By Scott Shifferd, Jr
Having God's grace, Noah's faith had to be a working faith to be saved. God's grace is seen in the specific details of God's commands for building a life-saving ark (Gen. 6:14-17). Noah was not permitted by God's grace to overlook these instructions. Noah did all that God told him to do (6:22, 7:5). By faith, Noah prepared the ark to save his family (Heb. 11:7).
God's covenant of grace was established with Noah's family by their entering the ark (Gen. 6:18). The fountains of the great deep broke open, rain fell for 40 days, and the waters rose above the mountains (7:10-12, 17-20). After 150 days, the waters started to recede, and after 6 months, the ark rested on Mt. Ararat.
Although Noah was a preacher, only 8 souls were saved through the water (1 Pet.3:20, cf. 2 Pet. 2:5). Likewise, Christians are saved through the water and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter said,
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 3:21, ESV).
God's grace teaches us to observe His commands. Jesus said, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved" (Mark 16:16).
Thank God that His grace. After a year of living on the ark, the first that Noah did when he left the ark was to worship God (Gen. 8:20-21). God blessed Noah's family to be fruitful and multiply on the earth (9:1). God set His sign of the covenant in the clouds, the rainbow (9:11-13).
What do we learn from God's grace? Have you prepare your family to be saved? Are you walking with God? Will you build what God told you to build? Will you obey all God's instructions.
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