A Portrait of Grace
Hebrews 11:6–7
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
One of the most beautiful pictures of grace in all the Word of God is found in the story of Noah. At a time when the world was filled with great wickedness—much like our day—Noah found grace from the Lord and was saved along with his family from the flood that destroyed the world. Our modern world skeptically laughs at the story of the flood, just as Peter said that they would. He wrote that in the last days men would deny the truth of this particular Bible story.
Peter said these scoffers “willingly are ignorant…that…the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (2 Peter 3:5–6). Why would men deny the flood? The answer is twofold: First, denying the flood is an attempt to deny the fact that we must one day face judgment. Second, denying the flood is an attempt to deny that the only way of escape from the judgment that is to come is found in the grace of God.
As you remember, the ark only had one door—symbolizing that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. This message of an exclusive means of salvation is not popular in our day, but it is true. There are not many roads that lead to Heaven; there is only one way. For those of us who have received salvation by grace through faith, there is a responsibility to do as Noah did and invite others to join us in escaping the coming judgment.
Growth Principle:
Find someone today who has not experienced the grace of God in salvation and point them to Christ.