Saved by Grace from Judgment

 

Saved by Grace from Judgment

Today, let’s talk about Noah. Who exactly was Noah? Why was he the only person saved when the entire world perished? To understand this, we need to take a deeper look at Noah.

God often speaks about judgment in the Bible to help us realize that one day He will eternally judge this world. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were judged after eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After Noah’s flood, Sodom and Gomorrah were judged. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, the Egyptians were judged.

What’s important is that judgment in the Bible never ends with judgment alone — there is always salvation in the midst of judgment. During the flood, Noah and his family were saved. When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, Lot and his family were saved. When the Israelites came out of Egypt, they were saved through the blood of the lamb. When Jericho was destroyed, Rahab the prostitute and her family were saved.

Although the Bible records many accounts of judgment, in every case where there is judgment, there is also salvation. God’s heart is not centered on judgment but on salvation. Though He judges sin, He delights in saving His people from it. Through these events, God shows us how we can be saved when facing the terrifying judgment to come.

The Bible records judgment not to scare us, but to make the way of salvation from judgment even clearer. When Jericho fell, when God judged the world with the flood in Noah’s time, and when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with burning sulfur, God always saved those who belonged to Him.

But if we look closely at the people who were saved, we see that they were not more kind, sincere, or good than those who perished.

Many people think they must try not to sin, or sin less, and do more good works to enter heaven. They compare their good deeds and sins — believing that if they sin more, they go to hell; if they do more good, they go to heaven. This is a misunderstanding.

In Genesis 6, the story of the flood is recorded. After God declared He would judge the world with a flood, Genesis 6:8 says:

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

If Noah was saved because he was morally better, less sinful, or kinder than the corrupt people of his generation, God wouldn’t have said “found grace.” Why, then, did God use the word “grace” for Noah?

Noah deserved destruction because of his sin, but he received grace from God and was spared from judgment. He was saved not because he was good, but because of God’s grace.

The path to God is not paved by our goodness, morality, or sinlessness. That path is the opposite of grace. Grace is not for the righteous or spotless. A wealthy man doesn’t beg — it’s the poor who beg. Likewise, those who receive God’s grace are not the “good” people.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of the prodigal son. The older brother was loyal and obedient. He never disobeyed his father’s commands. He didn’t feel a need for grace. But the younger son, after taking his inheritance, wasted everything in reckless living and became a beggar. He returned home in shame. He had already taken his inheritance; he no longer had any claim as a son.

He said to his father:

“Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

Anyone would think he should have been cast out, but instead, the father poured out grace on him. He clothed him, gave him shoes, put a ring on his finger, killed the fattened calf, and held a feast. The older brother, though obedient, did not receive this grace. The younger son, dirty and sinful, did.

To stand before God, should we be like the older son — keeping all the commandments — or like the younger son, who recognized he was a cursed and unworthy child? Most people prefer to be the “good” older son rather than admitting they are dirty and sinful like the younger son.

Noah was saved because he received grace. If he had been sinless and perfectly obedient, grace would not have been necessary. He was more corrupt than others — that’s why grace was for him. The younger son was more shameful than the older — that’s why grace reached him. The older brother was “too good,” so he was far from grace. “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” Grace is only for those who are truly sinful, shameful, and unworthy.

How was Noah saved?
How was Noah made righteous?
He was made righteous and saved by grace.

When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot didn’t do anything good — but he received grace. When Jericho fell, Rahab the prostitute was filthy and sinful — but she received grace. God saves us not based on our good deeds, but purely by His grace.

Ephesians 2:8–9 says:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Noah was just as corrupt as everyone else in his time. The Bible says, “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” Noah was not excluded from this. He was also sinful, dirty, and corrupt.

But Noah received grace. Among equally sinful people, some receive grace and some don’t. Why? Those who realize they can’t rely on their own strength turn to God’s grace. But those who trust in their own goodness become distant from grace.

In ministry, I’ve seen many people rely more on their efforts than on grace. But I hope all of us will put aside our own efforts, come before God, receive His grace, have our sins forgiven, and become people who are truly blessed.

 

从审判中蒙恩得救

 

今天让我们来讲一讲挪亚。挪亚到底是何许人也，能在全世界都灭亡的情况下得救，全人类中唯有他能得救呢？为了弄清这些，我们需要深入地了解一下挪亚。

神总是提到有关审判的内容，为的是让我们认识到，将来要永远审判这个世界。我们能够看到，在伊甸园，亚当和夏娃摘吃分别善恶树上的果子后，在神面前受到了审判；挪亚洪水后，所多玛和蛾摩拉城在神面前受到了审判；还有，以色列百姓出埃及时，埃及的众多百姓受到了审判。

重要的是，每当出现受审判的内容时，都不是以审判结束，总是会有人从审判中得救。挪亚洪水时，挪亚和他的家人得救的内容；所多玛和蛾摩拉城灭亡时，罗得和他一家人得救的内容；以色列百姓出埃及时，藉着羊的血得救的内容；耶利哥城被毁灭时，妓女喇合和他的家人得救的内容……虽然神在《圣经》中记录了很多审判的内容，但每当出现审判的内容时，也都有得救的内容出现。因为比起审判，神更想拯救世界，虽然审判了罪，但神更喜悦把自己的百姓从罪恶中拯救出来。并且，通过这些内容，神想告诉我们，将来面临那无比可怕的审判时，我们应该如何从中得救。

 

《圣经》中之所以记录审判的话语，是为了告诉我们：与审判相比，从审判中得救的道路更加分明。当耶利哥城倒塌时；在挪亚时代，神用洪水审判世界时；用硫磺火毁灭所多玛、蛾摩拉城时，无论何时，神都安全地拯救了属神的人。但看从审判中得救的人们的故事，我们能够知道，他们并不比那些遭到灭亡的人更友好、真实或做了更多善事。

很多想得救的人都认为，从现在起要努力不犯罪，少犯罪，多行善，这样才能去天国。很多人都会对自己行的善与犯的罪作比较，觉得犯的罪多，就下地狱；行的善多，就去天国。这是错误的想法。

《创世记》6章里记载了挪亚洪水的故事。神说要用洪水审判世界后，在6章8节中说：“惟有挪亚在耶和华眼前蒙恩。”如果挪亚得救，是因为与那时代淫乱、丑恶、肮脏的人们不同，犯的罪少，善良地生活，神就不会用“蒙恩”这个词来表达了。那么，神为什么说“挪亚在耶和华眼前蒙恩”呢？

挪亚因为犯了罪，理应遭到灭亡。但挪亚蒙到了神的恩典，因而免遭灭亡和审判。挪亚得到拯救，不是因为他比别人善良、真实，而是因为他蒙到了神的恩典。

 

走到神面前的这条路，不是靠我们不犯罪，真实、善良地生活，就能实现的。这是与蒙神的恩典正相反的路。恩典不是善良、没有污点的人得到的。腰缠万贯的富人会去乞讨吗？吃不上饭的穷人才会乞讨。同样，蒙神恩典的，不是真实、善良、诚实的人。

《路加福音》15章里记载了浪子的故事。大儿子忠诚地侍奉着父亲。他从来没有违背过父亲的命。他是不需要恩典的人。但二儿子带着父亲的许多财产离开，任意放荡，耗尽了一切所有的，变成了乞丐，回到了家里。该给二儿子的财产，父亲已经提前给他了，就算他回来了，父亲那里也没有他的任何财产了。因为二儿子是自己离开的父亲，所以现在他连儿子的资格都没有了。

他对父亲说：“父亲，我得罪了天，又得罪了你，从今以后，我不配称为你的儿子，把我当作一个雇工吧！”任谁看，他都是该被轰出去的人，但我们可以看到，父亲施给他的恩典和怜恤，比给大儿子的任何东西都大。父亲让他洗澡、穿上新衣服、穿上鞋、戴上戒指、宰了肥牛犊，还摆了筵席。大儿子对父亲那么忠诚，却没蒙到恩典。因为二儿子是肮脏、丑陋、邪恶的人，所以蒙到了恩典。

为了在神面前成为适合的人选，我们是要像大儿子一样，不违背神的命令，好好遵守命令，还是要像二儿子一样，认识到自己是只能被咒诅、被撇弃的儿子呢？与成为二儿子相比，很多人更想努力成为大儿子。不知有多少人，比起认识到自己在神面前是丑陋、肮脏的人，从而蒙到恩典，更想藉着自身的努力善良地生活。

挪亚得救，是因为他蒙到了恩典。假如挪亚不犯罪，诚实地遵守神的话语，正直地生活，那他有必要蒙恩典吗？因为挪亚比别人更丑陋、更恶，所以他才适合蒙恩典。二儿子比大儿子更加可恶、丑陋、肮脏，无颜面对父亲，所以才适合蒙受恩典。相反，大儿子做得太好了，所以远离了恩典。只是罪在哪里显多，恩典就更显多了，只有可恶、丑陋、肮脏的人，才能蒙到神的恩典。

 

挪亚是如何得救的？

挪亚是如何成义的？

他是蒙恩成义、得救的。

神毁灭所多玛、蛾摩拉城时，罗得没做好任何事，但他蒙到了恩典。在耶利哥城遭毁灭时，喇合是肮脏、丑陋的妓女，但她蒙到了神的恩典。神在拯救我们时，不是看着我们良善的行为拯救我们，而是想凭恩典拯救我们。

《以弗所书》2章8~9节中说：“你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。”

挪亚跟那时代的众人一样，都是丑陋、可恶的人。《圣经》中记录说：“耶和华见人在地上罪恶很大，终日所思想的尽都是恶。”在这里，并没有把挪亚排除在外。挪亚也是恶的，挪亚也是丑陋的，挪亚也是肮脏的。挪亚也犯了罪。

但挪亚蒙到了恩典。同样都是丑陋、肮脏、犯了罪的人，但有些人蒙到了恩典，有些人却没有蒙到恩典。为什么会这样呢？有些人因为犯了太多的罪，凭借自己的努力是完全不可能了，所以寻求了神的恩典。有些人努力行善，只是犯了一点点罪，所以依靠自己的努力，反而与神的怜恤和恩典疏远了。

在牧会的过程中，我看到很多人比起恩典，更想依靠自己的努力。现在，希望大家都扔掉自己的努力，走到神面前，蒙神的恩典罪得赦免，成为蒙受祝福的人。