Today’s text for our Blogging Through The Bible in 2020 comes from Genesis 6. Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
Genesis 6-9 gives us the information on the historical account of the worldwide flood. Genesis 6 gives us the background as to why God sent the flood in the first place. In a word, sin. Genesis 6:5 says, “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This isn’t saying that every now and then man had an evil thought, or did something evil. God said that our minds were continually thinking of evil. The text for today says that Noah was the recipient of grace from God. The simplest definition of grace is unmerited favor. That is, there is nothing that Noah did to earn God’s favor, rather it was bestowed upon him because that is what God chose to do. Noah received grace from God, and as a demonstration of his gratefulness for God’s grace, we later read that Noah obeyed and did everything as God told him to. It is important that we see that grace was given, and then obedience so that we don’t fall into the fall belief that we can earn grace or earn salvation. Salvation is by God’s grace through faith, and proof that we have received God’s grace is our obedience to God.
The story of the flood and Noah’s ark, much like the story in the garden of Eden, is a historical story, but it also teaches important spiritual truths that we will see throughout the remainder of the Bible. The story of the flood and the ark is the story of redemption. We see that the flood was necessary because of sin, just like the cross was necessary for our sin. We see that the ark was God’s idea, not Noah’s idea, just like it was God’s plan to send His Son to be the substitute for man’s sin. Just as getting on the ark was the only way to be saved from the flood, trusting in the Gospel is the only way to be saved from your sin and be right with God. In the account of the flood, it was God who shut the door of the ark, thereby securing Noah and his family. For you and I, the same God who saves us also secures us by His grace and power. When we have truly been saved, we never have to fear losing that salvation. We see this in Jesus’ words in John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” Just as the beloved hymn says, “‘Tis grace that has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”
While the sovereignty of God in salvation is clearly seen and taught in this passage, we must also not lose sight of our responsibility. God did not save us so that we could go on living however we want to. He saves us, and then expects us to surrender our lives to Him, and live a life pursuing holiness. The same grace that saved us, will transform us as we yield ourselves and our will to the Holy Spirit. Our obedience to God is the evidence that supports our profession of being saved. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep my commands.” James teaches this clearly as well in James 2:18 where he writes, “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will sho you my faith by my works.” Therefore, the question we should ponder on today is this, does my life demonstrate to others that I have been saved?
By His grace and for His glory,
Pastor Justin