The Hallmarks of Authentic Faith – Hebrews 11:7

What is fake can often times seem deceptively real. Take fake news for instance- media outlets create bogus, sensational stories for the sake of drawing readership, and they deceive readers into believing them to be factual. The consequences of being fooled by fake news, however, is nothing compares to the eternal consequences of being self-deceived by fake faith. In the end times, many individuals who have believed their faith to be sincere will be turned away by Jesus. Therefore, God urges us to examine our faith through the light of His Word. What are the marks of authentic faith? We can highlight three key aspects of faith in this account of Noah’s life- obedience, true righteousness, and God’s righteousness. Here, we will consider the first hallmark of obedience in the life of a genuine believer.

Noah was a man who walked with God. (Gen 6:8-9) When God spoke, Noah reacted in obedience. To obey is to comply with everything God has commanded. Although we know that true faith is evidenced by obedience, we may often find ourselves struggling to obey the Lord. What hinders obedience? What is needed to obey?

You need to prepare. (By faith Noah, being warned by God…)

Obedience begins with how you view God’s Word. Being warned by God, Noah was sober-minded to take God’s Word seriously and obey. (Gen 6:11-13) Throughout Scripture, God continually provides warnings and instructions to His people, but how one regards God’s Word determines whether or not he will obey. What is your attitude to God’s Word? God’s Word must have the ultimate authority over your life, but we fail to obey when we prefer to turn to ourselves or to the world rather than to God. We live in a fallen reality of self-sufficiency, rather than submitting to the ultimate reality of God that is revealed in His Word. We must be prepared by God’s Word with a readiness to obey.

You must be convinced by the Word. (…about things not yet seen…)

Though Noah didn’t yet see the things that God warned him of, he trusted God and believed in His Word. He was able to trust and obey before he saw anything with his eyes. This is something we must truly wrestle to attain. In God’s dispensation, the Old Testament prophets did not understand the things revealed to them, but nevertheless, they relentlessly struggled and sought to understand them, because it was God’s Word. Without this kind of attitude, you can not obey. Mere knowledge has no power to compel our wills to obey- like Jacob’s tenacious struggle with the angel, we must wrestle with the Word of God until we are absolutely convinced in our hearts. Daniel was able to risk his life to live obediently in faith because he trusted in God’s Word. (Dan 6:10, 9:1-2) We must not give up on God’s Word. Faith is bold only when it is rooted in the Word of God.

You need holy fear. (…in reverence…)

Noah had a reverential attitude to God’s Word. Mere knowledge of God’s Word can not help us obey. Our hearts must be affected by holy fear and godly emotions to be moved to obedience. Noah was affected by God’s Word, and it resulted in his reverence and love. Scripture is filled with accounts of godly emotions- Jesus’s life was full of love and aching compassion, bearing in full the fruit of the Holy Spirit. He teaches us that without love, all works are disqualified. Holy fear and love can only come from loving Jesus above all else. Unless you love Christ distinctly, you will not love His Word. Like the church of Ephesus, we could have robust programs and activities within the church, but without a passionate love for Christ, all would be in vain. (Rev 2:2-5) By the Holy Spirit, we have understood how desperate, miserable, and poor we were. He brought us to the cross, where the death and resurrection of Jesus prevailed over all to cover us with His love and forgiveness. Jesus can not be forgotten in our hearts- He is our first love. How do you know you love Jesus distinctively? Those who love Christ are ready to immediately abandon all for Him. This is Jesus’s call to all Christians, and the ultimate test of your love for Him- will you deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Him?

Through Noah’s example, examine why you fail to obey. When Noah was warned by God, he trusted, feared, and loved the Lord. He therefore prepared an ark.