Saving Faith
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
People become totally corrupt
People become totally corrupt
Sons of God, vs. 1,2
debate over what this was exactly.
Angels having relations with women,
Or powerful men doing whatever they wanted.
There was apparently rampant immorality and violence.
Every intent of the heart was evil, continually, vs. 5.
God was sorry he had made people.
He decided to destroy humans, and even the animals.
Why the animals.
There was to be a cleansing of the earth with water.
God gave them 120 yrs. until he would destroy the earth with water.
I used to think that God had reduced the lifespan of people to this amount then.
Also, it probably didn’t take this long to build the ark.
Answers in Genesis estimates 55-75 yrs. max. They have it broken down as to why, going by the birth of the sons, then they had wives and God told Noah he would save him and his son’s wives.
Noah found favor with God
Noah found favor with God
Vs. 8. Grace - we often so it means unmerited favor.
In this case it doesn’t portray grace as unmerited.
Vs. 9. Noah was a just man. Perfect. He walked with God.
This isn’t to say that Noah did this without the help of God.
That would be the other extreme, with its own set of problems.
God knows our weakness. He is ready and willing to help us be righteous.
God can can extend grace or favor, without it being totally unmerited.
This was in the terribly wicked environment.
The last lesson we considered that Enoch walked with God and was taken by God.
Noah was in this place of communion with God.
Lesson for us.
The importance of being in this place of communion with God.
Noah believed and acted.
Noah believed and acted.
God gave the blueprints or specifications. vs. 14-16.
I enjoy blueprints.
Taking something on the paper, and making something.
But sometimes they are frustrating.
Even if they are we need to follow them.
This tension between listening to jobsite Superintendents and following the drawings. We often talk about how it really takes the right personality in a foreman to walk this line.
If it is wrong it is our fault even if they told us to do it.
If you don’t listen to them, then you have to deal with them, being upset.
I am sure this pails in comparison to opposition and ridicule that Noah dealt with while building the Ark.
Why do you have to do it like this etc.
Taco Bell example.
God gives the specs then states how he will destroy everything.
Vs. 18. Then promises to enter a covenant with Noah.
It takes 2 faithful parties to maintain a covenant.
It is I will do this, if you do this.
If Noah follows through and obeys what God said. God will take send the flood and God will save Noah and his family.
And Noah did it. Vs. 22.
Noah an Example of saving faith
Noah an Example of saving faith
Noah believed God, and acted.
He was moved by godly fear.
Sometimes godly fear is not well spoken of.
It is a biblical element of motivation to live godly lives.
It is a biblical element of moving sinners to repentance.
7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
2 Peter 2:4 God will bring judgement on the ungodly.
Only a few were Saved.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
Matthew 24:36
This is how the second coming of Christ will be.
Noah obviously believed and acted.
Is this compatible with the New Covenant era of Salvation by faith.
Rom. 4.
It depends what we mean by faith.
Noah certainly had faith.
Abraham had the same faith as Noah.
We certainly believe in salvation by faith.
But we can’t say actually obeying and following Jesus is somehow optional and we can somehow have faith with out this.
We have to look at James in this discussion.
James 2:14
So what do we mean by faith.
A side note, we won’t be saved by works (someone trying to do good apart from faith in Christ.
If we try to say Oh here is the kingdom or there is the Kingdom of God apart from knowing and following Jesus, we miss the point so often.
We end up missing the heart of what Christ wants from us.
We can even end up hurting people.
Another interesting point.
Genesis, by Bruce K. Waltke “Can God Count on Noah? To be sure, God authors the covenant, but it cannot be effected without Noah’s fidelity. If Noah does not build the ark and enter it, not only Noah and all life will perish, but so will God’s purpose to rule the earth through Adam and his promise to crush the Serpent through the woman’s seed. The future of salvation history rides on Noah’s faithfulness”.
I found this exciting.
God keeps his promise preserves the Adamic race.
This promise to crush the head of the serpent is still possible.
Conclusion.
Noah a wonderful example of Salvation through faith. Noah believed and obeyed God. He was moved by godly fear. He believed and acted.