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God uses accounts in the Bible to point us to His plan for humankind and to instruct us on what it means to live lives of active faith in Him. Abel’s acceptable sacrifice shows us that faith in service is to be an expression of gratitude to God for His grace and favour. Abel was deemed righteous by God. Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God because he offered back to God as an acknowledgement of God’s blessings. We are reminded of David’s prayer in 1 Chron. 29:14. David, although he was king and possessed all the land, declared to God: “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand”. All offerings and good works done come through God’s enabling. He gives the opportunities and He blesses the outcome.
Enoch’s life teaches us that active faith values eternity more than the present. Enoch walked with God three hundred years (Gen. 5:24). Unlike those who were listed in the preceding chapters of Genesis 5 who lived and died, he did not experience death (Heb. 11:5), because he walked with God. Enoch had a living relationship with God. Heb. 11:6 gives the theological description of what “walking with God” means – it is to put faith in believing “He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him”. Seeking God and His eternal rewards impact the way we relate with people and respond to circumstances. By faith, we can be certain of laying up treasures in heaven.
Noah’s commitment instructs us that faith is never passive. Noah was committed to God’s project. For 120 years Noah preached, warned and worked on building the huge vessel. The project involved risk, invited criticism and included many discouragements. In spite of all this, Noah remained committed. He trusted God more than his own capability in completing the enormous project. The ark took over a century to be completed which exceeds most of our lifespan today. Perhaps the only comparable project that requires our commitment to God today is our own lives. It is the good work which He began in us which He will bring to completion in the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6). By faith, we are to be devoted to building our arks (lives) in Christ in our relationships and meeting real needs in our service to our Lord. Active faith requires us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). We are unable but He enables us.
