As Were the Days of Noah

Matthew 24:37-39 ESV

 

“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

 

If we are at all aware of what is presently going on in the world and within the church, at least within the church here in America, and of what is going on in America’s government and in other governments of other nations, and if we at all have a keen sense of the prophecies of Scripture regarding these final days before our Lord’s return, I believe we should see that we are living in a time similar to the days of Noah before God judged the people of the earth with a flood. He did save Noah and his family, though.

 

The sad part about what is going on today, though, is that it isn’t just the people out in the world who are engaged in revelry, in partying, in having a good time, and in enjoying the pleasures that this world has to offer as standard operating procedure. But it appears, at least here in America, that a large percentage of what is called “church” or “Christian” today is not much different from the people of the world who are the ungodly.

 

So many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ are not living for the Lord Jesus. They may go through the motions of religious exercise, but their lives are still their own and they are still living them the way that they want without thought for what God wants for their lives. Their lives are not surrendered to Jesus Christ. He is not the one on the throne of their lives. Flesh is still on the throne, and so many of them are living worldly lives.

 

The modern “church” of today has partnered with the world in order to attract the world to their gatherings in order to “grow their churches,” which are not of God, but of man. They are businesses of men being marketed to the world just like any other business. And so they have patterned the gatherings of “the church” around what the world is craving, only perhaps in a much more cleaned up and family oriented atmosphere.

 

Since they are trying to attract the world and to appeal to what the people of the world (and of the flesh of man) are craving, they have also altered the gospel message to make it more palatable to human flesh. Thus, they have removed God’s requirements for repentance, obedience, and submission to him as Lord (owner-master) so as not to offend the flesh of man.

 

Therefore, for the most part, the church (or what is falsely called “church”) is indistinguishable from the world. They look alike, talk alike, sound alike, think alike, and behave in similar manners as the ungodly. Since they mostly feel that they don’t have to repent or obey or submit to God, and since they believe their sins are forgiven and so they are confident that God will not punish them for their sins, they continue in deliberate and habitual sin.

 

Thus, many of them are engaged in sexual immorality of various kinds and degrees, including a large number of pastors. This seems to be the most grievous sin and the one the most sought after in “the church” today, and one that is being overlooked or given only a cursory attempt in helping to curb it in anyway, usually only with support groups which often just pacify the addicts in their habitual sin but do not lead them to full deliverance.

 

Since “the churches” have mostly gone the way of the world, and they are living worldly lives for the pleasures of this world and to please their sinful flesh, they are either comprised of people who do not truly know God at all, and/or they are comprised of adulterous and rebellious Christians who have deserted their “first love” to go after the idols of this sinful world, both of whom are in danger of the fires of hell if they do not repent and obey God.

 

[Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:9-10, 19-20; 2 Co 5:10, 15; Tit 2:11-14; Jas 1:22-25; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-6; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; Matt 7:21-23; Heb 10:26-27; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Rom 12:1-2; Eph 2:8-10]

 

Hebrews 11:7 ESV

 

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

 

So, God is calling out his “Noahs” of today who will do what he says, even if it is unusual or weird to some or most people, especially weird with regard to today’s “Christian culture.” He is not calling us to build a physical ark to save his people, though, but he is calling us to build a spiritual ark of sorts.

 

We need to be voices of reason in this sin-sick world of ours. We need to be addressing wanton sin within the church, and we need to be exercising biblical church discipline, and we need to be exposing the fruitless deeds of darkness and proclaiming the full counsel of God (the gospel) to all who will listen. For time is running out, and many are in danger of ending up in hell on the promise of heaven when they die, for they are believing the lies and they are rejecting the truth, so we need to be telling them the truth.

 

We must be telling them the truth of the gospel that Jesus died on that cross that we might die with him to sin and live to him and to his righteousness. For he died that we might no longer live for ourselves but for him who gave his life up for us. He shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) so we would now honor God with our bodies.

 

God’s grace to us commands (instructs, trains) us to say “No!” to ungodliness and fleshly lusts and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s soon return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

 

And we must be telling them that if they do not repent of their sin, and if they do not walk in obedience to the Lord in holiness and righteousness that they will not inherit eternal life with God. It won’t matter what they professed with their lips or felt they believed in their hearts about Jesus Christ. For we must be crucified with Christ to sin and be resurrected with Christ to walk in newness of life in him free from slavery to sin and now free to become slaves of God and of his righteousness (same verses as above).

 

Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer

 

Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897

Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897

 

Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,

This is my constant longing and prayer;

Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,

Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,

Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

 

O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,

Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,

Willing to suffer others to save.

 

O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,

Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;

Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,

Fit me for life and Heaven above.

 

Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,

Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

 

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