Grace

Tidbit:

Part 1 - Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that EVERY intent of the thoughts of his heart was ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY. (Gen. 6:5)

Part 2 - But Noah found FAVOR in the eyes of the Lord. (Gen. 6:8)

Part 3 - Noah was a RIGHTEOUS man, BLAMELESS in his time; Noah WALKED with God. (Gen. 6:9)

Notice the progression - first, the whole earth is completely and utterly evil. Then Noah finds favor with God. Then Noah is recorded to be a righteous man.

If the order went like this: Evil world, Righteous Noah, Noah finds favor with God - that would make sense to us because we'd say, well, of course Noah found favor, he was righteous.

But that's not the order. The order is (once again): Evil world. Finding favor. Being righteous.

The word favor means grace. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God chose to graciously continue life on earth through Noah. God's choice and then Noah is righteous. Even though the sacrifice of Jesus would not occur for another 5,000 years, God applied that future sacrifice to Noah's account, showed him grace and made him righteous.

This is the story of all believers. This is the order of all of our salvations.

ONLY EVIL

GOD GRACIOUS

US RIGHTEOUS

Get it? Got it? Good...gotta run...