Far from being a hero of the faith, I aspire at best to be a good foot soldier.
Noah was a hero of the faith. He undertook an impossible task, built an ark far from water, endured the ridicule of his neighbors, collected all the animals and food for them and his family, and then led the rebuilding of society after the flood.
Daniel was a hero of the faith. He stayed true to God when tempted with the finest luxuries and greatest power a decadent, idolatrous nation could offer him. He went willingly into the lion’s den rather than stop praying to God.
Job was a hero of the faith. He never wavered through the greatest catastrophes a man could ever know, keeping his testimony of trust even when his wealth and family and health were stolen from him.
As great as these heroes were, though, they’re insignificant when it comes to salvation. God told Ezekiel so, in Ezekiel 14:12-14 “The word of the Lord came to me: ‘Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job —were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
I’m not ready to wrestle with what it means that by their righteousness they could save themselves - probably that God would choose to spare them in that circumstance. What catches my interest this morning is that, great as they were, none of these men could save anyone. No man can save another. No human can save me.
It’s another reminder that the greatest of God’s image-bearers reflects only a tiny bit of his true majesty. What was impossible for men and women was possible for God made flesh in Jesus.
It makes me wonder where I put my faith. In myself? I’ll likely never be as righteous as Noah and Daniel and Job. In another person? No matter how good, they can’t save me. As someone said, salvation doesn’t arrive on Air Force 1. It doesn’t come from a pulpit either, or from the pen of the most gifted theologian. And it doesn’t come from any good work I might pull off.
The only thing that saves is faith in Jesus. It’s that simple. And that hard.
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