Resilient: Powerful Hope in a Dangerous WorldSample

Imagine a world without kindness, goodness, or love. No safety. Human hearts filled with nothing but evil. This is the picture painted in the first verses of Genesis 6. Perhaps the saddest verse any biblical author ever wrote is this one that comes before the story of the great flood in Noah’s time:

The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

When you compare our world to this, there is much to be thankful for. Still, the church is in decline, faith is decreasing in our country, and intolerance of Christians is increasing at accelerating rates.

No wonder we are told to fix our eyes on Christ, the eternal embodiment of all good things. He was from the beginning, and he will be present at the judgment of the world. He is steady. He loves us and has promised to be the One to sustain us if we stand firm and do not fall for the world's false teachings.

2 Timothy 4:3 says a time will come when people won’t put up with sound doctrine. They’ll go after teaching that satisfies their itch but is not true. It warns us to keep our heads on straight, endure hardship, and work at evangelism.

And if we do, 1 Peter 3:20-22 tells us, we will be like Noah’s family who was saved at the time of the flood. As the water washed the evil from the earth, the water of baptism follows our commitment to Christ, not the washing of dirt from the body but a chance for a clean conscience and a new life.

If we do not give in to the times but hold fast to Christ and his teachings, we will be saved by his resurrection and one day join and live with him forever.

Reflection Questions

1. Put the picture painted in the first verses of Genesis 6 into your own words. How would you compare it to the current state of the world?
2. What does it mean to stand firm in our faith? What things might we have to stand against?
3. What does baptism give us? Once we’re baptized, what is the benefit of holding fast to Jesus’ teachings?