Faith Life 18 (FAITH THAT OVERCOME 2)

GRACE ABOUNDS ONLINE BIBLE STUDY

THEME: FAITH LIFE OF CHRISTIAN BELIEVERS (Part 18)

TOPIC: FAITH THAT OVERCOME  

SPEAKER: Peter Ayoola Fakeye (PAF)

Hebrew 11:7, 1 Peter 3:20-32

We've established the fact that Noah's ark was a pointer to Jesus in our previous study. This is why Apostle Peter related it to our salvation; just as Noah and his household were inside the ark, and are saved from the destruction of sin and unrighteousness, so also we are inside Jesus when our sins and deaths were judged on His body on the cross. This is the meaning of our baptism that Peter was saying in the text, and it should be that which our faith must rest on.

Just imagine Noah trying to get himself outside of the ark, then he would have been swept away by the flood of judgement. In fact, when we check how the ark was constructed in Genesis 6, we'll discovered that the ark has only one window which is on the top of the roof. I believe one of the reason for this is that, the people in the ark won't be able to see or find out what is happening outside the ark. This shows us that we don't need to look outside of Jesus' death on the cross, but we are rather have to stay put inside the ark. Trying to look outside of what Jesus has done on the cross will only cause panic, fear, depression and whatever the world is experiencing.

Noah didn't have to experience the flood again, because the ark has already experienced it on his behalf. And we’ll also see that throughout the time of the flood, the ark was not wrecked or destroyed. So also, Jesus was victorious over sin, death and devil on the cross. Jesus didn't die as someone that has been defeated, rather He died as a victor. He conquered sin and death on the cross, and we're not suppose to experience them again (Romans 6:10).

Now, let's talk about Christ’s resurrection and it’s significant to us. Romans 6:4-6

In the above scripture, we’ll see where Apostle Paul talked about our baptism into Christ death. Brethren, there was one thing that could only happen after the death of Christ; it is His resurrection. Christ's resurrection is a proof that His death on the cross is adequate to save us. His death was complete and there was nothing that could have kept him in the grave. His resurrection is a proof that we are free over sin, because he had already conquered sin and death on the cross.

We were in Christ's loins when He died to sin, and He took us in Himself with every of our impurities. “Died to sin” simply means, he conquered sin on the cross through his death when He became our sin offering. Therefore, if we were in Him when He died, then it's automatic that we are in him when He resurrected. He never dropped us along the process, instead He carried us together with Himself and raised us up. The word ‘just’ in Romans 6:5, tells us that we were raised up the same manner as Christ was raised This means that as we put our faith in Christ, then we begin to experience the life of Christ in our daily experience. You need to start seeing yourself that you have been raised into life with God, far above principalities and power.

The Bible says about Noah that, “due to the fact that he put his faith in the ark, and sstayed in it, he became the heir of righteousness which is according to Faith.” Noah became the heir of righteousness, in other words, he became the inheritor of righteousness because he put faith in the ark that God designed for Him (Hebrew 11:7). We've also inherited Christ’s righteousness because we've put our faith in Christ Jesus. The Bible says, "if we have been united in the death, it is automatic that we experience his resurrection." The problem of many believers is that they have disjointed themselves from the death of Christ, and they've started engaging self-effort; looking for ways to have peace and Joy. Some people try to look for peace and Joy in money, academic knowledge, influence, etc. At the end of the day, they fall as victims of depression, because they have not been united with Christ in His death. Friends, It is certain that you will experience the life of God in your body, soul and spirit when you start relating with what Christ has already done for you on the cross. 

Brothers and sisters, we have a glorious redemption because we have a glorious Redeemer, and His position is our position. But don’t forget that Jesus started taking your position from the cross, which is your reference point.