Hebrews 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Noah is another example God chose of those who trusted in the true God. Noah had never seen rain before. He had never experienced even a localized flood. God told him that He would bring a flood that would cover the highest mountains. The people around Noah had never seen such a thing either. In spite of their rejection of this fact, Noah set about to obey God and he began to build an Ark to the saving of his family. His wife and his sons had never seen such a thing either. Noah did not wait to gain a consensus. He could talk to his forefathers about what God told him, but ultimately he needed to trust what God said. He had enough evidence to know that God was true.
We see that Noah was an intelligent man. God gave him the ability to develop the skills needed to prepare the timbers for the Ark. God also gave him the ability to assemble those timbers in such a way that they would be water tight and that the entire structure would be strong and able to withstand the pressures of the water and the movement of itself on the waters. We do not know if any of the trees that were destroyed in the flood came into contact with that Ark as it was floating on the waters. We do know that Noah followed God’s instructions and the Ark was prepared and sitting on dry ground. God brought all the animals to Noah and they entered the Ark. On the specified day, God called Noah and his family to enter the Ark and He shut the door. Noah was completely dependent upon God.
This account gives us a picture of salvation. Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the Ark. God did not call upon man to develop Jesus Christ. He is the eternal second person of the Godhead. He knew He would one day come to this earth as a man, and even as a servant obedient unto death. He provides salvation for all those who will trust completely in Him for salvation. Noah did not have a life raft that he could use if the Ark failed. He did not have a “plan B”. He did not need a “plan B” because God knew what He was doing. The same is true regarding salvation. There is no “plan B”.
The Catholics accept salvation by faith as long as works are included. They talk of Jesus’ crucifixion and even of His resurrection. They also talk of how Mary was needed to be the co-redemtrix with her Son. They also teach that every individual must be “baptized” as an infant to remove original sin and then they must go through their catechism, and then confirmation. After that they must attend masses and give money to the “church” and do certain acts of penance from time to time. However, in the end they have no way of assuring anyone who follows that heresy, that they have eternal life. They can only hope it works out well. Sadly, every Catholic that has died a Catholic knows now that their system was a complete failure. Yet, today many still trust in that lie as their hope in the end. They have an “ark” that is full of holes and they cannot even bail out the water fast enough and yet they are still trusting in that false system.
Noah walked by faith. He was not disappointed. Those outside the Ark found out very quickly they were wrong and they had no recourse. They could not tread water long enough to survive the flood. The Bible says they perished. The Ark was the only place of safety. Jesus Christ is the only place of safety. That is the picture that God gave and that is clear throughout the Bible. It does not matter what men may say, Jesus Christ declared:

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

The Bible is the Word of God. Biblical faith in God is what saves.
Noah became heir of righteousness, not by works, but by faith. His works demonstrated his faith. God directed James to write about that.

James 2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21  Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
24  Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
25  Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Notice again here that God speaks very plainly. Political correctness has no place when it comes to truth. Pampering those who want to live by their emotions is of no value. The truth is what sets the captive free. The truth is a blessing to those who receive it. It is like a hammer to those who reject it. That is God’s design, not man’s. Man is trying to change that but he is doing so to his own peril.
Noah trusted in God and he acted upon what God told him and that action proved that he trusted God. If he would have tried to modify God’s design for the Ark it would have demonstrated that he did not believe God. It would also have been a disaster for him and his family.
We cannot modify God’s way of salvation. His way and only His way works.
Pastor Bartel