Noah Built The Ark – He Worked Out His Own Salvation!

FMH Children’s Club International
–– A Company Of Prophets ––
P.O. Box 640109
El Paso, TX 79904

The following letter-form was brought about as a means of teaching my children the Word of God through the mail. And of course, quite naturally so, that’s the reason I begin these letters with "Dear Children" and end them with "Love Dad". So for the rest of you who participate in these weekly messages, please keep their original intended purpose in mind.

14 February 2010

Dear Children,

Today’s message – “Noah Built The Ark – He Worked Out His Own Salvation!” – has been years in the making, and now’s the time to put it in print. Because even though I was dead-set on finishing up “Jimmy Swaggart Got His Door(s) Blown Off!” the Lord let me know He had other plans. I mean He made it abundantly clear that I needed to write this one… and do it RIGHT NOW!

So what’s the hurry? Why the urgency?

Well, I certainly don’t know all the details, but what I do know is there’s a life “hanging in the balance” in Dallas, Texas, and her name is Margo Allen. In fact it was only a few days ago that I received her first email… and it read like this:

Bruce,
     I have read some of the things on your site. Lots of info.. lots to "chew" on. I'm thinking that, from what I have read.. that pertaining to you, it's the "blind leading the blind".. or maybe even 'the blind trying to lead those of us who actually see"... respectfully.
     You surely put lots of emphasis on "doing".. "not doing"..."being".... sounds like a lot of WORK to me. Don't you know, sir... that we are saved by Grace... that, it's a gift.. not by works.. lest anyone boast?
     Look at 1 Peter 3:18-22....

Now, that was only the beginning of Margo’s heart-felt diatribe, and it only got worse from there:

Once we're saved... we're always saved... no matter what... WORKS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD'S DIVINE PLAN OF SALVATION... If you believe that "works" has anything remotely to do with your salvation, you are lost, my dear friend.

In fact, what really concerns me about Margo’s “once saved always saved” belief is that she’s divorced from her husband, living with a female “room mate”, and making the following kind of statements:

I'm not a lesbian... I don't have to be to see that these lime-light preachers... and some not in the lime-light... are preaching against homosexuality in a way that is judgmental and condemning.. and keeping those poor people... whom Jesus loves and died for too by the way.... oppressed.

What a bust! Sounds like a true confession to me!

But anyway, let’s get down to the issues at hand. Starting with Margo’s last statement, it was back on 12/14//97 that I completed the sermonet “Homosexuals In The Church: Fact Or Fiction?” under the direction of my Heavenly Father. In that particular message we addressed God’s Truth concerning the absolute necessity for the homosexual to turn away from their sin (repent) before becoming a member of Christ’s “body of believers” (The Church). In other words, there’s no such thing as a “homosexual Christian”!

And moving right along, let’s now address Margo’s statement concerning “works”:

If you believe that "works" has anything remotely to do with your salvation, you are lost, my dear friend.

That’s what Margo wants to believe, but let’s see what God’s Word has to say about these “salvation works” that she so adamantly denies. In fact, seeing how we’re going to use Scripture from the New Testament to gain understanding in this matter, let’s first take a look at the Greek word “ergon” from which the English word “work” was most often translated (“ergon” carries Strong’s “G2041” reference number):

G2041 [er'-gon] - From ergo (a primary but obsolete word; to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act: - deed, doing, labour, work. (Strong’s Hebrew And Hebrew Dictionary)

And now for Webster’s definition of “work”:

Work - To produce by action, labor or exertion. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

So, that’s the word we need to focus on, and here’s what God’s Word has to say about it. Starting with Margo’s “proof” Scripture first, we have the following:

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works (G2041), lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works (G2041), which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 KJV)

Now isn’t it amazing how God’s Word can be manipulated to say something other than what it actually means? You see Margo only used Ephesians 2:8-9 to prove her point that “works” won’t save a person, but yet by reading on into verse 10 we see that God has already predetermined the “works” in each individual’s “salvation plan” that they must “labor to complete” (walk in). I mean there is a difference between the “works of the flesh” in verses 8-9 and the “works of the Spirit” in verse 10, and the following Scripture confirms it:

“[God] Who will render to every man according to his deeds (G2041): To them who by patient continuance in well doing (G2041) seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:” (Romans 2:6-7 KJV)

“Works of the Spirit” are absolutely necessary for “eternal life”. In fact Brother James does a very nice job of putting Margo’s “no works” diatribe to rest (as in buried in the grave):

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works (G2041) is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works (G2041), when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works (G2041), and by works (G2041) was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works (G2041) a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works (G2041) is dead also.” (James 2:20-26 KJV)

Did you get the point? “Grace through faith” in Jesus Christ is “dead” unless the “works” – predetermined according to God’s “salvation plan” – are carried out. I mean getting into Heaven just ain’t-a-gonna happen without the “works of the Spirit”:

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 KJV)

So, now that we’re on the subject of the “will of the Father”, it is His Will, as communicated to the Believer through the Holy Spirit, that will produce the “works of the Spirit” whenever the Believer’s “faith” is applied to God’s directive (His Will) and then carried out:

“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I [Jesus] speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63 KJV)

“Salvation” equals “eternal life” and it only comes about by hearing the Will of the Father and then just doing it:

“[God] Who will render to every man according to his deeds (G2041): To them who by patient continuance in well doing (G2041) seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:” (Romans 2:6-7 KJV)

Now with that in mind, let’s get back to Margo and her “grace through faith without works”. Because it was in the opening lines of her first email to me that she used 1 Peter 3:18-22 as the justification for her belief, with verse 22 being her focus:

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (1 Peter 3:18-22 KJV)

That’s the verse, and a very controversial verse at that! I wonder if Margo might be Baptist? You know, get dunked in the baptismal tank and you’re Heaven-bound, home free, as in “once saved always saved”!

Well, what do you say we put this controversial Scripture to rest by coming into a proper Spirit-led understanding of it? And seeing how the “like figure” in this “baptism” that brings forth the “answer of a good conscience toward God” is the “water” that floated “Noah’s Ark” to safety while drowning the remaining inhabitants of the earth (all “flesh”), what do you say we go there first:

“And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits… And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.” (Genesis 6:12-15; 7:17-22 KJV)

Now what you have just read in the preceding Scripture is God’s Biblical account of the real-life event that took place some 4,458 years ago… and it’s also a spiritual picture of becoming “born of water” – as in the true “water baptism” that Brother John preached about so adamantly:

“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight… Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance… I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:1-12 KJV)

You see the true “born again” experience is composed of two different baptisms – that of the “water” and that of the “Holy Ghost (Spirit) with fire”:

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:3-6 KJV)

And with that in mind, let’s get back to John the Baptist and his preaching on “water baptism unto repentance”. Because you see what he meant by “prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” was that anyone who’s seriously seeking salvation must be “dead serious about sinning no more!” “Repentance” is a change of mind from pleasing one’s self (sin) to pleasing God Almighty! So in order to satisfy the requirement to “bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” there must be a change of lifestyle that proves one’s desire to obey God (i.e. there’s no such thing as a homosexual Christian):

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 KJV)

So now let’s return to Noah and his ark. The Devil was on a roll! He had successfully won the hearts of the entire world, with the exception of Noah, his three sons, his wife, and his sons' wives (eight in all). He desperately wanted their souls too. Because you see if Satan could somehow just win them over, his promised defeat by Jesus would never become a reality… and God would become a liar:

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15 KJV)

But God had a plan, and His plan would save Noah and his family from the “corrupted flesh” that threatened to overtake them “IF” they were willing to construct an enormous barge that would take them 120 years of physical labor to build. I mean, talk about “salvation works”! And what made matters even worse was that Noah and his family were unmercifully taunted by the world around them once they started building the ark – as in “There’s not going to be any flood, you fool!”

Excerpt from "The Ark" (http://www.chick.com)

Can you even imagine how tempting the thought must have been for Noah and his family to abort God’s building project? Talk about persecution! But Noah and his family didn’t give in to the pressure. They resisted the Devil by obeying God’s plan, and 120 years later the “corrupted flesh” that had tempted them to sin was washed away by the flood as they floated to safety in God’s ark.

“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13 KJV)

Got the picture? Noah built the ark in obedience to God’s Will, and it saved his everlasting life! Noah worked out his own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing full well that he could lose it if he didn’t obey God’s Will for his life!

So with that in mind, let’s get back to Margo’s use of 1 Peter 3:18-22 to justify her “grace through faith without works”. In fact to help us get a better understanding of the context of Margo’s Scripture we’re going to include a few verses before and after in our study:

“But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Peter 3:14-22; 4:1-2 KJV)

Well, as you can see, the Scripture not only starts off with suffering – (But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye) – but it ends there too – (he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin). And of course the overall objective of this “suffering in order to cease from sin” is so that the Believer can just do the “Will of God” without fail. I mean, after all, that’s how Jesus did it:

“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;” (Hebrews 5:8 KJV)

A true Believer wants nothing more than to “do the Will of the Father” – they hate sin! I mean, after all, that’s what “salvation” is all about:

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17 KJV)

“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.” (1 John 5:18 KJV)

And of course this takes us back to the “eight souls saved by water”. Noah and his family wanted to obey God by building the ark, so they rejected any and all thoughts or suggestions that might persuade them to do otherwise. They were very much so tempted to “not obey God”, but they withstood the temptation till their victory was complete. This was a type of “water baptism unto repentance”.

However, as we discussed previously, the act of becoming “born again” is a two-step baptismal process – that of the “water” and that of the “Holy Ghost (Spirit) with fire”. And it’s the second step in God’s salvation process that totally removes the desire to sin – the flesh is annihilated. In other words there is no more need for the “salvation work” once the “baptism of the Holy Ghost with fire” has been accomplished:

“There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works (G2041), as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” (Hebrews 4:9-11 KJV)

So with this in mind, we can now understand that Margo’s Scripture – “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God” – does not support her belief system: “WORKS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD'S DIVINE PLAN OF SALVATION”. Because in the truest sense of the word, the “salvation work” is not complete (putting away of the filth of the flesh) until the Believer has received the “baptism of the Holy Ghost with fire”.

Ouch! What a bust for Margo! But “work” is what “salvation” is all about! I mean, whoever said it’s going to be easy? It certainly wasn’t the Word of God:

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 KJV)

Water baptism is an amazing part of God’s salvation plan, but it’s certainly not complete without the fire! In fact check out the sermonet series “How Do You Want Your Fire... Now Or Later?” (6/25/00) for more on this subject, and then “keep on keeping the faith in Jesus!”

Love,

Dad (Bruce Hallman)

P.S. – Here’s Margo’s complete email:

****************************************************

Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:30:12 EST [01/28/2010 09:30:12 PM EST]
From: Margova46@aol.com
To: bruce@fmh-child.org
Subject: Hi Bruce!

Bruce,

I have read some of the things on your site. Lots of info.. lots to "chew" on. I'm thinking that, from what I have read.. that pertaining to you, it's the "blind leading the blind".. or maybe even 'the blind trying to lead those of us who actually see"... respectfully.

You surely put lots of emphasis on "doing".. "not doing"..."being".... sounds like a lot of WORK to me. Don't you know, sir... that we are saved by Grace... that, it's a gift.. not by works.. lest anyone boast?

Look at 1 Peter 3:18-22....

18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Read through Galatians.. and Ephesians. Those who insist on living under the curse of the Law.. had better live every last bit of it.. and even still, no flesh is justified. Those who live by the Law, Grace is dead to that person.. and those who live under Grace, the Law is dead to them.

It's not rocket science.

Have you ever been married and then gotten a divorce for reasons other than infidelity? Perhaps, you know of some who have? If they should remarry... they are considered adulterous... living in adultery... living in SIN!

What make those types any different that homosexual people? In God's eyes, there is NO DEGREE of sin. A 'white' lie and murder is all the same to Him. Does the precious Blood of Jesus Christ cover some sins, past, present and future... and not others?

I'll tell you who will be in hell : Those who have rejected God's gift of Grace by faith in Jesus Christ. It's a GIFT! Do you have to work for a gift? Do you deserve a gift? Can you work hard enough to earn your righteousness enough for Heaven? NO!

You're also being pretty hard on Tom Brown. He knows the Word of God. I don't go for all the "materialism".. the constant preaching of "prosperity"... of course, Jesus wants us to prosper... but, more in our hearts and lives than monetarily.

I'm not a lesbian... I don't have to be to see that these lime-light preachers... and some not in the lime-light... are preaching against homosexuality in a way that is judgmental and condemning.. and keeping those poor people... whom Jesus loves and died for too by the way.... oppressed. Too many BUSY-BODIES in the "Christian-Right" aka Modern Day PHARISEES... for me!

Jesus would have no part of all that mess. Jesus would be hanging around the queers... the down-trodden... the mis-fits... the out-casts of society. When He walked around preaching while here on Earth... the sinners loved Him. The Religious killed Him.

Btw... just because we make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as our own personal Lord and Savior.. therefore, becoming born-again Christians... doesn't mean that we're still not sinners. We're still sinners... just saved by Grace. Jesus didn't do what He did for us on the Cross at Calvary.. go to hell taking the keys of death and hell away from the devil... stripping him of all authority... resurrect from the grave and ascend into Heaven for the devil to come up with some sin that could trump all that. Jesus did all that once.... we accept it once... and are saved once.... and for all. Jesus paid the price for us so we don't have to. It doesn't cost us a thing. All He wants in return.. is for us to love Him as much as He loves us.. by having a willing heart to allow Him to change us as He deems necessary. HE is the potter... and WE are the clay.

Imagine taking everybody's sin.. ever last person in the world.. past, present and future people.... all their sins... every kind of sin you can think of and more... every time they've committed it.. while they're committing it.. and when they'll commit it in the future.... all upon Himself. That's a heavy burden in itself... not to mention being whipped and beaten and cursed.. spat upon... urinated on probably.. I'm surprised He wasn't sodomized, if He wasn't... they did some horrendously degrading thinks back then.. kind of how people will do now who are full of the devil..... and then, have to carry a cross made of dogwood.. to a place you know is going to be your demise. I'd fall over praying for death after a good spanking with a cat of 9 tails.. no doubt after trying to pick up that big heavy cross. Dogwood is not a light wood.

Once we're saved... we're always saved... no matter what. Unless we consciously rebuke or renounce God.. and even then, I'm not positive of. He may then even still not let us go. God isn't a liar... and He is certainly not an "Indian-giver"... or a "carrot/stick" God. He loves us. He made us... He KNOWS us.... better than we know ourselves. He's not standing by hopefully awaiting us to miss the mark so He can zap us... or strip us of the Gift He gave and we accepted. Who does that? God doesn't manipulate. He did it all up-front for us.. once and for all... and those that have accepted it, HAVE it... and those who've rejected it... DON'T HAVE it.

WORKS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD'S DIVINE PLAN OF SALVATION... AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH EVERYTHING ELSE.

To believe in anything different... makes one a non-believer. To Teach anything different.. make one who's leading others a stray. God knows our hearts, minds, soul... being. He know our likes and dislikes... our needs and our wants. He knows our intentions... He knows what we believe. If we believe in anything for our eternal salvation other than what is intended.... woe to those who do that. We are not to "add to'... nor "take away" from the Word of God. Anyone who does suck... the bad things mentioned in the scriptures.. will happen to that person. If you believe that "works" has anything remotely to do with your salvation, you are lost, my dear friend. May I invite you to do some serious soul-searching? Seek and you shall find.. it in the Holy Bible.. the Word of God. The moment we become born-again... Jesus takes residence in our hearts... and the Holy Spirit comes in a takes residence in our body... or being. We need the HS to properly and accurately interpret God's Word. We are not to go by what the preacher has said... or what our grandmother told us. I was raised until the age of 8 in the Assembly of God church... I know what they are to believe. It's not all necessarily accurate.

In Christ... Margo Victoria Allen
Dallas, Texas

“ALL FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS”