Sunlit Kingdom: The Enoch Test

[MaxPC]

Rocky Cape Christian Community

“Enoch (...) had this testimony, that he pleased God” (Hebrews 11:5).

Yesterday a brother sent me this scripture about Enoch, along with a little test he did for himself. "This is not a trick list," he wrote. "Rather, it is a result of my own quest to discover what I believe to be the difference between:

a. that which is ultimate and universal reality, versus

b. that which is expedient within a given set of non-universal paradigms."

This brother, if it helps to understand the situation, is a member of the Nationwide Mennonite fellowship. An ordained man. He writes:

Please mark with an “A” or with a “B” each of the points listed below.

“A” means: “I am reasonably sure that some people who habitually practice or approve of this may be persons who, like Enoch, please God.”

“B” means: “I am reasonably sure that all people who habitually practice or approve of this do not please God.”


1. Man who wears short pants to work

2. Husband who shouts in anger at his wife and his children

3. Woman who wears small earrings in church services

4. Lady who tells belittling stories about other ladies in order to make herself look like a good supporter of the church and in order to "express her concern" that those other ladies are not as good supporters of the church as they should be

5. Young man who searches for a good wife online at Christian dating sites

6. Fat preacher who overeats, and is greatly appreciated for his inspiring messages on "the church" and who makes sure that his children faithfully keep the dress code of the fellowship

7. Father who teaches his children how to recognize and responsibly drink quality wines

8. Young unmarried lady who faithfully attires herself in her conservative-Christian-church-approved attire and accessories, and who seduces young men from her church to have intimate relations with her

9. Middle-aged brother, member of a conservative church, who withdraws his membership because he believes that he should homeschool his children and let his moustache grow along with the rest of his beard, but his church forbids those things

10. Teenage son who disobeys his father who asks him to wear long sleeve shirts to work (all of the son's friends at church wear short sleeve shirts to work because the church allows that and their fathers do too)

11. Senior spinster sister, member of a conservative fellowship, who withdraws her membership because she feels she should wear loose-fitting, near-ankle-length dresses and a considerably larger head covering than "is appreciated," but her church forbids her to wear those things

12. Young pastor (still in his twenties), who is highly appreciated by his congregation for his faithful testimony, his obedient children, his fervent and sound Bible preaching, his conservative values and practices, his evangelistic work, and who defrauds his wife against her consent (see 1 Cor. 7:5) in order to devote himself "more fully to the work of the church"

13. Roman Catholic parishioner who does justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with God and attends mass regularly

* * * * * *

Shall we be surprised if a good number of faithful "Enochs" show up on the right hand of Christ on the day of his judgement? I do not think so. But what concerns me more is the possibility that others, including me, may have done "all the right things" outwardly, but whose hearts have not been touched by the Saviour's spirit and love.

Thank you, brother, for sharing your Enoch test!

Peter Hoover

Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

[Josh]

I found this list absolutely chilling. A number of those things have zero to do with following Jesus and are not found in the scriptures.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I found this list absolutely chilling. A number of those things have zero to do with following Jesus and are not found in the scriptures.

In some of these cases the solution is to transfer your membership to a group that is in harmony with your views.

In some of the other cases it is, "Have I promised the brotherhood not to do those things."

J.M.

[Josh]

What is particularly chilling is thinking of people I have encountered who are entirely on the wrong side of that list.

Ouch.

[haithabu]

Many people can follow practices like some of these which displease God but please Him in other ways.

[MaxPC]

My impression of the Enoch test was that it's a form of self-examination, for the individual to maintain a watch over his or her own attitudes and motives. Of course YMMV.