I don't think so. From our perspective is the essential factor Faith Alone in God? Yes! However, I think God interacts with us differently at different times.
Gen. 6:3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man,...
Gen. 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
Heb. 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear prepared an ark...and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
During the time of Noah the Holy Spirit did not indwell man. It did convict man of it's sin, but it was not acting as a counselor to guide God's elect. However we do see after the Cross the Holy Spirit indwells the elect and guides us. So I look at the time of Noah and see how our total depravity affects us and what we do when given absolute free will. However after the Cross God intervenes for us and guides us. So we have to different periods where Faith Alone is critical, but God deals with us differently.
I would submit that part of the reason my Reformed Brothers and Sisters struggle with eschatology is because they are trying to take how God interacts with us in one period and impose it in another.
WELL PUT.
ABSOLUTELY INDEED.
"I am the God that changes not" (mal 3:6),Hbr 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
I agree with Harley I think :)
Read that vs of Genesis again.. Noah FOUND grace in the eyes of God.. This is the first time that the word grace is found in the scriptures.. grace is Gods unmerited favor Wm.. Noah, like me, had done nothing to merit that favor of God.. no works.. what does eph tell us? While we were yet sinners (like Noah ) .... ... Gods grace precedes repentance and regeneration..
All of the Ot was about Gods long suffering Gods righteousness and Gods mercy and grace
I think God saved Noah exactly the same way He saved me.. by His grace and mercy ...
Hmmmm...So the nature, purpose and character of God's Spirit changed?
I would say that the Holy Spirit roll prior to the cross was just the same as after the cross. He was acting as a counselor to guide God's elect and there are a "number" of instances of this.
In Numbers for example we see this in effect where God puts his Spirit on the people:
Num 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
Num 11:26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.
Num 11:27 And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp."
Num 11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, "My lord Moses, stop them."
Num 11:29 But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!"
But no greater example exist than Saul's conversion at the hands of Samuel:
1Sa 10:7 Now when these signs meet you, do what your hand finds to do, for God is with you.
1Sa 10:8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do."
1Sa 10:9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day.
But I would agree that starting with Pentecost, God put His Spirit in EVERY believer rather then just a few. So hope of Moses was fulfilled, where God put His Spirit on all His people.
I would submit that part of the reason my Reformed Brothers and Sisters struggle with eschatology is because they are trying to take how God interacts with us in one period and impose it in another.
I find few people except me seem to struggle with eschatology. And the reason I struggle with it is because I believe the scriptures are unclear on this unless one has an absolute grasp upon a great deal of ancient history in order to justly do a comparative analysis of the views. People want to poo-poo the first 1800 years of the church historical view in favor of a post-modern view of eschatology because it is simple and easy. Consequently it warps the doctrine of grace.
A simple illustration of this is what I tell just about everyone on this board and in which they end up taking offense; "God does not extend His special blessing to those who do not believe in His Son but His wrath rest upon them." This includes the Jews as well. People goes nutzo when I make this statement but it is a BIBLICALLY SOUND FACT. Their eschatology colors their logic of biblical stated truth.
But there is no such thing as "free" will. You have God's will and you have man's will. Man's will NEVER do God's will simply because it is completely opposite to God's will. God has to change that in order for man to do His will. The only two people that truly had "free will" was Adam and Christ.