Salvation

In Genesis 6-9, the familiar story of Noah’s ark shows us that man’s sin has reached new depths of depravity. The sad state of God’s creation deeply grieves God’s heart because the world is full of violence, abuse, and sexual sin. Because God is just, He must punish man’s sin, but God is also patient with man. Although God’s just judgment is executed, He also graciously provides a way of salvation for Noah and his family through faith in Him and for all of sinful humanity through faith in Jesus Christ.

Drew’s Main Points

1. The wickedness of man is great on the earth.

2. God is just to punish sin.

3. God makes a way for salvation.

Key Takeaways

  • Noah called a rebellious world to repentance through his words and actions. As Drew declared, “Every hammer blow to the ark was a proclamation that judgment was coming.”

  • As revealed in Genesis 6, as man distorts God’s good design, abuse, violence, and destruction ensue. The whole sum of man’s plans, dreams, works were rotten and greatly grieved God.

  • Horizontally, our deeds can appear good, but vertically from God’s perspective, they are evil. God has insight on the full intent of our motives and there is no hiding from God.

  • Our sin is always communal– it never affects only ourselves. Sin always impacts others and has consequences inward, outward, and upward.

  • The flood is the story of a just punishment executed by a just God. Attacks on God’s character are not new, but as old as the Garden. God is perfectly holy in both His character and conduct, without exception.

  • “None are punished by the justice of God but those who hate to be reformed by the grace of God.” – Matthew Henry

  • All sin is a capital offense. When you sin against an infinite, holy, and perfect God, the penalty is death.
     
  • As Drew reminded us, “Let us not forget that the true heinousness of sin is not evidence merely in the nature of the act we committed, but in the One we sinned against.”

  • Christ is the bigger and better boat. He is calling us to salvation through repentance rather than incurring His coming judgment.

  • God’s love is not in contradiction with His justice, but God’s love propels His justice.

  • This fallen world is passing away. We should follow Noah’s example to live by faith and trust in God’s Word and promises in light of the impending judgment.

  • As Noah’s life was a spectacle to a scoffing world, our lives should be a spectacle of God’s grace, glory, and love.

  • Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Faith in Christ is the vehicle for salvation– from beginning to end.

Discussion Questions/Application

Personal reading:

  • Read Genesis 6-9 and review Drew’s three main points as played out in these chapters.

Personal reflection:

  • How can you grow in allowing your life to be a spectacle of God’s grace, glory, and love?

Discuss with your community group:

  • In light of the judgment to come, where have you placed your faith? In what ways are you still prone to place your faith in the fallen things of this world more than your   perfect Deliverer and the perfect world to come?

  • Do you agree that God’s love and justice do not contradict one another, but compliment  one another? How do justice and love converge in this story, the cross, and in your own life?

Passages Referenced
Genesis 6-9; Matthew 7:11; Luke 27-28; Psalm 92:15; Psalm 89:14; Romans 6:23; 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 3:7-10; 1 Peter 3:20; John 10:9; Isaiah 53:5.