Example of Grace and Works

The first account we are going to discuss is that of Noah. The main factors we have been considering grace, faith, works, and salvation are all clearly demonstrated.

The account is found in Genesis chapter six, starting at verse one. The human population began to multiply upon the earth and the daughters of men were pleasing to look at. So the sons of God (heavenly beings) took as many wives as they chose. From these unions were born mighty men of renown.

God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every "…imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (v.5).

This caused the Lord grief and brought sorry to his heart that he had made man on the earth. So God determined that he would destroy man, beast, creeping things, and fowls of the air.

Even though everyone else was corrupt and the earth was filled with violence, there was one man who found grace in the eyes of the Lord:

Grace was extended to all but not obtained by any of the wicked people who were destroyed. But Noah found grace because he was a just man, perfect in his generation, and he walked with God. Noah did not follow the ways of the wicked on the earth, I repeat, Noah walked with God and God saved him by Grace.God told Noah that he was going to bring this destruction upon the earth:

God told Noah exactly what kind of ark to build, what to build it of, how to build it, and who and what was to go into the ark. Noah obeyed God, "Thus did Noah; according to all that God Commanded him, so did he" (v.22). What do you suppose would have happened to Noah and all that was saved in the ark if he had not gone to work and built the ark, as God commanded him? Obviously, they would have been destroyed along with the rest of the wicked world. If he had not built the ark he would have disobeyed the command of God, he would have been out of saving covenant relationship with God.No work, no salvation by grace.

Salvation is the reward that God gives to those that act out of faith, "…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrew 11:6). Noah did the work of faith when he obeyed God and built the ark. God rewarded him not because he had faith alone but because he put his faith to work. "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" (Hebrew 11:7).