- How were some of Adam’s family saved? He did live 930 years. How was salvation presented to them, as well as to the others in the Old Testament. Noah was given 120 years to build the Ark. In those 120 years was he preaching the "Gospel of Jesus Christ?" Did he give a Boat Call? Genesis 6:8 "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." All the others "I will destroy." In Genesis 7:1 God said unto Noah, " I see righteous before me in this generation." Noah was 600 years old in the year of the Flood. Noah lived by faith in a corrupt generation. Hebrews 11.
- Are we to say those on earth at the time of Noah all died? Yes. Were any of those living at the time of the Flood "saved?" Good question.
- If all natural descendants of Adam are spiritually dead, and if the only way they can become spiritually alive is through regeneration then the Old Testament saints had to be regenerated in order to become spiritually alive. If only those who are spiritually alive can manifest spiritual life, and if the Old Testament believers manifested spiritual life, then Old Testament believers must have been spiritually alive. I think!
- My point is in the presentation of the Gospel? Did Adam, did Noah, preach/teach as we do today? There were no churches as we know them today. I don’t think the name of Jesus Christ was ever mentioned by name. I do not think that the Cross was mentioned either. Or at least I do not find the text which would say that. So how were they saved? I do not have a detailed plan of salvation to give that strictly applies to Old Testament saints. I do not even feel that it is critical for us today to understand in full detail the way they came to God. Yet they were regenerated, had faith and believed the promises of God.
- Hebrews 11 tells us "by faith." Then in verse 13, "they were persuaded of the promises made to them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
"Faith" saving faith:
- Is an assurance of a testimony: 2 Thess 1:10.
- Is a certainty of truth from a sense of glory and excellency John 20:29
- Is an expectation of a truth, that you have a spiritual taste for what is divine. Luke 12:57
- The object of this faith is Jesus Christ. Mark 1:15. Includes a knowledge of God and Christ. 2 Peter 1:2,3.
- Is a conviction of the promises . Hebrews 11:1
If Noah was 600 years before the Flood, how old was he when God saved him? And what kind of impact did he have in those years before the Flood? The whole human race was totally corrupted. Why?
My point of these articles has been to try to discern the manner in which the Gospel was presented.
I am humbled as I study, and research this topic of Preaching the Gospel Biblically. If you want to be really humbled, just study and read others’ exposition on this subject.
If you want to be humbled, just have Charity check your article. But that is necessary in my case.. (That was a side bar comment)
The Gospel preaching that my dad preached in the 1930's thru 1966 I trust to be the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto salvation.
The Gospel preaching that I have preached from 1965 thru 2006 I trust to be the Gospel of Jesus Christ unto salvation.
While it’s true that I might word differently the presentation of the Gospel, it’s still the Gospel. I believe dad and I had within our preaching of the Gospel the right elements necessary for saving faith. While I never heard Lordship Salvation from my dad, he preached it never the less. He preached that those who God saves will be His disciples. Their life will show by faith the glory of Christ. I don’t think dad believed every one who came forward in an invitation were saved. He believed those who came forward and presented them selves to Christ as their Lord and Savior were saved. The evidences of their being born again was a new spirit within them.
Today in the 21st century, what has changed is the mass media. There has always been a Benny Hinn, a Joel Osteen, a Rick Warren, a Billy Graham, a Jack Hyles presentation of the Gospel. The Fundamentalist preachers have preached a gospel that is easy believism. By that I mean, "Believe and be saved."
The preacher in his quest of bringing people into the Kingdom, will often ignore what he might really believe. Fundamental preachers are good telling people what to do and not to do. Movies, dances, cussing, long hair, short hair, and shorts, etc. They definitely believe a Christian should live like Christ. They believe a Christian should come to Church ob Sunday Morning, Night, Wednesday, Soul Winning, Bus Visitation, and teach a class, and give money to the church.
Yet many of those who they say are saved, don’t do any of the desired actions expected of good Christians. Why is that? They are not saved, born again, regenerated, justified, sanctified. Oh!
I believe in our zeal to see people saved and baptized, we fail to rightly present the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ. Now there is another topic.
Drafted November 30th 2006 by Charles E. Whisnant Proof Check by Charity 11-30-06
