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The Ark And The Church
We believe all the Scripture to be inspired of God, both the Old Testament and the New Testament. "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God." (II Timothy 3:16,17). We are to learn to "rightly divide the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15). When we do this we learn that we are not bound by all that is found in the Scriptures because we do not live under the former covenants like that given to Israel through Moses. We live under Jesus Christ. But that in no way affects our confidence that all the Bible is from God.
The Old Testament is of great value to us even though it is not therein that we find the specifics of our service to God under Christ. "Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning." (Romans 15:4). "Now all these things happened unto them for ensembles and they are written for our admonition." (I Corinthians 10:11). From a study of the Old Testament we learn many great and everlasting principles of right and wrong in God's dealings with mankind
Our present lesson turns back to the passages of the "things written afore time" and we shall concentrate our attention on the ark of Noah and note many similarities between it and the way God used it and the church and its importance today in God's scheme of things.
Our Text
"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 shall pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion that thou shalt make it of. The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit thou shalt finish it above, and the door thereof thou shalt set in side thereof: with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die. But with thee shall I establish my covenant: and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee, they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep alive And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee, and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. This did Noah, according to all that God commanded him, so did he." (Genesis 6:13-22).
Here is presented just about everything that we know about the ark. Generations of men had become so evil that God decided to cleanse the earth of this wickedness. But He was going to preserve Noah and his family by means of the ark.
Noah built the ark as God had designed it. Noah was the builder. God was the architect. Noah was a servant of God, and a preacher of righteousness, who walked with God and found favor in the eyes of God.
God designed the ark just as God wanted it to be. Noah had to follow the plan as God had specified. It was not left to Noah to decide how the ark was to be constructed. God determined how large, how long, how wide, how high, how many stories, what materials, all measurements, everything The construction of the ark was a joint operation of God and Noah.
The Ark
The ark had but one kind of material, namely, gopher wood. Any other kind of wood would have been to change God's plan. Noah did not have the right to add to nor take from any direction God gave. God specified he kind of wood, and Noah obeyed. Would that all men were as content with God's directions today.
The ark had but one source of light, the single window. We are not informed as to the exact size of the window. That is immaterial. The point that does matter is that there was but this one source of light.
Those that were spared from the destruction of wickedness were on the inside of the ark. Those that were on the outside were destroyed. "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; they were destroyed from the earth; and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark." (Genesis 7:23).
Probably many laughed at Noah while he was building the ark. Doubtless they considered him some kind of fanatic. They may have ridiculed him right up to the time that the rains began and the fountains of the deep were opened and the earth began to be overflowed. But those on the outside of the ark were drowned and those inside were spared.
Salvation Inside
If Noah had done everything God told him to do, building the ark exactly as specified, gathering the animals as directed, thinking that God was surely going to keep His word and destroy wickedness, but then had never entered the ark, do you really think he would have survived? The point is, salvation was on the inside of the ark and no where else.
Furthermore, the ark had but one door. The only way to enter was through that door. The opportunity for entrance was determined by the Lord and when time came, "Jehovah shut him in." God shut the door. He determined when the last one could enter and just who it would be.
We want to note the similarities of the ark to the church of Christ. When we speak of the church, no denomination or anything akin thereto is remotely suggested. There simply is nothing Biblical about denominations.
Christ's Church
Christ is the builder of the church (Matthew 16:16-18), and God is the architect (Ephesians 3:10). The church belongs to Christ. He purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He died for it and is the Savior of it (Ephesians 5:23,25). This is why the church is properly identified as the church of Christ. Such designates the One to whom it belongs. Paul wrote, "The churches of Christ salute you." Romans 16:16).
Since God designed the church, it ought come as no surprise that the church is also identified as the "church of God," (I Corinthians 1:2). After all, He determined the government of it. the worship, the terms of entrance, the duties of members, etc. All such things have been delivered from heaven. Men have unfortunately taken upon themselves to alter and revise the Lord's church, perverting it into apostasy, and producing the human denominations that blight the earth today. We wonder why men, regardless of how sincere, have ever thought themselves empowered to vary the teaching of God in His inspired word and create for themselves their own churches.
The material of the church is people. The church is not made of literal stones and wood, but is composed of people. They are a very special people. They are people who have obeyed the gospel, having been cleansed of their sins by the blood of Christ, set apart (sanctified) by the blood of the Lord (I Corinthians 1:2). Peter said, "Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house." (I Peter 2:5). The church is a temple not made with hands. Rather it is the "house of God," (I Timothy 3:15). Those in the church have been added thereto by the Lord upon the completion of their obedience to the gospel (Acts 2:47).
The church has but one source of light, and that is the Word of God. As David said, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathway." (Psalm 119:105). "The entrance of thy word giveth light." (Psalm 119:130). Paul wrote of the "light of the gospel." (II Corinthians 4:4). Proverbs 6:23, "For the commandment is a lamp and the law is light." Christians are guided by the light of the knowledge of the glory of God (II Corinthians 4:6).
Salvation Inside
Similar to the ark, the saved are on the inside of the church. Those who are outside the church stand in danger of their eternal peril. There is no more salvation outside the church than there was outside the ark. Salvation is in Christ." (II Timothy 2:10). "All spiritual blessings in heavenly places are in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3). There is no condemnation to those "in Christ." (Romans 8:1). And what does that have to do with the church? The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:18). There is no such thing as being "in Christ" but outside His body. To be "in Christ" is to be in His church, the saved.
Those in the church are the saved. The false doctrine that one can be saved outside the church has no foundation in Scripture. One can surely be saved outside of denominations. He cannot be saved in these human institutions. There is no salvation therein. Christ is the Savior of the church (Ephesians 5:23).
Proof Texts
"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (I Corinthians 12.27). Our triumph is "in Christ." (II Corinthians 2:14). To be in Christ is to be in the church and is to enjoy victory. "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." (Ephesians 5:30). This is said in the chapter where it is designed that Christ saves the body and the body is the church. "So we, being many. are one body, and all members have not the same office."(Romans 12:5). Those who are Christians are those who are in the church Christians are not outside the church hut in the church if there be Christians outside the Church then they are from under the head, since Christ is the head of the body (Colossians 1:18). How absurd to contend one is subject to Christ and he outside of Him, His body, the church.
The saved are added to the church (Acts 2:47). If the world would study and learn about the church from the New Testament, they would discontinue all teaching that offers salvation on the outside They would realize that the church is the saved and the saved make up the church. We can no more offer hope to those outside the church for their spiritual salvation than Noah could extend hope to those outside the ark for preservation from the destruction of the flood.
Like the ark, the church has but one door and that is Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). We go through that door by doing whatever we are taught to do to enter Christ. Only two passages of Scripture teach us the faith step that takes us from outside of Christ into Christ. Faith, repentance, confession all precede the final step and each takes one toward Christ. But one is 'baptized into Christ.' Gal 3.27: Romans 6.3,4). Jesus specified it is a condition for salvation (Mark 16:16). Some people labor diligently to avoid and dodge the Lord's simple teaching If they spent that much time and effort in trying to obey as they do in trying to dodge, they would be a far better people. and everything around them would benefit.
On The Outside
Death and sorrow awaited those outside the ark. There was no hope for them. Nothing Noah could do would change their destiny. He preached to them, but they gave no heed (II Peter 2:5). "And they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away." (Matthew 24:39). And such is the only expectation of which we can read in God's Word concerning those who choose to remain aloof and outside the church of Christ. Someday, God will close the door. It may come by death or the Lord's return. But once the door was shut, Noah was in safety, the rest were in ruin. And what shall it be with us?