| Author | Message | ||
| Bskillet Registered user Username: Bskillet Post Number: 402 Registered: 8-2008 |
As I have been writing this book, I have been reading Genesis with entirely new eyes. Now that I better understand the Gospel, I can see it hidden in every single page. Note the following about Noah: Note the order here: In vs. 8 we read Noah found favor. The word for favor is translated as "grace" in the KJV, and this is essentially what it means. Then, in vs. 9 we read that Noah was righteous and blameless in God's eyes. I am sure you all here know the difference between being "guiltless" (never having done anything wrong) and being "blameless" (God doesn't impute blame for sins we may commit). And I'm sure you all know that righteousness comes only by faith. The only way to "walk with God" is to trust Him, because if you are going to walk with someone as your guide, the only way you can do it is by trusting your guide knows where he is taking you. Thus, Noah had the righteousness that comes by faith. Third and lastly, we read that Noah obeyed God. Now note the order: First, God has grace for Noah. We find the Bible gives no merit in Noah at this point that might have warranted God's finding favor. God's act of finding favor, His act of grace, is purely unfathomable and incomprehensible, and not at all warranted by any qualities in us: "Only when grace is recognized as incomprehensible is it grace" (Karl Barth). It is after this that we find Noah having faith in God, and that faith is credited to him as righteousness and blamelessness (justification). Righteousness, the state of having a right relationship with God, can only ever come by trusting Him. There is no other means to secure it. Blamelessness only ever comes by God not imputing sin to us because, through His grace and the faith He gives us, we are brought into a right relationship with Him, so that our sins no longer enter into the equation. Thirdly, it is only after God first has grace towards Noah, and Noah trusts God, that Noah is recorded as obeying. This is so central! Man never, ever gains God's favor by obeying! Man can only obey if he first has God's favor, and if God brings him to trust in God's favor. In the story of Noah, then, we find the power of God's grace in the life of Noah, producing righteousness, contrasted with the story of man's own scheming and living by his own means and power, producing evil. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 10081 Registered: 12-2003  |
Great observations, Brent! I've also been amazed at the depth and revelation of Genesis. It truly holds the seeds of all revealed reality and truth. It's an amazing book. Thank you for sharing your insightful discoveries with us. I'm thoroughly enjoying them! Colleen | ||
| River Registered user Username: River Post Number: 5134 Registered: 9-2006  |
me too Brent, I think skillet is a good name, but I'll straighten up and fly right. The story of Noah is so remarkable when you compare it to the Christian life For instance it is God that seals them in and it is the Holy Spirit that seals us in. Thoroughly enjoyed the thoughts. River | ||
| Bskillet Registered user Username: Bskillet Post Number: 407 Registered: 8-2008 |
Totally. More and more I see that God's grace, and trust in it called faith, were not some divine accident that God had to concoct in order to get around the fact that we sinned, but really the fundamental, foundational way He has always wanted man to relate to Him. In SDAism I had been taught that God's grace was somehow subordinate to the Law, to my performance of right and wrong. The Law had been broken, so now God had to give grace, even though He really just wanted the Law to be kept. God's grace, the lie says, is simply His means to get us to keep His Law. Adventism isn't the only system that teaches this. Dispensationalism and Covenant Theology also make the Law central, and grace secondary. It is funny that, in Galatians 3 and Romans 4, Paul shows that the commands in the Law were secondary to the gospel of grace because, in the example of Abraham, God's grace and justification by faith pre-dated the Law. I have found this to be the case all over the book of Genesis. Law is not foundational to how we were supposed to relate to God. His grace is foundational. Period. End of story. | ||
| Handmaiden Registered user Username: Handmaiden Post Number: 54 Registered: 7-2008 |
Amen Grace was first. Sin did not catch God off guard. The Old Testament is revealed in the New Testament The New Testament is concealed in the Old Testamen Brent, i have been so blessed and delighted to read your insights. i had a lot to get caught up on...but please keep them coming  love handmaiden | ||
| Animal Registered user Username: Animal Post Number: 548 Registered: 7-2008  |
I agree !!! Brent, your posts have been a true blessing to me too..Dont stop!!!! ...Animal | ||
| Psalm107v2 Registered user Username: Psalm107v2 Post Number: 331 Registered: 10-2008  |
Brent I ditto what the others have said above. I appreciate the post. That never occurred to me (even though I can be quite dense at times) And your memories of grace being subordinate to the law in the SDA church rings so true. In my SDA world grace is described as kind of a "pass" on past sins but don't you dare cross the line again as well as now that you have been given grace, you have the strength to be perfect like Jesus was here on earth...and you better not cross the line Handmaiden--"Grace was first. Sin did not catch God off guard" I love it. to me that statement profoundly speaks of the sovereignty of God-as opposed to how EGW said when Adam and Eve fell all heaven was in a turmoil and mad rush to get a plan in place Enoch | ||
| Handmaiden Registered user Username: Handmaiden Post Number: 58 Registered: 7-2008 |
Thanks Enoch Yes; my God is sovereign and omnicient too. He knows every sin full well and paid the full price for each and every one... (with the only exception being the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit = rejecting the Holy Spirit's conviction that a sinner needs the Saviour Jesus) ...without a second wasted in "investigating" i am thankful that my all knowing God is in the business of blotting out sin and remembering it no more He is my loving Father, who is more interested in picking me up from my fall than investigating how i fell. i love my sovereign, all knowing, all present, all powerful....Abba handmaiden |
