Lessons from Noah

The first person to do something that makes history is always of great interest. Noah is the first man who is specifically referred to as a “preacher” in the Bible. He is not called a preacher until the book of 2 Peter 2:5. There are several lessons we can learn from the first preacher.

The Truth Must Be Preached

Noah preached to a world in which the wickedness of man was great (Genesis 6:5). Peter said Noah was a preacher of righteousness “and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly” (2 Peter 2:5). Noah encouraged those around him to live righteously. He tried to get them to turn back to God before it was too late; “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrew 11:7). Although it was not popular, Noah preached what the men and women of his day needed to hear. Like Noah, we must understand that our wicked world needs a good dose of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:2).

Success Is Not Determined By Numbers

     In terms of numbers, Noah was not very successful. He preached for 120 years without a response (other than his family) (Genesis 6:3). Yet, success was not determined by numbers. Success was determined by doing that which was right in God’s eyes; “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). In this way, Noah was a great success!!!

Today, men must realize that success is not determined by numbers. Just imagine what would have happened if some brethren today had lived with Noah. Some of them would have dismissed him because they were not seeing results. Others would have encouraged him to change his message and preach something less controversial. Yet Noah was doing exactly what God wanted him to do and God listed him in Faith’s Hall of Fame (Hebrews 11:7).

We Cannot Make Men Do Right

     No doubt, Noah desperately wanted the men and women of his day to turn from their sins. He tried 120 years to get them to repent of their wickedness. However, he could not make them do that which was right. In the end, he knew they were responsible for their own destruction. If he had not learned this lesson, he would not have lasted 120 years as a preacher. He would have given up as a disappointed and broken man. Today, we must realize that we cannot make men and women live righteously. We cannot make them obey the gospel, attend every service, or dress properly. All that we can do is to preach the Word and encourage them to make the right choices. “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand” (Ezekiel 33:6).

In the end, individuals are responsible for their own lives. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

There are many lessons we can learn from Noah, the first preacher. It is my prayer that faithful Christians will realize these lessons and put them into practice in our work together.

SM

Our Greatest Need

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

The Sinner’s Prayer

My good friend Heath Stapleton has an excellent blog post on the sinner’s prayer.

Baptism Comes Before…

Baptism comes before salvation (Mark. 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21)

Baptism comes before the remission of sins (Acts 2:38)

Baptism comes before the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16)

Baptism comes before newness of life (Romans 6:3-4)

Baptism comes before putting on Christ (Galatians. 3:26-27)

Baptism comes before putting off the body of the flesh (Colossians 2:11-13)

Baptism comes before being added to the church by the Lord (1 Corinthians 12:13)

AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE

am-big-u-ous 1. Open to more than one interpretation: an ambiguous reply. 2. Doubtful or uncertain: SYNONYM: ambiguous, equivocal, obscure, recondite, abstruse, vague, cryptic, enigmatic These adjectives mean lacking clarity of meaning. Ambiguous indicates the presence of two or more possible meanings (American Heritage Talking Dictionary. Copyright © 1997 The Learning Company, Inc).

Vague statements are capable of leaving the wrong impression and increase the possibility of deception. Statements need to be qualified (“modified, limited, or restricted in some way”) in order to know exactly what is meant by the one communicating. Noncommittal answers fail to give the proper response when we are bound to give a defense for our faith (1 Peter 3:15)! The truth of God’s Word (John 17:17) is perfect (James 1:25) and is our objective standard (John 12:48).

Consider the following statements keeping in mind the definition of ambiguous language (Open to more than one interpretation).

“I believe the Bible.” It is noble for one to state that they believe the Bible! Does this individual believe the Bible is a “good book” or do they believe and recognize it as the authority in all spiritual matters? Is the Bible to be believed only when it doesn’t conflict with religion, lifestyle, tradition, creeds or associations? Rejected when it is applied specifically as being the final authority? Many believe the Bible, but few faithfully obey its teachings (Matthew 7:21-23). What is meant when one says “I believe the Bible”?

“Baptism does not save.” Does this ambiguous statement conclude that baptism cannot save alone or is it saying that baptism is not essential to salvation? The Apostle Peter records: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” (1 Peter 3:18-21). Baptism saves; but not removed from faith (Hebrews 11:6), repentance (Luke 13:3), and confessing the name of Christ (Acts 8:37).

Jesus preached that immersion in His name was essential to salvation! Mark 16:16 reads, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Peter by inspiration told his hearers “…Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). Baptism is essential to salvation. Baptism alone does not save!

“We don’t have music in the church” Now and again, a well-intentioned member of the church of Christ will say “we don’t have music in the church.” This generally refers to the absence of mechanical instruments of music in the worship. The statement is ambiguous. The church of Christ does have “music” in its worship. Vocal music is a part of Christian worship (1 Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). Our singing praise to God is a type of spiritual sacrifice (Hebrews 13:15). There is power in singing to: 1. Teach 2. Admonish 3. Encourage, and 4. Motivate. During the lifetime, and in the writings of the apostles, Christian praise is never described with musical instruments, only the human voice and heart.

“I believe Christ’s law on Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage.” The subject of marriage, divorce, and remarriage is one of the most sensitive issues currently facing the church. The subject has become so diverse preachers, elders and members often misapply the Scriptures.

One may state that they believe Christ’s teaching on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage, yet when they make application, may believe: 1. that the law of God on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage only applies to Christians, and not those outside of Christ. 2. More than one exception (“fornication”) is acceptable for Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage. 3. That regardless of their marital history, one may continue to live with the spouse they have at the time of their baptism. 4. That a deserted believer may remarry. 5. That the guilty party may remarry. 6. That couples can live in adultery with God’s approval. 7. That adulterous marriages are washed away at baptism.

We must speak the truth of God’s Word in love and make it clear that marriage is intended by God to be a lifelong union (Matthew 19:6). We are obligated to help our hearers understand that in the absence of Scriptural cause, divorce itself is sinful (Matthew 19:6). When remarriage takes place, the additional sin of adultery is committed. First, by the man or woman who unscripturally puts away a mate and remarries (Mark 10:11-12). Second, by the one put away who remarries (Matthew 5:32). And Third, by the one who marries the one put away (Matthew 5:32). Unscriptural divorce invites the additional sin of remarriage and adultery.

Ambiguous language is detrimental to the cause of Christ and to the faithful transmission of the Word of God. Neil W. Anderson gets to the heart of the matter when he writes:

“Ask questions of those who teach you and your children. Hold their teachings up to the light of God’s Word. When people say they believe something, ask them to explain what they mean or apply it to a situation. Don’t just assume that because they are using the same phrase as you would that they mean the same thing. They may, but they may not – be alert (Gospel Advocate, March 2000, p. 3).