The Reality of Faith (part three)

Part Three: Noah's Reality of Faith

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. Hebrews 11:7

People have placed faith in other objects and beliefs, which in no way boasts the reality of changed lives that Christianity has. There are other religions who have holy lifestyles; lifestyles that consists of “dos and don’ts”; however, Christianity is not simply a series of do and don’ts. Christianity tells us that we do because. We understand that we were designed by God for a purpose. God has designed us to bring glory to His name! He has designed us to serve Him. He has truly made us alive and we choose not to do that which involves death because we no longer desire those things. This is the reality of faith.

The reality of faith is the changed life that a person experiences as a result of the gospel. I have seen so many people whose lives have been changed by the power of the gospel that it is amazing! On the other hand, I have seen those who have claimed to have faith in the gospel, yet their lives never truly changed in the same manner.

Does this mean that there is something wrong with the gospel? There is nothing wrong with the gospel; instead, it could be that the person who claims to have faith does not really possess it. Perhaps, the reason a person does not experience this life change is because he or she does not really understand what true faith is. If faith is misplaced, it will not have the effect that is intended by it!There are those who have placed faith in their pastors. Others have placed faith in themselves. There are those who have placed faith in money or a building program.

People can only believe God to receive material things. Placing faith in these things that I have aforementioned is going to thwart the power of God in a saint’s life that is available to him or her. This is a tragedy. When will we ever get tired of living in such mediocrity? Some have lived at this level of life for so long that they cannot believe that there is anything else. This is why people can start off strong in their faith, yet fizzle out down the road: their faith is not in the correct place. They place faith in that which does not have power. Faith is the firm foundation; the actual existence of things hoped for. If faith is a firm foundation, that foundation better be built on something other than shaky ground! Placing your faith in faith or in some other person or object other than the Lord is shaky ground at best. 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. Hebrews 11:7

People have reduced Noah down to these animals in arks; this cute story in which man and beast was able to live together in perfect harmony until the floods of the earth was subsided. The animals have smiles on their faces and normally we give the cute fuzzy stuffed animals to kids and this is the view they grow up with about Noah and the ark. I believe that we miss the significance of what was really going on at that time. We also lose the reality of the faith that Noah really had in this historical event. The writer of Hebrews did not miss the point. There was nothing cute about the flood that God sent to the earth: it was a judgment of God! It was a result of sin and wickedness! God was not pleased.

5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. Genesis 6:5 – 6

The wickedness of man was great in the earth. Interesting it says that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil perpetually. Man had found so many ways to do evil against God and against others that it demanded action from the Lord. This is part of the story that we are not reminded of whenever we give those arks to children. The arks are not a reminder of what evil causes and how God’s grace saved eight people; instead, they have become nothing more than toys. When we lose the seriousness of events that have taken place in the Bible, we lose another piece of understanding of the character of God.

It says that the Lord was sorry that He made man on the earth. This is speaking after human manner. What I mean to say is that, He is speaking in a way that man can relate. God never changes or is led or moved by emotion. What is being conveyed here is that because of the sin and wickedness of man, God is no longer going to deal with man after mercy; He will deal in judgment. When man forgets the judgment of God, he also forgets to appreciate the mercy of God. In fact, you cannot really understand how merciful He truly is if you never have understood His wrath. The mercy of God was found in this,
3 And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." Genesis 6:3

It was the Spirit of God that was subduing man’s mind and keeping him from being totally given to the evil desires that are buried deep within the heart of man. This is the case today: the mercy of God is shown in that though we are murderous at heart, God has placed in us a certain something called conscience that subdues us and compels us to not be completely wicked. People miss the mercy of God because they do not really understand it. If God were to remove His providence, presence, and plan from the earth, the earth would be overwhelmed by wickedness.

If God were not using the Spirit to have influence, we would never have laws or any sense of good that is present with us. If you do not believe murder is in your heart, just let something traumatic enough happen to a loved one; a hideous crime committed against him or her. You may not execute on your desires to kill the culprit of the crime, but the fact that the desire is there shows you exactly what is buried deep within. What stops you is the conscience that has been placed in your heart by God! Tell me this is not merciful of God to put a check in our minds and hearts to keep us from doing the unthinkable at times. This is how the Lord’s Spirit strives with man. However, man resists this so many times. There are those who ignore conscience and still commit crime. Such was the case here.

God gave that generation of people 120 years to repent. Can you see the mercy in that? God tells Noah of His plan because Noah had found grace in the sight of the Lord. He tells Noah,
13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 "Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. Genesis 6:13 – 14

God knowing the end from the beginning, He knew the people would not repent. Therefore, He tells Noah to build this ark. Think about this though: in the middle of desert land, build an ark! This is such an outrageous command! There had never been a flood in that region of the earth prior. There was nothing that indicated that it ever was going to rain in this magnitude. What reason would Noah have to believe that this really was going to happen? The reason that Noah had was the fact that the Lord had spoke it to Noah and God’s word was that, which, when spoken happened! God instructed Noah how to build the ark to minute details. Noah responded:
22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. Genesis 6:22

Noah responded with reverence and respect to God and did all that God commanded him to do. Noah built the ark exactly the way that God told him to build it. Noah did not have another idea about how to build the ark.

Instead, he trusted the Lord’s plan. Even though there was nothing that would indicate that this would really happen, Noah still built the ark because he believed the Lord. The reality of Noah’s faith was the ark. Even though there was no rain or cloud in the sky, the boat was a reality of Noah’s faith.

Consider the utter mockery that he likely endured. He built this boat and believed God for 120 years! From that time children were born, grew up, became adults, and even grandparents and great-grandparents. They probably laughed and thought this Noah to be crazy. Why would he continue to believe that this storm was still coming when there was no indication of it? The word of the Lord changed Noah’s life in that he began to work on that which was going to be his salvation. The ark was the substance of the salvation that Noah hoped for in the future. It was also the evidence that God has spoken to him. Only a lunatic would build a boat in the middle of a desert, expecting there to be a flood. This would be the case, unless of course, He had heard a word from the Lord indicating that this event was to take place.

Like Noah, the lifestyle that we live is evidence to the fact that Jesus has truly affected us. Even though people cannot see the judgment of God coming, the life that we live looking for the final redemption is evidence that what Jesus spoke is true. God told Noah:
1 Then the Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. Genesis 7:1

Noah was considered righteous because he believed God. It is belief that is counted to us as righteousness.

Noah believed, endured mockery and persecution, and he never faltered. He built the ark. Through his belief, he condemned the world. The condemnation comes through the lack of belief. Remember what Jesus said?
18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:18

Condemnation comes in the way of not believing. Noah believed; others did not. There was nothing against them building an ark as well. Noah preached to them repeatedly that this flood was coming:
5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 2 Peter 2:5

People asked Noah why he was doing this, and he told them why: God was going to destroy the earth with a flood because of the wickedness of men. They were irreverent. There was no fear of God before their eyes. The reality that God had spoken to Noah was before their eyes. Noah would not be building an ark unless he had been told to build it. Where did the idea for the ark originate?

Eventually the people saw that Noah was not delusional and suffering from dementia. Actually, God had truly spoken to Noah. Noah lived the reality of faith and all saw his dedication and belief toward and of God daily. People treated him with disdain. However, no one could resist the fact that Noah was convinced that the Lord had spoken to Him. When God touches your life, what is the reality of faith that you live? What is the ark in your life that proves that God has truly spoken and touched your life? Do people actually see this daily as they did with Noah? That my friend is a reality of faith!