Acting on Faith

My reading today is of Noah. I am an analyzer at heart and have so many unanswered questions regarding this ancient story. However, when I brush my doubts aside and manage to accept my lack of understanding, I see a world of application.  

Back in the day, Noah was the only one who found favor in the sight of God. What was it that set him apart in God’s eyes? Was it his belief that God existed that set him apart? Was it because he led a blameless life? Was it the fact that he had a relationship with God, as seen in his conversations with the Creator? I don’t think these were the factors that made the difference between Noah and all the other people of that day. And here is why. You see, I can believe I am a world renown baseball player, wear the uniform of a baseball player, talk like I am a world renown baseball player, but that doesn’t make it so. I must have action in my life that demonstrates my ability as a baseball player. Too often we believe our own publicity without any real evidence. This goes for our life in Christ also. We often have little physical evidence of our faith in God. 

Noah believed God, had conversations with God, but the clincher is that he acted on God’s commands.  He had follow-through.  He chose to act on his faith. If he had not acted on God’s word, he would have been at the bottom of an ocean of water with everyone else.  His action of faith is what mattered. Faith must be followed by action.  In that order. 

This is not to say we could earn our salvation by any act. God took care of that by sacrificing his Son to die on the cross and be resurrected. Without God’s act of grace, there is nothing we can do to save ourselves.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NET[8] For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; [9] it is not from works, so that no one can boast.

No, it is not how we act that saves us, it is how we act in response to God’s gracious love. Do we accept it?  Do we believe it enough to act on it? God gave us choices. Our part is to act on those choices and to continue to act on this in our daily walk with Christ.  

Lord, may I not only love and listen to you, but may I act accordingly.