Section 23

23. A godly man walks with God, Genesis 6. 9. Noah walked with God. The Age in which Noah lived was very corrupt, verse 5. The wickedness of man was great in the earth: But the iniquity of the times could not put Noah out of his walk; Noah walked with God. Noah is called a Preacher of Righteousness, 2 Peter 2. 5.

Noah preached 1. By Doctrine; his preaching was (say some of the Rabbis) after this manner; Turn ye from your evil ways, that the waters of the Flood come not upon you, and cut off the whole seed of the Race of Adam.

2. Noah preached by his life; he preached by his humility, patience, sanctity; Noah walked with God.

Question. What is it to walk with God?

Answer. Walking with God imports five things.

1. A walking as under God's eye: Noah did reverence a Deity: A godly man sets himself as in God's presence, knowing his Judge looks on, Psalm 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me, Here was David's Optics.

2. Walking with God implies the familiarity and intimacy the soul has with God: Friends walk together, and solace themselves with one another: The godly make known their requests to God, and he makes known his love to them. There is a sweet intercourse between God and his people, 1 John 1. 3. Our [Greek word], our Communion is with the Father, and his Son Jesus.

3. Walking with God, is a walking above the earth: A godly man is elevated above all sublunary objects; that person must ascend very high, who walks with God: A Dwarf cannot walk among the Stars; nor can a dwarfish earthly soul walk with God.

4. Walking with God, denotes visible piety; walking is a visible posture; grace must be conspicuous to the beholders: He walks with God, who discovers something of God in his carriage; he shines forth in a Bible-Conversation.

5. Walking with God, imports a continued progress in Grace; it is not only a step, but a walk; there is a going on towards perfection: A godly man does not sit down in the middle of his way, but goes on till he comes at the end of his Faith, 1 Peter 1. 9. Though a good man may be extra semitam, yet not extra viam: He may through infirmity step aside (as Peter did) but he recovers himself by repentance, and goes on in a progress of holiness, Job 17. 9. The righteous also shall hold on his way.

Use 1. See from hence, how improper it is to call them godly, who do not walk with God: They would have Noah's Crown, but they do not love Noah's walk: Most are found in the Devil's black walk, Philippians 3. 18. Many walk, of whom I tell you weeping, that they are the Enemies of the Cross of Christ.**

1. Some will commend walking with God, and say it is the rarest life in the world, but will not set one foot in the way; all that commend Wine do not come up to the price; many a Father commends virtue to his Child, but does not set him a pattern.

2. Others walk a few steps in the good old way,** but they retreat back again: If the ways of God were not good, why did they enter into them? If they were good, why did they forsake them? 2 Peter 2. 21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment.

3. Others slander walking with God, that it is a melancholy walk, and such as are less zealous, are more prosperous; this God accounts blasphemy, 2 Peter 2. 2. The way of truth shall be evil spoken of: In the Greek it is [Greek word], it shall be blasphemed.

4. Others deride walking with God, as if it were a way of foolish preciseness: What, you will be of the Holy Tribe? You will be wiser than others? There are some persons, if it were in their power, would jeer Holiness out of the world: The Chair of the Scornful stands at the Mouth of Hell.

5. Others instead of walking with God, walk [Greek word] after the flesh.**

- 1. They walk by Fleshly Opinions. - 2. They walk after Fleshly Lusts.

1. They walk by Fleshly Opinions. There are six of these.

1. That it is best to do as the most do, to steer [Greek word], after the course of the World; to be in the Mode, not to get a new heart, but to get into a new fashion.

2 That Reason is the highest Judge and Umpire in matters of Religion; we must believe no farther, than we can see; for a man to become a fool that he may be wise, to be saved purely by the righteousness of another; to keep all, by losing all; this the natural man will by no means put in his Creed.

3 That a little Religion will serve the turn; the lifeless form may in policy be kept up, but zeal is Frenzy; the world thinks that religion to be best, which like leaf-gold, is spread very thin.

4 That way is not good, which is exposed to affliction, a stick, though it be straight, yet under water it seems crooked: So Religion, if it be under affliction, appears to a carnal eye crooked.

5 That all a man's care should be for the present; as that profane Cardinal said, he would leave his part in Paradise, to keep his Cardinalship in Paris.

6 That Sinning is better than Suffering; 'tis more discretion to keep the skin whole, than the Conscience pure: These are such Rules, as the Crooked Serpent has found out, which whosoever walk by, shall not know Peace.

2 They walk after fleshly lusts, they do [Greek word] turn Caterers for the flesh, Romans 13. 14. such an one was the Emperor Heliogabalus, he so indulged the flesh, that he never sat but among sweet flowers, mixed with Amber and Musk; he attired himself with Purple, set with precious stones; he burned in his Lamps, instead of oil, a costly Balsam brought from Arabia, very odoriferous; he bathed himself in perfumed waters, he did [Greek word], he put his body to no other use, but to be a strainer for meat and drink to run through.

Thus Sinners walk after the flesh, if a drunken or unclean lust call, they gratify it; they brand all for cowards, who dare not sin after the same rate as they do. These instead of walking with God, walk contrary to him: Lust is the Compass they sail by, Satan is their Pilot, and Hell the Port they are bound for.

Use 2 Let us try whether we have this Character of the godly, do we walk with God? That may be known,

1 By the way we walk in; it is a private retired way, wherein only some few holy ones walk: therefore it is called a Path-way, to distinguish it from the common road, Proverbs 12. 28. In the path-way thereof is no death.

2 If we walk with God, then we walk in the fear of God, Genesis 5. 22. Enoch walked with God: The Chaldean Version renders it, he walked in the fear of the Lord; the godly are fearful of that which may displease God, Genesis 39. 9. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God: this is not a base servile fear, but

1 A fear springing from affection, Hosea 3. 5. a child fears to offend his father, out of the tender affection he bears to him: This made holy Anselm say, If Sin were on one side, and Hell on the other, I would rather leap into Hell, than willingly offend my God.

2 It is a fear joined with affiance, Hebrews 11. 7. By faith, Noah moved with fear: Faith and fear go hand in hand; when the soul looks upon God's holiness, he fears; when he looks upon God's promises, he believes: A godly man does tremble, yet trust; fear preserves reverence, faith preserves cheerfulness; fear keeps the soul from lightness, faith keeps it from overmuch sadness: By this we may know whether we walk with God, if we walk in the fear of God, we are fearful of infringing his Laws, and forfeiting his love: It is a brand set upon sinners, Romans 3. 18. They have not the fear of God before their eyes. The godly fear and offend not, Psalm 4. 4. the wicked offend and fear not, Jeremiah 5. 23, 24. Loose and dissolute walking will soon estrange God from us, and make him weary of our company, 2 Corinthians 6. 4. What communion hath light with darkness?

Use 2. Let me persuade all who would be accounted godly, to get into Noah's walk: Though the truth of grace be in the heart, yet the beauty of it is seen in the walk.

1. Walking with God is very pleasing to God: He that walks with God, declares to the world what is the company he loves most; his fellowship is with the Father; he counts those the sweetest hours which are spent with God; this is very grateful and acceptable to God, Genesis 5. 24. Enoch walked with God. And see how kindly God took this at Enoch's hands, Hebrews 11. 4. He had this testimony, that he pleased God.

2. Close walking with God, will be a good means to entice and allure others to walk with him. The Apostle exhorts Wives to walk so, that the Husbands might be won by the Conversation of the Wives, 1 Peter 3. 1. Justin Martyr confessed he became a Christian, by beholding the holy and innocent lives of the Primitive Saints.

3. Close walking with God, would put to silence the Adversaries of the Truth, 1 Peter 2. 15. A loose carriage, puts a Sword into wicked men's hands to wound Religion: What a sad thing is it, when it shall be said of Professors, they are as proud, as covetous, as unjust as others: Will not this expose the ways of God to contempt? But holy and close walking, would stop the mouths of sinners, that they should not be able to speak against God's people, without giving themselves the lie. Satan came to Christ, and found nothing in him, John 14. 30. What a confounding thing will it be to the wicked, when they shall have nothing to fasten as a crime upon the godly, but their holiness, Daniel 6. 5. We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his God.

4. Walking with God is a pleasant walk: The ways of Wisdom are called Pleasantness, Proverbs 3. 17. Is not the light pleasant? Psalm 89. 15. They shall walk (O Lord,) in the light of thy countenance. Walking with God, is like walking among Beds of Spices, which send forth a fragrant perfume. This is it which brings peace, Acts 9. 31. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the joys of the Holy Ghost. While we walk with God, what sweet Music does the Bird of Conscience make in our breast? Psalm 138. 5. They shall sing in the ways of the Lord.

5. Walking with God is honourable; it is a credit for one of an inferior rank to walk with a King: What greater dignity can be put upon a mortal man, than to converse with his Maker, and to take a turn with God every day.

6. Walking with God leads to rest, Hebrews 4. 9. There remains a rest for the people of God. The Philosopher says, Motion tends to rest.** Indeed there is a motion which does not tend to rest; they who walk with their sins shall never have rest, Revelation 4. 8. They rest not day and night: But they that walk with God, shall sit down in the Kingdom of God, Luke 13. 29. As a weary traveller when he comes home sits down and rests him, Revelation 3. 21. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my Throne. A Throne denotes Honor, and sitting, denotes rest.

7. Walking with God is the most safe walking: Walking in the ways of sin, is like walking upon the edge of a River: The sinner treads upon the banks of the bottomless Pit, and if Death gives him a jog, he tumbles in; but it is safe going in God's way, Proverbs 3. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely: He walks safe, who walks with a Guard; he that walks with God, shall have God's Spirit to guard him from sin, and God's Angels to guard him from danger, Psalm 91. 11.

8. Walking with God will make death sweet: It was Augustus's wish, that he might have an [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], a quiet easy death, without much pain. If anything make our pillow easy at death, it will be this, that we have walked with God in our generation: Do we think walking with God can do us any hurt? Did we ever hear any cry out upon their deathbed, that they have been too holy, that they have prayed too much, or walked with God too much? No, that which has cut them to the heart, has been this, that they have walked no more closely with God; they have wrung their hands, and torn their hair, to think that they have been so bewitched with the pleasures of the world: Close walking with God, will make our Enemy (Death) to be at peace with us. King Ahashuerus, when he could not sleep, called for the Book of Records, and read in it, Esther 6. 1. So when the violence of sickness causes sleep to depart from our eyes, and we can call for Conscience (that Book of Records) and find written in it, such a day we humbled our souls by fasting, such a day our hearts melted in prayer; such a day we had sweet communion with God; what a reviving will this be? How may we look death in the face with comfort, and say, Lord, now take us up to thee in Heaven, where we have so often been by affection, let us now be by fruition.

9 Walking with God; is the best way to know the mind of God; friends who walk together, impart their secrets one to another, Psalm 25. 14. The secrets of the Lord, is with them that fear him. Noah walked with God, and the Lord revealed a great secret to him, of destroying the Old World, and saving him in the Ark. Abraham walked with God, Genesis 24. 40. and God made him one of his Privy-council, Genesis 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? God does sometimes sweetly unbosom himself to the soul in Prayer, and in the holy Supper, as Christ made himself known to the Disciples, in the breaking of bread, Luke 24. 35

10 They who walk with God, shall never be wholly left of God; the Lord may retire himself for a time, to make his people cry after him the more, but he will not quite leave them, Isaiah 54. 8. I hid my face for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee. God will not cast off any of his old acquaintance, he will not part with one that has borne him company. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him, Genesis 5. 24. He took him up to heaven, as the Arabic renders it; Enoch was lodged in the bosom of divine Love.

Question. How may we do to walk with God?

Answer. 1 Get out of the old road of sin; he that would walk in a pleasant meadow, must turn out of the road. The way of sin is full of Travelers, there are so many traveling in this road, that hell, though it be of a great circumference, is fain to enlarge itself, and make room for them, Isaiah 5. 14. This way of sin seems pleasant, but the end is damnable. I have (says the Harlot) perfumed my bed, with Myrrh, Aloes, and Cinnamon, Proverbs 7. 17. See how with one sweet (the Cinnamon) there were two bitters, Myrrh, and Aloes: for that little sweet in sin at present, there will be a far greater proportion of bitterness afterwards: Therefore get out of these briars, you cannot walk with God and sin, 2 Corinthians 6. 14. What fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness?

2 If you would walk with God, get acquaintance with him, Job 22. 21. Acquaint now thyself with him. Know God in his attributes and promises; strangers do not walk together.

3 Get all differences removed, Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they are agreed? This agreement and reconciliation is made by faith, Romans 3. 25. Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood. When once we are friends, then we shall be called up to the Mount as Moses, and have this dignity conferred on us, to be the favorites of heaven, and to walk with God.

4 If you would walk with God, get a liking to the ways of God: They are adorned with beauty, Proverbs 4. 18. sweetened with pleasure, Proverbs 3. 17. fenced with truth, Revelation 15. 3. accompanied with Life, Acts 2. 28. lengthened with eternity, Habakkuk 3. 6. Be enamored with the way of Religion, and you will soon walk in it.

5 If you would walk with God, take hold of his arm; such as walk in their own strength, will soon grow weary and tire: Psalm 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: We cannot walk with God, without God; let us press him with his promise, Isaiah 36. 27. I will cause you to walk in my statutes: If God take us by the hand, then we shall walk and not faint, Isaiah 40. 31.

23. A godly man walks with God. Genesis 6:9: Noah walked with God. The age in which Noah lived was deeply corrupt. Verse 5: The wickedness of man was great in the earth. But the wickedness of the times could not knock Noah off his path. Noah walked with God. Noah is called a preacher of righteousness in 2 Peter 2:5.

Noah preached first by his teaching. According to some of the rabbis, his message ran something like this: Turn from your evil ways, or the waters of the flood will come and wipe out the entire human race.

Second, Noah preached by his life. He preached through his humility, patience, and holiness. Noah walked with God.

Question: What does it mean to walk with God?

Answer: Walking with God involves five things.

1. Walking as under God's eye. Noah lived with a deep sense of God's presence. A godly man keeps himself aware that he is before God, knowing his Judge is watching. Psalm 16:8: I have set the Lord always before me. This was how David saw his life.

2. Walking with God means enjoying a close friendship and intimacy with Him. Friends walk together and find comfort in each other's company. The godly make their needs known to God, and He makes His love known to them. There is a sweet exchange between God and His people. 1 John 1:3: Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

3. Walking with God is walking above earthly things. A godly person is lifted above all things that belong only to this world. A person must rise very high to walk with God. A dwarf cannot walk among the stars — and a small, earthbound soul cannot walk with God.

4. Walking with God implies visible godliness. Walking is a visible posture — grace must be observable to those who watch. The person who walks with God shows something of God in his manner of life. His conduct speaks like an open Bible.

5. Walking with God implies ongoing progress in grace. It is not merely a step but a walk — there is a continuing movement toward maturity. A godly man does not stop in the middle of the road but presses on until he reaches the end of his faith, as 1 Peter 1:9 says. Though a godly man may at times step off the path, he does not leave the road. He may stumble through weakness — as Peter did — but he recovers himself through repentance and continues in a life of growing holiness. Job 17:9: The righteous holds to his way.

Application 1: It is plain how wrong it is to call those godly who do not walk with God. They would like Noah's reward but do not love Noah's walk. Most people are found on the devil's dark road. Philippians 3:18: Many walk, of whom I tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ.

1. Some will praise walking with God and say it is the finest life in the world — but will not take a single step in that direction. Not everyone who praises fine wine is willing to pay the price. Many a father commends virtue to his child but sets no example of it himself.

2. Others take a few steps along the good old way, but then turn back. If the ways of God were not good, why did they enter them? If they were good, why did they forsake them? 2 Peter 2:21: For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment.

3. Others slander walking with God, saying it is a gloomy and joyless life, and that those who are less devoted seem to prosper more. God counts this blasphemy. 2 Peter 2:2: The way of truth will be spoken evil of. The Greek word means it will be blasphemed.

4. Others mock walking with God as if it were ridiculous scrupulousness. What — you're going to join the holy crowd? You think you're wiser than everyone else? Some people, if they had the power, would laugh holiness out of existence. The seat of the scornful stands at the mouth of hell.

5. Others, instead of walking with God, walk after the flesh.

1. They walk by fleshly opinions. 2. They walk after fleshly lusts.

1. They walk by fleshly opinions. There are six of these.

1. That it is best to do what most people do — to follow the course of the world; to stay fashionable rather than to get a new heart.

2. That human reason is the highest judge in matters of religion. We should believe only as far as we can see. To become a fool in order to be wise — to be saved entirely by another's righteousness — to gain everything by giving everything up: none of this will the natural man put in his creed.

3. That a little religion is enough. The lifeless form may be maintained for appearance's sake, but zeal is madness. The world thinks the best religion is like gold leaf — spread very thin.

4. That any path that leads to suffering cannot be the right path. A stick that is straight will appear bent when you look at it underwater. In the same way, religion that is under affliction looks crooked to a worldly eye.

5. That all a person's concern should be for the present life. As one godless cardinal said, he would gladly give up his share in paradise to keep his position in Paris.

6. That sinning is better than suffering. It shows more wisdom, they say, to keep your skin intact than your conscience pure. These are the rules laid down by the crooked serpent — and whoever walks by them will never know peace.

2. Others walk after fleshly lusts — they make themselves caterers for the body, as Romans 13:14 says. Such was the Emperor Heliogabalus, who indulged his body so extravagantly that he would sit only among sweet flowers mixed with amber and musk. He clothed himself in purple studded with precious stones. He burned in his lamps, instead of oil, a costly aromatic balsam imported from Arabia. He bathed in perfumed water. He put his body to no other use than as a vessel through which food and drink could pass.

This is how sinners walk after the flesh — if a drunken or immoral desire calls, they satisfy it. They call everyone cowards who will not sin as boldly as they do. Instead of walking with God, they walk contrary to Him. Lust is the compass they sail by, Satan is their pilot, and hell is the port they are bound for.

Application 2: Let us examine whether we have this mark of the godly — do we walk with God? This can be known —

First, by the road you travel. The path of godliness is a quiet, less-traveled road on which only a few holy people walk. This is why it is called a path rather than a highway. Proverbs 12:28: In the path of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

Second, if we walk with God, we walk in the fear of God. Genesis 5:22: Enoch walked with God. The Chaldean translation renders this: he walked in the fear of the Lord. The godly are careful about anything that might displease God. Genesis 39:9: How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? This is not a cowering, servile fear, but —

First, a fear that springs from love. Hosea 3:5. A child fears to offend his father out of the tender love he bears for him. This was what made holy Anselm say: If sin were on one side and hell on the other, I would rather leap into hell than willingly offend my God.

Second, it is a fear joined with trust. Hebrews 11:7: By faith, Noah, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark. Faith and fear go hand in hand. When the soul looks at God's holiness, it fears. When it looks at God's promises, it trusts. A godly man trembles, yet trusts. Fear preserves reverence; faith preserves joy. Fear keeps the soul from being careless; faith keeps it from being crushed. By this we can know whether we walk with God: if we walk in the fear of God, we are careful not to break His laws or forfeit His love. Scripture brands sinners with this mark. Romans 3:18: There is no fear of God before their eyes. The godly fear God and do not sin, as Psalm 4:4 says. The wicked sin and do not fear, as Jeremiah 5:23-24 says. Loose and careless living will soon drive God away from us and make Him weary of our company. 2 Corinthians 6:14: What fellowship has light with darkness?

Application 3: Let me urge all who want to be counted godly to take up Noah's walk. Though the reality of grace lives in the heart, its beauty is seen in the walk.

1. Walking with God is deeply pleasing to God. The person who walks with God declares to the world who he most loves to be with. His fellowship is with the Father. He counts those the sweetest hours that are spent with God. This is precious and acceptable to God. Genesis 5:24: Enoch walked with God. And see how warmly God responded to Enoch's walk. Hebrews 11:5: He had this testimony — that he pleased God.

2. A close walk with God is a powerful means of drawing others to walk with Him. The apostle urges wives to walk in such a way that their husbands might be won by watching their conduct. 1 Peter 3:1. Justin Martyr confessed that he became a Christian by observing the holy and blameless lives of the early saints.

3. A close walk with God would silence the opponents of the truth. 1 Peter 2:15. A careless way of living puts a sword in the hands of wicked people to wound religion. How damaging it is when it can be said of professing Christians: they are as proud, as greedy, as dishonest as anyone else. Will that not bring the ways of God into contempt? But a holy and close walk with God would stop the mouths of sinners so completely that they could not speak against God's people without contradicting themselves. Satan came to Christ and found nothing in Him to accuse, as John 14:30 records. What a defeat it will be for the wicked when they can find nothing to charge against the godly except their very holiness. Daniel 6:5: We shall find no ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.

4. Walking with God is a pleasant walk. The ways of wisdom are called pleasantness in Proverbs 3:17. Is not light pleasant? Psalm 89:15: They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your face. Walking with God is like walking through beds of fragrant spices. This is what brings peace. Acts 9:31: Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. While we walk with God, what sweet music the bird of conscience makes within us. Psalm 138:5: They will sing of the ways of the Lord.

5. Walking with God is an honor. It is a distinction for someone of low rank to walk alongside a king. What greater dignity could be given to a mortal person than to converse with his Maker and take a daily walk with God?

6. Walking with God leads to rest. Hebrews 4:9: There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. As the philosopher said: motion tends toward rest. There is a kind of motion, however, that never arrives at rest. Those who walk with their sins will never have rest. Revelation 14:11: They have no rest, day or night. But those who walk with God will sit down in the kingdom of God. Luke 13:29. Like a weary traveler who comes home and finally sits down. Revelation 3:21: To the one who conquers I will grant to sit with Me on My throne. A throne speaks of honor, and sitting speaks of rest.

7. Walking with God is the safest walk. Walking in the ways of sin is like walking on the bank of a river. The sinner treads on the edge of the bottomless pit, and if death gives him a nudge, he falls in. But walking in God's way is safe. Proverbs 3:23: Then you will walk on your way securely. The person who walks with a guard walks safely. The person who walks with God will have God's Spirit to guard him from sin and God's angels to guard him from danger. Psalm 91:11.

8. Walking with God will make death peaceful. Augustus wished for a quiet and easy death, free from much pain. If anything can make our pillow easy at death, it will be this — that we walked with God throughout our lives. Has anyone ever cried out on their deathbed that they were too holy, that they prayed too much, or walked too closely with God? No. What has cut people to the heart is that they did not walk more closely with God. They have wrung their hands in anguish to think how they were enchanted by the pleasures of this world. A close walk with God will make even death our friend. King Ahasuerus, when he could not sleep, called for the book of records and had it read to him, as Esther 6:1 says. In the same way, when sickness drives sleep from our eyes and we call for conscience — that book of records — and find written in it: on this day I humbled my soul before God in fasting; on this day my heart melted in prayer; on this day I had sweet communion with God — what a comfort that will be. We will be able to face death with peace and say: Lord, take me now to heaven — the place I have so often visited in longing. Let me now go not in desire but in possession.

9. Walking with God is the surest way to know the mind of God. Friends who walk together share their secrets with one another. Psalm 25:14: The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him. Noah walked with God — and the Lord revealed to him the great secret of destroying the old world and saving him in the ark. Abraham walked with God, as Genesis 24:40 says, and God admitted him into His inner counsel. Genesis 18:17: Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? God sometimes opens His heart sweetly to the soul in prayer and at the Lord's Supper — just as Christ made Himself known to the disciples in the breaking of bread, as Luke 24:35 records.

10. Those who walk with God will never be completely abandoned by Him. The Lord may withdraw for a time to make His people cry after Him more urgently, but He will not utterly leave them. Isaiah 54:8: In a moment of anger I hid My face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you. God will not turn away any of His old companions. He will not abandon someone who has kept Him company. Enoch walked with God, and then he was no more, for God took him, as Genesis 5:24 says. He took him up to heaven — as the Arabic rendering expresses it. Enoch was gathered into the arms of divine love.

Question: How can we walk with God?

Answer: 1. Leave the old road of sin. A person who wants to walk in a pleasant meadow must turn off the main road. The road of sin is crowded with travelers. So many are going that way that hell, vast as it is, has had to enlarge itself to make room for them. Isaiah 5:14. This road of sin looks attractive. The woman says: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon, as Proverbs 7:17 says. Notice: for every one sweet thing — the cinnamon — there are two bitter things — myrrh and aloes. For the small sweetness sin offers now, there will be a far greater measure of bitterness afterward. Therefore get out of these thorns. You cannot walk with God and with sin. 2 Corinthians 6:14: What fellowship has righteousness with wickedness?

2. If you want to walk with God, get to know Him. Job 22:21: Agree with God and be at peace. Learn God through His attributes and His promises. Strangers do not walk together.

3. Have all differences between you and God resolved. Amos 3:3: Do two walk together unless they have agreed to meet? This agreement and reconciliation comes through faith. Romans 3:25: Whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. Once we are made friends with God through Christ, we will be called up to the mountain as Moses was — honored as favorites of heaven and invited to walk with God.

4. If you want to walk with God, develop a love for God's ways. They are adorned with beauty, as Proverbs 4:18 says. They are sweetened with pleasure, as Proverbs 3:17 says. They are secured by truth, as Revelation 15:3 says. They come with life, as Acts 2:28 says. They stretch into eternity, as Habakkuk 3:6 says. Fall in love with the way of religion and you will soon be walking in it.

5. If you want to walk with God, take hold of His arm. Those who walk in their own strength will quickly grow tired and give out. Psalm 71:16: I will go in the strength of the Lord God. We cannot walk with God without God. Let us press Him on His promise. Isaiah 36:27: I will cause you to walk in My statutes. If God takes us by the hand, we will walk and not grow faint. Isaiah 40:31.