was made a vessel of God's mercy.

22. God made him greater and more honorable indeed than all the giants that were in those days, who became mighty and men of renown.

23. Only God's favored ones are really and highly favored.

24. Noah kept his integrity: Noah, a righteous man, was perfect in his conduct.

25. Noah's character appears here, 1) as the reason for the favor that God bestowed upon him, (awarded, granted, give) because God loves those who love Him, 2) as an effect of the favor that God bestowed upon him.

26. It was God's good will toward him that produced this good work in him.

27. Now let's look at his character: A) He was a righteous man, that is, justified before God by faith (Hebrews 11:7).

28. He was perfect not with perfection of sinlessness (of not sinning), but with perfection of sincerity and righteousness.

29. He walked with God.

30. He lived a life of communion with God.

31. God looks down with eyes of grace upon those who sincerely look up with eyes of faith.

32. It's easy to be religious when religion is fashionable, as it is today.

33. It is a clear sign of strong faith and firm resolve to swim to Heaven against the current and to take God's side when no one else is on His side.

34. When Noah was there it was the time of sins of that generation.

35. The earth was "corrupt before God."

36. Full of violence and injustice.

37. But Noah, not even his family saw the violence, nor the injustice. Amen