What kind of faith do you have?  We all know that we are saved by faith, but what many do not understand is that not all faith saves.  The Bible refers to many different degrees of faith.  For example, it speaks of both strong and weak faith.  It tells us about those who are almost persuaded, like King Agrippa, and those who are fully persuaded, like Abraham.  So, the question that needs to be asked is not do we have faith, but what kind of faith do we have?

This week we are looking at examples of great faith taken from Hebrews 11.  Last night we looked at Abel.  His faith led him to live a righteous life.  Tonight, let us consider Enoch for a few minutes.

Enoch is a great example of what it means to trust God.  This is seen when we realize just what it was that Enoch believed.  He believed in the existence of God, but his faith was deeper than just that.  Enoch believed what God said.  In other words, he trusted the Word of God.  He believed that he was going to be taken up.  Why?  Because God told him it would be so.  We do not have the conversation recorded for us, but we know the conversation took place because faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).  If Enoch was taken up by faith, he must have heard the Word of God concerning the matter.  Was it by faith that Enoch was taken up?  Yes!

Hebrews 11:5 (ESV)
⁵ 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.

What a wonderful picture this gives us of Enoch and his faith.  Remember, faith is, in part, the conviction of things not seen (ver. 1).  So, when God told Enoch that He was going to take him to heaven, he had to believe in something that he had never seen before.  He had to believe in something that was, in his day, unheard of, and must have seemed impossible.  Yet, he believed God.  Why? He believed God because he trusted Him.  You see, trusting God is an integral part of faith.  Listen to Thayer’s definition of faith.

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
Conviction of the truth of anything, belief; “in the N.T. of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust.

To have faith, then, is to believe in God, with an underlying sense of trust.  Having true faith in God and trusting God are two inseparable concepts.  We trust God because we believe in Him.  We believe in His Word, His power, and His character.  This is what faith in God is all about—trusting Him in all aspects of our lives.  This is what Enoch did, and we need to follow in his steps.

What kind of faith do you have?  Is it really a trusting faith?  Do you believe everything that God says in His Word?  When Paul was caught in a storm, he knew that he would survive even though the situation looked hopeless, so much so that everyone else on the ship had given up all hope (Acts 27:20).  But, listen to Paul.

Acts 27:22–25 (KJV 1900)
²² And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. ²³ For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, ²⁴ Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. ²⁵ Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

Like Enoch before him, all Paul needed was the Word of God, and he knew he would be okay.  Why?  His trust in God led him to believe His Word.  That’s saving faith, and we should all possess it.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.