04.0000 . Introduction
Introduction:
"Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Genesis 5:24
Such is the simple and sublime description of a godly man, given by the Holy Spirit Himself. God does not change; and godliness does not change, except in its more complete development. From age to age the godly have walked with God — and until the Lord comes, every truly godly man will continue thus to walk. He perseveres in his godly walk unto the end: and then, as in Enoch’s case, the Lord takes him — not indeed the body yet, which sleeps until the general resurrection — but the spirit, which at once joins the company of the redeemed before the throne. It follows that there is no subject of deeper interest, or of more paramount importance to all who desire to be forever with the Lord, than walking with God.
It is the object of this book to tender some Scriptural aid to the Christian pilgrim in his heavenward walk. It shows him where spiritual life, the indispensable pre-requisite to walking with God at all, alone can be found. The dead cannot walk — the lifeless branch produces no fruit.
"It is the Spirit who quickens." Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life." Union with the Lord, through the Spirit, brings with it true spiritual existence to the soul. Of those who are united to Christ, the Apostle says, "You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." The means by which this life is imparted to each consciously responsible member of the Church, is faith. Imperfect as Enoch’s knowledge must probably have been, he believed all that had been revealed to him of God, and of that future Savior, of whom God Himself declared that He should bruise the serpent’s head. In the Epistle to the Hebrews, we read, "By faith, Enoch was taken up to Heaven without dying; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God." Hebrews 11:5 The same Divine principle animated all the godly men, without exception, whose lives are recorded in Holy Writ. They lived and died in faith. The teaching of our blessed Lord is the same; but clearer, fuller, mightier, proceeding from the brightness and life-giving power of the Sun of Righteousness, "Truly, truly, I say unto you, He who hears My Word, and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." The Apostles preached this truth, and none other. "The just shall live by faith." Paul has drawn it out with marvelous concentration, in the precious words, "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
Here we are taught that all who have a spiritual life by virtue of their union with Christ by faith, will not only be absolutely free from condemnation, but also under the gracious guiding of the Spirit, walk habitually in the steps of that Lord in whom they are. And this walking is not confined to great and extraordinary efforts, but more properly belongs to the common every-day temptations, and trials, and duties of daily life. Great efforts have occasionally to be made by the Christian. At one time he must cross the parched and desolate wilderness: at another it will be his duty to climb some mountain height of difficulty; or with the utmost rapidity to run from dangerous temptation; or with dauntless courage to advance to attack the enemies of the Church and the Lord. But ordinarily the walk of the godly in spiritual things resembles the walk in this world of the healthy in body. Each has to proceed quietly, steadily, actively, step by step, and day by day. The truly godly man, whether he eats, or drinks, or whatever he does — will do all to the glory of God. Every step is to be consecrated to the service of his Lord, even his very words are to be under Divine influence: "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt." In the beautiful language of the prophet Zechariah, "In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses: Holiness unto the Lord."
They who most desire, most strive, most pray for this consecration to the Lord, of all the little things of daily life — best know how difficult it is. Such gladly welcome any help which one of their brethren in Christ can bestow. It is hoped that the following pages may, by the help and teaching of the Spirit of God, be found a real and practical benefit by many a sincere pilgrim. The book may be read by many who have not yet begun the spiritual life. To such it may prove, by the quickening power of the Spirit of God, a blessed means of leading them to Him who said to the woman of Samaria, "If you know the gift of God, and Who it is that says to you, Give me a drink — you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you living water!" "Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give shall never thirst: but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." This book is designed, and by God’s help well fitted, to lead men through the Spirit to attain, retain, and maintain the spiritual life. It may be hoped that at the last great day it will be found that many godly people will own, with devout songs of gratitude and praise, it was from this book they were led to receive Christ Jesus the Lord, and to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith. May the number be very great. May they on earth, like Enoch, walk with God; and hereafter, like Enoch, may they be forever with the Lord.
Thomas Vores, October, 1865.