Noah believed in God.  He was a preacher of righteousness by faith.  One hundred years building the Ark, by faith.  Six hundred years of serving God, by faith.  Surrounded by the ungodly didn’t matter for Noah.  Noah lived a life unto righteousness, serving God and doing as he commanded.

Hebrews 11:7 – 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.

2 Peter 2:5 – And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.

Genesis 6:22 – Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Following the Exodus from Egypt, Moses was at the Jordan, across from the promised land.  Moses sent a son from each of the tribes to spy on the land.  Ten of the witnesses brought an evil report and said the people could not take the land from the inhabitants thereof.  Caleb and Joshua reported that with the power of God, they could inhabit the land of milk and honey.

Numbers 14:6-9 – And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.

By faith, Caleb and Joshua did pass into the land of milk and honey because they followed the Lord.

Numbers 14:21,23-24 – But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.

Numbers 32:11-13 – Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:  Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.

Jesus did as commanded by God.  He brought God’s gospel of love to the Jews and Gentiles.  Jesus knew the plan that God had for him.  Jesus did as commanded by God, living a life unto righteousness, unto to the end, all to be glorified by the Father. To rise again on the third day.  

Luke 24:6-7 – He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

Jesus did the will of God.  

Mark 14:36 – And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

By faith these witnesses, lived a life unto righteousness, serving God and doing his will. 

For the Jews, forgiveness of sins and righteousness was obtained through the offer of animal sacrifices unto God.  Jesus was sent as the Son of God, to be a one-time offering for sin.   Righteousness by faith is for those that believe.  

1 Peter 3:18 – For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Romans 5:17 – For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Romans 6:10-11 – For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Acts 5:31 – Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Romans 3:22 – Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

When you believe in God and his gift of grace, the body is dead to sin and your Spirit is life, living unto righteousness. 

Romans 8:10 – And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

The righteousness of Noah, Caleb, Joshua and Jesus, was not self-serving.  The law of righteousness by animal sacrifice for the Jews was self-serving as it was for the forgiveness of only their sins.  God’s gospel of love for the Jews could only be made possible if the law of righteousness by continual animal sacrifice could be replaced.  Christ’s shed blood was offered by the Son of God as an offering for sin. 

Romans 10:4,6 – For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above 🙂

When you believe in this offer, it is the end of the law for righteousness by blood sacrifice and the just shall live by faith, a life unto righteousness, serving God and serving your neighbor per God’s gospel of love.    

Romans 1:17 – For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

God hates those that do not understand his word.  When God says, the just shall live by faith, he means you are to live a life unto righteousness serving him.  Do not turn back to sin. 

Exodus 33:5 – For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

God gives you a choice to choose righteousness versus sin.  As good as the garden was, Adam and Eve chose sin. 

Genesis 3:4-6 – And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

As a believer in the Lord God, are his servant.  Every servant is a tree.   Every good tree produces good fruit!  When you love, you do as commanded by God.  A bad tree is cast into the fire.   A friend of the world (sinner in the flesh) is the enemy of God.

Matthew 7:17-19 – Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

James 4:4 – Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

God’s commandments are simple.  To be a servant, loving God and loving your neighbor.  Obeying God and not  man by walking in the light of Jesus Christ.

Mark 12:30-31 – And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Acts 5:29 – Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

1 Peter 2:21 – For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Seek the Kingdom of God by following his steps and being a witness unto the world.  Endure to the end and then shall the end come.

Matthew 6:33 – But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 24:13-14 – But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Like Noah and the witnesses, when you live by faith, you do as God commands.  You serve God and serve your fellow man. 

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.