"The Response of Genuine Faith"(Hebrews 11:7)

Hebrews 11:7

 

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11:7 ESV

 

Are you really saved? How can we prove that we are saved? It is one thing to accept Jesus as your savior but what happens after that. If are lives are not changed through sanctification, it is impossible to prove we are saved. We should be living a different life if we have been saved.

 

To understand better, we can go to Nathan the Wise who told the story called the three-parable ring. A father had one magical ring but had three sons. The father made two rings that looked like the magical ring, so he could give a ring to each son. All three sons received the rings and thought they had received a magical ring but only one had the magical ring. When the father died, the three sons wanted to know who had the magical ring, so they went to a judge who determined that the son who had the magical ring had led a righteous life. The judge did not have to look at the rings that looked alike, instead he had to look at the sons’ lives to see who had the magic ring. This should be the same for Christians who have been saved and have the Holy Spirit in them. Our lives should reflect a life of grace and be responsive to God.

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV

 

And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah.

Genesis 7:7-9 ESV

 

The first response is answering God's calling. But what is God's calling for us? Some may say it is the job that has been given to you. It is the ordinary life that we are living right now. God's calling does not mean we are told through a supernatural event or miraculous oration. God’s calling to us is usually the work we have and people that we are surrounded by.

 

Not everyone likes their jobs completely all the time. There are some people that need to leave their jobs because it is not their calling, and therefore they are not happy. Most people are exactly where they should be and doing the jobs they need to in God’s kingdom.

 

Your job is not the most important thing in your life; however, it is important to do your job as God's calling for you.

 

Noah spread the word of God because he knew the importance of God's word.  Although others may not have heeded his words, Noah still felt compelled to speak the truth and glorify God.

 

For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

1 Corinthians 9:16 ESV

 

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24 ESV

 

Those who have true faith in Jesus Christ will tell others to save them and introduce them to God's love. Those who are saved want to share their joy with others and have that burden to share God’s grace with as many people as they can.

 

Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Luke 15:7 ESV

 

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:9 ESV

 

The Bible does not say that Noah just had faith. Noah built an ark, spread God's word, and did things righteously.

 

Whatever we are doing, we can glorify God by doing the work that is put before us in God's honor.