Noah and Grace

The idea grace and election are intertwined is of great theological importance, Noah is a good example of being under grace.

1. God mourned the day he made man and all flesh, including the beasts.

2. He promised to destroy all flesh.

God's complaint was two-fold. First man was flesh which God was unhappy with. Second, man's thoughts were evil.

Gen 6:3  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. 

Gen 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Some may think the destruction of flesh was thwarted, but the promise is still there, at the end of the world all flesh will cease. In the meantime God limited man's time in the flesh. We will be spiritual with spiritual bodies.

All man was evil, including Noah to some degree. He was a sinner and had his own bad thoughts and actions. Plus, he was flesh. Noah was not excluded from the complaints, but was offered grace.

"Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord." 

Since man was evil, God had no legal obligation to extend man's history. The extension of life and the opportunity at a spiritual future was by God's Grace. Noah was chosen as this vehicle even though he was a sinner, God had no legal obligation to save Noah and family. Life to Noah also meant life to a future generation that was chosen beforehand.

He was not under law but under Grace. God's actions were based in Grace. Yet, he had to build the ark. The election was grace, the calling included works, his final righteousness was grace since his works only met covenental criteria.

This embodies the entire concept of election. God allowed the extension of life so that in a set age he could justify the ungodly in Christ.

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 

Rom 11:6  And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 

Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 

Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 

Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 

Rom 11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 

Rom 11:12  Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 

Because it started as grace, eve the addition of works to the process did not change that it started as grace. It doesn't change the nature of the invitation.

Even as God preserved 8 souls that his purpose in Christ would be fulfilled, he preserved 7000 of Israel as well.

Israel was blinded even in the state of the works they were given, works did not bring election but actually blinded them. They were focused on justifying the flesh vs living in the Spirit.

Election and the continued life of Israel was by Grace, the election was not of works. As God allowed man's existence to continue in Noah, God allowed Israel to continue through 7000 men. They weren't sinless, they were just chosen according to Grace.

The temporary blinding of Israel allowed the death of Christ to occur, this blinding occurred to the benefit of the Gentiles who were the elect as well. Not necessarily individually, but as a group.

The idea all flesh would cease is important, because the law was based upon purifying the flesh. The Jews were determined to purify the flesh through the works of the law.

Circumcision

Washings

Offerings

Rom 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

The Jews were focused on purifying the flesh, thus justifying its existince.They did not take to heart that all flesh would cease. They did not realize the law was focused on cleansing the heart through knowledge of sin vs cleansing the flesh.

They were not focused on a spiritual existence. Jesus came to justify the spiritual heart and mind, not the flesh.

He redeemed the body and justified the spirit.