Discussion Question – Noah’s righteous life

[Jamie]

What can we learn from Noah in chapter 6 in regards to living in a world where perversion, greed, and human-centeredness are prevalent?

[Anonymous]

This can be a challenge for anyone, especially us Christians who are called to be in the world, but not to be a part of it. Noah shows us that God found favor in him, by not giving in to the temptations of the world, by living a righteous life, being blameless compared to everyone else, and by walking/communing with God (by walking and talking with Him, praying to Him, seeking His will, and by obeying His commands). Considering that Noah’s time on earth he was surrounded by people who continually thought and acted in evil ways, this should be a bit easier for us to do as not everyone in our time on earth is that completely evil.

[bstadle1]

We can learn that the failings of the world and those around us need not have a negetaive influence on our own decisions. In a lot of ways I believe Noah was another foreshadowing to the life of Christ. Jesus would live among people who did not recognize or desire Him, and yet live in a manner worthy of His Father’s will (and His true nature). Sin around us does not necessitate sin in us.

If we have the mind and Spirit of Christ, we too are able to live a righteous life, not only among peoples, but Satan himself. What a testimony to the power and love of God to not only save us from complete death, but also from living as the world desires, even as we too once desired.

[gretchen211]

When I was reading about Noah, it made me curious what the response of others was towards him. Is a blameless and righteous person ostracized or disliked or does their blamelessness draw people to them? I remember studying Esther and being struck by the fact that she found favor with everyone around her (even the other girls in the king’s harem). And in Luke 2 it says that “Jesus grew in stature and in favor with God and man”. I know there are other instances, like Daniel, where blamelessness drove some people to extreme jealousy, but in the same sense Daniel was highly respected by the King, and I would assume others, to have been in the high position he was in. I tend to believe that blameless people have a certain quality about them that finds favor with God and mankind.

So then I have to ask myself, what is being blameless? It has to be more than just not participating in things we would consider “evil”. If the people of the day had every intention of their heart being bent toward evil, then what I would desire to attain to as blameless is that every intention of my heart is bent toward good. As I attain to that measure of living, I think it will grant me favor with God as well as the majority of mankind.

[Anonymous]

it says that Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time AND he ALSO walked FAITHFULLY with God and pleased God. As i read through Genesis. God wants us to trust in him. God was PLEASED by Enoch as well because he ALSO walked FAITHFULLY with God. These people did what the lord commanded them to do, they did not ask or questioned him, they just did it trusted and served God. That is what Noah did. What i find most interesting is how complex scripture is when God is telling Noah on how specific on when building the ark, i think if that was me i would be taking notes and i would be like, hold on God can you speak any slower, reading genesis 6 was kinda of a challenge for me since i am really bad at measurements, and why again am I going for nursing? just kidding. I am passionate about working with people and that is why. SO i think even though there is so much hatred in this world we shouldn’t look at the world but look to God and what he wants from us.

[Anonymous]

I am reminded that we can live a godly life even in a world where perversion, greed, and human-centeredness are prevalent. Noah chose to walk with God. I loved reading that ” BUT Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD”. Even though the LORD was grieving and in pain for creating man, He was able to see the love that Noah had for the Him. I learned from chapter six to keep on pursuing and trusting God even when others have walked away. God is faithful and He does not overlook the righteous.

[Jamie]

These are great thoughts everyone! I like Ben’s comparison of Noah with Jesus. Jesus did find favor with man…but not all men. QUESTIONS: Who did Jesus find favor with and who did he not find favor with? Can we learn anything from this?

[Anonymous]

“He was able to see the love that Noah had for the Him. I learned from chapter six to keep on pursuing and trusting God even when others have walked away”

i really like this. To keep on pursuing God even when others have walked away. I dont know, that really hit me as i read your post 🙂

[gretchen211]

I think that is a good point that it should be easier for us, because we are not on an earth where everyone in our time is evil. God has now established the church, we really do need to “encourage one another to good works” and help each other live blameless lives.

[Anonymous]

It was something that hit me really hard too. Noah could have easily walked away from God but He CHOSE to obey out of love for Him.

[Anonymous]

“but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” not all man in that time were evil. man like Enoch, Noah did truly what God commanded and so God was pleased.

For me i can learn to trust God, his got my life under control. Yesterday I was reading Mathew 6 the part where it says “do not worry” it kept telling do not WORRY what your going to wear, what you are going to eat and not to WORRY about tomorrow that tomorrow had its own day to WORRY about, well that really got me thinking, i was really blown away , i mean i read it before but somehow yesterday it really hit me. It got me thinking after being in Rice park hanging with all the ppl who were homeless, how do they do it? but specially hearing about the woman that Sonia and Aleks talked too, i got silence for a while when i got home. that lady didn’t have money to constantly buy food, and when she did have bread or something she would feed the birds (wow!) even her kids offered her a place to live, but she refused to live with them. She just wanted to be where she was, she knew that God provided and she wasn’t afraid either to know that she might not have for tomorrow, she just knew that there was going to be plenty for her the next day…what i learn from this is to know that God does exist, that he doesn’t leave the ones that believe in him, know him and do what he commands.

[Anonymous]

I think you make some really good and thought provoking points. Even though those around us are doing what is wrong, that doesn’t mean that we have to. It is so easy, I think, to justify our actions with, “Well, everyone else is doing it!” (Or something along those lines) However, as you point out, that is not what Noah did. Rather, he walked faithfully with God and found favor in his eyes, despite everyone else around him.

“Sin around us does not necessitate sin in us.”

I love this point! I think it is pretty basic and on one level we all probably know it, but it is something that seems to me to be worth being reminded of. It is so easy to give in to peer pressure or go along with the crowd or do what our sinful tendencies drive us to want to do since everyone around us is doing it. But if we look to people like Noah as our example, I think we can find strength and encouragement to live in a way that pleases God regardless of what is going on around us.

[Author]

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