While Noah is a model of faith -Hebrews 11-7-, salvation is always a matter of God's faithfulness.

Obviously the Fall had some kind of effect on humanity. But how far have we fallen-- Well, God's estimation offends many. He says that -all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God- -Romans 3-23-, -there is none who does good, not even one- -Romans 3-12- Psalm 53-3-, and -no one seeks after God- -Romans 3-11- Psalm 14-2-. And God's assessment has not changed throughout history because Human nature has not changed since the Fall and the Flood. Before the Flood, God saw that -every intention of the thoughts of his heart -i.e. humanity's- was only evil continually- -Genesis 6-5-. After the Flood, the diagnosis did not change- -the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth- -8-21-. The state of decay here described has been accurately identified in the doctrine of Total Depravity. This is a teaching that should humble everyone, leaving no room for anyone to boast about how great they are -Rom 3-27a-. If we are going to have any hope in this world, we must come to the conclusion John Flavel arrived at- -How deep is the pollution of sin, that nothing but the blood of Christ can cleanse it--

The very first prophecy was given by God himself in the immediate aftermath of the Fall- -I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring- he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel- -Genesis 3-15-. God's grace preserved the human race and human history would be marked by a clear division- the spiritual offspring of Satan and the offspring of the woman who bears the faith she would have. The hostility between these two lines is equally obvious- Cain murdered Abel, and Cain's family line reflected Satan's priorities -Genesis 4-1-24-. Jesus, the descendant of Seth, would come from A Long Line of Godly Men. He is the appointed offspring of the woman who crushed Satan's head on the cross and delivered us from God's judgment on our sins. But until he comes, God's people are to wait.

How are we to view life in a Fallen world-- The extremes of asceticism or the motto -Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die- obviously are not the Christian way. It is okay to enjoy the world God made- But what are our lives to look like knowing -here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come- -Hebrews 13-14--- To answer questions like these we have to see the world for what it is. Come join us Sunday Morning as we listen to God's Word from Genesis 4-16-26 - What the World Offers

Come join us Sunday Morning as we listen to God's Word from Genesis 4-1-15 - A Tale of Two Sons

Are you anxious about what you see going on in the world-- There is a lot to be anxious about when we consider how little we are actually in control of our own lives. And yet, Christ commands his people to be anxious for nothing -Matt 6-25-34-. The Stoic's answer to anxiety is to focus on what you can control, but Jesus's instruction is to look to and trust in the one who is actually in control- -Look at the birds of the air- they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them- -v.26-, -if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you- -v.30-. Our reasons for anxiety grow the longer we look at ourselves, our circumstances, and the powers of this world. But when we take a long look at who God is, especially as he revealed himself in Jesus Christ, all our reasons fade away. God is the reason Why Evil Doesn't Stand a Chance - Genesis 3-14-15.

Just as the Serpent said -Gen 3-5-, Adam and Eve have had their eyes opened -Gen 3-7- by disobeying God and eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But what do they see now that they are blind -2 Cor 4-4- John 9-39-40--- What do they know now that they suppress the truth in unrighteousness -Rom 1-18--- God's interrogation gets the answer Straight From the Horse's Mouth - Genesis 3-8-13.

We are going to pick up where we left off last Christmas at John 1-6-13 - the summary of the response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The incarnation of the Second Person of the Godhead was an amazing miracle of saving grace -vv.1-5-, and one would expect that the response of a world trapped in darkness would be to rejoice at seeing such the light of their salvation burst onto the scene of history. And yet that is the opposite of what happened -vv.10-11-. When the Light was given to everyone, most people did not receive him- -For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment- the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ... Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life- whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him- -John 3-16-19, 36-.