I don't know that I have ever heard a Calvinist truly challenged regarding all the Old Testament references to righteous individuals.
If all humans are totally depraved, steeped in Adam's guilt and born into sin, how can the Bible ever describe any human being as being "righteous", "blameless", or "walking with God"?
But Noah is clearly described that way.
Twice.
And he manages to maintain his righteousness even as everyone around him is on the broad path to destruction.
And it seems pretty clear that Noah is chosen to be the remnant through the flood because he is righteous. He is not made righteous after being chosen.
Gen 7:1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.
Tim Mackie says the Hebrew for righteousness simply describes a "right relationship".
Noah had a right relationship with God.
How did he manage that?
By faith. Do you think Noah was literally sinless?
ReplyDeleteA posture of faith IS a right relationship, aka righteousness. Faith says "I believe you, Lord, and I will do what you say."
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that by "righteous" Scripture means "zero sin ever since the day of birth" - that's the sort of presumption we tend to bring to the text based on our own faith traditions.
If I am in a right relationship with my wife, does that mean I have never ever messed up? Or that I am incapable of messing up later today? And IF later today I directly disobey her or neglect to do something she asked, would people suddenly decide that we have a terrible marriage, built on a lie?
No. Instead, I find myself in a right relationship with my wife and yet still dependent on her grace toward me.