What living lessons can 21 st -century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH ?

2. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • Noah’s world was wicked – Gen. 6:5-6, 11-13 • Noah’s world was to be destroyed – Gen. 6:6-7 • Noah’s faith made him different from the wicked world in which he lived • But Genesis never says Noah had “faith” or “believed” • Gen. 6:8, 9, 22; 7:1, 5, 9, 16 • From the account in Genesis, we learn that faith is more than a mental assent. • We learn that true/acceptable faith is an obedient faith.

3. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Being divinely warned of things not yet seen” • God warned Noah of impending judgment – 6:7, 13, 17 • God warned Noah of things completely imperceptible to man – 6:13, 17, 18, 19, 20 • By Faith, Noah’s Head Reasoned All E N C O M P A S S I N G

4. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Being divinely warned of things not yet seen” • By Faith, Noah’s Head Reasoned • The time for this event is way off in the future • No natural indications that such will happen • Nothing like this has ever happened before • There will be scoffers who will mock the effort • Possible it had never rained before (Gen. 2:5-6; 7:11) • There are no bodies of water that large around here • If it will flood here, I can just move to another place • Had nothing else on which to base his faith than God’s Word! • Noah took God at His Word! That was sufficient for him! • “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17) All E N C O M P A S S I N G

5. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Being divinely warned of things not yet seen” • God has warned us of things completely imperceptible to man • John 5:28-29; 12:48; 2 Thess. 1:7-9 • Do we dismiss because we cannot sense/perceive such ourselves? • Or, do we take God at His Word? Is God’s Word on it sufficient for us? • Taking God at His Word is faith (and is necessary), but it is not sufficient to save! Saving faith is more than mental assent! • John 12:42-43; James 1:22-25; 2:19 All E N C O M P A S S I N G

6. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Moved with godly fear” – His Heart Reverenced • By Faith, Noah’s head reasoned what God said was true • By Faith, Noah’s Heart Reverenced God’s Word Personally • Phrase “moved with godly fear” is from one Greek word • “Reverence, respect” • “Reverent awe, reverent circumspection” • The emphasis is not on being frightfully afraid • The emphasis is on reverential awe of God’s Word – deeply personal • Noun form of the word is found twice in New Testament — Heb. 5:7; 12:28 All E N C O M P A S S I N G

7. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Moved with godly fear” – His Heart Reverenced • Moved with reverential awe in his heart for God’s Word: • Noah took to heart the judgment of God • Made personal the fact that God will do as He says • Made personal that he needed to respect God • Longed to not displease God but please Him fully • Reverential awe for God and His Word is faith (and is necessary), but it is not sufficient to save! Saving faith is more than heartfelt respect for God. • Acts 2:37-38; 24:25; 26:27-28 + 22-23 • “Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all” – Ecc. 12:13 All E N C O M P A S S I N G

8. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Prepared an ark” – His Hands “Row-beyed” / Obeyed • Saving faith is more than mental assent and/or heartfelt respect – Jas. 2:14-16 • His head’s reasoning and his heart’s reverence led his hands to obey All E N C O M P A S S I N G

9. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “Prepared an ark” – His Hands “Row-beyed” / Obeyed • His obedience to God’s commands was: • In anticipation of a future event (flood as a reality) • Immediate – Gen. 6:22 • Comprehensive – Gen. 6:22 • Steadfast/continual for 100 years • What an amazing faith! • What amazing confidence in God’s Word alone! • Noah’s faith pleased God because it reasoned, reverenced and obeyed Him! All E N C O M P A S S I N G

10. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “For the saving of his household” • “By which he condemned the world” • The world did not see what Noah saw • God is the one who condemned the world – Gen. 6:3, 7 • Noah condemned the world thru his faith & obedience • “By which” refers to his obedience in building ark • Noah’s faith (by the ark) stood out in strong contrast to the unbelieving world – John 3:19; Matt. 12:41-42; 2 Cor. 2:15-16 • Noah condemned the world through the message he preached – 2 Pet. 2:5; cf. Gen. 7:1 All E N R I C H IN G

11. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • “For the saving of his household” • “By which he condemned the world” • “By which he became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” • Righteousness is simply doing what God commanded. • There is a righteousness (declared by God) that comes thru obedient faith • Noah did all that God commanded him and became an heir of God – Gen. 6:22; 7:1, 5, 16 • If Noah had not built the ark and built it to God’s specifications, none of this would have resulted All E N R I C H IN G

12. What living lessons can 21st-century Christians learn from Noah about FAITH? • Noah’s Faith – God’s Lessons for Us • You and I have, like Noah, been divinely warned of things not yet seen – Matt. 24:37-39 • By faith, like Noah, you and I need to be moved with godly fear – 2 Pet. 2:5 • By faith, like Noah, you and I need to prepare for our salvation • God said, “eight souls were saved through water” – 1 Pet. 3:20. Through water, they were saved. • “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience” – 1 Pet. 3:21