Discussion Question – Faith & Obedience

[Jamie]

Noah obeyed God when asked to build the ark. What does it take to obey God when asked to follow through on such a huge undertaking? How do you obey God in areas that require much faith?

[Anonymous]

During my reading of this part of Genesis, I kept flashing back to the Steve Carell movie, Evan Almighty. Evan was very hesitant to listen to and obey God at first, especially since God was asking him to build an ark and prepare for a flood (similar to Noah’s experience). Evan could only think of himself and his family, and how other people might perceive him and think of what he was doing. It took some consistent nudging by God, but Evan finally obeyed. I tend to be just like Evan whenever God asks me to do something that seems too big, and out of my control – I hesitate and do everything in my power not to obey. Eventually, once God persists enough, I relent and see His point of view. My challenge is to not put myself and my desires/concerns/feelings first and foremost when being asked by God to do something. I’ve found that when I put complete trust in Him, even though I don’t have any control of the outcome, His plan comes to fruition. Just like I have faith in believing in Him, even though I can’t see Him or speak with Him directly, by following His will, His outcomes are indeed met in my life.

[bstadle1]

If I were to be completely honest, I would have to say I have no idea the kind of faith it would take to completely obey God as Noah did. I am grateful that God is abounding in love and slow to anger, because I know that I do not yet have the faith to do exactly as God asks of me, and more importantly as soon as He asks it.

I believe I have always tended towards thinking that God desires us to grow in the fruits of the Spirit by alowing us to mature through experience. Though this is true (only by His grace towards us), I also want to believe that in Christ I have already received a new spirit that is able to walk fully in faith without experience. It is my flesh that needs to be worked out, but the Spirit is already willing. God has not held back any of the wealth of riches we have in Christ. All this to say…. If Noah was able to live so completely by faith before the Spirit was fully poured out on mankind, how much more faith should I walk in? Much more!

[Anonymous]

I believe it takes a lot of faith to obey God, especially undertaking a huge project like building the ark. Obedience, I believe, comes by having a relationship with God or someone. This weeks reading talked about how Noah walked with God. So, out of a relationship, Noah built the ark. He was willing to believe and trust God in whatever God told Him. I obey God by trusting Him and remembering what He has done in the past for me. I know from experience that I can trust God and be willing to do what He asks of me. My obedience comes through faith in Him and knowing Who God is. Faith produces obedience.

[Anonymous]

It says that Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Sometimes i ask what it means to be faithful? is it really an adjective? how do i act to be faithful? but I think Noah ACTED, he DID IT! And i think another thing is he heard the voice of God. He wasn’t selfish or wanting more for his family or for himself but He LISTENED to what God wanted for his people the plan to build a covenant for human kind Noah trusted and did it. How do can i act more like Noah? its so hard sometimes.

[Jamie]

but I think Noah ACTED, he DID IT!

Alex started to define a bit what it means to have faith. QUESTION: How would you define “faith”? Is it something you feel on the inside or a simple obedience to what God is asking you to do?

[Anonymous]

I think as time has passed i learned to experience faith with perseverance? I don’t think faith just came to me and i walked with it right away, i still struggle with it sometimes. I think for me faith is defined as doing something about it or acting on it, you can’t have faith without doing. Noah acted on what God told him to do so that is why pairs of every kind of animal were saved, and his family was saved, he trusted that the flood was not going to kill them, and he wasn’t scared either. Which amazes me! That is something that i lack at sometimes when i want to do something i fear. Noah believed in the God that can move mountains, believed in his power and that is amazing!. Noah gives me the example that With God nothing is impossible. I just have to remember to be patient, listen and act on it.

[Anonymous]

this also brought me to book of Romans. In Romans 1:17 it says,”for in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed- a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “the righteousness will live by faith.” Jamie when we studied Romans you asked Sonia and I many questions, but one of them was, what the word justified mean? at that time i did not know what that meant. You explained that justified means to be right with God. God wants to justified us through his son Jesus Christ to in all who believe will be saved.

and so if you become right with God, you become a righteous person living by faith. And that is what Noah was to God, that is why Noah found favor in the eyes of the lord.

then later in Romans 4 it talks about Abraham who was also a faithful man, who also was justified but by WORKS, he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.

[Anonymous]

When God asks us to obey him in the things that he asks us to do that are difficult, it takes, as the question suggests, faith. What does that entail, though? What does having faith mean? These are tough questions that I think we all have to answer at some point or another.
The reason I think these are tough questions is not because I think they are difficult to answer, but because I think they are difficult to live out. I think the answer is simple: having faith means trusting God. In the context of responding to things he has asked us to do, I think it means being obedient and trusting that he will see us through. Doing that, however, is easier said than done. I think one way to live this out is to just take things one small step at a time, trusting in God each step of the way. I think that way we are less likely to be overwhelmed. It seems to me that having the support of other believers also helps, in addition to staying close to God daily and drawing upon his strength to live out what he has called us to do. Again, however, all this is easier said than done. Perhaps the best way to answer these questions is to go and try living out faith and obedience, realizing that we will grow as we do.

[Anonymous]

Woops, this post was meant to be a response to Jaimie’s original question.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s both. At first, your faith is something that you feel on the inside, between you and God. Then after cultivating it some more, your faith becomes an obedience to what God is asking you to do, and becomes more of an outward sign of your love for Him.

[Jamie]

What do you think of this potential definition – “Faith is obedience to God…despite circumstances or human consequences.”

[Anonymous]

I really think obedience is being able to act in faith even despite circumstances and human consequences. I really believe that there is more to faith than just feelings or circumstances. I agree with this definition because if faith was based on circumstances or feelings, wouldn’t everyone have faith then? It takes a lot of courage and belief to obey someone that You can’t “visibly” see. Noah Acted in faith and through faith in God, He obeyed and built the ark. He shared such an intimate relationship with God that He KNEW Him and was able to live out his faith even despite the bleak circumstances.

[Author]

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